Spartan AP2000i or Robbe Heli Command?

[DebianDog]

Get me to the St. Petersburg and I will fly it. ;)

"I am from St. Petersburg, it is the Venice of the North"<- That is the sexiest thing a Russian girl ever told me. :YeaBaby:

[Ruud Westerhout]

USA - St.Pete, that's quite a heavy training ticket, don't You think :)

By the way if You come and meet some girls here, You'll hear more sexier than that, quite sure !! I did, but then again, my wife's Russian :)

[DebianDog]

I was married to a Ukrainian for several years :bad

[Ruud Westerhout]

Hi, Sorry for not reacting until now,

I was in Germany picking up the "Robby" and a LOT of other spare parts for my T-Rex. Hope I will be covered for some time now.

Ukrainian, not bad too.

[pthompson24]

I just ordered one. Yeah!

Thanks for your presence here. It really helps.

Paul T.

[Angelos]

Paul,
if that is order #452; it will be posted today.

By the way… just 3 left from this batch. We should have more AP-2000i in a couple of weeks.

Cheers,
-Angelos

[pthompson24]

Paul,
if that is order #452; it will be posted today.



Yep, that's me Angelos, Thanks!

I'm excited about this. Taking videos and pictures from up high is part of what draws me into RC helis. My skills are progressing but not fast enough and I find I get really nervous as the heli gets smaller. So this will give me a way to get way up there with less worry and capture great footage. From what I read in this thread I think your product will be the perfect compliment to this hobby for me.

Thanks!
Paul T.

[pthompson24]

All,

One thing I'm trying to figure out. How do you get slider control on the 7th channel (Aux 2) on a DX-7 radio? Am I limited to a 3 position selector switch?

Thanks!
Paul T.

[MarkWebber]

Paul

I don't recall anyone having success assigning the slider to gain on a DX7. If you manage to do so, please post your results as I'm sure other will be very appreciative! :D

[pthompson24]

Thanks Mark.

After further reading and searching I believe you are correct. I don't think it's possible which is a bummer as I thought I was buying a really hi end radio and it would have features like this. But I was new when I bought it and didn't know anything about it. I like everything else about it so far except I'm still a little shaky on some of the programming aspects.

I think I can do something with the three position idle up switch though so I'll find a work around.

I'm glad to see others have used the AP2000i on a Trex 450 as that's what I'm putting it on. I find setting this thing up for AP is the most exciting part about this hobby for me. Last night I was looking at all the home made camera mounts and am looking forward to building my own too. I'm especially interested in smoothing out the video and eliminating as much vibration as I can.

-Paul T.

[MarkWebber]

I'm especially interested in smoothing out the video and eliminating as much vibration as I can.

That's always a good idea :wink:

[kiwi320]

I'm a little confused.. About connecting this AP2000 (I don't have one yet, but am really thinking about it now!)

I'm just wondering though, I'm using a DX6 for my 450XL.. Rx is AR6000 and I appear to have one free servo slot.

Am I right in thinking that I may not be able to adjust the device from my Tx, but enable it by throwing the 'elevator d/r' switch (or whatever) and it'll pull into a hover?

[bullaculla]

You are using the 240 gyro? no remote gain control right?
If so, then yeah, you can program a toggle switch to control gain on the AP2000i.

But so you know, you need to have enough range on that channel to calibrate, turn off AP2ki, and adjust gain to where you want it. If you only have a toggle, then you will have to program complicated mixes using D/R and flight modes. But i'm not sure that is possible on a DX6.
I went from a DX7 to an X9303 just so I can have a slider to control AP2Ki gain from OFF to 100% gain and I calibrate by using a toggle switch.

[kiwi320]

You are using the 240 gyro? no remote gain control right?
If so, then yeah, you can program a toggle switch to control gain on the AP2000i.

Ok, a lot of that is over my head.

I've been thinking about upgrading from my DX6 to something else as I've become a slightly better pilot and am now keen at trying some basic AP stuff.. Are there any suggestions on an 'affordable' new set that will work nicely with the AP2000 and leave me with some handy AP-type controls?

Like is there an industry standard kit for beginners, or wheres the best place to buy it all online (Rx, Tx, AP2000)?

Sorry, being from small town New Zealand.. Where I live there's no model shop or anything, people here are clueless about RC Helis and amazed to see mine awkwardly hover.. Hence with no real community, I have no idea about a lot of heli stuff.. :(

[bullaculla]

Not really. Everyting is still kind of DIY. You can get wireless video packages, but nothing really for autopilot things. You need a lot of channels if you are gonna be a one man operation. Even with my 9 channel TX, I still have a second camera man who controls the camera and takes the shots on a separate TX.

[kiwi320]

I have modified an old camera (Sony Cybershot DSC-U20, 2MP!) to take a series of three shots every time my 'electric shutter' is pressed, thus only using one channel and a very easy flick of a switch now and then.

Have lifted the camera no problems, but haven't yet created a mount.

Not into anything too serious just yet, just kinda toying around with my 450 and thinking about a bigger bird each day.. But as I say, I have limited resources where I am, the Internet is the ONLY place I could find with anything helpful.

I've read a lot, but the technical manuals fly over my head and posts sometimes confuse me, I've never really seen a 'decent setup' of any kind flying.. My bird is pretty much trial and error (until I found bobs vids!).

Would be interested in doing my best to make a stable heli, I just think it'd be cool.

I guess my question should have been...

What gear should I look at getting for my current Trex 450 to help hold it steady.. That might also one day suit a larger (Trex 600) heli?

Like, what's common? - Because when I get it, it'll be here that I ask the questions.

[bullaculla]

I'd double up on the flybar weights, run the longest blades you can fit, and then get the little askman mount, or just make your own. I think the AP2Ki and all the other gear would be too much for the little rex anyway. Just mess around with what you have and keep it low budget untill you think you can start making a profit, then go bigger. By that time you should be a better pilot doing AP with the 450, and if you can get good shots with that, then anything else will be easy ;)

[kiwi320]

I was just reading a thing on stretching helis for AP.. And longer blades did come up, a long with flybar length and weights.

Would I be right in guessing I can get long blades.. As long as they don't reach the forward-most-edge of the tail rotor radius?

Which for me would be about 345-350mm blades.. Longest I can find is 335mm, but I'm using 325mm now, so I guess that extra 20mm makes a large radius, therefor a stronger hold in the air?

With flybars though, what about paddle size, length, etc.. And where should I put the weights, close in or far out?

[bullaculla]

For stability, put the weights near the paddles. Maybe even try two. I have read about people running 335s with no problems doing AP type flying.

[kiwi320]

Thanks a lot for your help mate..

I just put a second set of weights on, one set at the paddles and one half way along. I plan to move them around tomorrow when I can get outside and see how much difference is made.

I'm also hover-ing over the add to cart button on some 335mm woodies.

Just one more question though, more AP related than my others (i think).. If you mount the camera under the heli in or near its CG, does this weight also help hold steady by lowering the CG?

(I remember in rally cars the co-driver sits further back and usually lower than the driver, for weight distribution.)

[Tonystott]

Kiwi320, I run a Trex450XL with AP2000i, downlink and Askman mount with Pentax A10.

It can be done with 9 channels, but you would be able to run panning (which would probably be too heavy for a 450 anyway)

I use a Futaba GY240 gyro which doesn't have TX adjustment, but if you have a 401, you can hook the gain onto the 4th slot on the AP2000. It won't be adjustable from the ground, but it will work.

As you get your gear together, do a lot of catch-up reading here and on RR, and let us know how you are getting on.

[aramsdell]

I've done AP work with a 6 ch Hitec Optic 6. I used a servo on the shutter with a 'Y' cable to the gyro gain channel. If you use a GY 240 (no gain channel needed) then you don't need that 'y' cable. The only trick here is to have all pitch and throttle curves exactly the same and all trims in each flight mode the same. Taking a picture is done by moving the flight-mode switch.
By all means use 335's unless you have the very first TREX ( pre- XL). I am running 350's now but.... I had to do a custom tail-boom stretch.. Involves a Blade 400 boom and a custom length belt from Stock Drive Products.
I haven't dropped the headspeed yet but I should with these blades!
When you feel VERY comfortable dlying your machine then upgrade to Rotortech 335's. The best IMHO. Very HO.


Al

[oscillator]

It appears the Helicommand system has been recently updated and there is now a flybarless version. Given the Helicommand incorporates the sensor, tail gyro, and roll/pitch gyros needed for flybarless, $650 is a reasonable price.

I've been running the AP2000i w/ FMA sensor, 401 on tail and a pair of 240's (roll and pitch) on a Flybarless Logo 10 for over a year now and it is great. I certainly like the idea of having this all in one (two) packages w/ the Helicommand - along with ground referenced position hold - and the price is similar.

Anyone have comments on the Helicommand?

Mark Webber - any new developments from Spartan?

Thanks,
Mark

[MarkWebber]

No

[oscillator]

Adding up the costs of a flybarless AP2000i setup:

AP2000i $220
cable $12
sensor $48
3 gyros $120 each

total $640

which puts it right with the Helicommand @ $650. Now, again, I have ZERO complaints about my AP2000i flybarless setup, and would buy another if needed. But, at the time I went this way there wasn't another viable alternative without spending tons of money. Now that the Helicommand is offering similar capability (flybarless w/ stabilization AND position hold) at a similar price - the question begs - is it as good? better? Certainly someone has tried both...