did 'YOU' fly today??

[Bad Raven]

Sometime around 1974, arrived at one of our many countryside fields to find it occupied by a large herd of heifers, also like "yours" Fresians, farmer said carry on, he wasn't worried.

The pair of us went to centre of field to set up but as soon as first engine started the young cows all started closing uin till they formed a complete circle, their slobbery noses and trampling feet getting too close for comfort.

I grabbed Rob's plane, not easy to handle since it was a 65" span aerobat with a 61 glow, and hand launched it over their heads.

They did a sharp double take, heads following the plane, then quickly lost interest and drifted away to eat grass again. Subsequent landings and takeoffs past them were ignored. Happpy Days!

[badger1]

I could have gone up to the next bit of cow-free electric-fenced-off field but I would have had to leave my car in the bit with the cows.  I decided after one of them started scratching her chin on my bonnet that maybe that wasn't a great idea. 

[Bad Raven]

A "no wind to speak of" morning meant I ran 16 batteries through the Mobula6 blasting round the garden inc through the laurel tunnel and ducking under the Acer.

Only had to recover it once when greenery beat skill............. 

Must have been a bit tight at times as I now have a green frame............   

They are an excellent little thing though, and the ducts let you get away with murder 

Yesterday evening I rolled back the clock with a few "oldies" round the house, see if you remember any, we are talking 2016 or before!

"Martian" 90mm Brushed (8mm)
"Martian" 90mm Brushless (1103)
"Whooppee" 90mm Ducted 8mm Brushed

These 3 all 3D printed frames, and have Cleanflight firmware!

Eachine 90 8mm Brushed, Carbon frame
 

[badger1]

I flew yesterday & today in between getting rained on.

still messing around with the iNav AR wing.  I keep getting failsafes on the RXSR - thankfully it just flips briefly into RTH mode & then restores control.  I might have to move the Rx out into the wing away from the noisy RF stuff in the "fuselage".  I did get 160km/h out of it with the new Sunnysky 2212 1250kV & an 8x6 APC on 3S.  I think it's going to get a 40A ESC & 4S soon though.   

I gave our chairman his first FPV on the AR today. he did pretty well once he got oriented & steered it around quite happily.  then I took the Tx back & thrashed it around a bit LOS with him on the goggles still. 

chased my mate's Junkers CL-1 around a bit with the 7" BF quad with a Runcam 4k to try to get some decent footage, but funnily enough it's quite hard to see a camo aircraft against camo-coloured countryside so I didn't get much.

[Bad Raven]

funnily enough it's quite hard to see a camo aircraft against camo-coloured countryside.

Yes, odd, that.................

It was a quad day today and so I won't go on, except to say that on a mental full bore power climb the Babyhawk Race sheared another prop across the screw holes of the hub, and went in from about 50 feet up in a violent spin, despite immediately cutting arming and air mode. The motor without prop dug into the soft soil, and I have had to clean its teeth with a toothbrush and water, just waiting for it to dry in the warm exit fan breeze from my PC to then re-lubricate.

Happened several weeks ago (from low altitude and no mud) and at the time I thought it might be due to old UV aged props (EMax ones), so I got out a brand new sealed pack and fitted them.

Seems maybe the new extremely high dicharge LiPos I now have manage to over torque the prop.

Ordered some HQ 3x3x3 from UK stock, a miracle!!

[badger1]

I was frisbee launching my AR wing yesterday & the wing I was holding detached itself from the "fuselage".  some slightly less energetic launching required I think. 

I bought an E-Flite Timber off a clubmate - full-width leading-edge slats & properly slotted flaps (rather than Tundra-style flaps where they get the hinge geometry all wrong), so I feel some STOL silliness coming on.   

[hoverfly]

I was frisbee launching my AR wing yesterday & the wing I was holding detached itself from the "fuselage".  some slightly less energetic launching required I think. 

Get some professional tossing lessons, you know it makes sense..  

[Dickw]

I was frisbee launching my AR wing yesterday & the wing I was holding detached itself from the "fuselage".  some slightly less energetic launching required I think. 
..................

Frisbee? - you mean like this https://youtu.be/0TXXnAnSRt4

Dick

[Bad Raven]

I have a Dreamflight "Libelle" discus launch ultralight, but spin discus launching started to get a bit awkward when trying with an iffy lower back, then a flying co-hort tried, but being shorter, he slammed the wing tip into the ground, and the special shaped NIMH performed a superb launch arc without the plane, never to be found in the long grass.

So I fitted a swing up propped brushless, and used a small LiPo and a UBEC to get round the battery issue. should get it out now that summer low level thermals are around, so nicely reminded!

[Bad Raven]

I must have really enjoyed today, as I'm just completing recharging 20 batteries. 

This was the first flight, nothing special, couple of reversals and a power loop, EMax Hawk5 fitted with Caddx Vista.  Be interesting to see how YouTube mangles it:-

[badger1]

managed to fly the AR without a wing coming off tonight   

in my defence, the glue they use to stick the wood bits to the EPP is rubbish - I popped the motor mount out the first time I flew it.

as it turns out, it launches fine with some slightly gentler wanging into the air.

I also tried out iNav Launch mode which is a hoot - chuck it into the air & so long as you don't actively throw it at the ground it sorts itself out & climbs out.

[Bad Raven]

Also from yesterday, video from the Nano LR I built.

Reviewers have said its fragile and slow.

Firstly, yes, its not going to stand up well from plummeting from 100 feet up or smacking into a fence flat out as two reviewers ably demonstrated with the REKON3.  Mine is an ABS 3D Print frame.

I have tumbled it a good few times without ill effect, as its props are so low to the ground they near always snag on grass and flip it.

Video clarity still needs a bit of work, the wiring needs twisting up and poss also the VTX and wiring shielding. (but the DVR recording is not the best, goggles look signifiantly better.

Anyhow, here's a quik n dirty video, see what YOU think on its speed. Kill the sound!

[badger1]

Anyhow, here's a quik n dirty video, see what YOU think on its speed. Kill the sound!

speed seems fine.  doesn't seem much good at turning right though.   

[Bad Raven]

speed seems fine.  doesn't seem much good at turning right though. 

Nonsense.........

  

[badger1]

I did once accidentally horizonally-flip the image in an FPV camera.  took off LOS, stuck the goggles on once at height, *very* rapidly realized that all was not well although I didn't twig until later what was wrong, whipped them off again & recovered the by-now inverted model.   

[badger1]

because it's winding & I can't go flying, here's some DVR of a bit of flying during the week:

[Bad Raven]

The Hawk5 went in today in a violent roll from travelling very fast at around 20 feet up.  The outfield is due hay cutting again so very long and seeded, and of course wet from yesterday nights rain.

Found it OK straight away (good old spotter!). No damage. Flew again no issues at all.

Nothing therefore found wrong. It was being recorded so as out tonight it'll be tomorrow a.m before I can view and see if anything pops up on screen, but as its DJI probably not enough gets across into the goggles from Betaflight to likely help.

Its a place on the field where flying buddy's Hawk Sport has been in more than once in similar way, it's not far away from pilots stand, clear line of sight Tx to Rx, so a bit puzzling. R-XSR dual diversity full range antenna with clear near 90 location above frame top.

We know a gas main traverses the field but do not know exact route.

[ched]

The Hawk5 went in today in a violent roll from travelling very fast at around 20 feet up.  The outfield is due hay cutting again so very long and seeded, and of course wet from yesterday nights rain.

Found it OK straight away (good old spotter!). No damage. Flew again no issues at all.

Nothing therefore found wrong. It was being recorded so as out tonight it'll be tomorrow a.m before I can view and see if anything pops up on screen, but as its DJI probably not enough gets across into the goggles from Betaflight to likely help.

Its a place on the field where flying buddy's Hawk Sport has been in more than once in similar way, it's not far away from pilots stand, clear line of sight Tx to Rx, so a bit puzzling. R-XSR dual diversity full range antenna with clear near 90 location above frame top.

We know a gas main traverses the field but do not know exact route.

I assume opentx log doesn't show anything? I guess no blackbox logs?

[badger1]

took the up-motored 7" out for a fly today - no cows this time - & it went pretty well:



I think it could do with something a bit higher pitch than 7035 but it was quite quick enough to start with. 

[badger1]

a good weekend of flying, but <ahem>a few repairs to be done today & a few orders to be placed.  this is not really what you want to see in your goggles:



thank goodness for self-powered beepers 

[Bad Raven]

Well, hope you are all well and have all being flying, etc.

Wife and I, both double vaccinated, have been trapped in Orkney hotel room for full COVID isolation period as others in party did not do required tests before joining group, and the tour company did not do daily temp tests as stated they would. Minimum fifteen affected, one hospitalised inc being emergency heli moved to Aberdeen hospital, where they still were yesterday.

Yes, despite US doing the ALL the right things, others did not, both before the outbreak or during.

Further, several in the group of 39 including one of the two tour managers ignored Scottish Health instructions when instructed to isolate and immediately left via public transport, most likely infecting others. (He resigned and did a runner!)

Its no wonder that COVID is proving tenacious to reduce incidences when there are so many uncaring selfish prats around.        

Take care out there..................

(Just been flying Mobula6 around the house............ )

[ched]

Well, hope you are all well and have all being flying, etc.

Wife and I, both double vaccinated, have been trapped in Orkney hotel room for full COVID isolation period as others in party did not do required tests before joining group, and the tour company did not do daily temp tests as stated they would. Minimum fifteen affected, one hospitalised inc being emergency heli moved to Aberdeen hospital, where they still were yesterday.

Yes, despite US doing the ALL the right things, others did not, both before the outbreak or during.

Further, several in the group of 39 including one of the two tour managers ignored Scottish Health instructions when instructed to isolate and immediately left via public transport, most likely infecting others. (He resigned and did a runner!)

Its no wonder that COVID is proving tenacious to reduce incidences when there are so many uncaring selfish prats around.        

Take care out there..................

(Just been flying Mobula6 around the house............ )

Fingers crossed you stay safe.
It's amazing how many people think they are doing what they can to avoid catching it and then they tell you about all the people they are visiting and chatting too.
Sounds like you should be able to get your money back if the company had not been following their own rules. I guess it's difficult to speak to the company on a Bank Holiday but sounds like they don't care about their customers.
Stay Safe mate and try and stay as sane as possible cooped up.

[Bad Raven]

We were out of isolation from 25th but could not arrange travel home till 27th.

Last night, 30th, both of us had texts from Scottish Health stating "now you are approaching the end of your isolation on 25th",  and inviting us to have a vaccine  

Six days late and no recognition of our existing vaccine status they should have been well aware of.

Total Incompetence.

Had a good session yesterday with the 6", but it was pretty grot weather, dark cloud, cold northerly breeze and stopped twice by heavy fine rain. I'm taking my woolly hat today!! 

[badger1]

oops



this is after poking it out of being 30' up in a tree.  the little black bit of broken-off wingtip was lodged 15' up the tree - quite how that didn't end up in the sprawling 10' hawthorn hedge around the tree is a mystery.

[Bad Raven]

Well, that's my third session this week, Monday Mobula 6 round garden and house, Tuesday mostly GEPRC Mk4 6", and today I decided to give the Sport Hawk 5" an outing.

With the GAONENG 1800mAh 4S 130/260C I now use on it the Sport Hawk is blisteringly fast, and I do mean properly quick, and yet still manages close to five minutes per pack. EMAx really did find the sweet spot with that one. Very tempted to get another while they are still around and fit Caddx Vista (there's no EMax sold HD version).

[badger1]

no FPV today, but I managed to scrape the top of my fin on the ground hard enough to pop the magnetically-attached canopy off.   

[Sweet Pickle]

Had a good session this afternoon.
Have to say a bit odd though. I generally only carry one craft per session. If I do take 2 it'll generally be a small 3" or lower and a 5"+.
For probably the first time I flew similar size/weight quads back to back.
Flew the 6" Armattan Badger for 4 packs then the Halo Osiris 5" for 4 packs. I've always assumed all of my 5 and 6 inchers fly very similar, have similar rates etc. In reality flying back to back revealed the differences are immense. The Badger was fast with the turning circle of an ocean liner, the Osiris seemed really slow by comparison but seemed to have air brakes and could turn on the spot.
Crazy different experiences.
Also put 6 packs through on a 3" Tadpole with ExpressLRS to give that a go. Like that at 1/3 the price of TBS RX. The tiny "ceramic" Rx has amazing range and coverage, absolutely gobsmacked.
Fun afternoon. Missus sat in the sun spotting on a little camping chair marvelous.

[Bad Raven]

Today was cold, with a 20mph plus wind chill, so woolly hat over ears time. That and the wind noise passing meant I missed something my spotter picked up, a faint "ticking".

Landed immediately and found that the rear exiting and then turned up Video Antenna had loosened on the SMA thread and rotated into a prop.  It being a Klover type (which I highly rate, BTW), it had a plastic dome over the six arc RHCP, and the Dal Fold prop blades had nicely cut their way through, moving down each rotation slowly to make a neat 10mm square hole.   

It had not reached the actual antenna inside and even rotated and presumably bouncing around as a loose connection, the video quality was unalteredand still very good. The blades only had minimal tip marking, too.

Had a spare at home and that and an extra cable tie now prevents any rotation. 

I also flew the old Babyhawk Race 3", to which the other day I finally fitted a "proper" video antenna rather than the stupid range and quality limiting tiny twig EMax hampered it with. The extra weight didn't notice and it now goes the full field circuit with decent quality video.

Its a very very fast little thing, and very quiet, so therefore easily "disappears" at range against the tree line to a spotter unless the rear LED strip I fitted is visible, so that is now the limit, but its more than adequate.  I should sell it really as with the Babyhawk II HD's its surplus to need. 

[Bad Raven]

Indoor last night, well attended despite petrol shortages and people travelling a distance across urban petrol queue infested waters! 

TWO people now have the Hubsan "Storm" Quad, one the complete pack, one just the quad and Tx, he uses his own goggles.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174687879684

These have a major problem, as they seem to splatter FPV signals much more widely than they should and/or not be centered on the frequency that they state (four figure number on screen), I need to investigate more as it brought last nights session to a halt!

They fly well, and for a long time per battery.  One guy crashed a number of times (newbie) and at the end had two bent motor shafts, yet the props survived and it STILL flew well.

[Bad Raven]

Yesterday flew 10 packs on Sport Hawk.

Today I flew the old EMax 200 for two packs, then tranferred to the Sports Hawk for ten packs, then ended with three packs through the BabyHawk II HD.

Found a new through tree route, HD gives you so much better vision!   

Noticably colder, and packs giving noticably less duration.