Re: 2-Way Radio Control

What about the Dragan Flyers?

Mitch Berkson

_____________________________________________ The problem is, gas motors are awfully:

Finicky messy loud expensive

My engine of choice is OS. If you aren't going to have a lot of air running over it, as in a geared down slow, big blade arrangement, consider R/C car or heli engines, as they have a bigger heat sink.

On the subject of helis, consider how they achieve variable thrust on the tailboom, or on the main rotors of the more expensive helis. They vary the pitch of the blades, on the fly. This allows them to adjust their thrust quickly and accurately.

If it were my project, I would do it a couple of ways. Either electric, via umbillical for power, because when I finally finish it, the miracle battery will have been invented, or gas engine(s), with reduction, and variable pitch blades, (or vectored thrust.)

My first stab at it, would be to mount an engine on a stick, with a bearing or hinge, and try to get the engine to keep the stick level. This way, I could experiment with propulsion, sensing and control notions, without buying 3 engines etc. ( be sure to limit it, so it cannot hurt someting, or you)

It would also do you well to pay attention to what Tramm Hudson is doing. He is doing auto-pilot for R/C helis. No matter what you do, his work is applicable.

While I am at it, have a look at the IsoPod or the 803-mini from New Micros Inc. (

) I have interfaced the 'pod to the standard R/C servos quite easily in their high level,multi-tasking language, without having to deal with servo co-processors. It wil also easily handle the digital servos people are using on R/C heli gyro/tail rotor controlls. Since it handles the servo control in hardware, there is NO software overhead.

Just to mention, think about the time constant of your system, keeping masses low, and closer to the C/G. This will keep you responsive.

keep us posted Mike

I'm not using the most efficiant fan blades....I could possibly get more lift by improving in that area...would it be theoretically enough for an electric setup?

So what kind of blades should I use in my situation for max. lift?

Thanks, Patrick

Depends on speed etc - blade design is a big subject not really relevant to crm. Try an aerodynamics group.

However you should definitely look at cowling on the input to the fan tube. The peripheral airflow is absolutely crucial - adding a cowling to an intake tube can more than double the airflow because otherwise the inrushing air flows fastest at the middle, where the blade speed is minimal.

Clifford.