Rotorama Buddy 7"

Changes:

1. 11.1.2023 - modification of the rear and top plates - adding holes for Walksnail Avatar, enlarging the space for the DJI O3 camera

Rotorama Buddy 7" is a companion that won’t let you down. It is a long-range frame for longer-distance flights. Buddy aims to be very durable, practical and fly great. The frame can accommodate up to 7" propellers. The frame weight including 3D prints is 158 grams.

Buddy has 15mm wide arms made of 5mm carbon at the narrowest point. The arms are therefore very durable and rigid. High rigidity helps minimize vibrations and thus improves the copter’s behavior. For increased durability, the front part of the frame around the camera, which takes the biggest hit in a crash, is also reinforced. The bottom plate is made of 3mm carbon, the top one of 2mm. The frame has different front and rear arms, which minimizes propeller visibility in the FPV camera.

Unlike most freestyle frames, on the Buddy the stack is mounted between the front and rear arms directly on the bottom plate. This has several advantages. The frame is lower and has the center of gravity closer to the propeller plane, which helps improve flight characteristics. When using common 2807 motors, the propeller is usually at the level of the top plate. The center of gravity is therefore low, but the battery is still high enough, so in the event of a crash and battery movement, there is no risk of it being pierced by the propellers. The arms are mounted separately with three screws, so replacing them is very easy. Thanks to the three screws, the arms hold firmly in place and do not wobble.

The distance between the front and rear arms is 55mm, so most available stacks fit comfortably. When building, stacks with mounting hole spacing of both 20x20mm (M3) and 30,5x30,5mm can be used. Because every stack is a little different, the frame has slots instead of holes for larger stacks. You can slightly shift the stack to one side or the other as needed and gain a bit of extra space (for example for a capacitor or power cable).

Additional electronics can then be placed in the rear part of the frame. Mounting holes are prepared for installation 20x20mm M2, 25,5x25,5mm M2 and 30,5x30,5mm M3. The top plate also has holes with 20x20mm and 25,5x25,5mm M2 spacing. The rear part of the frame is a suitable place for installing a video transmitter. Into the 20x20mm holes or slots you can install a Caddx Vista or Walksnail Avatar for digital video transmission. With a different set of 3D prints, the frame also comfortably fits the DJI Air Unit and DJI O3. In the rear part of the top plate there is an opening through which an XT60 with cable can be routed. The top plate can thus be easily removed and the cable pulled out, so the copter will be easier to service. A cable routed through the top plate has a lower chance of getting caught in the propellers in flight, where they could cut it. The antenna and camera are mounted using a 3D-printed holder. As standard, the frame includes a holder for an SMA connector and a mini-size camera.

3D printed accessories can be found on almost every copter. One of the very widespread freestyle frames is the Alien (and its clones). Since we don’t want to reinvent the wheel, Buddy has the same spacing of the front 4 standoffs as the Alien. All HD camera mounts can therefore also be used on the Buddy, not only at the front, but also at the rear or bottom. A GoPro or other camera can thus be placed anywhere.