Feiyu Tech FY30A – Aircraft & Cam Stabilizer

Posted on by
Reply

Feiyu Tech’s FY-30A is an inertial attitude measurement instrument used for automated stabilization of fixed wing and quadcopter (with firmware update) model aircrafts and two axis camera gimbals. The FY30A has an integrated three-axis gyro and three-axis accelerometer which controls the aircraft
movement in three-dimensional space. By using your remote control, the unit can be turned on or off for the following functions:

  • Level flight – When stabilizer is activated, the FY-30A will automatically control the aircraft for smooth easy flying. For beginners in RC aircraft flying, this is advantages as it makes flight easier and increases the student pilot self-confidence. The system can be
    activated throughout the entire flight duration, from take off to landing
  • Emergency Recovery – If you lose orientation or feel the plane out of control, then release all control sticks, maintain throttle and switch on the FY30A. The unit will automatically send the correct signals to balance of the aircraft and regain level flight.
  • Aerobatics – for the experienced fixed wing 3D pilot, the FY-30A can help you achieve a more accurate flight path, especially in windy conditions. FY-30A makes 3D maneuvers such as inverted flight, crane etc easier and simpler to achieve and maintain. A great way to practice and improve your 3D flying.
  • FPV (First Person View) – for long-distance RC flight via video transmitter, the FY30A will maintain the balance of your aircraft. You only need to control the heading of your aircraft and enjoy the view.

Good Stuff!

650 ARF – Conrad’s Crap Quadrocopter

Posted on by
3

Just a word to the wise: DO NOT, under any circumstances, waste your money buying Conrad’s Quadrocopter 650 ARF We bought one just to get flying… and this is what was learned:

  1. Not Ready To Fly. Out of the box you still need to fabricate your own cable that connects a standard LiPo battery.
  2. The skids are crap. One hop up, and watch the landing! With these highly springy, wobbly skids, you are sure to flip your bird and break and arm, prop… something that will allow you to spend another €30 at Conrad.
  3. The entire copter is poorly balanced. Simply put, it’s top heavy and NOT very stable.
  4. The method of mounting the battery and receiver is flimsy, using nothing but velcro to hold things in place. Be prepared to deal with shifts in balance mid-flight.
  5. Poorly designed arms. You will need at least 10 sets of the arms, as they seem to be designed by a drunken high-school student.

    6. Please, please, please if you are considering buying a ready-to-fly kit, do NOT buy this! For the same cash, there are much more stable, durable and overall better built multicopters out there. Check out something like a Quadrocopter XA-4 Cross Spider 3D or a AdruCopter.

Multicopter RC Simulators

Posted on by
Reply

So we now have a few multicopters and are flying. If there is one bit of advice to be learned it is simply this:
BUY A RC SIMULATOR. Buy a nice RC Radio with a usb connection so you can learn on your transmitter… but learn to fly FIRST with a sim.
Little lessons quickly get rather expensive and time consuming in the real world!

Here is the results of many hours of downloading/buying/playing with various simulators.

  1. AeroSIM RC—this is first on the list because there is nothing out there than compares. Other SIMs can teach you how to fly helicopters and maybe an actual multicopter model. But AeroSIM allows you to fly actual models of a wide range of multicopters. Tri-, Quad-, Hex-, Octo… from actual manufactures and kits! Hands down, this is the one to beat. It is only available for PC, but will work on a MAC with Parallels or Bootcamp. It does require a USB cable dongle (how very 90′s right?) but you can download the full version for free and test it in 2 minute chucks to see if this is right for you.
  2. AeroFly Professional Deluxe—AFPD, as it is commonly called, is a very nice sim for both PC and MAC. It has excellent graphics and TONS of models to choose from–sadly none of them are multicopters. Still, well worth checking out if you don’t have the cash to spend on AeroSIM RC. The basics of helicopter flight can be well learned with this program, so it comes squarely at 2nd place in our book.
  3. HELI-X—A Professional Free(ish) Helicopter Sim for PC, MAC and LINUX! A full version can be downloaded for free, however a time-out alert will pop up every 15 minutes as a reminder that a Pro version is available for 50 bucks. If you have NO cash for a sim, this is a viable option.

Are we missing anything? Have you something to share with the class? Then speak up in the comment section below, sky-pilot.

Next Generation Universal Aerial Video Platform

Posted on by
Reply

the Open Source Next Generation Multicopter (ng.uavp) is an amazingly well thought out. The FAQ alone is a must read. This is the home for everything about amateur Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), supported by a open source community of people that love what flying camera platforms is all about.

Also, take look at the Quadrocopter for starters presentation (Deutsch) from FrOSCon 2010.

Long Range Boosting

Posted on by
Reply

Boost RF signals, enhance wifi range, fly long range FPV

A Signal Booster is a device which can often be used to improve radio communications in an area where normally good radio signal levels are degraded due to obstacles in the radio path.

Signal Boosters vs. Radio Repeaters

Although Signal Boosters are sometimes confused with regular repeater stations, there are important differences in the application and design of these very different devices.
Signal Boosters have the following characteristics:
Continue reading →