Altitude hold

[rcsargento]

Hi, I was wondering what is the best way to hold the altitude. Also, nothing to expensive.
I tought about using sonar but the max ranges are about 40ft. Any Ideas??

[Macsgrafs]

Everything to hold height cost money:(
You have the AP2000 or Helicommand, take your pick. Another way is with GPS..but I'm afraid it costs lots of pennies, shame because it would sell well if someone could get a reasonably priced altitude holding device, especially for AP/AV..I would be first n the que.

Ross

[mstram]

Hi, I was wondering what is the best way to hold the altitude. Also, nothing to expensive.


Find a hot shot kid heli pilot, pay him minimum wage ... or con him into flying for free, for the fun of flying a heli :D

[mstram]

Everything to hold height cost money:(
You have the AP2000 or Helicommand, take your pick.

Ross

Ross,

Are you using either of those for the "high altitude" shots that I've seen you posted ? (>200 feet seems pretty high to me for a Trex)

Mike

[Macsgrafs]

Ross,

Are you using either of those for the "high altitude" shots that I've seen you posted ? (>200 feet seems pretty high to me for a Trex)

Mike

No Mike, just stick control...not very funny if the wind is a bit strong & does tend to make one very weiry!
I do fly a lot higher..in fact a few weeks ago I could tell which way up the heli was, so I pushed forward with my canon 40D mounted underneath...Jesus did she drop, pulled out only feet above a river.
NEVER again will I put it up so high!!!

Ross

[mstram]

Ross,

Are you doing A.P. professionally or even semi-professionally?

Even if you're not, any reason other than $$$, that you haven't bought an AP2000 or HeliCommand?

I realize that ~$300 isn't "chump change", but with ~$1,000 or more already invested, what's another 300 ? :D

Otherwise, as you say, sending a Canon 40d, heck even the heli by itself up ~200 has got be ... uh "interesting"

Mike

[Ogre55]

No Mike, just stick control...not very funny if the wind is a bit strong & does tend to make one very weiry!
I do fly a lot higher..in fact a few weeks ago I could tell which way up the heli was, so I pushed forward with my canon 40D mounted underneath...Jesus did she drop, pulled out only feet above a river.
NEVER again will I put it up so high!!!

Ross

Man, I know that feeling!:
cool:

[Macsgrafs]

Mike when you say $300 that makes it $600 UK prices!!! I will get arounf to getting heli command & a torque tube to be honest, but I'm getting into FPV as a side line, a few pennies to be made in that line as well. I am a pro photographer & make my living from photography...so many things needed, so little money ;)

You've had the same experience then Ogre55, very screy at the time isn't it:(

Ross

[Dash C]

why wouldn't you fly with a heli cam and a monitor then..
just hook up a tv and watch your heli in 1st person?

[Ogre55]

Mike when you say $300 that makes it $600 UK prices!!! I will get arounf to getting heli command & a torque tube to be honest, but I'm getting into FPV as a side line, a few pennies to be made in that line as well. I am a pro photographer & make my living from photography...so many things needed, so little money ;)

You've had the same experience then Ogre55, very screy at the time isn't it:(

Ross

Oh yes, unfortunately the last time I wasn't so lucky. I was up about 80 feet looking into a setting sun and lost orientation. I gave a little input to see how the heli would react and clipped, ever so slightly, a tree branch.
The heli came down in a neighbor's yard. This was the first test flight with an Askman mount (couldn't wait to try it out) and the only camera I had at the time was the FlyCam One2, so it wasn't the gear so much as a brand new, freshly built heli I was worried about. I had to search for the test camera for about 5 minutes before I found it about 25 feet from the main wreckage. The lessons I learned; tether your camera, don't fly at sunset unless you can fly with the sun at your back!
I got pocketcam, 3.1 megapixel that I just mounted. Got it as part of my newly purchased Joker CX deal. I think I'll practice with that for the next two weeks. Then I'll get a 10 megapixel point & shoot with a downlink. I need to get a couple of paychecks under my belt before I do that though.
Here is a pic of the Wing V2 with the Askman and the pocket cam mounted. I have used the existing landing gear, just slid the skids out and replaced with 4 bolts & nuts to the Askman. I have set the Askman up with one of my Falcon receivers with a pico switch, a BEC and a battery from one of my HoneyBees. This allows me to unbolt the AP platform, slide in the skids and sport fly the Wing when I want to. It also requires that my girlfriend act as camera woman, one way to get her involved (and hopefully excited about) this hobby!!:D

[mstram]

why wouldn't you fly with a heli cam and a monitor then..
just hook up a tv and watch your heli in 1st person?

Probably not any cheaper than a stabilization system :cool:

http://www.blackwidowav.com/productscomponents.html

[Macsgrafs]

Ogre55, that's one wicked looking heli. I also get my mrs to operate the cam, it's great to have the other half invloved, now she wants to fly the heli:eek::eek::eek:

Ross

[Macsgrafs]

why wouldn't you fly with a heli cam and a monitor then..
just hook up a tv and watch your heli in 1st person?


Have you ever tried flying a heli via a video downlink at the same time as another person swings the cam left/right & up/down...that will answer your question :D

Ross

[mstram]

Have you ever tried flying a heli via a video downlink at the same time as another person swings the cam left/right & up/down...that will answer your question :D

Ross

I haven't, but I would guess that a "pro" setup would have a separate camera for the FPV ?

Mike

[Ogre55]

Ogre55, that's one wicked looking heli. I also get my mrs to operate the cam, it's great to have the other half invloved, now she wants to fly the heli:eek::eek::eek:

Ross

Ross,
This thing is super stable. Went fishing last weekend in the Northern Neck (Virginia for rockfish) and it was gusting to 25 MPH, took her up and she was rock steady!
I had my cousin man the camera controls and he got things screwed up so I have no pics except for the ones I took on the ground to show him how to operate the camera (he's not a rocket scientist, obviously). I need to get the woman on the controls again.
I'm looking at picking up a 10 megapixel camera this next week and a 900 MHz downlink. The one on it is 3.1 megapixel and just isn'ty cutting it.
Just need to get past some family stuff first.
I need to get the build thread together on that Wing. It is a phenomenal performer for the money, and spare parts are just unbelievable inexpensive! Try $1.52 for 3 spindling shafts, $3.52 for 3 main shafts and $1.25v for 30 O rings. The fiberglass canopy is beautiful, strong. Can't say enough about this bird, especially after having learned how to fly on a Falcon 3D (I feel violated now!). If you fly, you will crash, so quality parts at reasonable prices is not just desirable, it's a must.
I am waiting for them to sort out a main gear/frame clearance issue, but once that's done, I'll have the build thread up!
M

[Ogre55]

Ogre55, that's one wicked looking heli. I also get my mrs to operate the cam, it's great to have the other half invloved, now she wants to fly the heli:eek::eek::eek:

Ross

Oh yeah, she LOVES photography, but thinks heli's are toys, so I don't share your problem (yet!).

[Tubeheadz]

Take it up as high as it will go and hover, then zoom the camera.

[aaronredbaron]

just to clarify, the AP 2000 and the helicommand 3A, 3D, and RIGID do nothing to help with holding altitude. The AP 2000 only helps with cyclic, the Helicommand 3A, 3D, and RIGID take care of cyclic and tail too. The Helicommand Profi adds altitude hold for hover, altitude damping for forward flight, and much more, but you are talking about a much more sophisticated (like $5k sophisticated) piece of electronics.

[ChopperChild]

I have a spartan AP2000i I would sell for $225 with manual, cables, sensor, and sensor mount for trex 600.
Shipped Cont. US For international shipping you would have to ask...
PM for questions, pics, or offers.

[jaydon134]

Find a hot shot kid heli pilot, pay him minimum wage ... or con him into flying for free, for the fun of flying a heli :D

I volunteer. Love to fly but it can be pricey, as long as I don't have to pay for the crash, I'm in.:D Jaydon