Building my way to AP

[Titusx]

Now, I am modifying my 3XPro servos so I could use Skyline on it.

What I am doing is removing servos' pots completely and replace them with a cable that connects directly to the Skyline.

[Titusx]

After a bad experience with the skyline, it was working fine until I replace the 3X Pro camera tray with the new HD version, skyline locks and did not response to Tx inputs.
So now I am with 401s until I get the Hoverfly Gimbal, I hope this works fine.

During this time I was finishing the heli, now it is flying great, I am very pleased with the result.

This are the last modifications I have done:

After testing 3 different blades, EDGE, Spin Blades and RotorTech, I have decided using Rotortech. Spin Blades are fantastic, the heli feels light with them but they are lighter and a bit smaller than RotorTech, and for me that affects heli's attitude with strong winds. I feel more confident when flying with RotorTech blades. The only problem with this blades is that its root is 16mm, so I had to modify blade spacers to fit this blades.

I have changed OSD GPS with one that has a battery, so I do not have to wait for GPS acquisition each time I replace the batteries.




Also change motor and ESC, replacing them with the new Kontronik Kosmik and Pyro 800-40L, the Kosmik let me fly @ 1550 RPM that is for me sweet spot, also with this motor I have increase flight time from 12 minutes to 15 min. I will replace 18T pinion with 17T when it is available so all will run smoother.




And the last thing I did was finishing the canopy, I have done a vacuum former and did the canopy with 1mm lexan, I did some aluminium post for supporting it.
I have decided not to cover all the chassis so I could change batteries without removing the canopy. It is closed in the upper section.




The heli is almost completed, the only thing I will try to do is a retractable landing gear, with this I will improve the available pan axis for the gimbal.

[brokenheli98]

I cant wait for hoverfly gimbal firmware either. I cant for the life of me get the 401 to work well at all. I'm also having a problem with finding a good operator and getting my stinger/yellowjacket combo shipped. You gotta put an fs700 on that sucker!! Are you planning on using a full on studio setup like an epic with an optimo lens with controllers? Either way, great work, I'm very envious of your machining skills and resources. Unfortunately I'm very restricted by having to use what other people build and MONEY. Great work though, I want to be just like you when I grow up!!

[Titusx]

Thanks for the compliments!!!
It was a hard work, I had started in September 2011 planning it, and in February I started buying parts, and still today, I am waiting for some parts to be available. I have learned the bad way that in this world ASAP could mean a couple of months. So, take it easy or buy only in stock items.

If you are looking for a good operator, all depends if you are a filmmaker or a pilot, if you are a filmmaker you could teach someone what you need, always is preferred that the operator have knowledge about shooting and cameras. If you are a pilot, looks for a camera operator with vast knowledge about shooting.

I am planning on using an Epic, but for the moment with fixed lenses. I hope I could buy a FS700, but I could not afford it by now.

Here are a couple of the last videos:

[ame]http://vimeo.com/45451929[/ame] [ame]http://vimeo.com/45953391[/ame]

[brokenheli98]

Yea, I'm a pilot and have a good knowledge of photography. I've been trying to train proffesional photographers to operatete the 3x pro, But they don't get it for some reason.They especially cant figure out how to keep the gyro from pinning the roll axis, so we turn off the gyro, and then the guys I've tried so far just have no RC radio in hand experience so I guess it's just gonna take them a while to figure out I guess. I'm the only one who has flown my 800 so I've never even got to try to work the gimbal. But I intend to soon, I've got a buddy I trust to fly my single rotor, who will be back home soon. I just think the hoverfly gimbal is gonna be the answer, I hope. I'm using an fs100 right now and it's pretty awesome. I'm stuck borrowing this big HD transmitter called the cube. It's like a very expensive real studio av T/X, it pretty cool actually, it can hook up to 40 iPads at a time. But it weighs a ton. I ordered the iftrontech stuff, I've been using it on a cinestar 8 and it's great, but my freind who owns the cinestar took it to chile for a while. So I ordered my own but I ordered the yellowjacket USB so I could just use my laptop as a monitor, but I think there having some problems with them and they keep saying it'll ship anyday, but you know how that goes. Aghh, I just want my yellowjacket and my hoverfly gimbal firmware. It's o.k though, it's a beautiful day, I think I'll just fly my ballistic and relax your stuff is looking great!! I'm not posting video yet cause I'm working on a project and some people may get upset, but soon maybe I can post something.

[Anto6ka]

Why don't you guys try PicLoc3X? It works great for me, a lot of adjustable features.

[floatingwidget]

Originally Posted by Titusx

This is my first video, it was done without FPV and before tail upgrade.
So I have a lot of work in post to get something decent.

http://vimeo.com/42898183

which software do you use for post ?

tks!

ho just found out in a early post

[brokenheli98]

Does picloc3x work with no pots? The thing about the gimbal were using is that it doesn't have potentiometers wired externally. You can wire your own pots on but hearing Titus talk about a bad experience with that, I don't want to waste money. But I haven't heard of the one your talking about but I feel like it requires pots. That's what cool about the hoverfly firmware, supposedly it works without em.

[Anto6ka]

I will tell you more, in PicLoc you can set virtual end points for your axes. It works perfectly with no pots. For example: I have set on my gimbal +10°-80° travel on tilt, and +-5° control on roll, yet the stabilization uses the travel it needs, but you will not be able to exceed the values with the sticks.

[Titusx]

Originally Posted by Anto6ka

Why don't you guys try PicLoc3X? It works great for me, a lot of adjustable features.

That was my first choice, but it is very hard to find in stock, I had ordered one on February and wait 4 months for it until Skyline appeared, so I jump to Skyline. So I have to find another options. You are lucky to have one!!!

Originally Posted by brokenheli98

Yea, I'm a pilot and have a good knowledge of photography... I'm using an fs100 right now and it's pretty awesome.

My operator does not have knows of RC, so I have to do all the gimbal setup listening to his needs. What I have done by now it to set dual rates @ 25% and expo @ 100%, so he could be hard on Tx gimbals, also I setup pan on elevator, tilt on aileron and roll on rudder, so it is easier for him to control the gimbal, also elevator is reverse, so down is down for him.
I hope I could get one FS100 in my hands to try it.

Originally Posted by brokenheli98

I'm stuck borrowing this big HD transmitter called the cube... but soon maybe I can post something.

I have take a look at the cube an it seems brillant, how much does it weights?

Hope to see your video soon!!!

[brokenheli98]

It's not the weight of the cube that's the real issue, your heli could easily handle it with an fs 100, although it is alot heavier than the stinger. The thing about it is that it is very big, and with it strapped to the camera makes everything very unbalanced and your movement is restricted. Plus it's sooo expensive, like I said, I'm borrowing the one I'm using, I could never afford it. It's mainly for like big productions so all the producers and actors and people involved can have there iPad viewing the movie being made, but I do wonder if they may possibly make one for helis. Like a smaller less complicated HD T/X???? It also makes me wonder when someone will design a nice lightweight rc servo camera control system(wink wink titusx) you know, something that'll do what a preston mdr setup will do but much simpler and not cost 20 grand. I've got a good idea for one myself. Anyways, rambling away, I've got to try and get one of these picloc's just talked to Ira, he say 90% chance my yellowjacket ships today

[brokenheli98]

Also, I pretty much did the same as you for radio gimbal setup. I jus am so tired of answering the same question" How come it just keeps moving like that sometime?"agghhhh!! Trim tab, trim it, hold it, stop it ahhhh!!! were getting decent stuff though. It's just I'm filming people who have endorsement contracts and shot incentives and crap like that. So I can't just post it anywhere. I want to do some badass landscape shots like that Spanish castle!! That's ballsy and it paid off. It's top notch man. When you can carry 20 to 25 lbs, you can put a legit studio cam on it, come to LA and make some bucks my man. Just don't forget to call me if you come to town. Haha.

[brokenheli98]

A rig like this, This is what you'll be able to carry with the logo!! Aghhhh, do it, you can do it I can't stop watching your videos!! That is exactly what I want to be doing.

[Titusx]

I am thinking the way to put this bird in a Pelicase, when I find it, I will take the first tiket I find to LA.

Hope soon I could test a rig like that, I am planning to place Epic's battery on the tailboom to get the right balance and maintain gimbal as light as possible.
Also my VTx are in the heli's frame for the same reason. The only difference is that I am thinking in using fixed lenses, they are smaller and lighter.

If I will flight with an Epic, I think is a must to have something like Cube, but it would be nice that it work in another frequency than 2,4 GHz.

All those videos were done for practice, instead of going to the club to test the heli, what I do is going to nice locations and do the test or setups there, so if all goes ok I could get some nice footage to add to the reel.

[brokenheli98]

Forget the pelican case and just ship it to my house, this will give me time to play with it, I mean "set it up" haha just kidding. But you will need to ship your batteries. once your there I can tell you that you will be able to do things no one else can. I know cause I have a plan to build a logo but run 1 meter blades just for that reason. But we'll see if I can afford it. Anyways, you'll definitely be using the cube when your pro. Which you will be.

[Titusx]

I am sure you can build it.
If I could help you with anything, just tell me.

[asimple]

Sorry, but i'm interstet of what type of vibroisolators do you use (hard medium or soft), and type of shock absorbers, and where i can buy it) It would be perfect if you share me with a link)

Thanks)))

[Titusx]

I use the isolators that come with 3XPro, I think they are medium.
I have replaced the shocks with team losi's 1/8 rear 8ight buggy shocks, you could find them searching on ebay "8ight shocks". There you will find them at really good price.

[asimple]

OK, and what comes in standart equipment with gimbal, i mean booms, isolators, etc

And what downlink do you use?

[Titusx]

Depending on the heli you will mount it they have different front mount systems, I bought the MJ3 version because this was which fit better on my heli. FMTS comes with medium isolators and shocks. I recommend that you take a look at www.photoshipone.com to see all they available options.
I have also installed the high performance servos, hollow shaft upgrade and the tilt tray upgrade.

I use two downlinks, 900 MHz 1,5000 mW for FPV it is from HK and 5,8 GHz 500mW for the gimbal camera from iftron.