Initial Planning

• Name

  • Eclipse

• High Level Specs

  • 1.5 m wingspan

  • Max takeoff weight = 5kg

  • 6S Battery Voltage

    • ~1.1kg of batteries

    • one 6S battery pack only

    • battery chemistry options: Li-ion, Li-Po, LiHv

  • Modular wings & fuselage

• Purpose, Quantity, & Timeline

  • High Level

    • Pursue the primary purpose for roughly a full year with this plane and then hand it off to other subteams for learning in the secondary purpose before decommissioning

  • Quantity

    • A single aircraft will be built (and maintained in the unlikely event of damage)

  • Primary purpose

    • learning how to design fixed wings → mechanical skills

    • learning how to operate fixed wings → ardupilot & pilot skills

  • Secondary purposes

    • Custom battery long term? Could be saved for VTOL depending on EE interest​

    • flight testing bench for EE and EFS new CAN architecture. ​

    • testing EFS milestones milestones​ M2 and M3

    • testing EE ZP3 hardware designs

• Budgeting

  • Will be less expensive than fancy composites

  • Will be more expensive than hacked together foam planes we’ve done in the past

Related Resources

• https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MEC/pages/2550824963 mech’s initial proposal

• https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/Meetings/pages/2556658195 arch sync first one

Mechanical

All mechanical design documents can be found in Eclipse Mechanical Decisions Documentation.

more mechanical information is currently stored in Eclipse 2025 .

• https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MEC/pages/2683731991

  • A row of balsa ribs mounted on an aluminum box tube. The ribs are spaced by 3D printed leading edges

• https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MEC/pages/2590018051

  • Main doc for airframe design. Main aluminum mounting plate which accommodates 90% of electronics, and the motor

  • Tail boom and wing spars attach to the main plate

• https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MEC/pages/2644017154

  • Tail dragger design → 2 wheels at the front and 1 at the tail

  • Plan is to make the tail wheel steerable for yaw control on ground at low speeds

• https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MEC/pages/2605973505

  • A conventional tail configuration with 1 servo each for elevator and rudder

Electrical

Electrical Components

• Flight controller: Pixhawk 6X

  • Mounted level in central location

  • Vibration dampened but robust mounting

  • Mounting holes are M2, but the dimensions are not in their diagram. You will have to look at the existing mount and/or measure the Pixhawk

  • All ports accessible

  • Useful Resources:

    • https://holybro.com/products/pixhawk-6x

    • https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-powering-the-pixhawk.html#common-powering-the-pixhawk

• Power module: PM02D https://holybro.com/products/pm02d-power-module

  • Power leads and white JST port accessible

• ESC: APD 120 F3 https://powerdrives.net/120f3 or Flycolor 80A 12S https://www.team-blacksheep.com/products/product:4557

  • Case design already exists for APD ESC

    • This ESC is kinda overkill

    • This ESC is expensive asf.

    • Maybe we sub it with a cheaper one in the future.

  • Expose this to air for cooling if possible

• Motor: AT3530 580KV https://store.tmotor.com/product/at3530-long-shaft-fixed-wing-motor.html

• ELRS Receiver: https://rotorvillage.ca/happymodel-expresslrs-tcxo-ep1-dual-rx/

  • Antennas exposed, solder pads accessible

• Analog camera: https://rotorvillage.ca/caddx-baby-ratel-2-fpv-camera/

  • Facing forward, connector accessible

  • Max vin = 40V

• VTX: https://www.getfpv.com/fpv/video-transmitters/5-8ghz/xilo-stax-5-8ghz-fpv-video-transmitter-25-600mw.html

  • Should be relatively exposed for cooling

    • Only intended for use on takeoff and landing so while it will get warm it doesn't need super special considerations

  • How exposed depends on what Tx power and on time we wanna use on the VTX.

  • Max Vin = 36V

• Pitot Tube: https://rotorgeeks.com/matek-digital-airspeed-sensor-aspd-dlvr

  • Need to receive smooth airflow for most accurate data

  • Electronics mounted close enough to connect with tube

  • Has CAN passthrough capability

• Magnetometer: https://www.getfpv.com/holybro-dronecan-rm3100-professional-grade-compass.html

  • Mounted level (can be upside down too)

  • Away from metal and radios

  • Away from high current wires

    • do not mount near motors and batteries

• GPS: https://holybro.com/collections/dronecan-gps-module/products/dronecan-m9n-gps

  • Mounted level, away from metal and high current wires

  • Printed text on GPS facing air

  • Safety switch accessible

• Rangefinder: https://ca.robotshop.com/products/benewake-tf02-pro-lidar-led-rangefinder-ip65-40m

  • Mounted level, facing downwards

  • Unobstructed view of ground

• 6S Battery: 4500 mAh LiHV batteries in bay

  • we have 60 of them

  • Dimensions: 140 mm x 43 mm x 48 mm

  • Two in parallel.

• Servo module

  • Hoping to be able to use https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/EL/pages/2596929559/6S+Servo+Module?search_id=c3260b70-5085-4a1c-b8da-0c2765872da3

  • Backup: https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/EL/pages/2173960269/Servo+Module+12S?search_id=8095fbab-8b82-4b21-ae73-490aad03c35a or COTS alternative.

• Single Servo Driver

  • https://warg.365.altium.com/designs/DFA92F42-21FC-4CDF-83E5-0DB94E84ABC7#design

• CAN Splitter

  • https://warg.365.altium.com/designs/A3BFF15E-6855-48FA-B8A6-B31C2041AA33

  • https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ARCHS22/pages/2555904119

• Lighting PCBA

  • https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ARCHS22/pages/2555707500/Lighting+Integration+2025?search_id=9ae75e77-aa92-41bb-a598-6a70014a4919

• Raspberry Pi Adapter

  • https://uwarg-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/EL/pages/2561605642/RPi+Interface?search_id=5a3d4759-3838-4ee3-8202-4a807234f790

• Isolated HD Camera

  • Runcam Thumb

• Servos

  • https://hitecrcd.com/products/servos/analog/sport-2/hs-311/product

• Connectors: Eclipse Connector Research - Electrical - WARG

Electronics System Diagram

Electronics Harness Diagrams

Eclipse Harness.pdf · UWARG/hardware · GitHub

Electronics Placement Diagram

Open

Maiden Flight Electronics System Diagram