EastBay RC: July 2010

Friday, July 30, 2010

Dx6i Elevon Mixing for SuperFly

Update: Superfly Guru Hance over at RCGroups has a better solution than the one I originally used. Here it is. I've gone through the steps below and verified it works great... Thanks Hance!

Transmitter: Spektrum DX6i
Receiver: OrangeRX Spektrum DSM2 6ch

Reset Memory

Start by resetting the settings for this model:
[MENU / SETUP LIST (9)/ COPY/RESET (12) / RESET]
This only resets one model memory, not the entire DX6i.
This resets your model name as well.

Receiver Setup

Engine (ESC) to throttle.
Right (starboard) servo to aileron.
Left (port) servo to AUX1.

Left Stick

Nothing needs to be done.
Throttle will work as expected.
Rudder channel not used.

Aileron Control

At this stage, only the right elevon should move.
Aileron right: right elevon up.
If the right elevon moves down, reverse the aileron controls:
[MENU / SETUP LIST (9) / REVERSE (4) / AILE-R]

Elevator control

Move elevator up and down.
Nothing should happen at this time.

Wing Tail Mix

Set the wing tail mix to "dual aileron" mode:
[MENU / SETUP LIST (9) / WING TAIL MIX (6) / DUALAILE ACT]

Check control surfaces again

Aileron stick right: right elevon up, left elevon down.
Aileron stick left: left elevon up, right elevon down.
If left elevon motion is backwards, reverse flap channel:
[MENU / SETUP LIST (9) / REVERSE (4) / FLAP-R]
If right elevon motion is backwards, reverse aileron channel:
[MENU / SETUP LIST (9) / REVERSE (4) / AILE-R]

Elevator

Set MIX 1 to active:
[ MENU / MIX1 (6) / ACT ]
This will give you a new menu for MIX 1.
Change first row to: ELEV -> FLAP ACT.
Change second row to: RATE D -100% U -100%.
You may need to set the rate to +100% if the servos are reversed.
Change third row to SW ON TRIM ACT.

Final Test

right stick: right elevon up, left elevon down
left stick: left elevon up, right elevon down
stick back: both elevons up
stick forward: both elevons down

"Classic" Dx6i Mixing

Here's the "standard" instructions for the Dx6i

Here's the steps I used to set elevon mixing with my Dx6i / Superfly combo. Thanks to brandonrc for his YouTube walkthrough that explained about using Mix1 and Mix2.

todo: another rcgroups discussion, are they in agreement?
Spektrum DX6i Elevon Weirdness: Worse Than You Think
Fix For Elevon Routines

Radio Hardware

transmitter: Dx6i
receiver: 6110e

Servo Connections

Left servo, connect to ELEV
Right servo, connect to AILE

Set Elevon Mode

menu: ADJUST LIST / SETUP LIST (9) / WING TAIL MIX (6)
set ELEVON = ACT (all others INH)

Set Proper Reverse (I haven't heard anybody else mention this, but if I didn't reverse AILE then the controls were rotated 90 degree, i.e. which I mean elevator and aileron controls were swapped.)

menu: ADJUST LIST / SETUP LIST (9) / REVERSE (4)
set AILE = R (all others =N)

Get Full Servo Throws:

menu: ADJUST LIST / MIX 1 (6)
set ELEV -> ELEV ACT
set RATE D = 125%
set RATE U = 125%
set TRIM = ACT
menu: ADJUST LIST / MIX 2 (7)
set AILE -> AILE ACT
set RATE D = 125%
set RATE U = 125%
set TRIM = ACT

125% is the maximum mix adjustment you can select. The SuperFly manual recommends starting with throws of 1.5 inches up and 1.5 inches down and adjusting to taste, so use whatever value gives you the control you like.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

FY20A Stabilizer

Part of comprehensive FPV/OSD/Autopilot system.

list price $110
good for planes and quadrocopters
inertial motion sensing
3-axis gyro, 3-axis accelerometer
20g
controlled by channel 5.
supports 3 modes: stabilized flight, manual flight, and 3D mode.

Their blurb:

Leveled Flight (when you need it!) -- The FY-20A will automatically level your aircraft. If you are just learning to fly, this will help you gain experience, log more flying time and increase your confidence. You can leave it ON from take off to landing, for a really stress free flight!
Emergency Recovery -- In case you lose orientation or you feel the aircraft is out of control, activate the FY-20A and release of the control sticks. The FY-20A will automatically bring the plane back to level flight.
Precision Flying: For experienced pilot -- FY-20A will help you achieve more leveled and precise flight paths, especially when flying and landing in strong wind.
First Person View (FPV) -- For long distance flying or FPV, the FY-20A will take on the job of leveling the plane for you. Just point the plane where you want to go and enjoy the view!

Resources:

HobbyKing Orange Micro DSM2 Receiver

HobbyKing RA61E DSM2-compatible Park Flyer Receivers arrived! (link updated to the Orange Micro variant)

no instructions included (therefore, this post!)
no problem with binding.
works well.
added 1.5" heatshrink myself.
Pin assignment are the same as the AR6110e.
Wire attachments are OPPOSITE the AR6110e. Control line is on the TOP.

Top photo is the heatshrinked one, bottom has yet to be heatshrinked. Shown with Spektrum AR6110e for refererence.

Two chips on board:

left chip is covered with glue, anybody know what it is?
right chip is Cypress Semi CY8C21434 (datasheet).

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Things I'd like to try: David Wing "glider"

Possibly a motor-less version for the airshow. Scaling to Dollar Tree thickness it becomes a 24" model.

Wing Span: 16"
Wing Area: ~86sq Inches
Weight: ~66grams (~2.32oz)
Wing Loading: ~3.9oz/sqft
KFm4 Airfoil, 50% steps top and bottom (3 layers of 3mm depron)

"This wing is truly a pleasure to fly. It feels very stable and it slows down nicely, the 2nd video below I tried to slow it down some to give an idea. It has no tip plates and I have not had any surprise stalls. Power off it glides reasonably gently down."

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Nice bamboo skewer pushrod

Nice rcgroups post detailing how to make a good bamboo skewer push rod.

zbend a paperclip

round-nose pliers to make a "spring" on other end

cut skewer to approximate length

screw the springs onto the bamboo, threaded onto skewer

adjust distance by screwing spring

trim and heatshrink

adjust by removing heatshrink and screwing in or out

Monday, July 26, 2010

Great deals on Dremel Parts

Widget Supply buys out overstock from other vendors who OEM Dremel equipment. Sweet deals!

Interesting PDF plans

Free plans for several planes, including a trainer and HD FPV platform from Mikey's RC.

New Foam Vendor: Foamy Depot

Foamy Depot
6mm White Depron 13.8" x 19.6" - 10 Sheets, $18 + $11 ground UPS

RC Powers Bundles

at Grayson Hobby.

$99.99 : MicroJet V3 Flight Pack - Beginner
$79.99 : MicroJet V3 Flight Pack - Intermediate
$59.99 : RC Powers Extra 300 - Advanced Mode Flight Pack
$64.99 : RC Powers Extra 300 - Novice Mode Flight Pack

good price on heat shrink tubing.

Over on DealExtreme, ultra plugs and heatshrink.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

East Bay Places to Fly

Clubs and Sites:

Bay Area R/C Society - Richmond
BayRC - forums all across the Bay
East Bay Radio Controllers (ERBC) - Livermore

another list to check... and another.

Good Places to Slope:

Tilden Park/Vollmer Peak in Oakland in northeast winds can be good for floaters, scale planes, etc. If you're willing to walk about 1/2 mile north of that site "Rattlesnake" faces the same way and is an amazing spot for PSS planes or other heavies.
Coyote Hills next to the Dumbarton bridge
Cal State Hayward top of the hill next to the college dorms parking lot.

Popular Small Servos

HXT900 9g / 1.6kg / .12sec Micro Servo, $3.49
HXT500 5g / .8kg / .10sec Micro Servo, $2.49

Fan Fold Foam: some information

FoamFly has some good information on Fan Fold Foam, aka BluCore. Some weight information:

White Foam-Core with the paper peeled off:	0.6 Oz/SqFt
Georgia Pacific BlueCor with the skin:	0.75 Oz/SqFt
Black Foam-Core with the paper peeled off:	0.8 Oz/SqFt
Amocor Green Foam with the skin:	0.95 Oz/SqFt
Owens Corning Pink, has no skin:	1.0 Oz/SqFt
White SturdyBoard with the Paper on:	2.0 Oz/SqFt

dff

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Hobby King 4-Ch 2.4Ghz Radio and Receiver

This receiver is a pretty nice, low-cost unit. Here's some notes about setting it up.

WiFi Warning - Laptop interferes with this transmitter!

I spent about an hour trying (unsuccessfully) to get things working. Shutting off the computer WiFi fixed everything!

Installation

When Plugging in USB, Windows will want to install a driver. Let it search and install the default.
Under "Setting", USB will be "COM4".
Software is here. [add this]
Better software: Digital Radio by Stefano Grassi
Another alternative: TurboRix
Select this to start: System Setting/Stick/Mode 2
Hobby King video review and tutorial

To Bind

Bind Plug in BAT
Power to CH3 (actually, I think it can be any channel)
Neutral Wire to RIGHT when reading text
Fast blink: polarity error:
Slow blink: ready to bind

Channels (note: numbered from bottom to top)

6:
5:
4: aileron
3: throttle
2: elevator
1: rudder

Assignable Buttons

A: throttle kill (up = throttle off, down = throttle normal)
B: dual rates (up = ON [100%], down = OFF [50%])
VR(A): CH5 (VR are for heli??)
VR(B): CH6

Safety First: Props and Fingers

As the package says, these are not toys.

Don't hold flying wings by the prop cutout.
Be careful while hand launching.
Don't hold a prop in your hand while you're testing it.
Related: don't tuck your remote under your arm where you will bump the throttle.

For the gas guys:

Be careful while starting.
And don't reach around a running prop.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Basic RC Electronics

Courtesy of AmpAviators, here's a nice article that covers the electronic components in an RC plane and directions for hooking things up.

Build A Flying Wing For Less Than $5 | The Hobby Guy

Build A Flying Wing For Less Than $5 | The Hobby Guy:

"I am always happy to make things from cheap parts, especially when you add up all the money I spend on my hobbies. Building radio control airplanes from BlueCor (Fan Fold) foam board keeps cost down.

In addition to being low cost, Fan Fold airplanes are fast to build and easy to repair. This build should take less than two hours, and sans electronics, cost under $5.00. Compare this to commercial kits, which start at $40.00 for a box of foam. Forty Dollars is not a bad price, very good in my book, but you can build eight wings for the same price."

Planes I'd like to try: The REVERT fastest build flat sloper wing

The REVERT concept wing was inspired by the "Kline-Fogelman Airfoiled Flying Wing...." Fan fold foam sliced up on Friday night in 20 minutes, electronics installed in 10 minutes Saturday morning, and test flown.

Simplest Hot Wire Cutter

Youtube video here.

1/2" OD schedule 40 PVC pipe, 24"
1/2" PVC right angle elbows (2)
1/2" PVC T-connector
32ga nichrome wire
16ga wire
16ga quick connects
5/32 eyescrews, nuts, washers (x2 each)
5/32 wing nut
alligator clips (2)
D-cell batteries (x4) and holder

nichrome wire: amazon ebay

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Transmitter: Mode 1 vs. Mode 2?

Executive Summary:

radios are either mode 1 or 2
the difference: stick layout
in the U.S., get mode 2.

Nice writeup with video demo.
Some historical context.

Interesting uses for autonomous flyers

Electrical Power Generation!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

By The Numbers: Brushless Motors

Brushless motors have lots of numbers associated with them. Let's use the popular TowerPro 2408-21 as an example. It's very well documented. Here's the HobbyKing, TowerPro, and TowerPro Motor Spec pages.

Most Important Numbers

Kv -- measured in RPM, shows the maximum rotational speed per volt of input (bigger number = faster spin = more power required).
weight -- typically measured in grams.
max current -- measured in amps. The maximum current draw this motor can handle for an extended period of time (important for picking your ESC. The ESC Amps should be larger than this number).
max loaded current (60s) --measured in Amps, and usually given with a timeframe (60 seconds is common.) The maximum current draw the motor can take for a short period of time without burning up.

Other Numbers

Battery - number of cells
dimension - the physical size
shaft diameter - more powerful motors need bigger, stronger shafts. you need to know this number if you buy a prop saver. 3mm is a common value.
poles, magnets -- not sure why these are important, maybe highter quality motors have more?

Thrust Calculation
(still in progress)

Relationship of ESC numbers to Motor Numbers

ESC Amp number must be greater than motor Amp number, or you will burn up you ESC by pulling too much electricity through the circuit.

"Runner" Configuration

Brushless motors are either inrunner or outrunner. The Towerpro motor above is an outrunner.

inrunner -- the motor is stationary and the motor shaft spins
outrunner -- the motor shaft is stationary and the motor body spins

Motor Equivalency

If you need to see how equivalent two motors are, the two most important numbers to match are

Kv -- they should be close to the same power output
Weight - they should weigh similarly

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Things I'd like to try: Origami Hang Glider

Push it around the room with a piece of cardboard!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Connector Mania: Bullet Plugs

soldering bullet connectors

3.5mm bullet connectors soldering tip:

Drill three 3/16 inch holes about 1/4 inch deep and 1/2 inch apart in a small board.
Insert a 3.5mm connector in each hole, with the end to be soldered upright.
Heat a connector with a soldering iron and melt a little solder into it, then insert the wire into the melted solder.
Move the soldering iron away from the connector and hold the wire in place until the solder solidifies. Works like a charm, and you don't need three hands!

DX7/AR7000/AR6100 Range Test

An interesting range test for DSM2 equipment.

For both receivers in worst-case conditions, reception was solid at 1.5 miles.

jargon: "specking out"

To lose one's plain by having it disappear into the distance.
"I know the Dx6i will fly it farther then you can see it by a long shot- so be careful as MANY have lost their planes from specking them out."

Sunday, July 18, 2010

XT60 Connectors

These are XT60 Connectors.

DIY Drones

DIY Drones are some really awesome guys:

These are our Arduino-based open source autopilot projects:
* ArduPilot, a low-cost autopilot system for planes, quadcopters and helis.
* BlimpDuino, an autonomous blimp with both infrared and ultrasonic guidance

Plus lots more!

RCSkyFlyer

EppFoam and other build materials.

Things I'd like to fly: Jeff's Foam Pizza Box Flyer

What a great Pizza Box Flyer. "Control Links are coffee stirrers spliced together." I love this guy! And check out his awesome bottle cap wheels!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Vendor: sdparkflyers.com

SDParkFlyers has a lot of information regarding foam building and flying, along with lots of tutorial videos.

A fine looking balsa plane

Here's the build log for a very nice looking balsa plane.

Sdparkflyers.com - How to Build a EPP foam type Radio Control plane.

Sdparkflyers.com - How to Build a EPP foam type Radio Control plane.: "building info for EPP Foam type airplane."

WAVEosSCOPE -- free Doppler Shift speed analyzer

Import a wav file of your plane flying by, and this program will give you a speed estimate based on the doppler shift.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Deans Plugs, aka T Plugs, and Bullet Connectors

T Plugs: generic Deans Ultra Connectors

popular 'Battery to ESC' connector
male plug is soldered to the ESC
get the polarity right
sometimes tight fit, lube with graphite
put shrink tube on before soldering
plug M/F together before soldering
polarity: while flat on table: vertical bar is positive, horizontal bar is negative

Connector-related youtubage:

3.5mm bullet connectors soldering tip:

Drill three 3/16 inch holes about 1/4 inch deep and 1/2 inch apart in a small board.
Insert a 3.5mm connector in each hole, with the end to be soldered upright.
Heat a connector with a soldering iron and melt a little solder into it, then insert the wire into the melted solder.
Move the soldering iron away from the connector and hold the wire in place until the solder solidifies. Works like a charm, and you don't need three hands!

The small connector on Turginy batteries is called a JST-XH and is used for balancing.

Things I'd like to fly: The $1 Cheap-n-Easy

Made from a one piece dollar store foam board!

The plane is cut from a single sheet of foamboard which is 20 inches by 30 inches

The plane is 24.5 inches long and that is your back line.
the front is 7 inches wide.
Make a mark 11 inches up each side and make a triangle.
make a mark 22 inches up from the side and connect that to your 24.5 inch line.
The prop slot is 8.5 inches up from the front and is 8.5 x 1.25 in size.
make a small cut out for your motor.
The elevator is 15 inches wide and set back 2.25 inches on the sides.
The back of the plane will be pointed so make a straight line across the back to get the small fins.
the rudder is 14.5 inches long and 5.5 inches tall.
when you cut the rudder, the piece that comes off to clear the elevator gets glued to the top of the rudder.
The small amount of foam left I use to make a 2.5 inch doubler for the front of the plane and some side mounts for the stick mount.
The wing tips are cut and glued at a 45 degree angle.
Use some packing tape on the front.
2-9 gram china servos
1 blue wonder 1500
10 amp esc
spectrum reciever
500 to 900 mah 3 cell
stick mount

diagram

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Maiden Flight: Night Vapor

Hooray! Sorry for the lousy pics, they were definitely an afterthought.

How to replace a bind plug?

Freechip provides the answer:

If you have old servo leads or old servo extensions you can use these, strip and twist the 2 outer wires on the 3 wire lead and short them together.

The bind plug shorts the outer 2 pins on the BATT/BND port.

If you have a helping hand you can also use small needles nose pliers you can use them to short the 2 outer pins.

Monday, July 12, 2010

DSM2 specification details

Some quadrocopter links

ArthurP has a great thread on building a quadrocopter in 2007. I hope there's less soldering involved today!
rc-cam is a site dedicated to all kinds of interesting video and rc projects.
need to understand: what is I2C?
Converting a TowerPro by resoldering and reflashing the code. Lots of other interesting pages in this wiki.

Djago has the coolest looking multicopter here.

Want To Fly: MikroKopter

Warning: object of intense, lustful desire.

MikroKopter has quad, hex, and octo copters with GPS and FPV. It will be fascinating to compare with rcexplorer.se's work in this area, both in functionality and cost.

Here's the US Distributor. Fully loaded FPV octocopter just $8,500!!

My secret plan:

n-tocoptor of some sort
hi def, FPV
autonomous flight
my own design, or at least home-built
cheap!

Shh!!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Aerobatic how-tos

Aerobatic maneuvers with animated gifs and written instructions.

Interesting uses for bamboo skewers

Control Rods:

Or you can cheap out and use 150 for $0.99 bamboo skewers, some paperclips and shrink tube. I zip tied a tooth pic to one of the paper clips that I made too long and was flexing.

courtesy of jakezilla

and Wing Reinforcement:

I split them lengthwise with a razor blade, and then glue the strips to the leading edges. You get reinforcing and a rounded leading edge in one operation.

And an awesome reinforced fuse.

more

http://www.rcpowers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1251

Things I'd like to fly: cheap Hovering Machine

Plans in this RC Group thread.

Video and cheap parts kit here.

Also need one more servo, prop, carbon fiber tube, dollar tree foam, parkzone carbon reinforced push rods,

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Planes I'd like to try: RCPowers Extra 300

This is the famous RC Powers Extra 300 build-it-yourself foamy. Free PDF plans.

official announcement
10-part beginners' video series
RCGroups Thread

Things needed to build:

PDF Plans (Free!)
6mm Depron [or EPP]. This post reports using two 18x36 sheets.
Hardware Pack (4 12-inch control rods w/ clevis, 4 control horns, 1 motor mount)
3mm Hollow Carbon rod
(4) Servos (1.8kg/0.14s/12.5g/MG)
Motor (1450Kv, 12A/60s)
ESC (18A)
LiPo battery (2S, 800mAh)
Prop (9x5)
6 Channel Radio
5 Min Epoxy
How to use PDFs Plans
connectors (???)

Resources:

RCPowers official thread.
PecanGrower has an RCPowers post with two great videos demonstrating flying characteristics. He made it with 1/2 inch foam (18 oz) and it still flies really well.

Vendor: Value Hobby

Value Hobby got a good review. Reported fast shipping. $3.99 flat rate!

RangeVideo OSD

The RangeVideo OSD (On Screen Display) seems to be pretty popular. If there's a video-in signal it overlays on top of that.

This is incorporated with their Autopilot, GPS, and Artificial Horizon systems.

Here's an insanely great video.

Things I'd like to try: Lightflight Bug

From the good folks at Lightflight.com, this seems to have become a classic lightweight flyer. From their description:

An easy gentile slow flyer, but fully 3D capable, with a very versatile flight envelope. It most assuredly will mesmerize you and any onlookers with its magical slow flight ability, capable of wild 3D behavior and will most definitely and instantly become the favorite in your RC hangar! All this without regard to your level of RC experience.
From trainer like and very precise and stable slow filght, to all out 3D, indoor and outdoor, wind or no wind, up close and personal at your park or in your small backyard, this "Bug" is totally "addictive"!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Connector Quest

Hmm, can't find any beginner advice on connectors.

I'm getting these parts. What connectors do I need?

Turnigy Basic 18A v3.1 Speed Controller
Turnigy 1300mAh 2S 20C Lipo Pack
Turnigy servo 16.2g/3.1kg/.16sec
TowerPro Brushless Outrunner 2408-21

Unfortunately most of the pics don't show the ends of the wires!

Kline-Fogleman Airfoiled Flying Wing

Interesting and comprehensive discussion about a counter-intuitive airfoil.

Scientific American writeup here.

"It is a paper airplane so unconventional that it drives aerodynamics experts crazy. It seems to violate one of the major laws of flight: the Bernoulli principle, which explains, theoretically, what keeps all ordinary planes aloft. And it is a paper airplane whose plans are made public, for the first time, in this issue."

Electronics

You know you're a n00b when this is an educational picture.

Things I want to try: Blu-Baby

Lots of people like the Blu-Baby for learning to build and fly. I've started a beginner's thread.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Bullet Plugs

Single Pin Connectors

Primarily for the hookup of the 3 leads of brushless motors
Sometimes for battery and charger leads
Cover with Shrink Tube

Size vs. Capacity

mm 1.8 2.5 3.5
amps 10 25 40
gauge 18 16 14

On the authority of Hobby Lobby.

Monday, July 5, 2010

By The Numbers: ESC

The ESC (electronic speed controller) is used to control the speed of a brushless motor. It usually has a BEC ("battery elimination circuit") to provide power to servos and the other receiver outputs.

Continuous Current -- how much current can pass through the ESC on a sustained basis.
Burst Current -- how much current can pass through the ESC for a short "burst" of time (usually 60 seconds). If you exceed this time, you will probably burn up the ESC.
BEC (battery elimination circuit) -- How much power is available to the servo and other receiver outputs.
Cells-- the voltage and type of battery supported.
Weight: QED
Size: QED

Wiring:

two input wires from the battery
three output wires to the motor
three-wire bundle to the receiver. two wires power the receiver (including passing power to the receiver outputs), one wire is the control wire receiving the throttle control signal.

ESC Programmer: some ESCs can be programmed. This can be done via the receiver (by "clicking" through entries using the joystick) or more easily with an ESC programming card ("no more black magic throttle stick controls!"). Typical programmable values are:

brake -- on/off. stops the motor immediately when throttle is cut, used for feathering props.
battery type -- battery voltage, or "auto".
cutoff type -- gradually reduce or immediately shut off power when the voltage threshold is reached.
cutoff voltage -- 2.6V, 2.85V, or 3.1V per cell.
start mode -- normal, soft, very soft. helis use soft, planes use normal.
timing mode -- low, medium, high.
music -- for some inexplicable reason, you can program the esc to play different songs at startup.

By The Numbers: Batteries

LiPo Batteries.

Configuration: How many cells the battery has. (1S, 2S, 3S)
Capacity : How much electricity the battery holds. (500 mAh, 1000 mAh, 2200 mAh)
Constant discharge: How fast the electricity can flow from the battery. (15C, 25C, 35-45C)
Burst rate: A peak value that the battery can discharge for a short period of time. (37C ,15sec)
Pack size: three dimensions, HxWxL
Weight: in these modern times, always expressed in grams.
Charge Rate: how high of a current at which the battery can be charged (1C, 5C)

Notes.

"C" rate: This is the amount of power that can be pushed out of the battery at any particular instant in time. It is a ratio of the Capacity. a 500 mAh battery discharging at 15C will be discharging at 750 mA. (500 * 15 = 750)
Lots of details here.

Voltage: A single lipo cell will have a voltage range of 3.0V - 4.2V. The "nominal" voltage (how it's typically referred to) is 3.7V. If the cell goes below 3.0V, it won't be able to be recharged. Most people recommend not letting a cell go below 3.2 volts so that you'll have a bit of safety margin.

So, a 3S battery will have 3 cells, a nominal voltage of 11.1V, and a voltage range of 9V - 12.6V (the nominal values multiplied by 3.

Your discharge rate requirements will be defined by your motor and ESC combination. Models with high instantaneous power demands (helis, stunt 3D flying) will have higher discharge requirements. Models with low instantaneous power demands (gliders, trainers) will have lower requirements. Higher discharge rates usually mean the batteries will be heavier and more expensive.

Example: http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=9312

Configuration : 2S 7.4v
Capacity : 2150mAh
Constant discharge: 25C
Burst rate: 37C (15sec)
Pack size: 113x33x16mm
Weight : 129g
Charge rate not specified, so we assume 1C

By The Numbers: Props

Propellers have two numbers:

length.
the pitch. How far the prop would spiral forward in one rotation.

This illustration is from hobby king. X and Y are length and pitch.

By The Numbers: Servos

Dimension: height, weight, length.
Weight: and how much it weighs.
Operating Voltage: electrical input range. for planes, this is almost always 4.5-6.0 volts.
Operating Speed: how fast the servo motor turns. this measured in "seconds to rotate 60 degrees." often, there are two measurements, one for 4.5 volts (lower) and one for 6.0 volts. Be careful when there's only one number given, to make sure which voltage is being reported.
Stall Torque: How hard the servoc can twist. At the given number, the servo will stall. The measurement is how much force is done from a particular arm radius. Like speed, there are often two numbers specified, for 4.5 and 6.0 volts.

Two other important bits:

MG usually indicates "metal gear"
Digital servos provide faster response, tighter accuracy, and higher "standing" torque at the cost of increased power consumption and a high-pitched squeal when operating.
For small park fliers and foamies, the standard 9g and 5g servos are fine, e.g. the HTX-500 and HTX-900.

Example: http://www.superflyrc.com/Power-HD-HD-2216MG_p_51.html

Dimension: 22.8x12x29.4mm
Weight: 15.8g
Operating Voltage: 4.5 - 6.0V
Operating Speed: 0.13sec/60°at 6.0V
Stall Torque: 54.12oz-in @ 6.0V (3.9kg-cm)

Superfly Art Inspiration

Courtesy of RC Groups, lots of neat ideas for painting a Superfly.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Ordered LIPO bags

From ebay, being shipped from Hong Kong. Bought 4 bags, I'm going to try and set one on fire just to make sure they work. Price for 4, $18.36.

alameda hornets squadron

alameda hornets squadron:

Club Interest: Radio Control - All Aircraft
Club Location: Alameda, CA - USA
Online Administrator: shane wheaton, antioch, CA 94509
Standard Club Meeting Location: 1st sat. month 2151 ferry point rd
Directions to Club Field: 2151 ferry point rd

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Superfly Build Log

Here's how I built my SuperFly. I am a total beginner -- I've got a DX6i radio, and have been practicing on FMS and RC DeskPilot. I've got pieces coming from HobbyZone (receiver), SuperFly (the actual plane), and HobbyKing (servos, batteries, ESC).

7/2/2010

Received plane kit along with tube of Welder's Glue. I emailed SuperFlyRC and they arranged to combine shipping. Otherwise, their online shop bumps ground shipping from $10 to $20. Still waiting for HK and HZ shipments to arrive.
Got low-temp hot glue gun from Amazon. Ordering wiring-quality soldering iron.

Questions

do I need battery connectors? have to see how the HK stuff arrives.
is it normal to solder the motor to the ESC?

Suggestions for SuperFlyRC

have a mailing list for superfly owners.
sell an "everything you need" kit that includes batteries, connectors, etc. You can have a high-end and low-end version of this kit.
List detail for "complete hardware"

Complete List of Everything For the Beginner

Here's everything I bought so far for this plane. Things marked (**) aren't specifically for this plane but are "generic" items.

Spektrum DX6i transmitter, $150 (**)
USB cable for DX6i, to use with sim, $12 (**)
Battery Charger [HX8080], $24.95 (**)
ESC programming card [TR_PC], $6.95 (**)
Receiver [AR6110] $50
2 servos [TGY-2216MG], $18.90 each
ESC [TR_B18], $14.99
2 Batteries [T1300.2S.20], $6.29 each
Kit, including body, motor (Towerpro 21), prop (GWS 8x6), rods (2), control horns (2, size 1/2A)