reno.24

Hello,

I open this topic because i need some advice from you...

I'm going to create my own company, here in belgium, in low aerial photography (maximum 500 feet) and I need an aerial platform....something stable (not a plane : i need stabilized flight) and easy to fly... helicopter is impossible for me..because i never flew it.....too much difficult to fly... So...i thought about a blimp with brushless motors....but i have some difficulties with belgian authorities...they don't like very much RC blimps in the sky....
So I thought about the draganflyer X-Pro. I need a platform wich can carry more or less 1 pound of payload : digital camera (it's the case with the draganflyer X-Pro but i must design myself the nacelle for the camera).

Do you think it's a good idea or not ? Do you think the draganflyer X-PRO can be used for professional activities or is it only a.....toy...?

If you have some advice for me....thank you very much!!!!

Regards.

kd7ost

Do you fly RC planes? I mean if you don't mind me asking. I don't know if that unit will lift a small digital camera. It ought to though. I found a place on line where it's on sale for $5,000.00 US. The plane as a platform is not unstable. It is also very affordable compared to the unit you mentioned. Unless you need to inspect for cracks in the cooling towers of Nuclear Reactors I have a hard time wrapping my brain around a 5 grand micro heli to carry a consumer grade 300.00 camera. Are you sure you can't use a fixed wing platform? I'll build you one complete, with camera and RC system and batteries and charger etc and offer a year worth of free support for that kind of money.

Dan

W4UAV

Dan's right. The Draganflyer is an overpriced toy.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

Hi,

I can fly the heck out of airplanes but I am not a chopper flier. We purchased an X-Pro as part of a research program into UAV's with unusual capabilities. It does not fly itself, it flies much like a helicopter does, the inputs are the same. I practiced on the small version for a while, broke a few blades but got to where I could somewhat safely hover it nose away, and fly it around at 3-8 feet altitude. This took a fair amount of practice for me, strictly a fixed wing flier. I assembled the X-Pro, added neon colors to the front boom, and started practicing on that. It had me nervous due to the cost! I never became a proficient pilot on it. I did spend some time on a helicopter simulator, and got a lot better at flying helicopters on the simulator.

My observations were:

- it takes the same skills as a helicopter, since it flies in basically the same way.
- orientation is difficult due to the more symmetrical shape.
- the motors heated up severely in only a minute of hovering, to the point where I could smell hot resin from the windings (they are just large Mabucihi can motors). The manufacturer never bothered to respond to my questions about that issue.

I am told it will easily lift a pound or more, but did not get a chance to test that before moving to other things.

I did not consider it worth $5000 US dollars, not at all. It is nicely made for the most part, easy to assemble etc., but you pay a lot of money for it.

In my opinion, for far less money you can buy a good quality electric or glow or gas helicopter locally or at least somewhere in Europe, and get a local helicopter expert to train you to fly it proficiently. You will not be able simply to start flying the X-Pro any more than you can do the same with a helicopter.

I did remove the camera setup and double-sided taped it to my GWS Slow Stick - now that was fun and we got lots of footage of our factory.

MJD

JettPilot

My Feedback: (6)

Forget the RC Blimp, to limited and you cant fly it in any kind of wind [:@]

Do not spend 5000.00 , thats WAY TO MUCH [:@] If you spend much over 500 you are getting robbed [:'(]

For around 500 dollars, you can get a very nice airplane, easy to fly, stabilized, and that will carry a good digital Camera.

I know you dont fly planes, but its EASY You have someone teach you to fly, get a little practice, and its like riding a bike, its easy and you dont even think about it anymore. The photography will easy then.

This is the best way to do aireal fotography. You see LOTS of really good pictures posted here, taken by people with model airplanes where the entire setup costs around 500 dollars.


As far as the belgiun authorties not liking RC blimps, they are paranoid control freaks. I hope you get a new government soon

reno.24

Thank you very much for your advice....very helpfull!!

Ok i forget draganflyer...

and for my government....yes...they are paranoid!!

typicalaimster

Most everyone doing AP is using a GWS Slow Stick or something like it.

reno.24

Something great would be the "autocopter" (neural robotics)

autonomous RC helicopter....for people like me who have no experience in RC helicopter...it would be very interresting (it seems to be easy to fly for people without any helicopter piloting experience...)

I suppose it's very expensive but for professional activities it would be a good investment...

DebianDog

If you want an AP platform ready to go.
http://www.airfoilhelicam.com/

You should really buy a cheap helicopter first and practice. IMO.

kd7ost

Or this unit here. Maybe it can be used for both taking pictures and resolving issues with those pesky authorities.



http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/drag...ogy-015778.php

DebianDog

You can watch it fire here:
http://www.metalstormserver.com/free...Live%20Firings

kd7ost

OK, Now I just gotta get one of those myself. [sm=punching.gif]

Dan

caleb

My Feedback: (38)

I had the same idea for carrying a camera, and built my own version!

It has 3 rotors and lots of payload capacity. It has 4 gyros for stability and carries a camera.

My friend and I built a small one, and then a larger one. It is very stable too!

I have videos of it flying posted here:

http://www.rcgroups.com/gallery/show...0&ppuser=47933

I now have the mixing figured out for 4 rotors and will hopefully build that this weekend

regards,
Caleb