Uploaded November 2012 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
An introduction to a scratchbuilt foamboard flying wing for fun and FPV flying. Details, flying, and build videos to follow.
This plane is designed to be easy to build, compact for transport and storage, and relatively efficient in flight. The flying wing does eliminate several parts and the space and weight they occupy, like the empennage and horizontal stabilizer, but it must be properly balanced in order to optimize flight efficiency. The separate, movable, and interchangeable fuselage pod allows the builder to shift the payload weight relative to the wing in order to achieve that proper balance.
Made of 3 sheets of Readi-Board (aka Dollar Tree foamboard), hot glue, Gorilla Glue, one carbon arrow shaft, and packing tape, the airframe is under $10 and takes about 2 hours to build. Electronics are 2 x 9g EXI metal gear digital servos, receiver of choice, and battery pack 2000-5000mAh range. AUW as tested is 1200-1400g, estimated maximum 2000g.
Motor options are widely variable but at least 350 watts is recommended to get good performance and reliable hand-launches. Landing gear is an option, with a correctly sized propeller to allow ground clearance.
This plane includes some concepts and elements from: Gabe Kadonoff, nieder99, templton89, Rob MacKenzie, mountaindewdude. I encourage you to check out their channels for other good ideas.
No plans will be made but detailed build videos will follow, including all specs and parts links. Please comment or PM any questions.
"Synapse" is the name of the junction of the axon of one nerve cell to the dendrite of another nerve cell, where electrical signals are converted to chemical (neurotransmitter) signals and conveyed to the next nerve cell. I've always thought this is a very cool phenomenon, a kind of magical thing taking place on a very tiny scale, billions of times per second in every brain. Most psychoactive medications and drugs exert their effects in one way or another at the synapse. The word synapse is from the Greek words for "to clasp together", which also kind of goes along with the design of the plane - fuselage clasped to wing.
An introduction to a scratchbuilt foamboard flying wing for fun and FPV flying. Details, flying, and build videos to follow.
This plane is designed to be easy to build, compact for transport and storage, and relatively efficient in flight. The flying wing does eliminate several parts and the space and weight they occupy, like the empennage and horizontal stabilizer, but it must be properly balanced in order to optimize flight efficiency. The separate, movable, and interchangeable fuselage pod allows the builder to shift the payload weight relative to the wing in order to achieve that proper balance.
Made of 3 sheets of Readi-Board (aka Dollar Tree foamboard), hot glue, Gorilla Glue, one carbon arrow shaft, and packing tape, the airframe is under $10 and takes about 2 hours to build. Electronics are 2 x 9g EXI metal gear digital servos, receiver of choice, and battery pack 2000-5000mAh range. AUW as tested is 1200-1400g, estimated maximum 2000g.
Motor options are widely variable but at least 350 watts is recommended to get good performance and reliable hand-launches. Landing gear is an option, with a correctly sized propeller to allow ground clearance.
This plane includes some concepts and elements from: Gabe Kadonoff, nieder99, templton89, Rob MacKenzie, mountaindewdude. I encourage you to check out their channels for other good ideas.
No plans will be made but detailed build videos will follow, including all specs and parts links. Please comment or PM any questions.
"Synapse" is the name of the junction of the axon of one nerve cell to the dendrite of another nerve cell, where electrical signals are converted to chemical (neurotransmitter) signals and conveyed to the next nerve cell. I've always thought this is a very cool phenomenon, a kind of magical thing taking place on a very tiny scale, billions of times per second in every brain. Most psychoactive medications and drugs exert their effects in one way or another at the synapse. The word synapse is from the Greek words for "to clasp together", which also kind of goes along with the design of the plane - fuselage clasped to wing.
