How small a heli for AP?

[psindrup]

Hi all

I am just learning to fly a heli, with the primary purpose to be able to do AP, and I am wondering, how big a heli is "needed" to do "decent" AP?

I am not planning to lift a DSLR into the air, but I am thinking of a Canon G9.

The logical AP ship options are as far as I can see the T-rex 450, the new 500 or the "air truck" T-rex 600E

Any advice will be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Peter

[DebianDog]

Once you figure out your "all up" weight of your AP rig it will be easier to help you but I doubt a 450 will be the platform of choice for any camera rig over a pound (or so)

[psindrup]

Hi Dan

All I have in mind is a Canon G9, a "frame" to mount the camera and a servo for the trigger. No servos or anything to pan or tilt the camera.

Peter

[DebianDog]

Depends how light the "frame" is ;)
Downlink?
Batteries?
More wires?

All have weight

[psindrup]

Depends how light the "frame" is ;)
Downlink?
Batteries?
More wires?
All have weight

Nothing of the above.
Just the camera mounted to the heli, and a servo to trigger it.

I am thinking of the new T-rex 500, because I can re-use the batteries that I am going to use for my new Blade 400, and I think a T-rex 600 is huge ;)

Peter

[DebianDog]

Nothing of the above.
Just the camera mounted to the heli, and a servo to trigger it.

I am thinking of the new T-rex 500, because I can re-use the batteries that I am going to use for my new Blade 400, and I think a T-rex 600 is huge ;)




My AP ship blades are over 6 feet long so I do not understand :P
http://danslagle.com/Pics/Pages/My_Helis.html#7

[crewchief]

Hi Peter,
I know the 600 probably looks big to you now, but I think once you start working with the helis, you'll find something like the 450 appears tiny. I believe the 600 is the ideal size from a practical standpoint - large enough to fly smoothly and lift about 4 pounds, but small enough to carry easily and deploy quickly. If you work with anything smaller, the majority of your time and effort will be involved in trying to compensate for the size and lifting capacity. Plus it's a much more twitchy platform. I would say 600 - 820mm is viable, with 600 being the perfect starting point.

[Wbird]

You will find that the 600 may be cheaper in the long run. More stable, lift weight easier, can actually auto with camera, all = less crashes. 450's seem to be affected a lot more by gravity. I had a 450 with a camera and it worked ok but now that I have a pair of 600's I would use nothing smaller and am actually planning on stretching one or getting a bigger heli. Believe me my first 600 was a bit intimidating but now I get frustrated with anything smaller.

Above all experience is more important than your airframe.

[psindrup]

Thank you all, so far, for your very constructive input.
I am leaning more and more towards the T-rex 600, even though it means quite a battery investment, that I was hoping to avoid. ;)

Keep the good arguments coming.

Peter

[Razor_Racer]

www.truerc.com

Look past the bad web design, and see the great lipos! They are actually a very good quality, and arent puffers. Dont have as much power as FP or TP, but you can pick up a 6s 5000mah for $145!