Simple DIY RC Plane

A couple of weeks ago, i was wondering what to do. And then i came up with a lego apple cannon, but then found out about cardboard, and diy planes. So i decided to create my very own cardboard Rc airplane. Slightly based off of the B-26, as i really like the design and needed a stable design. So in this project i will show you how to build your very own simple diy remote control airplane. I might actually do a Timelapse video… no face though, cuz why would i do that. Internet safety and all that.

I call the plane the RX1065B, you can call yours whatever you want. I have a YouTube channel too, but it’s not related to anything about this project. Anyways, this plane is very loosely based off of the b-26, it may look nothing like it, but i don’t know really. I was doing it for fun and my hobby, but then an assignment came up and now im doing this for that.

I’ve seen a lot of your other projects, and they look really professional, and mine doesn’t really look that professional, but who cares? I’m building an airplane :)

so, i built the fuselage first, then the tail, and then the wings, and after that i installed the mechanics. I might build a separate cardboard one, with a larger flat wingspan, to experiment with that.

• cardboard

• razor blade

• hot glue

• two wired rc motors

• basic knowledge of electrical engineering and soldering

• we will also need about a 200W or 175W motor to carry the weight

•lots of foam board, i had about 5 sheets of 20x30 inch foam board

• a hobby knife

• 400mm pushrods

• steady hands

• 2V-6V motors (x2)

1. For This part, i measured the horizontal stabilizer first, but you can do any order you want. The horizontal stabilizer was 1 foot and 2 inches long, and the vertical stabilizer is 7 1/2 inches tall. It doesn’t really matter how long or big they are, but these are the measurements i used. I used a sturdy standard tail design, as this was my first rc plane. The middle is 7.2 inches to the inside. Then i glued the vertical stabilizer to the horizontal one, and got my tail. But i also installed the pushrod connector on the bottom right side of the plane on the horizontal stabilizer.

1. Step 1: Planning:
2. Sketched the design with key measurements for tail.
3. Referenced online templates for RC planes as a starting point.
4. Step 2: Aerodynamics:
5. Ensured a proper center of gravity (CG) by balancing components.
6. simple cubical fuselage, for maximum stability, and durability.
7. 
   

For this fuselage, i already built it, and it’s very simple, so i am describing the process, i don’t have any pictures except for the finished fuselage. the fuselage in this is a 3x3 inch cubical design, for maximum stability and sturdiness. I started the inclining tail thing at about 8 inches from the rear of the plane, so it went up, as a basic tail. I also made a pointed nose, but it is very cubical. But it still works. I’ve tested the whole fuselage and wings, and it glided pretty well! Though it was a bit tail heavy, so i added more weight to the nose, and it worked great.

okay, you will need 12 in by 30 inch foam board, then cut a line every 3 inches along the longer side, the 1 foot side, horizontally.

I used a little more blocky design for this, because it was very simple and easy to assemble. It took me about two days to get the design right. Now, as i can’t disassemble it, it will be a little tricky to explain this without the pictures. I think you can tell by the picture though. Now, the wing is just one big wing, to make it stronger and easier to assemble.

1. the wing spars are each 30 inches long, same as the wing. The bottom part of it is eight inches, and the top part is 12 inches, and after the eight inches for the bottom. I cut little things, NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH, that is very important, because you want to have the wing shape to maximize lift, if you cut all the way through it will be a lot harder to put together.

Planning:

1. Sketched the design with key measurements for wingspan, fuselage, and tail.
2. Referenced online templates for RC planes as a starting point.

Aerodynamics:

1. Focused on a simple high-wing design for stability.
2. Ensured a proper center of gravity (CG) by balancing components.
3. simple fuselage, for maximum stability, simplicity and durability.

Wing Design:

1. Used a symmetrical wing profile for lift and stability.
2. Reinforced wings with carbon fiber rods for rigidity.

So I bought a small 2g servo, and a ragerc circuit board for the micro P-51. I installed it upside down, the connection points facing down from the top of the inside of the plane.

Assembly Process

1. Step 1: Cutting the Cardboard:
2. Carefully cut out pieces for the fuselage, wings, tail, and rudder.
3. Ensured smooth edges to reduce drag.
4. it is a 3x3 inch fuselage, a cubical shape to increase durability.
5. around 28.5 inches long, with a wingspan of about 30 inches (2.5 feet)
6. Step 2: Constructing the Frame:
7. Assembled the fuselage using hot glue and tape.
8. Installed reinforcements in high-stress areas, using a sturdy cable attached to the wings and motors, but i might run into a problem where the rod creates too much drag and snaps, maybe it won’t be able to withstand the G forces
9. Step 3: Attaching Components:
10. Secured motors in a twin motor setup on the wings.
11. Mounted the receiver, servos, and battery within the fuselage.
12. Connected control surfaces (elevator, rudder) to servos using pushrods.

1. Initial Ground Tests:
2. Checked motor, servos, and control surfaces for proper function.
3. Conducted range tests with the transmitter and receiver.
4. Flight Testing:
5. Performed a hand-launch to test glide performance.
6. Adjusted trim and CG after initial test flights. I needed the CG to be under the maximum lift position under the wings. I wanted it to be a little nose heavy, because if it were too tail heavy it would not fly, and it would most likely flip, and not work at all.
7. added landing gear to make takeoff and landing easier.
8. Common Issues:
9. Overweight design causing poor lift.
10. Weak glue joints breaking under stress.
11. Electrical malfunctions or poor signal range.
12. water leaks into the fuselage
13. Problems that occurred
14. The crude design i was using with paper clips touched and blew part of the circuit, so i might have to just solder the wire directly onto the circuit, risking a full circuit failure if anything goes wrong.

Wing Design for Maximum Lift

A. Airfoil Type

1. KFm-2 Airfoil (Step at 50% Chord) → Great for lift, simple to build.
2. Traditional Curved Airfoil → Even better lift but harder to shape from foam board.

B. Wing Incidence Angle

1. Set the wing at a 2–3° positive incidence to improve lift without excessive drag.

C. Wing Size & Shape

1. Wider Wingspan (~30+ inches) → More lift and better glide.
2. High Aspect Ratio (~6:1 or more, meaning long & narrow wings) → Best for stable, efficient flight.
3. Wing Chord (~5–6 inches) → Good balance between lift and drag.

D. Wing Features

1. Dihedral (~5° up angle at wingtips) → Improves stability.
2. Leading-Edge Slats (Optional) → Helps with low-speed lift.
3. Flaps (Optional, if I want to experiment later) → Can increase lift and slow down the plane without stalling.

Stability Enhancements

A. CG (Center of Gravity) Placement

1. Slightly Nose-Heavy (CG ~25-30% back from leading edge) → More stable flight.
2. Avoid Tail-Heavy! Too much aft CG will make it unstable.

B. Tail Sizing

1. Larger Horizontal Stabilizer (~40% of wing span width) → Helps smooth out pitch movements.
2. Larger Vertical Stabilizer (~25% of fuselage length) → Improves yaw stability, prevents tail wagging.

C. Low Stall Speed Adjustments

1. Keep the plane lightweight → Less weight = slower stall speed.
2. Lower motor thrust angle (2–3° downthrust) → Helps prevent nose-up stalls.

Recommended Electronics Setup for Efficient Power

Component

Recommended Specs

Motor

1806 2300KV Brushless

ESC

12A–20A

Battery

2S (800–1000mAh) → Slower, smoother power

Propeller

6x3 or 7x4 or 8x6→ More thrust at low speeds

Servos

2-3x 9g servos (SG90)

Receiver

4-6 channel RX

1. Step 1: Glide Test – Toss it without power. If it dives, move CG back slightly. If it stalls, move CG forward.
2. Step 2: Low Throttle Flight – Fly at 30-40% throttle to test slow-speed handling.
3. Step 3: Stall Test – Reduce throttle and pull back gently to see if it stalls smoothly or abruptly.
4. Step 4: Adjustments – Change CG, wing incidence, or control surface throws as needed.

Outward-Spinning Props (Counter-Rotating Outwards) – Recommended for Stability

1. Left motor: Counterclockwise (CCW)
2. Right motor: Clockwise (CW)
3. The airflow pushes outward away from the fuselage.
4. Pros:
5. More stable flight, as the airflow over the wing is spread out.
6. Less chance of torque rolling the plane.
7. Helps keep the nose straight, reducing yaw issues.
8. Cons:
9. Slightly less lift near the center, but not a big issue for high-wing designs.

2. Inward-Spinning Props (Counter-Rotating Inwards) – More Lift but Potential Instability

1. Left motor: CW
2. Right motor: CCW
3. The airflow pushes inward, converging toward the fuselage.
4. Pros:
5. More lift generated near the centerline, increasing efficiency.
6. Cons:
7. Can create yaw instability (pulling the nose side to side).
8. More stress on the fuselage since forces are concentrated in the middle.
9. Could lead to a "snap roll" effect if one motor loses power.

Best Choice for The Plane

Since I need stability and lift for a slower, controlled flight, I highly recommend outward-spinning props (Option 1). This will reduce yaw instability and prevent excessive force on the fuselage.

1. Prop Size: 8x4 or 8x6 (8 inches long, 4-6 inch pitch)
2. 8x4: More thrust, slower speed (better for stable flight).
3. 8x6: Slightly faster, still stable but more forward speed.
4. Motor KV Rating: Around 1000-1400KV
5. Higher KV (like 2200KV) would need smaller props (6-7 inches).
6. Lower KV (1000-1400KV) will work well with 8-inch props on 3S or 4S LiPo batteries.
7. ESC Rating: 20-30A per motor (depending on motor power).
8. Battery: 3S (11.1V) or 4S (14.8V)
9. 3S: More controlled and smooth power (recommended).
10. 4S: More power might be overkill unless the frame is reinforced.

Reinforcement Considerations

Since 8-inch props can generate a lot of thrust, I’d recommend reinforcing:

1. Motor mounts (use extra foamboard layers, glue, or even small wooden plates).
2. Wing center section (carbon fiber spar or wooden dowel).
3. Fuselage where wings attach (especially if it's cubical—crossbeams or foam supports can help).

With the outward-spinning motor configuration (CCW on the left, CW on the right), the plane should be stable and efficient without excessive stress on the frame.

To estimate the lift generated by the wings, we need to use the basic lift equation:

L=CL×12×ρ×V2×AL=CL​×21​×ρ×V2×A

Where:

1. LL is the lift
2. CLCL​ is the coefficient of lift (depends on the angle of attack, airfoil shape, etc.)
3. ρρ is the air density (about 1.225 kg/m³ at sea level)
4. VV is the velocity of the air (speed of the plane)
5. AA is the wing surface area

Since I don't have the speed or CLCL​ value, I can't calculate an exact number yet, but we can find the wing surface area first.

The wing area is:

1. 9.5 inches × 30 inches = 285 square inches.

To convert that to square meters (since standard units are metric), we divide by 1550 (since 1 square meter = 1550 square inches):

A=2851550≈0.183 m2A=1550285​≈0.183m2

Estimated speed: 15-30 mph

average speed of 22.5 mph (the middle of the range) for the calculation.

First, i need to convert that to meters per second (since the formula uses SI units):

Speed=22.5 mph×0.44704=10.05 m/sSpeed=22.5mph×0.44704=10.05m/s

Now, I can estimate the coefficient of lift CLCL​. For a simple, moderate angle of attack with a basic airfoil, I can use a typical CLCL​ value of around 1.2 (this can vary based on the airfoil, but this is a reasonable average).

The air density ρρ at sea level is about 1.225 kg/m³.

Now, plugging everything into the lift equation:

L=1.2×12×1.225×(10.05)2×0.183

The lift generated by Its wings at an average speed of 22.5 mph would be approximately 13.59 N (Newtons). This is a rough estimate based on the values provided.

To make a more exact calculation, i would need a few more details:

1. Coefficient of Lift (CLCL​): This depends on the shape of the airfoil, the angle of attack (how the wings are tilted relative to the airflow), and the airflow conditions. If you have a specific airfoil in mind, we could use its CLCL​value at different angles of attack. For more precision, you could also measure or simulate it in a tool like XFOIL.
2. Angle of Attack: The angle at which the wings meet the airflow has a big effect on the lift. A small angle typically generates less lift, while a higher angle increases it, but if it's too high, it can lead to a stall.
3. Airfoil Shape: Different airfoils generate different amounts of lift for the same conditions. If you know the airfoil used, we could refine the CLCL​ value.
4. Flight Altitude: The air density changes with altitude. If I’m flying at a high altitude, air density is lower, which reduces lift. But if I’m flying near sea level, the standard ρ=1.225 kg/m3ρ=1.225kg/m3 should be fine.
5. Wing Surface Area: I have the dimensions, but if there’s any special shaping or design elements (like twist or taper), it could slightly alter the effective area and how lift is distributed.

With the updated coefficient of lift (CL=1.7CL​=1.7) at an angle of attack of 15-20º:

1. The lift generated would be approximately 19.25 N.
2. In pounds, this is about 4.33 lbs.
3. In grams, it would be around 1962.5 grams.

I hope I’ve made this detailed enough and hope y’all enjoy building this basic aircraft. Btw I’m building a very fast and advanced aircraft so make sure to check that one out too when it’s done!

Aviation is amazing and needs to be cheaper so that little kids can enjoy it too. I got into aviation when i was just four years old! Maybe even younger.

Just enjoy and see where the day takes you, consider more powerful motors for this plane though, cuz mine didn’t work too well.