Tazer camera platform?

[robert1]

Are you planning on producing the tazer with a front mount ap unit?

[cbergen]

Yes, it's called the E-Observer!!

Here's the video, http://bergenrc.com/uploads/E-Observer%20test%20flight%2020.wmv

and from the air, http://bergenrc.com/uploads/E-Observer%20test%20video%203.wmv

[robert1]

thanks as im in the buying mode for a new platform, thanks for your prompt response, i wasnt aware of that....thanks again

[rerazor]

What are these Li-mag batteries? Are these the A123 batteries?

[cbergen]

Not A123, Lithium Manganese.

http://duralitebatteries.com/flight/batteries-mg.php#Electric

Similar (a little less) in power, but MUCH safer.

[robert1]

hey chris any idea on the cost of this yet. and i have been following the tazer thread as well, so i know your still playing around with battery config. but what do you think will be average run time?

[cbergen]

E-Observer, 12-15 minutes on 2 ea 6s2p packs at 7600 Mah. And this is at 24 lbs flying weight.

The FP packs that I have are only 6600Mah, but are lighter, so give similar performance, about 12 minutes.

Working on a cost structure, Kit only, Kit with Motor/ESC, Kit with Motor/ESC/Batteries, Built/test flown, etc, etc.

[SeaHawk]

isn't the E Observer a converted gas Observer and the Tazer based on your 90 nitro bird? Isn't the Tazer a little smaller than the Observer?

[cbergen]

Yes and no.

The E-Observer is based on the gas version, with minor differences to help reduce some weight.

The Tazer is a 90 sized bird swinging 690-710 blades, the Tazer 800 is stretched to allow the use of 800/810mm blades, so is the same size as the Observer EB or Gas EB.

[Griffo]

Hi Chris,
Did you have these Li-Mag batteries custom made or did you just connect a number of packs together in Series and Parallel to get two 6S2P packs? I can't seem to find anything above 4S on their website.
Cheers
Griffo

[cbergen]

Duralite custom made these packs for this project, and I do have to say that I have been abusing them all winter long.

I fly them until there just isn't enough juice left to spin the rotors, in the Summer heat at IRCHA, in the cold during the dead of Winter in Michigan.

Charge 'em right back up and go fly again!!

Most everyone is aware of the limitations of Li-poly's, we wanted to find what the Li-Manganese packs would take. I expected to have to purchase numerous packs as I killed 'em, but I'm still running the same two original packs!!

They are slightly larger than li-po's, and slightly heavier. But for durability, I don't think they can be beat. They are flat packs like Li'po's vs round cells lke A123's, so I think I can fit them in similar places as li-po's, but they can't be fast charged like A123's can.

I do have a pair of Li-po's for this bird, 6s2p at 6600 Mah from FP. They are certainly lighter and smaller, but I'm a little more careful on my flight times when using them to prevent discharge past the 80% rule.

[Griffo]

I'm definately a fan of durability. Without tyring to take the thread ot, what advantages do you see in the Li-Mag's over the A123's?

Great work on the E-Observer BTW :) . I love the vibration insulation between the heli and camera gimbal. Do those isolators work in both compression and tension? I imagine the two top isolators would be in tension while the bottom two would be in compression.

[cbergen]

I have not tried A123's, so cannot comment on their actual use vs the Li-Mang batteries.

You are absolutley correct about the isolators. And they are designed to be used in either compression or tension equally well.

[v22chap]

I have used A123's on my early 710 mm gasser conversion and they worked great as far as perfomance , great climb outs and good RPM ...but flight times are not what the large MAH' Li-Mang batteries can put out .I have timed Chris's for him and even the early proto was getting great times .

with A 123's that only have a 2300 MAH top ,, as compared to the 6600 MAH of the Li-Mang's do the math and you will drop from 12- 15 mins to about 4 on the A -123's and to get the 4 mins I had to use 12 cell and probably should have went to 12 S 2P ,,,but that would still only be about 8 - 9 mins probably .... and once you go the 2P the weight will start to go up quickly too as the A- 123's are a little heavier than li- Mag's or lypos ,,not as heavy as nicad ,,but heavy .

Until they get more MAH on A-123 's you are not going to get the flight time that Li-Mang's or lypo's will give you ,,,IMHO.

But that said ..Chris's birds can carry a lot of extra weight and the more weight you carry the smoother the bird is ,,, might be worth trying a 12S 3P setup :) . Peter flew a large scale helicopter on 12S 3P and as I remember he was getting 15 mins or so .