RC Helicopters

Solari

Solari

Solari

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Joined
14 Nov 2002
Posts
5,555
Location
Kent
Is anyone in here into RC Helicopter flying? I'm really keen to get into this and am wondering what I should buy to start me off?

I'm leaning towards petrol... is this a good idea to start with?

I've played a lot of Helicopter sims so am aware of the consequences of nudging one control :p I am guessing it's a steep learning curve to actually try and transfer this knowledge on to a little RC beastie.

Advice much appreciated :)

Oh, by the way - has anyone seen This mad clip? What the hell did he do to the chopper to get it flying like that? Super Gyros?
 
Take up model planes first. RC helis are incredibly difficult. Also unless you have disposable income don't get one, considering that any crash can write off £500 worth of heli/electronics.
 
I was looking at getting a second hand one for about £100 to learn on. Are there any clubs in the NW Kent area that I could go to for tips, tutoring etc?
 
Start with a co-axial helicopter first, more stable and easier to fly.

Or wait a few months and I will be able to give you the flight computer i am working on... Will provide autonomous altitiude, yaw and hover control.
(I am doing a PhD making a swarm of 20-50 helis fly around an office building)
 
Solari said:
I was looking at getting a second hand one for about £100 to learn on. Are there any clubs in the NW Kent area that I could go to for tips, tutoring etc?
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get ytourself down to model world ad notcuts garden centre in maidstone, just off the m20

the guy that runs the show is a world champion and does all the hollywood stunt flying of rc copters
 
D.P. said:
Start with a co-axial helicopter first, more stable and easier to fly.

Or wait a few months and I will be able to give you the flight computer i am working on... Will provide autonomous altitiude, yaw and hover control.
(I am doing a PhD making a swarm of 20-50 helis fly around an office building)
Click to expand...

Co-Axial? Excuse the ignorance... does that mean just up/down,turn left/right? Good luck on the PhD - that sounds like an awesome project - make sure you post the video so we can see it in action :)
 
Ive got one, brillant things, just expect to pay lots when they crash lol. Just get some training pads and you should land it easy. Just watch out for the wind
 
Rabble0 said:
Ive got one, brillant things, just expect to pay lots when they crash lol. Just get some training pads and you should land it easy. Just watch out for the wind
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Could you recommend something for a beginner? I have no clue as to manufacturers etc and have a feeling I would get ripped off on the 'bay if I didn't do some homework :p
 
If you really want a RC heli buy one of those electric RC choppers- Piccolo or similar.

You don't buy a nitro powered RC heli, I gurantee you will write off the heli within a few minutes. Looking at £1000 for everything, plus insurance.

You should start off with planes, they're easier to fly. I think people don't realize this, "helis look cool" and not prepared for it.
 
RC helicopters aren't necessarily that expensive. For example you could get a 4 channel electric helicopter for say £150, and that would at least give you a feel for it. Plus parts are easily replaceable.
 
shimy182, The blades totally invert to allow for the trust to change directions.

Look at the Twister for a cheap way to get into Helis. I would suggest trying a plane first, especially to get your perception up with using a controller. Planes are still hard to fly.
 
Cheers for the pointers... a few other questions from what I read here..
  • Do I need insurance?
  • What Frequency does this stuff operate on and do I need a licence?
 
If you want a good motor one expect to pay £1000+ but its worth it, until one day the wind picks up while your mucking about on your front drive and slams it into the house :rolleyes:

Not flown it for a while but here it is

heli2.jpg

heli1.jpg


if you join a rc club they will give you all the information about insurance etc
 
Solari said:
Co-Axial? Excuse the ignorance... does that mean just up/down,turn left/right? Good luck on the PhD - that sounds like an awesome project - make sure you post the video so we can see it in action :)
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No, it has full forwards, backwards, sidewards and yaw movements.

The co-axial design is fundamentally a more stable and a simpler design. They can also easily be gyro-stabalised- this feature is really nice as it means it holds the hover steady. You will experince drift, but the heli will always right it self with small undulations.

This greatly simplifies control, so makes an excelent starting platform. Once you have learnt to control yaw, altitidue and attitude with these helis you can move on to a proper gas powered single rotor a lot more smoothly.
These co-axial designs are also usually smaller and chepaer, easier to repair, cheap replaceable blades. mainly designed for indoor use. If it crashes you wont kill someone, unlike a gas powered heli with 500RPM solid blades!


We have made a safety cage form carbon fibre rods. this makes flying the things so much safer. You can bash it off walls and ceiling to no avail. Even plumets from ceiling height reult in little or no damage. Such a good idea we may actually sell them on ebay (shhh, this is our uber secret bussiness plan)

Look out for the Hirobo Larma.

You can improve these heli considerably be getting a better lipo and replacing the motors with Brushless DCs.
 
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