As technology progresses and we RC hobbyist find the need to mount additional things to our transmitter, the need for adjustable mount points arises. Of course, if these transmitter manufacturer were current with the time, we would have more elegant solutions in place. Instead, follow along for a solution if you don’t like every hobbyist best friend, tape and velcro.
Check out this Walkera QR w100s quad that allows you to mount an iPhone so you can get a first person point of view, while still being able to control via your radio transmitter.
There are other tools and software such as iKopter, that allows for waypoint programming of your drone with Google Maps overlayed, all right from the phone. Then there are the popular telemetry displays that many pilots are already attaching to their TX.
For my purpose, I simply need a rear mount point that I can attach my HiSky HT-8 or Tactic Anylink module to. And be able to easily be removed, pivot and adjust as needed. Kindda like how Lego pieces snaps together.
With that thought in mind, why not use lego pieces. My little boys has a bunch of Lego Hero Factory (Bionicle) pieces all over the place. And I noticed that the pieces is perfect for what I had in mind.
Without their knowledge, I took a piece.
It used a Dremel to cut it in half right at the line. Then I drilled a hole and stuck the ball and stem through it. epoxy it in place because I didn’t want to bother removing the case and coming up with a mount solution. Hot glue may work just as well.
Here’s the stud:
Then I use a screw to securely attach the other half:
Now, I can attach and switch between the AnyLink or HT-8 module easily. And the TX still fits in my existing transmitter case without having to update the layout.
It holds securely and can pivot in every which way. You can extend it with other Lego Hero Factory pieces for additional accessories addon or to make things for secure. It’s really up to your imagination at this point.
update (06/21/2013)
I found that Walkera made a couple of mounts available that obviously fit their radio and possibly others.
Here’s the Phone Holder A for their bigger radios: 2402D, Devo7, Devo10, Devo8s, Devo12, DevoF4 and F7, 2801PRO
And this is the Phone Holder B that fits their smaller radios: Devo 4, 6, 6s, 7E
Here’s the instruction for how it mounts onto the smaller radio.