450 FPV

[Luke Warmwater]

Originally Posted by Tomstoy2

Jerry in answer to your last question, that stopped the day we got married.

Ah...the best contraceptive ever found; wedding cake!

[copterboy]

Gutted for you Andy. Really hoped it would work out for you, so hope you can figure out someway to overcome the effects.

At least you didn't jump in with both feet from the outset. And if it doesn't work out long term, you can just sell the gear and still get that DX8

[jperkosk]

All this popcorn makes my stomach ache (really it was Chinese takeout yesterday, but I thought I could use the unpleasant event to extract some info from Andy )

[sutty]

Well believe it or not I was going to post today anyway. I've just been busy until now.

So, the good news is that I have completed a couple of test flights today with my spotter buddy under the goggles, to give him a feel for, and an understanding of, what I will be experiencing, so that he could relay to me what his impressions were with regard to how good a pilots experience he was getting, and the likelihood of the helicopter being easily controlable from a pilots eye view.

He reported that although he was not a pilot, he could imagine that if you were, it should be relatively easy from the visual feedback he received to be able to control it. He was also able to confirm that he was always fully aware of where the helicopter was in relation to his position, so he did not foresee any issues in getting 'lost'. He also confirmed that during the flights, where I pushed the range beyond sensible visual limits for me as an external pilot, he did not have any issues with picture drop out. There were some lines, at extreme range, when the whole helicopter body was between him and the vTx antenna, but nothing that lasted long, or that would impair visual control.

So, all good news. I couldn't try it because it was too windy for my first ever try at FPV, and anyway, even if I had wanted to, I couldn't because as I was nearing the end of the second flight, and whilst pushing it to the edge of my visual limit, to give him the best experience possible, I lost orientation, wrong sticked it, and despite several rescue attempts on the way down, I still didn't get a good enough visual fix on it, and put it it. Now it is all smashed to pieces. Best part is I could have simply hit the CPII switch, I had time, more than enough time. It was set-up to work, and indeed it does work, very well, it's just that I'm not used to doing it, and nor did I expect to have to whilst just flying it around normally from the outside.

Might as well just have had a go myself, it could have only resulted in the same.

Cheers

Sutty

[copterboy]

I cannot beleive it!! I can only think of one word to comfort - DOH!

I guess there was that much going on that was new to you, it wasn't at the forefront of your mind. As you said, didn't think you would need it for plopping around Line of sight.

I have found through many crashes, there's nothing better than a good crash to make you remember something (Like forgetting idel up in my case ). I'm sure you won't forget next time or adjust your grip so you know where that switch is and have a finger close to it - always!

Still, sounds positive. Everything working as you envisaged. Hope you can get her re-built for another try soon

[jperkosk]

Ouch that hurt!
Hope the damage wasn't too severe and you'll continue with the project soon

[Tomstoy2]

[sutty]

Thanks for the commiserations guys. Not serious, just the 450 damaged, and not any of the electronics. Typical list, blades, boom, mainshaft, main blade grip, main gear, 1 x front torque tube umbrella gear, 2 x servo gears sets, type A long links to the grips and the canopy, which rather comically I'd put on in order to have better visibility, for my line of sight efforts. Canopy was more or less on its last legs anyway, so no big deal there as it needed changing. Servo gears were happily different gears in each servo, so I only used up one spare gear set across both. Third swash servo survived somehow. Glad I put the canopy on actually, because in the past when I have crashed without it, there has often been worse damage, including a destroyed battery, as a result of not having it there to absorb some impact.

All in all could have been worse.

Cheers

Sutty

[Luke Warmwater]

Wow...must have been something in the air yesterday!

My m8 on another forum crashed his 450 Hughes 500, my flying buddy put his mini-Titan in, I put my Blue Bell 222 in....and this as well.

Not a good day for 450 helis!

[copterboy]

Yes there was something in the air - it was opposite day!

Everyone else crashed and I came home in one piece

[jperkosk]

450 can take quite a bit of wind, I'm actually having a blast with B300X in winds ~30kph, but there are some rules to obey:

• It's much better if it's fbl
• Don't even think about flying in normal mode; it's idle up or nothing
• Same for rate mode on tail: just forget about it
• Once you're up, don't wait for the timer to mark the end of the flight, it could spell a disaster: you fly for a couple of minutes and then land the first moment when the wind has relaxed a bit

[sutty]

Not anything I worry about Jerry. I know nothing of those things you mention any more. Rate mode, normal mode, not FBL, too windy, they're all are a mystery to me?

The only reason it was too windy was because it would have been my first time under the goggles. I crashed because I am a **** for not hitting bail out, not because it was windy. Feel free to insert any four letter obscenity you like in place of the asterisks, since they all apply.

More serioulsy though, my FBL 450 will fly in almost anything, presenting me with almost no issues, apart from sometimes a slightly difficult landing. Nothing that would make me worry about stopping the pack early. I mean we're probably talking about an extra 10 seconds to land, at most.

The other reasons I crashed, aside from failing to bail out, were that I was wanting to show off to my buddy under the goggles, giving him the best possible flight experience I could, and I went to the edge of my range of vision. I mean way too far and the majority of the sky was grey and overcast and the heli seemed to match the sky colour nicely, blending in shall we say. Lastly, because I flew through a very bright patch where the sun was trying hard to get through, I was semi blinded just before I lost the plot, so it made it even harder to try to regain my visual fix on it, as it tumbled to earth. Indeed, just before it went in I was certain I had it, and knew which way round it was, at which point I put it in, because I obviously didn't have it at all.

Bright, sunny, windless day the next time I give it a go, but before I do I'd like some suggestions with regard to how you might go about configuring the CPII. What do you think would be the best way to set it up, considering that I only have a two way switch. I was wondering if it might not be sensible to have it on all the time, even in the deck, and if I do, what exactly does that mean in terms of what I do when in trouble. Do I just let go of the cyclic? What about pilot authority settings, etc? Your experience, and input would be much appreciated here Jerry.

Cheers

Sutty

[jperkosk]

Not sure what the best option would be, Andy; 2-way switch limits things a bit...
Thinking about it, being fbl heli pos 0 should be off. Pos 1 I'd probably set to "level in HD", but with stabilization above HD activated, stick authority at default 100% so you can override CP2 and fly it but not too easily. Then take off (with goggles on?) and flip the CP2 on immediately once off the ground and go higher. I think I'd fly slowly with CP2 on all the time at first, later you could play flipping it on/off. For landing, I'd come up close high up, CP2 on,rip the goggles off, locate the bird visually (with the help of spotter, if present), flip CP2 off and finish the flight.

[sutty]

Thanks Jeyy. I'm just a bit worried about the super stabalisation when in the deck, and also I think I have to go to 30 feet right away to initalise? Means I'll have to have a flight plan, lol. It's not proper flying you know.

Coming up close, stabalise the height, or gentle climb for re-aquisistion does sound sensible.

100% sounds sensible for above the deck too, so I'll have to work fairly conciously to move.

Definitely need a calm day to have my first go.


Cheers

Sutty

[Tomstoy2]

Had to chuckle about your mishap, Sut. Reminded me of my attempts of fpv flight with the Gaui 330x-s. Remember that fiasco?

One thing you didn't mention was your buddy's impression looking thru the goggles?
Everybody I have taken for a ride was just totally blown away!

Drop outs will be common. It's important, of course, to keep the antenna clear to you. Antenna needs to be pointed down or up, not off to the side.

Got a suggestion for you, as far as getting used to the whole goggle thing.
Hook up your goggles to transmit over to your sim. Just point the heli at your screen and power up, put on the goggle and fly. That simple.
No need to risk your heli until you are ready.

[sutty]

Don't blame you for chuckling Tom. I posted about it for all you Schadenfreudes out there.

As for his appreciation of the system, or the flight, he was underwhelmed. "Yeah, it was okay. View was great, little to no distorion or interference, no drop out. I can see why you would like it. Maybe it would have been better if I were at the controls." Were all things he said post flight.

Did you feel scared as I crashed? "No, didn't realise it had happened until I heard the thud behind me", lol.

So there you go, not a lover, but could see the appeal to us guys.

That sounds like a good suggestion, but as I think it through, isn't there an issue with the heli bank for example. I'd have to try it, as I am struggling to visualise it, but if you are right then it will be a great way to practice here at the hotel during the week.

Heli tilts, but cockpit view stays level, as it is my view, so heli camera remains level with this, sim ground tilts the other way, camera sees the same as my eyes, which is what the camera would see on board. Sounds right. Mhhh, cool. Why can't I just hook them up as the monitor for the SIM somehow? Is that possible?

Just managed about 20 minutes on the SIM doing close up to the screen viewing, and took until now to feel ropey. Maybe it will be better in real life. Worked out also that I need to tame my heli down by changing the MB behaviour by adjusting Tx travel adjusts. Might do it with dual rates, because that way I can have it do both things. Definitely too agile as it is, when I try simming. No need for serious angles, or a fast tail, until I get to doing aerobatic flight, lol. There's hopeful. Oooh, I do feel pukey now.

Really good idea Tom, I'll look at that.

Wish I didn't have a cockpit view on the sim, so it would be the same.

Cheers

Sutty

[sutty]

Well she's back in the air. Test flight just completed, perfect, and ground test camera checks performed successfully. Gotto love this hobby when you can just buy replacement bits of plastic and metal and get it back to exactly how it was before a crash in a matter of hours.

Tried flying in the hard deck with HD active, which employs what they call super stabalisation, and I realised that this is going to be perfectly accpetable for FPV flight. There is absolutely no need for me to be trying to get it beyond 30 degrees in any direction, which this mode will not let you do. I don't want to be able to tip it over, so I think it will be an excellent way to fly. At less than 30 degrees, any doubt, and I can just give it more collective, and it is bound to go more up than across, so it won't go in. It will be kind of akin to your very flat platforms with your multi-rotors, Tom and Jerry.

Take off, go high, get it level, Switch on CPII. Put goggles on, which I can have resting on my head. Pootle around for 3 or 4 minutes. Go high again, over the middle of the field, so I know where I am, rip goggles off. Turn CPII off, and land. If I always go to the same spot for goggle removal, and re-aquisition, I think I will be fine. Thanks for the basis of a plan Jerry.

As for motion sickness, well I'll just have to grow a set and put up with it.

If the weather stays good for tomorrow, I'll give it a go.

Cheers

Sutty

[Tomstoy2]

Sounds like a plan! Looking forward to hearing about the result. Good luck, Andrew!

[jolyboy]

Hey sutty, looking good mate! I also fpv my 450, so much fun!! How are you liking it so far?
I recently added ardupilot to my heli and it's made fpv much easier because of GPS hold. Just take it up, switch to loiter, then put the controller on the ground or whatever while I get the goggles etc.. Too easy!! Also rtl mode is awesome because when failsafe kicks in it just flies home and hovers 2m above where it took off

[sutty]

Originally Posted by Tomstoy2

Sounds like a plan! Looking forward to hearing about the result. Good luck, Andrew!

Thanks Tom.

Originally Posted by jolyboy

Hey sutty, looking good mate! I also fpv my 450, so much fun!! How are you liking it so far?
I recently added ardupilot to my heli and it's made fpv much easier because of GPS hold. Just take it up, switch to loiter, then put the controller on the ground or whatever while I get the goggles etc.. Too easy!! Also rtl mode is awesome because when failsafe kicks in it just flies home and hovers 2m above where it took off

Well I don't really know yet, as I haven't had a go myself. Looking forward to it, if a little nervous. I didn't have any tool for stabalisation other than CPII, so ardupilot sounds cool, particularly as CPII is a little messy, and they don't have GPS.

What is required and what does fitting that involve, and how much does it cost, because I might like to look at alternatives. If you did a thread on it I would love to take a look at what you did. If you didn't, just throw it all in here anyway. It would help me, and we love anything in here.

Cheers

Sutty