Mike Demita's Night Foamy Setup??

[WillJames]

Anybody know what it was or where Mike got his Night Setup for his foamie that he flew at the BlackSheep Event? That thing ROCKED!!!

[ThBrtmn]

He said he got the LEDs from: http://superbrightled.com/
I would like to know where he got/or what it was...the control board that all the leds plugged into like a receiver. All the leads had micro connectors on the end likce servos.
Very clean setup. I would just like the know how on how get one to light up???

[Greg McFadden]

all you need for a setup like that is a voltage controller with a suitable current rating (slightly more elegant option than the bunch of resistors) and a bunch of the servo connectors. the chip will cost a buck or so (or you can get a free sample from TI) and the resistors/capacitors required for the chip to work will be almost negligable in cost. The most expensive component (if you were making this) would be all the servo connectors and a PCB to solder everything to.

I second superbrightled.com I have bought from them, their red's are AWESOME

[ThBrtmn]

Mike was using the UV LEDs...very cool.

[WillJames]

Yea his plane was amazing. I will have the video up by Sunday. :)

Greg makes some great tank lighters. Just gotta get time to install mine. :oops:

I to would be interested in some Bart. I would love to have a night flyer like Mikes.

[AlanMcSwain]

Cats out of the bag so here's a PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT:

RotorGraphics and it's soon to open Electronic Bling arm, RotorTronics, have recently independantly developed and tested a UV LED Based Night Flying Kit for HELICOPTERS which has been test flown sucessfully twice now. RotorTronics will be offering a Combination Graphics and Emmitter Array kit for a very reasonable price within 30 to 60 days. Just as soon as the Beta test team has had a crack at the product.

I cannot offer more details at this time so please refrain from asking.

A photo may be posted later.

Alan McSwain

[WillJames]

Cool Alan sounds sweet. I know you can't tell details of the system, but is that what Mike was flying on his Foamie at Black Sheep?

Damn Fax machine! :DOH

I have some great video, hang in there a little longer please. It will be posted by Sunday Night. keep an eye on the video forum. :)

[ThBrtmn]

Will...
I think this is totally different from what Mike had...He said he did the rig hiself and got the UV LEDs from the superbright website. I think Alan is talking about something totally different that he is working on for Helis....
Sure wish Mike would come over here and help out and set us straight :D

[AlanMcSwain]

The principle is the same. UV illumination of a fluorescent pigment. The illumination is stunningly bright compared to previous methods of night-heli illumination. For the record, I don't know "Mike" so I don't know exactly what he put together... but from the descriptions here, it sounds exactly like what I've been working on. I still have several secrets up my sleeve though and I think you will all be surprised by the innovative products that RotorTronics will be offering shortly.

[WillJames]

Sounds cool Alan!! :)

[MadMan]

Here's my setup for my foamie:

Edge 540 from FancyFoam
Curtek lighting system with 3 navs, 1 strobe
Curtek wiring I did with 50 ohm resistors EACH in line to UV LED's from www.superbrightleds.com
UV's all pointed AT the fuse
Paint by me using Stika vinyl paint masks and FasKolor flourenscent paints.
Undercoat of Faskolor glow-in-the-dark paint (don't do this one - isn't worth the weight).
Himax 4100
Schulze 11.2e ESC
TP 11.1v 1320 Lipoly

Pics can be seen here...

http://www.runryder.com/helicopter/t127573p1/?highlight=UV+leds

[ThBrtmn]

he illumination is stunningly bright compared to previous methods of night-heli illumination

I dont know...The MadMan has an awesome looking Fury with "Fury" and "MadMan" glowing throught the canopy...The best Ive seen yet.

but from the descriptions here, it sounds exactly like what I've been working on

Geniuses at work on the same idea but not knowing it. Cool :glasses2:
Mike...you rock,
Thanks for sharing the info.

[Raptordude]

Man that thing looked good at night, cant wait to do one myself.

[MadMan]

No problemo dudes and thanks. I am trying to continue to come up with some cool night flying stuff. Always thinking. Anyway, it's not a job for me or money maker by any means - just want to have the coolest sh#$ first!

I've got some other ideas to improve it and a new idea as well. Next BSFF, maybe they will have a debut...

Alan, sounds like you should hire me :) Kidding man - I have a pretty good day job.

Seriously though, the trick to the UV's would be to get them further 'out' of the zone of providing light and more 'into' the zone of providing true blacklight. That could be done with a wider focus UV led, which superbright doesn't have, or by getting them further away from the object to be illuminated - which is the tough part. I'd like to see a set of night blades made that pointed some bottom of the blade UV LED's at the tip of the blades TOWARDS a heli painted with flour. paint. Now THAT would be the trick!

[Sar]

UV led's are pretty sweet, I did some playing around with them about a year ago and have the pictures in my gallery on RR, but here's one of them.

http://www.thaltech.com/UVLED-2.jpg

Fluoro fuel lines also light up pretty good.

As a general point of interests about blades. I checked with quite a few manufacturers about building a custom set of night blades for me using my electronics and design, but they all refused even when I offered a fair amount of $$. I expect to see my designs in their blades any day :roll:

[AlanMcSwain]

MadMan...We have solved all of these problems.

RotorTronics coming Night-Flight Kit provides *complete* heli illumination and can be installed in less than 45 minutes (not including the time to apply the RotorGraphics ProSeries Night Special graphics kit, which looks just as good in the daytime). Conversion from day to night use (or back again) is less than ten minutes of work. We are also working on a night blade elimination kit. Our goal is to offer a complete night flying kit for less than the price of a set of night blades.

Sar... I had not seen your work before and kudos to you for your innovative early work in this area. I didn't know UV LEDs were even being manufactured until a month ago! I wish I HAD seen your stuff back then! I'd have our stuff ready by now!

[WillJames]

That sounds GREAT Alan. That would be SWEET to be able to fly my normal blades at night to. Those MS night Blades are very hard to get used to.

[Sar]

Alan, looking forward to seeing your setup. I decided not to develop the UV stuff more, but it sounds like you have a winning combination going with having your graphics shop already underway. Keep your eyes peeled for something new comming from me through thaltech.com ;)

[ThBrtmn]

So Alan...
How wide is the spectrum models to manufacturers going to be? I know you are currently in the Raptor testing phases but are you looking at some other 30 to 60 size Manuf. that use plastic canopies ie... Hirobo, Century, Jr... Just Curious.... I know it will be a while to be able to broaden but just asking.

[WillJames]

OK Sar.... Whatcha got up your sleve???? Whats on the Horizon??? Whatcha got cooking??? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Sar]

I wish I HAD seen your stuff back then! I'd have our stuff ready by now!

Details have to wait, but I think it will be good ;)

[WillJames]

:glasses2: :glasses2: :glasses2: :glasses2: :glasses2:

[ThBrtmn]

I like this thread so Im bumping it up...anybody got anything new to share.

[MadMan]

Today I tried something TOTALLY kick-ass on Eric's Kahuna foamy and am going to put one on my night foamy.

I needed to get a GYA 352 double gyro stabilization system from Futaba for a 4-blade head setup I am putting into a scale Bell 412. So I tested the gyro on a foamy hooking it to rudder and elevator. You want to talk about a blast? How about we had the plane in a 1 foot hover at our feet torque rolling and were passing the radio around hands off to 4 guys. Damn thing just sits there.

Talk about knife edge? Put it into knife edge and walk away, or add a little elevator and do endless, hands-off knife edge circles.

I know it's cheating but DAMN that was fun!


http://www.madmanrc.com/edge540lg0005.jpg

http://www.madmanrc.com/edge540lg0004.jpg

[WillJames]

That sounds like a hoot Mike!! Where you flying in December??

Lets get together in ATL or at BS!! Maybe have a Chile, or gumbo or some kind of food cookoff!!