Is a missile just..

[PLAGUEz]

Some interesting responses here, I don't have time to respond individually. But arduino, seems like something I'd like to look into. This would be a great project indeed.

 

The end goal would be to videotape it and show that it can be done. No warhead of course, not that i have one :p

[kk0425]

Could use a 2 axis or 3 axis controller with a couple stepper motors with your arduino to give it some kind of INS. Throw in a barometric sensor so you can program it to pop the chute at it's maximum altitude and you're set to go. Could even program it do turn after a set amount of seconds to guide it on a certain trajectory with that set up.

 

For boards, you could use a Teensy. They're plenty small and they have a lot of nice libraries.

[whiteladder]

The average smart phone already has all the components built into make a workable guidance system.

[nscode]

Hobby rockets were very popular when I was growing up, least in my world. Adding guidance to them as part of that hobby doesnt seem like something to get you on the no fly list, no more so than talking about learning how to be come proficient in simulated arial combat, which I assume you do a lot here?

 

Actually, in most countries having ANY kind of guidance on your model rockets is illegal, so it WILL get you on the no fly list.. at least your rockets :)

 

As for using a home made missile for shooting down aircraft... Don't see why anyone would do that when you can simply buy real ones.

[4c Hajduk Veljko]

Meanwhile, a guided missile can hit all sorts of targets, moving at high rates of speed, low rates of speed, or even immobile.

All right, now you are talking. Can you please say what is the target size and speed that you want to hit with your home made guided "rocket" of your design and why?

 

Then exit the thread and let adults discuss conceptual theory.

Which one of my question or comment was immature? I asked you to tell me what is the target that you have in mind while "discussing" your home made guided "rocket" design. And then, I asked, why that target.

 

It is a childish argument to ask if that kind of a device can be built or not. If you take a look at some of the RC modelers garages you will see electronics, sensors, test equipment, high current LiPo batteries and high speed and torque digital servo motors to build whatever he wants.

[sobek]

Then exit the thread and let adults discuss conceptual theory.

 

Well then, would you agree that the sensible thing to do is to just discuss what you want to and leave the rest be? ;)

[Flagrum]

All right, now you are talking. Can you please say what is the target size and speed that you want to hit with your home made guided "rocket" of your design and why?

I would experiment with optical sensors. So I would start with:

target size 10 m diameter circle, distance: 200-300 meters, speed: 0 m/s; reason: scientific curiosity.

 

edit:

btw (@all), I bet, it isn't that easy to build such a rocket. Although all necessary techonologies are quite well known and understood in theory, putting it all together to work in practice in RL is a totally different ball game. Usually such hobby rockets are TINY and barely capable to lift some decent electronics (board, BATTERIES, etc.) and the mechanical components - at least which are readily available at the consumer market. There are larger rockets available, but those are also expensive and what do you think how many test flights do you need to make the rocket at least go roughly into the right cardinal direction?

The whole goal behind this idea is not to produce a precision guided fire and forget weapon. The goal is the WAY. For anything meant to harm anyone there are probably cheaper, but at least quicker ways to archive that ...

Edited May 3, 2014 by Flagrum

[lunaticfringe]

All right, now you are talking. Can you please say what is the target size and speed that you want to hit with your home made guided "rocket" of your design and why?

 

Ask OP. He's the one building the scary black air to air weapon.

 

Which one of my question or comment was immature?

 

"And I don't really like people talking about building home made guiding missiles."

 

You know, because what you happen to like/enjoy has any weight on what others will discuss; that is an immature position.

 

I don't like sushi- it doesn't mean I walk into a sushi restaurant telling people it's gross, and in some cuts, an inherently dangerous dish. Instead, I don't complain until someone attempts to shove a rainbow roll down my throat. Hasn't happened in my 35 years, thus I don't complain about the fact others enjoy the idea.

 

I asked you to tell me what is the target that you have in mind while "discussing" your home made guided "rocket" design. And then, I asked, why that target.

 

No, you asked OP that, in a rather childlike, exasperated fashion:

 

"What do you need a guided missile for, for god sake? Fishing, hunting? What?"

 

"What do you need a gun that big for, for god sake?"

"What do you need a car that fast for, for god sake?"

"What do you need a load of fertilizer that huge for, for god sake?"

"What do you need a soda that large for, for god sake?"

 

Because maybe he still lives in a place where he is free to do difficult, challenging things with his mind and person because they are hard to do, merely to see if they can be done, rather than for having something ill-meaning in his heart.

 

So he wants to see if he can hit an airborne moving target with something he makes, which is self directed? If he's not lobbing it at anything other than his unmanned test target, what business is it of yours? Zero.

 

It is a childish argument to ask if that kind of a device can be built or not.

 

No, it's a question born of ignorance from of the technology and concepts required, versus availability. You don't want the man to remain ignorant, do you?

[RIPTIDE]

I guess there are simple transducer circuits that would work, tied in to the rocket controls and gyros. What sort of guidance? Visual? Are you looking for automatic guidance or user guidance like a SACLOS system?

 

You know, you could do this all with GPS aswell, maybe. Depends on what conceptually you want to actually achieve. I know there's model sized aircraft that can be made to follow routes according to GPS coordinates.

[RIPTIDE]

I sure hope that somebody is watching forums for threads like this one.

I'm not a betting man, Hajduk, but if I was, I would bet against someone on this corner of the internet looking to plans for guided rockets for purely nefarious reasons. I mean... why would they? A SA-7 Grail for $5k or less if you know the right people.

[Nefron]

Some people just like to tinker with things. I think the idea that we should somehow censor discussions and the transfer of knowledge on forums is ridiculous.

 

People get university degrees that enable them to build all kinds of absolutely deadly stuff. I see no harm in a bunch of hobbyists talking about missiles.

 

Its like when some IT forums prohibit "hacking" discussion, but they do it mostly because they don't want to get flooded with adolescents begging for scripts. This is not a problem here. Its just knowledge, guys.

[NineLine]

Well call it a rocket and its ok, call it a missile and its evil, its all perception, I think that in the scope of this thread, nobody has much to worry about, all sounds pretty innocent... well, accept that lunatic guy... not sure about him :P

 

Back on topic, I think early German rockets, the guidance was pretty basic stuff... maybe some of those concepts would work in a hobbyist rocket project.

[Nefron]

How about something guided manually, like Malutka for example? You can first figure out how to make it go where you want it to go, then do the whole guidance logic later.

[sobek]

Back on topic, I think early German rockets, the guidance was pretty basic stuff... maybe some of those concepts would work in a hobbyist rocket project.

 

Those were so rudimentary that i'd fear for anybodies life trying to employ them.

[NineLine]

Those were so rudimentary that i'd fear for anybodies life trying to employ them.

 

Well I meant more so the concepts, such as timers to shut of fuel, etc... I dont recommend trying to recreate a buzz bomb :)

[Faith]

The first question on is it possible: Yes it is very possible to create a guided rocket with commercially available components if you understand the hardware, software, and physics involved.

 

The second question on if you can do it: It is essentially illegal to make a guided rocket in the USA. While you can do it, if the right people found out you could get in a lot of trouble. You are creating what would be considered a weapon.

[Irregular programming]

All you need for proper guidance is a trained dove anyway.

[winz]

The second question on if you can do it: It is essentially illegal to make a guided rocket in the USA. While you can do it, if the right people found out you could get in a lot of trouble. You are creating what would be considered a weapon.

Is he? I can buy a programmable GPS guided RC drone in almost any RC store. Such thing has much more potential to become a weapon (just add some explosive and you're done) than a home made missile with unreliable guidance.

I don't see how building a rocket powered controllable tube is any more threatening than building a jet powered RC plane, or some other things you're allowed to do...i.e. owning tanks and other military vehicles (as long as their weaponary is inoperable).

[Faith]

Is he? I can buy a programmable GPS guided RC drone in almost any RC store. Such thing has much more potential to become a weapon (just add some explosive and you're done) than a home made missile with unreliable guidance.

I don't see how building a rocket powered controllable tube is any more threatening than building a jet powered RC plane, or some other things you're allowed to do...i.e. owning tanks and other military vehicles (as long as their weaponary is inoperable).

 

I never implied he was building a weapon, just saying it could be considered by authorities as one.

 

Did I say building a "rocket powered controllable tube is any more threatening than building a jet powered RC plane"? I don't remember that. I'm assuming you are specifically implying both would be weaponized in some form. Otherwise the use of hobby jet RC planes and rockets are governed by various laws and organizations anyways.

 

Also RC jet engines are not generally carried in hobby RC stores (due to high price and low volume sales) so I highly doubt you have a local retail store that sells them as you imply.

 

But your analogy really doesn't work and I'm not sure why you are arguing with my previous post. Putting explosives on a "jet powered RC plane" would be illegal anyways.