Auto-assembled, not yet reviewed

MiniHawk-VTOL

3D-printed tricopter / fixed-wing hybrid VTOL aircraft.

Dormant. No upstream changes for two years or more. It may still build, but parts, firmware and docs may have drifted.

Last push to StephenCarlson/MiniHawk-VTOL: 2022-06-19 (GitHub, checked 2026-10-01).

Repository activity

  • CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0NC
  • VTOL drone7 DoF
  • cost not published
Reproducibility53/100Early source coverage, unverifiedCADBOMWIREFWBUILDLICREPHow it is computed
MiniHawk-VTOL 7-DoF VTOL drone, 3D render from MH5_SimReduced_Airframe_LOD-0.stl
simplified 3D · MH5_SimReduced_Airframe_LOD-0.stl

About MiniHawk-VTOL

A fully 3D-printed tilt-rotor tricopter and fixed-wing hybrid that takes off and lands vertically, then transitions to efficient forward flight. The 800 mm-wingspan airframe uses two tilting front motors plus a fixed rear motor, runs ArduPlane in QuadPlane tilt-rotor mode, and ships printable structural parts plus an avionics and hardware BOM. The 3D view is the simplified MH5 airframe mesh, without propulsion, avionics or internal electronics. Version 2.1 remains a prerelease, the repo was last updated in 2022, and native CAD sources are withheld (STL and 3MF plus a few STEP files).

Licenses

Hardware
CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0NC
Software
GPL-3.0config files; the README says they 'likely fall under GPL-3.0'
Docs
Not published

Degrees of freedom

7 DoF rotors 3elevonServos 2motorTiltServos 2

Breakdown source

TricopterTilt rotorVTOLFlying wingsource

How to build MiniHawk-VTOL

5 steps

Steps marked Motari summary condense the linked source; follow the source for exact instructions.

  1. Print the airframe

    Print the wings, nose, empennage, fins, hatch, nacelles and motor tilt mounts from the STL or 3MF files, using the per-part settings in the README's 3D printing table. In standard PLA the airframe alone weighs a bit over 460 g.

    Motari summarygithub.com/StephenCarlson/MiniHawk-VTOL/tree/development

  2. Assemble structures and linkages

    Bond the printed sections, install control horns and the four servos for elevons and motor tilt per the documentation figures.

    Motari summarygithub.com/StephenCarlson/MiniHawk-VTOL/tree/development

  3. Mount the propulsion

    Fit the two tilting front motors and the fixed rear motor with their ESCs and propellers (5 in front, 6 in rear).

    Motari summarygithub.com/StephenCarlson/MiniHawk-VTOL/tree/development

  4. Install avionics

    Mount the flight controller in the avionics tray, wire the 4S battery, ESCs and servos, and route the receiver and FPV gear.

    Motari summarygithub.com/StephenCarlson/MiniHawk-VTOL/tree/development

  5. Load ArduPlane and tune

    Flash ArduPlane, load the provided tilt-rotor QuadPlane parameter file, calibrate, and test hover/transition flight.

    Motari summarygithub.com/StephenCarlson/MiniHawk-VTOL/tree/development
Print timenot published
Assembly timenot published

Wiring, power and firmware are safety-relevant and shown for reference only. Check them against the source before building.

MiniHawk-VTOL bill of materials

19 rows

Cost to build

The sources do not publish a cost total. The rows below are what they list, without a sum.

MiniHawk-VTOL parts, as the source lists them. Prices are the source's, not checked against vendors.

MiniHawk-VTOL bill of materials
PartQtySpecSourceConfidence
Flight controllermRo PixRacer Pro, Matek F405-WING or F765-WING
13 motor outputs, 4 servo outputs; ArduPlane-capable
mRobotics / Matek (suggested models)price not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 114 at commit 3dc854b
high
Essential avionics bundleREADME groups these additional essential avionics without quantities. Listed here as one required bundle.
1pitot probe, GPS, telemetry radios, FPV camera and video transmitter
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 115 at commit 3dc854b
med
Servo power UBECSuggested: Castle Creations 10 Amp Adjustable BEC
110 A adjustable BEC class if not built into flight controller
Castle Creations (suggested model)price not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 116 at commit 3dc854b
high
R/C receiverReceiver model not specified upstream
18+ channel receiver with SBUS or PPM output
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 117 at commit 3dc854b
high
ESCSuggested: EMAX Formula Series 32Bit 45A ESC
34S, 40 A or better
EMAX (suggested model)price not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 118 at commit 3dc854b
high
Front brushless motorsSuggested: T-Motor VELOX V2 2207 2550Kv; front tilting motors
22207 or 2306, about 2500 KV, outside diameter under 29 mm
T-Motor (suggested model)price not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 119 at commit 3dc854b
high
Tail brushless motorSuggested: T-Motor VELOX V2 2306 1950Kv; rear fixed motor
12207 or 2306, about 2000 KV
T-Motor (suggested model)price not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 120 at commit 3dc854b
high
4S LiPo batterySuggested: RDQ 14.8V 4S 1300mAh 100C
14S 1300 mAh, 60C or better
RDQ (suggested model)price not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 121 at commit 3dc854b
high
Power pigtailREADME lists XT60 pigtail or equivalent
1XT60 pigtail or equivalent
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 122 at commit 3dc854b
high
Elevon servosElevon servos
2HS-65HB servo or equivalent
Hitec (suggested class)price not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 123 at commit 3dc854b
high
Motor tilt servosMotor tilt servos
2HS-5065MG servo or equivalent
Hitec (suggested class)price not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 124 at commit 3dc854b
high
Carbon fiber wing sparUsed to strengthen the wings
1Length under 640 mm; outside diameter up to 6.5 mm; round or square
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 125 at commit 3dc854b
high
Mounting hardware setFor mounting flight controller and trays. Quantity is not itemized by the project; listed here as one hardware set.
1M2 or M3 nuts, bolts and standoffs
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 127 at commit 3dc854b
med
Servo extension cablesREADME note 6
46-inch servo extension cable
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 128 at commit 3dc854b
high
Receiver link cableFlight controller to receiver PPM/SBUS connection
1Male-to-male servo extension cable
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 129 at commit 3dc854b
high
Control linkage setREADME lines 130-135 list elevon and tilt linkage hardware. Listed here as one linkage set.
12-56 clevises, rods, ball links and couplers
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 130 at commit 3dc854b
med
Propeller setREADME lines 140-142 list clockwise, counterclockwise and tail propellers
3Two 50xx front props plus one 50xx or 60xx tail prop
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 140 at commit 3dc854b
high
Battery strapBattery retention strap
1Velcro battery strap
vendor not namedprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 143 at commit 3dc854b
high
3D-printed airframe source filesPrint files are present in the source repository. Listed here as one self-print file set, not a priced kit.
1PLA / LW-PLA printable airframe parts from stl-SourceFiles and 3MF folders
3D print yourselfprice not listedMiniHawk-VTOL README.md line 156 at commit 3dc854b
med

Rows from the source's own parts list 31

README.md@3dc854bmarkdown

Source rowQtyPrice and vendorLine
Flight Controller (3 Motor, 4 Servo Outputs)
1
vendor not listedno price listed
L114
Pitot Probe, GPS, Telem. Radios, FPV Cam+VTx, etc
-
vendor not listedno price listed
L115
UBEC for servo power if not built into Flight Ctrlr.
1
vendor not listedno price listed
L116
R/C Receiver, 8+ Channel, SBUS or PPM Output
1
vendor not listedno price listed
L117
ESC (4s, 40A or better)
3
vendor not listedno price listed
L118
2207 or 2306 ~2500KV BLDC Motor (Out.Dia. < 29mm)
2
vendor not listedno price listed
L119
2207 or 2306 ~2000KV BLDC Motor
1
vendor not listedno price listed
L120
4s1300 Lipoly (60C or better)
1
vendor not listedno price listed
L121

23 more rows in README.md

MiniHawk-VTOL source files

6 files

Files stay in the upstream repository under their own licenses; these links open them there. The 3D model on this page is Motari's conversion of the file named under Simulation.

MiniHawk-VTOL in simulation

Robot description files a simulator or CAD tool can load, linked at the commit they were found.

No URDF, MJCF, SDF, USD or Onshape model has been found in the sources.

The 3D specimen on this page is converted from sim-ReducedGeometry/MH5_SimReduced_Airframe_LOD-0.stl at 3dc854b.

Builds of MiniHawk-VTOL

0 reviewed

No reviewed builds of MiniHawk-VTOL yet.

A build log records the evidence (photos, a video, your repository), what the build cost, how long it took and what you changed. Each one is checked by Motari (until a maintainer claims this page) before it shows here, and reviewed builds count toward the reproducibility score.

Sources and provenance

Sources

Last push to StephenCarlson/MiniHawk-VTOL: 2022-06-19 (checked 2026-10-01)

Related links

How this page was made

Assembled from public sources on 2026-06-04, not yet reviewed by the maintainer. Each figure links to where it is stated; a value the sources do not state reads "not published". Last source review: source BOM 3dc854b; prices unverified.

Original files stay intact and separately licensed; Motari adds only the summary on this page. Maintainer? Request a correction or removal.

Badge for the README

Maintain MiniHawk-VTOL? Show its reproducibility score in the project's README. The badge links back to this page and updates with the score.

Badge: reproducibility 53/100

Markdown
[![Motari reproducibility score for MiniHawk-VTOL](https://motari.io/api/v1/badge/minihawk-vtol)](https://motari.io/r/minihawk-vtol)
HTML
<a href="https://motari.io/r/minihawk-vtol"><img src="https://motari.io/api/v1/badge/minihawk-vtol" alt="Motari reproducibility score for MiniHawk-VTOL" height="20"></a>

Not fully met yet: cad / mesh present (partial), bom evidence (partial), wiring diagram (partial), oshw-compatible license. The score is read from the project's own sources, so publishing what is missing is what raises it. A score of 90 or more needs a reviewed build. How the score is computed