New SK720 owners please share your thoughts

[blade strike]

On a nitro it's alot harder than electric. You have alot more to consider, I have even seen a fan unit create a lot of vibs alone!

[Alfred]

Originally Posted by rickn816

Have you done any vibration work to find the source of the vibrations? I realize this is a Nitro machine, but a tail rotor is an easy thing to balance.

Rick

Unfortunate with Nitros, a new/rich/slightly lean engine will create vibration no matter how well balanced and smooth your drive train is.
Art pointed out in the Potcast that it's the sensors which hit their limits and once reached, no amount filtering via software can fix that.
As this is rather a dampening/suspension problem, it might be more suitable for Skookum to experiment with suspension systems for the SK720.
These can be then offered as an accessory package. I see no problem to pay for such an add on.

[hurricane.br]

I wish I could post impressions from mine, but I got a dead unit.
I'll probably be sending it back to helidirect tomorow, for who knows when, get a replacement.

A real cliff hanger.

[hahahell]

I am getting ready to set up my first flybarless unit on a velocity50. I haven't decided which unit to get yet as there are so many to choose from. The V-Bar, Total-G and the Skookum720. I want to run outrage servos except I'm not sure that futaba receivers can handle 8.4 volts. I want to build a machine that will carry me for a very long time as this will be my last heli purchase for some time. Can someone with real expertise please help me out and get me going in the right direction?

[Slyster]

Well hahaheli.. I can tell you one thing.. you can only buy the Vbar right now! Total-G isn't even out yet.. and the SK720 is going to be very scare for months to come.

If you don't want to miss out on this season I'd go vbar.

They will all doing the basic job of flying equally well.. it's just the fancier features that differ.

[NevB]

Originally Posted by hurricane.br

I wish I could post impressions from mine, but I got a dead unit.
I'll probably be sending it back to helidirect tomorow, for who knows when, get a replacement.

Talk to Skookum directly ... they may be able to help with dead units.

[Skint Eastwood]

Originally Posted by Slyster

Well hahaheli.. I can tell you one thing.. you can only buy the Vbar right now! Total-G isn't even out yet.. and the SK720 is going to be very scare for months to come.

If you don't want to miss out on this season I'd go vbar.

They will all doing the basic job of flying equally well.. it's just the fancier features that differ.

Slyster, Have you tried the 720?
Only theres a lot of talk about how the flybarless units are all the same its just the features that are different. I disagree I have tried Vbar , 360 and 720 and there is no doubt in mind that i prefer the way the Skookum units feel. I suppose its to do with the programming.

[rickn816]

Originally Posted by Slyster

Well hahaheli.. I can tell you one thing.. you can only buy the Vbar right now! Total-G isn't even out yet.. and the SK720 is going to be very scare for months to come.

If you don't want to miss out on this season I'd go vbar.

They will all doing the basic job of flying equally well.. it's just the fancier features that differ.

720s will be available. Get your order in.

Rick

[hurricane.br]

Originally Posted by NevB

Talk to Skookum directly ... they may be able to help with dead units.

In fact, he contacted me yesterday with a pm.

My unit will be heading his way later today.

[blade strike]

skookum has some of the best support in the business

[macrop]

I wonder if a sticky is needed (similar to the SK360 stickies) so people can list their particular setups in detail including, more importantly, their vibration levels. Having just listened to the Podcast (with Art from Skookum), vibration is a big concern for the self leveling feature for Nitro especially and in some ways for electric power machines too. A database will allow everyone to compare their vibration levels and know what to expect for certain setups. This could also identify a previously unknown problem as mentioned in the Podcast, which is is a nice bonus. Obviously there are so many variations to RC helis but over time, a similar if not near identical setup, should show up.

Cheers

[c_forthofer]

A question for Art if he's following this thread... with all the talk of the GPS add-on, one question I havent seen or heard asked is will it make the unit less sensitive to vibration for the self leveling? I know it will make it more accurate in playback, and that has been stated several times. I understand the complexity (somewhat) of using accelrometers to determine and keep track of the heli's orientation and what vibration does to that ability. Will the GPS be able to level the heli despite the vibration being to great for the accelrometers? I know that the vibes should be minimized and idealy you would eliminate the probelm so the accels can work but in a less than ideal situation (large nitro or gasser) will the GPS help the issue? I hope that made sense....

Chris.

[rceccleston]

Originally Posted by blade strike

skookum has some of the best support in the business

+1

Skookum replied to my email with 10 minutes...

So I've bought 3 Skookum 720 units!!

[rceccleston]

Originally Posted by c_forthofer

A question for Art if he's following this thread... with all the talk of the GPS add-on, one question I havent seen or heard asked is will it make the unit less sensitive to vibration for the self leveling? I know it will make it more accurate in playback, and that has been stated several times. I understand the complexity (somewhat) of using accelrometers to determine and keep track of the heli's orientation and what vibration does to that ability. Will the GPS be able to level the heli despite the vibration being to great for the accelrometers? I know that the vibes should be minimized and idealy you would eliminate the probelm so the accels can work but in a less than ideal situation (large nitro or gasser) will the GPS help the issue? I hope that made sense....

Chris.

Looking at how GPS is used for satellite navigation systems to find their location, I would image the Skookum could use these co-ordinates to remove drifting, while using the accelerometers to sustain a stable hover.

[ElectricSheep]

Re: GPS to assist leveling

Unfortunately, I doubt that GPS would help level the heli...

Consumer-grade GPS receivers usually only detemine latitiude, longitude, and elevation (in relation to time also).

Unless Skookum has a few tricks up its sleeve... GPS basically only determines position in a 3-dimensional space + time, within a few feet, and not the heli's attitude (this is where the accelerometers kick in)...

[rickn816]

Originally Posted by ElectricSheep

Re: GPS to assist leveling

Unfortunately, I doubt that GPS would help level the heli...

Consumer-grade GPS receivers usually only detemine latitiude, longitude, and elevation (in relation to time also).

Unless Skookum has a few tricks up its sleeve... GPS basically only determines position in a 3-dimensional space + time, within a few feet, and not the heli's attitude (this is where the accelerometers kick in)...

True, but as the swash moves to compensate for drift, eventually the heli will find a stable hover. In theory, the GPS could hold the heli over a spot in high winds. I'm curious as to whether or not they will use the GPS to maintain an altitude. . .

Rick

[Gscott]

I doubt the GPS will or can be used for levelling or a controlled hover. Remember that consumer level GPS devices measure accuracy in feet not inches. It would be hard to maintain any stable flight at +-5 feet for example.

[ElectricSheep]

Originally Posted by rickn816

True, but as the swash moves to compensate for drift, eventually the heli will find a stable hover.

Yes, but GPS will have nothing to do with the heli's attitude; the GPS can only measure position in space (lat/long/altitude). As both GScott and I mentioned -- accuracy in this application is measured in feet... maybe a meter or so.

Originally Posted by rickn816

In theory, the GPS could hold the heli over a spot in high winds. I'm curious as to whether or not they will use the GPS to maintain an altitude. . .

Not sure if Skookum will use GPS to maintain aLTitude... It's possible to do that, give or take a meter or so, but unless there's been some sort of GPS technology and cost breakthrough (or the military has de-classified it) it would be very difficult or virtually impossible to use GPS to hold or set a heli's aTTitude.

If one really needs accurate positioning, there are some other solutions in the professional AP realm -- but that stuff ain't cheap. (Thousands of dollars)

And that's a different thread.

[Silverexpress01]

Any mention of actually setting a path/route that the heli can fly itself on?

Also any mention of the sk720 being programmable or the ability to interface external processors for autonomous control of the heli?

[Slyster]

Originally Posted by Skint Eastwood

Slyster, Have you tried the 720?

No but I will. I have two identically setup Outrage 550's with Vbar.. and I would love to convert one to the SK720. I will.. but only when they are readily available (and perhaps competition has driven down some prices)