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Lego is something I used to play with a lot when I was a kid. Growing up in the 90s meant getting a lot of Technic sets for birthdays and holidays. 20 years later, I've reconnected with my boxes of Legos and decided to re-utilize them for various RC projects. The benefits to using Lego as a building material in this application is that they are both light and strong, and they also use dimensions which make it easy to quickly come up with variations on a design.
One of the first things I decided to use them for is a camera-tilt for my Quadcopter. Because I had such a large collection as a kid, I had many options to choose from when it came to designing the tilt. Depending on what you have lying around at hand, you too can make just about anything! Since I haven't seen anything like this used on this forum, I hope this sparks some ideas and I would be very interested in what other people can come up with!
Update 1/31/13: Perhaps not as intricate as the camera tilt, Lego provided a quick and easy solution during my Bixler 2 build. After installing the i86 stabilization board, I needed a way to bridge the board yet leave enough room to be able to mess with the gain controls. Since I'm mounting my GoPro towards the nose, I needed this space to put my battery. Now that my battery is closer to the COG, I am able to mount the camera further up the nose for a better view. I also used a longer 2x6 Technic piece as a backplate for mounting the GoPro to relieve any stress on the foam during rough landings.
Here I used Lego axles to hold up my plastic shell over my electronics, since I didn't have a base to attach it to. The axles are simply hot-glued onto the corners of the control board tower. After finding my ideal height, I used CA to secure the larger nut, then used the smaller nut to secure the cover for easy access.
Technic Legos have pre-drilled holes, perfectly centered for mounting or attaching to your craft. Here I've used the small hinge connectors and an axle-plate to make a tilt point for my camera. After experimenting with the grey hinge connectors (loose) I decided on using the black hinge connectors for a little more resistance and stability.
After settling on a final design, I used CA to secure the more crucial aspects of the assembly, but left certain pieces dry so that I could further configure them later. Depending on the amount of weight or tension you plan on putting a connection, you may want to use CA to make sure they do not come apart. However, I am always amazed at how strong these bricks naturally hold together.
I used two longer strips in the back to make a shelf for my batter to attach to. On the smooth side, I've attached velcro.
Here is another shot. Again -- depending on what you have at your disposal, you can make just about anything you need out of Lego. You'll be surprised at how many applications these bricks can solve with just a little bit of imagination! Have fun building!
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However, I will do my best to come up with a list!
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Keep up the great work!!!!!!!! :)
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I guess the point of my article was to get people thinking about using Lego for various applications. The bricks (depending on what you have) are easy to assemble and re-configure to your liking. Even smaller things, like the battery tray I made, or using lego as a backplate for mounting cameras or landing gear through foam. Every brick has the same configuration, so they're easy to incorporate into just about anything.
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