akouzmit

I have been looking for a good Aerial Photography platform and finaly picked up Aerobird-Extreame as quite capable bird.

Upgrades:

1) 233g stock motor (550) has been replaced with 106g Axi brushless 2814/16 motor.

2) 309g NiCd accumulator (7.2V / 1700mAh) replaced with 145g Tunder Power 3S 2100mAh 12V LiPo.

=>> Overall weight savings is 291g.

3) Origional Aerobird receiver replaced with:

1- FUTABA 4 ch. FM receiver;
2-Simprop V-Tail mixer;
3-2x FUTABA micro-Servos;
4- "How High" altimeter;

4) Tail has been converted into pro-tail for "sharper" responce.

5) Video Camera added.

Total ready to fly weight with battery 987g.

Max trust at the ground 1125g (Fresh charged 12.6V LiPo).

I'd like to know if sombody is using MODIFIED Aerobird Extreame for aerial photography as well.

Pictures have been taken by NIKON D-80 (cropped and re-sampled).

headhunter23

Can ya give more dimensions? What was original flying weight? Wing span? The motor puts out 2800rpm/v(every company seems to name their brushless some weird ass name when all thats required is amps, rpm/v and volts)? How many amps?

What camera did u choose? Is that wireless?

It's a nice rebuild, love the pics. Good job.

Ivan

akouzmit

Technical Spec for re-equipped Aerobird Extreme:
================================
Wingspan: 55" (1397 cm);
Length: 41.5" (106 cm);
Flying weight: 975g (with TunderPower 3S 2100 LiPo [145g alone]);
Motor: Axi 2814/16;
ESC: JETI Advance 30 plus;
Futaba 4-Ch Radio;
Flight duration:
Aggressive style with loops: up to 13-15 minutes;
Cruise style for aerial photography up to 18-25 minutes depend on
video camera weight.
The longest flying time recorded with no load and occasional gliding
~29 minutes.
Prop: Custom modified from 12x6 slow-flyer prop. New diameter is 20.7 cm;
Max current at full throttle = 23.7A;
Voltage dropped from 12.3V (unloaded) to 10.8V (full throttle);
Power consumption = 10.8 x 23.7 = 256 W;
Taking in account average efficiency of 82% we have 256W x 0.82 = 210W
at full throttle and fresh charged battery.

Miscellaneous:
The purpose of modifying this model was to build stable high altitude
and long lasting flying time platform for aerial photography, which
can accept additional weight to carry modern lightweight video camera.

By replacing 550 size stock motor (233 g) with Axi 2814/16 (106 g) I
have saved over 125 g in weight and at the same time gained additional
power.

By replacing 309g block of NiCd accumulators (7.2V / 1700mAh) with
145g Tunder Power 3S 2100mAh 12V LiPo I have gained significant amount
of an additional power and at the same time saved over 165 g in
weight.

The overall weight savings is over 290 g.

Some of this weight savings have been utilized by installing
additional equipment like "How High" altitude meter, Simprop V-Tail
mixer, IKARUS Wing Gyro and compact video camera from Oregon
Scientific Inc.

Test flights have been performed at one of the parks in Toronto (Canada).

This is a link to the flight field (G Ross Lord Park):
http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&l...&t=h&z=16&om=1


Thank you,
Andrew.

akouzmit

Two more pictures I forgot to attach :-).

headhunter23

Thanks for replying, awsome info!!! Man ya did a lot with that machine, hadn't been to that park you were talkin about but have driven by it before.

Ivan.