Sky High

The RCU gods aren't going to be making sub forums here anytime soon. So, after a few members, including myself, have talked about wanting to post NON-DF content this thread was created and will stay at the top for all of us to post any NON DF content you want as long as it doesn't violate RCU rules, of course. Please don't start discussions about anything related to the DF in this thread but create a new thread or add to an existing one for DF discussion in the DFI forum. This thread is convenient so you can talk about anything OFF TOPIC without having to go through PM or e-mail. Let me know what you think about this. Thanks.

BB_DF

Good idea. There needs to be a place where the evolution of the UAVP, Q4, X-3D, MicroDrone, and other technologies closely but not directly related to the DF can be discussed. Right now there's a lot of interesting stuff with valuable feedback from the German developers buried in other threads and it would be nice to have a forum specifically dedicated to the subject. That not being possible, separating the threads might be an option. Or we could all study German and use the other forums .

Cheers,
Bruce

Sky High

They won't create a new forum unless there is a significant amount of info being discussed about a specific topic. You should have seen the 1600+ post thread for the DF before this forum was created. When I found that thread, it took me about a week to catch up on all the info. Different DF topics were spread all over the place in that thread. There is a multi-rotor helo forum at [link=http://www.rcgroups.com/multi-rotor-helis-200/]this[/link] link but it's for all multi-rotor helos with alot of talk mostly about coaxial helos. I don't consider coaxial a multi-rotor because it's still just two rotors like the standard main and tail just has two. Anything with more than two rotors is what I would call multi-rotor.

Sky High

Check out [link=http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=680801]this[/link] interesting multi-rotor machine called the gyrowasp.

BB_DF

Seems like a simple enough idea, but apparently he has abandoned the project because he couldn't get it to fly. It's probably one of those things where with enough time and effort he could have gotten it worked out, but there comes a point of diminishing returns...
-BB

Sky High

That thing reminds of the Osprey hybrid. I have seen a conversion kit for slow sticks where you can convert that plane and add rotors like that. Maybe he doesn't know about that yet.

Sky High

Did anybody else happen to see Trek: Spy on the Wildebeests on Animal Planet a while back where an RC helo used for AP? It was used in a to get some low altitude AP shots and went out of control and crashed in a Wildebeest stampede. You can see the crash at the link below. Click [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_5537669/tm.htm]here[/link] for more info on all of the camera platforms.

[link=http://www.jefcommunications.com/asx/helo/rcu/DFI/off.topic/WILDEBEEST.HELO-CAMERA.asx]RC AP Helo Crash[/link]

Sky High

Check out this personal, wearable helicopter.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...25&postcount=1

BB_DF

You hear about things like this in the news, and its just news. Take a look at [link=http://www.kansas.com/static/slides/050507tornadoaerials/]THESE[/link] aerial photos. That's what an F5 will do. It's almost beyond belief, isn't it?

Sky High

Wow! Those are some really dramatic pictures. I can't imagine what it would have been like to be in the middle of that.[:'(] They say that an F5 is the finger of God.

BB_DF

The thing to remember is that based on the physics/math, the destructive energy of wind increases by the CUBE (not square) of its velocity. A 50 MPH wind is pretty impressive, right? Well, at 100 MPH there is 8 times the energy, and at 200 MPH (F5), you have 64 TIMES the amount of energy that's in a 50 MPH storm. I was struck by the similarities of pictures from Hiroshima. When they say that it looks like a bomb went off, the statement is actually pretty close to the truth.

Sky High

This is so cool. I saw this a while back when it aired on TV and now it's online. Once there, click on continue, then click the links in the top right menu to see the amazing video! You can actually see a midair dogfight with another rival bird from the POV cameras!

http://media.animal.discovery.com/co.../birdtech.html

BB_DF

That is amazing. This area of Idaho has a lot of eagles. I was driving down a country road one morning and three huge bald eagles flew across the road and landed in a field. They are certainly regal creatures.

Hey Sky, I've been going through the old posts. Did you ever pursue working with your friends in S.W.A.T., or anything like that?

Sky High

Well, they all really like it but there's not really a budget and Ti's conditional use when cloudy and it generally not being acceptably managable in winds faster than 5 mph doesn't help either. In my opinion, the DF is going to have to lose Ti and have more autonomous functionality before it can be used in a life or death situation.

BB_DF

I find myself sometimes not having much stick left in turbulence with Ti on. A couple of times I thought I was not going to have enough control to get it back into the wind. Has this been your experience, or mostly just video stability issues?

Sky High

Yes, that's happened to me too a few times. There was a steady headwind and I was 50 yards out and about 50 ft high and had little to no stick left. I panicked a little bit and started to run towards it to close the gap. When that happens I also increase the pitch trim to keep me from having to hold a constant stick as much.

Just a reminder that we have to stay off-topic in this thread. That sounds so bassakwards doesn't it? [sm=confused.gif] I've caught myself doing it too.

l8braker

Dunno if this is off topic enough, but have you guys played around with the FMS simulator that comes with the DF? I managed to get the Df to do loops/rolls and even found it will do inverted flight hahaha (pic attached)

jast

Hi!

If you want to do this in reality, it's not the DF itself that prevents you from doing this:

http://www.asctec.de/X-3D_X-Base_and_brushed_motors.wmv

You only need a different electronic stabilization :-)

Regards
Jast

Sky High

Now this is really cool. This is an RC plane with a teddy bear pilot that actually steers the plane, well sort of. The AP is shot on HDV so the quality is fantastic!

AP Video
http://cue.la.coocan.jp/hdv_movie/Osanpo7.wmv (95.1 MB)

http://homepage1.nifty.com/CUE/drifter/movie/camp.wmv (3.56 MB)

http://homepage1.nifty.com/CUE/drifter/movie/osanpo.wmv (2.79)

Sky High

DUPLICATE POST

Sky High

This is too cool! You can fly a virtual plane over real satellite/AP images and you can choose different cities and countries.

www.isoma.net/games/GogglesBeta09.swf

Left & Right Arrows - Roll

Up & Down Arrows - Dive & Climb


Speed Up = A
Speed Down = Z
Shoot = Space

BB_DF

That is really amazing. I like the little shadow the plane casts on the ground.

BB_DF

Sky,
Here's some seriously impressive flying HD video equipment. The company, [link=http://www.joker-usa.com/]JOKER USA[/link] has incredible product quality, but some samples of parts pricing: $92 for a canopy, $250 - $685 for an electric motor (some the size of your fist). Still, it's professional quality and you get what you pay for. The thing that makes these birds different is that they're electric. I see they're running NiCad batteries - they must be heavy! The Joker is supposed to run turbine-smooth. You could put some leveling and positioning sensors on it, along with a secure spread spectrum radio system, and you'd have quite a rig. Even at $15K, you'd still be well under the cost of a MicroDrone, which can't lift the HD video equipment.

Ciao,
Bruce

Sky High

The Bergen twin turbine AP system is around $13,000 and can probably fly longer than batteries.

BB_DF

I ran the numbers on a spread sheet last night and it looks like you can build this rig for about $5K. Don't forget the engine maintenance reserve for any turbine engine. It can amount to quite a large hidden cost. The Wren engines are fairly sophisticated for their size, and I imagine they need to be torn down every couple hundred hours for compressor inspections and maintenance. As far as bang for the buck, you can't beat the Century Condor, Miniature Aircraft or JR Helicopters with Zenoah engines. However, the Joker is as smooth as a turbine. A big heli would be able to lift heavier gyro-stabilized cameras with zoom capabilities and stand off at a safe distance.

I ordered a T-Rex 600 from RC & Me to be built to our mission specifications, to use as a proof-of-concept tool. I've talked to Tim at RC&Me on the phone a few times, and also read a lot of good feedback about their business. I don't know how they can sell a whole system, built, flown and tested, plus the Spektrum DX, etc., for that price. I've seen DIY kit combos for $200 more than their built price. We plan to demo the T-Rex briefly at the SWAT training on July 19th (the SAVS will be the main player). We'll strap on a digital camera, the Oregon Scientific video cam, or something.