...and dismantle the drone. It's been like gutting a snake, as I've needed to preserve the wiring loom that services one half of what was formerly wired as an octocopter, as an independent quadcopter. I shall probably take the opportunity to rebuild it using better materials at the same time, before performing what could be considered the world's first quadcopter transplant.
It's a crying shame to undo work once done, which is why I have kept at least half of the pre-existing wiring loom intact, which won't need much in the way of modification to operate as a quad- instead of an octo-copter. Invention is nothing else though if not a process of creative destruction and boldness is often called for in its execution.
Once reconstituted the uppermost quad will be available to testing unregulated in the UK at under 25 kilos, and then even after attaching to the seat and lowermost quad will still fall within the category of large radio-controlled model. Once there is someone onboard then that would have to be upped to experimental category, but not in this initial form when it might transport a lightweight dummy. Thus we have a path toward what may be considered a conventional test-program, which is what these developments require if they are to have legs.
Either way, if this final iteration (in which the uppermost drone is tasked with steering and the lowermost with lift) fails to work ~ and I'm taking a punt here ~ then it has to be my last.
But let nobody say that we didn't try!
