OT - RC Airplanes

[rcmike]

I don't really know much about the Belt helicopters but it looks like the 450 is a TRex 450 clone. Some people have good luck with them and some don't. I really can't say if it is good or not.

I second Brandon's suggestions on hobby shops. I wouldn't even waste my time on Hobbytowns around here. The one in Franklin used to be pretty good but he closed down a few years ago. If you are into electrics mostly then Hobby Lobby has a pretty good selection of them.

Here is another video I took a few weeks ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_QTF7Zo1tw

 

[NeveSSL]

DOH! Forgot about Hobby Lobby. They're fairly well known. I guess I don't think about them much because their store front leaves quite a bit to be desired. However, if you know what you want, they will likely have it, they just may not have it out.

Brandon

 

[techdiver]

Hobby Lobby is the only one I have heard of, but I have never been there. I am definitely staying with electric to keep it simple with the ability to fly in a gym during bad weather.

Thanks guys.

 

[rcmike]

Well, I got my replacement DOSD today and hooked it all up. It took a while since I checked everything about 10 times to make sure I did it right.:lol2: It works but I think I fried my GPS since it won't detect it. :sad2: I am trying to figure out if I can hook up my RVOSD GPS for the time being.

I saw this video on RC Groups today. Brings a little holiday cheer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh0QPFFAhVU&feature=player_embedded

 

[rcmike]

Well, I may get this thing back in the air eventually. My current sensor quit working and shows 0 amps and then after that my GoPro camera died. My wife is going to take it back to REI today and see if they will replace it. I'm getting tired of fiddling with it and want to fly!

 

[ZachB]

Wow... that sucks. Seems like everything is relatively picky. Isn't there any plug and play system out there where you just plug in and fly?

 

[rcmike]

Well, it's not so bad until you start adding OSDs and GPS and all the accessories. Putting a camera and video TX on isn't bad at all.

 

[rcmike]

Went to REI and they replaced it no questions asked. I might have paid a little more for it getting it locally but down time was a whole lot less.

I don't believe it, but I just hooked everything up and everything is working besides the current sensor! I don't believe it. I got it all set up and then immediately turned everything off so nothing else could die.:spin1: Maybe I'll actually get to fly it with an OSD this time.

 

[NeveSSL]

Haha! Glad to hear everything is working for ya, Mike.

I got a Blade mSR for Christmas... holy crap these things are fun!!!! My brothers and I have been flying it around my mom's living room all morning. They even got new netbooks and they're still flying it around more than they're on their net netbooks... :lol:

Monday at the office is going to be awesome. :lol:

Brandon

 

[rcmike]

Cool! They look like fun.

I guess my big present is that almost everything is finally working now on my FPV plane. Now if the weather would just cooperate I could fly it sometime. My actual present was the Dragon Link but I got it early since there was a big waiting list and I just happened to fine a new one someone was selling. Figured I'd better jump on it.

 

[ZachB]

Very cool Mike, can't wait to see the setup - hopefully everything stays working for you!

Brandon - that little Blade is going to be awesome.

I wish I could find some time to fly .. the forseeable future doesn't involve much of it :lol:

 

[rcmike]

Everything DID NOT work today. I got my new GPS and decided to try a little test fly. I took it out back and flew it around a little. Video was great with absolutely no static. GPS was locked and everything. The RTH requires some testing and tweaking to get it to work so I flipped it on to see what would happen. Started a gentle turn back to me. Great! flew on past me for a ways so I figured something was wrong. I turned it back while looking at the plane and decided to look at the screen to see if it thought home was somewhere else or what. While looking at the screen video just died. I looked up for the plane which should have been almost right in front of me but it wasn't there! I flipped it back into autopilot while messing with the antenna and receiver to try to get video back. It flickered a few times and was able to see it was heading down the road in front of my house. I ran everything to the front yard but couldn't get any video. I looked down at the video receiver and the LED that indicated the channel was out! I unplugged it and plugged it in several times and finally got it to come on but still didn't have any video. I don't know if it stayed in the general area or flew miles away. I do think it is near though because we drove around and I looked through the goggles while moving the patch antenna around. Around home I get a blank, black screen but if I get about a quarter mile away I get static. I am wondering if the GoPro just came unplugged when it went in and the transmitter is still transmitting.

 

[ZachB]

Dang man, that sucks. Hope you find it

 

[NeveSSL]

Wow, Mike... that really sucks... truly sorry to hear that.

Brandon

 

[rcmike]

I was able to search for a while today before the rain came. I pretty much covered the area the plane would have been in if the RTH worked halfway right. I don't know where to look from here.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Someone most likely found it by now, And if honest don't know how to find out who it belongs to? Or they got them a new toy LOL Keep your eye's open for new flyers Haha
Good luck finding it!
Bill

 

[rcmike]

Maybe but there is a lot of woods around here so it could be stuck in a tree somewhere. Most people wouldn't know what to do with it if they did find it.

 

[techdiver]

Maybe but there is a lot of woods around here so it could be stuck in a tree somewhere. Most people wouldn't know what to do with it if they did find it.

Man, that does suck. Did you have a GoPro hero HD on there? Since they are waterproof you could easily salvage that even if you found it weeks from now.

 

[rcmike]

I did have the GoPro with the waterproof case but I had a hole cut in one side to allow me to plug in the video wires. Hopefully it is laying with that side down. I have had pretty good luck drying out electronics when they get wet. Most of the time the damage is done when you power them back up while still wet. The batteries should be long dead so there isn't any chance of anything shorting out.

 

[NeveSSL]

Man, Mike... I am so sorry to hear that. This along with my experience losing my plane have really made me want to buy one of those lost plane alarm thingies. It may not help in a situation like what you're facing, but it might.

Brandon