QUADLUGS MODULAR MULTIROTOR SYSTEM QUADCOPTER BUILD AND REVIEW – PART 1

I have received a nice USPS box from Danny, funder of the Quadlugs multirotor modular system and started a build with the main purpose of testing this original piece of technological equipment for strengths and weaknesses, report to our blog readers and providing a build blueprint for others that might want to built their own Quadlugs based multi rotor.

A packet from Quadlugs!
A packet from Quadlugs!
A mounted Quadlugs frame
A mounted Quadlugs frame
480 mm Quadlugs quadcopter for FPV
The result of quite some work on the packet contents: a Quadlugs 480 build for FPV, straight from the Personal Drones Blog! Stay with us and build yours by following our simple instructions

Since the idea of a system based on a number of small pieces that can more or less freely assembled to create different machines is starting to be seen around, for example in the new RotorBits frames available at Hobbyking, we will also shortly discuss quadlugs in comparison to RotorBits as there are a few key differences that are worth highlighting.

The RotorBits modular system from Hobbyking
The RotorBits modular system from Hobbyking

The build process is different from other “classic” frame systems, such as the DJI F450 or F550 and many others, so I will go through all the assembly steps, in pictures, to let you have a close look at what you can expect if you decide to build one yourself, and possibly provide some inspiration for your own creative build.

Indeed, as I have appreciated during the building process, Quadlugs is, or can be very much about personal creativity. When you build a DJI F450 frame, you pretty much exactly know where you will end up. Of course, no F450 build are alike, especially when equipment is added outside the standard DJI equipment, and lots of decisions can be made to customize an F450 build. However the very basic structure of the frame is “fixed”. You position the arms within the two center plates, tighten the screws, and this is it. The shape of the frame is pre-determined by DJI, you can’t really do much about it, unless of course you start to build custom pieces etc.. but this is not for everyone, with such a “rigid” system”.

Not so with Quadlugs. Of course you can get a “standard” wood pieces set from Quadlugs, I actually recommend you do to start with, and build a “standard” version. However since all frame parts except the lugs are made of wood, and have a quite simple design, squares, rectangles, the kind of simple pieces anyone, even with no special wood crafting experience, can build easily with simple tools. So once you get familiar with the system, you can so easily shape it to your own custom needs, by just sourcing a few new pieces of wood. Simple, inexpensive, rewarding and fun. A full DIY experience, if you wish. Otherwise you can just stick to the default frame kit and still enjoy a custom build by making some decisions, as I have done for my own build described here.

Mind that you can click on the pictures on this article to view them full size, they are much bigger and informative than the thumbnails that you see here!

A detail of the power system and mounting of the flight controller  on our Quadlugs build
A detail of the power system and mounting of the flight controller on our Quadlugs build

Enough talking for now, let’s go to the solid stuff.

Build Components

The lugs

Before we get into the build itself, let’s briefly introduce the lugs, the main components of the Quadlugs system, and how they we can fit them together with the wood components in order to build the quadcopter.

The lugs, core of the Quadlugs system. Each part or set of parts come nicely packaged into an individual bag, that also contains the required set of screws to mount the piece in place. In general more screws are provided than actually needed, allowing for some “buffer” and direction changes  during the build.
The lugs, core of the Quadlugs system. Each part or set of parts come nicely packaged into an individual bag, that also contains the required set of screws to mount the piece in place. In general more screws are provided than actually needed, allowing for some “buffer” and direction changes during the build.
The full lugs set from Qaudlugs
The full lugs set from Qaudlugs
The “angle” lugs that connect the frame borders, allowing to shape the frame as a rectangle. I received 2 red and 2 white ones.
The “angle” lugs that connect the frame borders, allowing to shape the frame as a rectangle. I received 2 red and 2 white ones.
Plates holding lugs. Those slide into the frame sides and can be used alone, if you just have a single plate, or glued in couples, if you need a top and bottom plate, such as showed in the next picture. The lego like shape will help in gluing those pieces precisely together in couples
Plates holding lugs. Those slide into the frame sides and can be used alone, if you just have a single plate, or glued in couples, if you need a top and bottom plate, such as showed in the next picture. The lego like shape will help in gluing those pieces precisely together in couples
A pair of plate holders glued together. They fit together like two lego bricks so it is impossible to go wrong during gluing here.
A pair of plate holders glued together. They fit together like two lego bricks so it is impossible to go wrong during gluing here.
All plate lugs glued and ready
All plate holding lugs glued and ready

Quadlugs arm lug. This are sturdy pieces made of nylon and are especially robust. The other lugs are made of  ABS plastic. See how the head can be rotated in 15 degrees increments with respect to the base. This is an AMAZING and unique feature that allows the angles of the 4 arms to be customized at will, and so easily changed at any time, to experiment new configurations. Arms angles can have a strong impact on flight characteristics and the Quadlugs platform, thanks to this special feature of the arm lugs, is just a few screwdrivers turns away from experimentation in this area. Quadlugs arm lug. This are sturdy pieces made of nylon and are especially robust. The other lugs are made of ABS plastic. See how the head can be rotated in 15 degrees increments with respect to the base. This is an AMAZING and unique feature that allows the angles of the 4 arms to be customized at will, and so easily changed at any time, to experiment new configurations. Arms angles can have a strong impact on flight characteristics and the Quadlugs platform, thanks to this special feature of the arm lugs, is just a few screwdrivers turns away from experimentation in this area.

Quadlugs arm lugs. Note the precisely fitted hole for the bottom nut, this is a key feature of the design, This nut will allow the long main screw of the arm lugs to tightly secure the lug in place on the frame, and hold the quadcopter arms in place at the same time.
Quadlugs arm lugs. Note the precisely fitted hole for the bottom nut, this is a key feature of the design, This nut will allow the long main screw of the arm lugs to tightly secure the lug in place on the frame, and hold the quadcopter arms in place at the same time.
Quadlugs arm lug with landing leg attached
Quadlugs arm lug with landing leg attached
Wood parts for Quadlug 480 frame
Wood parts for Quadlug 480 frame
An assembled quadlugs frame side
An assembled quadlugs frame side
A fist test of Quadlugs components assembly. From left to right, assembled on a frame “side bar”, angle lug, arm lug, plate lug white, plate lug red, arm lug, angle lug red. See how the colors will beautifull help in assessing the quad orientation durintg flight. At this time the plate lugs were still not glued in pairs
A fist test of Quadlugs components assembly. From left to right, assembled on a frame “side bar”, angle lug, arm lug, plate lug white, plate lug red, arm lug, angle lug red. See how the colors will beautifull help in assessing the quad orientation durintg flight. At this time the plate lugs were still not glued in pairs
Testing components assembly to get familiar with the Quadlugs system
Testing components assembly to get familiar with the Quadlugs system
Assembling the quadlugs frame. Bottom plate fitted
Assembling the quadlugs frame. Bottom plate fitted

So now you should start to have a first rough idea of what the lugs are and how they fit into the scheme. Let’s now make a step back and look at the details related to the assembly of a Quadlugs system from the very beginning, as there are a few operations to be carried out before the actual frame assembly.

Building the Quadlugs quadcopter

We can divide the build in 3 main “sections”.

  1. Drilling parts
  2. Mounting the frame
  3. Mounting electronics and the FPV system

1. Drilling lugs

First, some parts will need a little bit of drilling. Not an experienced driller? No worries, you are like me then. All you need is a drill and correctly sized drill bits and you can’t really go wrong. Also, a good old fashioned manual gimlet can be very hand to pre mark holes positions, to better center them with the drill bit later on, nice tool to have at hand during the bild.

A good old fashioned gimlet. I suggest you get one befor starting your build
A good old fashioned gimlet. I suggest you get one befor starting your build

There are a total of 4 holes, at minimum (found myself drilling a few more during the build) that we need to drill. 3 on each arm lug, and one on the bottom of the motor plates, to allow screwing those to the arms. Let’s start with the 3 holes on the arms lugs.

Drill bits
Drill bits

Hole 1 

Drilling the first hole in an arm lug
Drilling the first hole in an arm lug

For this hole, I found that the best bit size is 3, see the bits picture above. It basically closely fit the available home in the top part of the arm lug where the bit is inserted. In the figure above a 2.5 is portrayed. This is before I found out that 3 is better, as it leaves less room for wrong drilling angles and facilitates going straight down. There is always some room for a slightly bad drilling angle here, so I suggest you perform this operation carefully and not not rally go deep until you are sure you are getting the angle right. A lug with this first hole drilled (and also the second hole) is shown in the picture below.

Quadlugs arm lug with first and second hole drilled
Quadlugs arm lug with first and second hole drilled

Hole 2

Hole 2 can be drilled with bit size 2. It is pretty much straightforward.

Drilling hole number 2. it is just a matter of going through an existing hole on the bottom side of the lug and drilling the opposite side, very easy to do.
Drilling hole number 2. it is just a matter of going through an existing hole on the bottom side of the lug and drilling the opposite side, very easy to do.

Hole 3

For hole 3 there is not a precise guide. It serves as insertion point for the screw that fixes the landing gear leg into each arm lug.

Drilling hole 3 in an arm lug
Drilling hole 3 in an arm lug
Drilling hole 3 in an arm lug
Drilling hole 3 in an arm lug

For this third hole, you have the option drilling it on either side of the lug . This is where a screw will go and you can decide if you want these leg screws on the inside, facing each other, or maybe on the outside. So before drilling those, do a simulation of frame mounting ad pick up the right side for the hole on each of the 4 pieces.

Hole 4

Hole 4 is to be drilled with bit size 2 on the bottom of the motor plates. Since the correct position to drill is already marked by a light depression, you can’t miss it:

Making the existing hole a little bit deeper with a gimlet before drilling
Making the existing hole a little bit deeper with a gimlet before drilling
Drilling hole 4 in a motor plate lug
Drilling hole 4 in a motor plate lug
Drilled motor plate
Quadlugs drilled motor plate
All plates drilled and ready for mounting
All Quadlugs plates drilled and ready for mounting

Now that we have drilled the plates, we are ready for the actual frame assembly, that will be covered in great detail in part 2 of this review, please stay tuned on the blog for the follow up of this article, to come during the next few days.

In the meanwhile make sure you check out the Quadlugs web site and the Quadlugs build videos, that are very rich in details and provide step by step build instructions for the Quadlug system.

Quadlugs modular multirotor system review

7 thoughts on “QUADLUGS MODULAR MULTIROTOR SYSTEM QUADCOPTER BUILD AND REVIEW – PART 1”

  1. Nice, love the concept of a totally modular quad. does the free modularity inspire solutions that is not typically thought about in a regular build.? maybe better solutions?

  2. Bo excellent question. I am no artist and no object creator, so in terms of creativity, it surely inspires me that I can decide the size of the plates and length of arms and legs. Except that, the plates will still be rectangles and the shape of the pieces will more or less follow the original kit. If however you are able to imagine your own shapes and create your own design, what the lugs system does if to provide firm points of attachment of the arms and legs to the frame, these are the so called “arm lugs”. I think you could just build your original shaped base and then use the arm lugs to finish it off with arms and legs. For instance you could very well, I guess, build something more similar to a TBS discovery than a classical Quadlugs build, by building the plates in wood with arm lugs attachment points to add arms and landing gear.
    An idea I like about the Quadlugs system is that you could build “disposable” and cheap wood frames, that you could adapt or change according to requirements over time. Need a bigger quad? No problem. Smaller quad? Can do. H quad? Easy. It adapts well to the concept of having, rather than one or more quads, a certain amount of the required equipment that you can recombine to build, each time, something new.
    A limit of the system is that it is probably unreasonable to build anything smaller than say, a 330, because the arm lugs do have a weight, so you cannot build micro quads with this system, at least not with the 13mm hole provided now. I think they plan to extend the range of dimensions available, however I am not sure if they are planning smaller lugs or larger. I suspect larger.
    And if you can design and print your own pieces and components (a growing army of geeks can, including a friend of mine that leaves in Hollywood), then you could possibly have some special fun with the system.

    1. Bo,

      yes, the modularity offers the ability to design and experiment, that doesn’t exist that I know of, as of yet. Body size and more so motor arm degree angles. I am finding that the handling characteristics are greatly enhanced and degraded by the motor arm angles. I am also finding that the motor to motor dimensions i.e. (610,480,450,550,350) when achieved in part by the body width, allows for a more stable multi-rotor. In our 480 the body is 7″ long and 4″ wide, the motor arm are 7″ long(very stable). In our 610 the body is 10″ x 8″ and the motor arms are 7″ (super stable). I do no tweaking of the controller, I fly all with factory default settings to compare the stability. This is just one part of the QuadLugs system I am finding so interesting, not only in what I am finding but having the ability to. I love the flying aspect, however I am becoming just as much interested is the experimentation. In the future we have smaller and bigger sizes in the works, along with different corner angles and colors. The upcoming corners will allow for even more variants in body design and experimentation with flight characteristics.
      We also have a new motor mount that will be used for the Tri-Copter swivel motor mount. It will also serve as and adjustable motor mount when the servo is not installed. I have been trying different motor mount angles and with the ability to adjust the motor arm angles as well, wow, it really opens up the ability to test a multitude of combinations. I am finding some of them very interesting. I really look forward to all the different designs to come. That is why I say that these components are – a new multi-rotor experience.

      be creative
      Danny

Leave a Reply to personal drones Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *