Maintaining Eye-Hand for BZE Flying

[Blunt Force Trauma]

A few months ago I bought a few indoor helis. They help greatly keeping my eye-hand coordination sharp in a small 3D space. It translates well for playing BZE, especially for BoPs where decisions have to be made quickly. However, after a short time, the stock heli (center) became no challenge, so I stripped one of them down, removed the canopy, landing gear, boom supports and associated stabilizers. . . reducing the weight by approximately 15% (ones on shot glasses). After a couple weeks, that one too became less and less of a challenge. Finally, in an attempt for mindless speed and insect-like response, without any kind of 'braking', I removed the boom and rear motor and reset the battery position, throwing the CG ridiculously forward and removing somewhere around 30% of the original mass.

I've met my match, but does it ever keep the reflexes razor sharp!

[hitchcockgreen]

New challenge:
Make them heavy and awkward like a bomber.

[Blunt Force Trauma]

The middle one is comparatively a dog to the ones stripped.

Another interesting comparison is they are MUCH faster skimming along about an inch off the floor utilizing ground effect. A good twice as fast as in the air. Much like BoPs.

[hitchcockgreen]

I bet.
They do look like fun.

[Xtreme]

had something similar once, then i broke it lol =(

[Blunt Force Trauma]

Was it something similar to this?





The SYMA 107G is absolutely night and day compared to those styrofoam first indoor mini helis about 3 years ago.

The 107G has run on amazon for months as the best selling toy and well over a year in the top three.

The heli with this much fidelity of control is almost unbelievable for under $25.

[FirBirGir]

Is there some reason this prob configuration isn't used in real helicopters? looks extremely stable from the video.

Eddy

[Blunt Force Trauma]

Co-axials have been used full scale.



The issues with them are the complexity and maintenance of the mechanical systems (two counter-rotating rotors on the same axis) and the difficulty to retain orientation AND position in high cross wind as well as a much bigger dependence on a proper CG point. But they are perfect for indoor flight where wind is not a factor.

What blows me away is the Chinese can manufacture and sell the precise and balanced mechanical parts, 3 light and powerful neodymium motors, a 3-channel control board with electronic speed controller, a gyro, receiver, a LiPo battery AND an infrared transmitter. . .for under just over $20. There's no way in the world you could do that in the US for less than $125. I suppose when labor cost is basically a non-consideration, a lot of things can be done for a song.

Again, what makes these stand out is the control fidelity. I can land the stock setup on top of ceiling fan blades, upside down glasses, etc.

[hitchcockgreen]

Did you buy yours locally or online?

[Blunt Force Trauma]

I bought all mine on Amazon from resellers.

By the way, to see the unreal interest in this little heli, check out this thread at RCGroups. . . freakin' 567 pages of everything from hacking the transmitter to every possible modification you could possibly imagine of the heli.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthre ... board+s107

[Blunt Force Trauma]

Anyone even slightly interested in the S107, here's a very, very good deal.

The popularity must have became apparent late last year and the Chinese manufacturers ramped up production and now they're overstocked.

As I've said before, what sets these apart is the extreme level of fidelity of control.

http://www.xheli.com/56h-s107-gs100-red.html

[hitchcockgreen]

I am totally going to get me one. If only to drive my cat insane.

[Blunt Force Trauma]

Be sure to use "Spare Parts Express" (4.95) as your shipping method if you're allowed in Canada. The heli AND shipping is under $20.

*Biggest tip of all* . . . do NOT attempt and "power out" of a lost cause situation - just cut power.

Cutting power on the S107 from even 10 feet up onto hardwood floors is maybe 20% as likely of doing damage than slapping the rotors into curtains, walls, edge of tables, etc. The little motors are extremely sensitive to high resistive torque.

[hitchcockgreen]

No go on the 'Spare Parts Express.' (USA only)

I checked UPS Standard to Canada and that ended up being twice the cost of a single heli

I think I'll just see if I can find someone here selling it.

[RCD2]

I bought one at a local Fry's about a year ago , 30 or 40 bucks I think. Yep they're pretty cool. I have about a 30' ceiling in my front room , perfect for teasing my dog.