RC Quadcopters

Aerial Photography

2012-04-15T07:25:00.000-07:00

Getting started with aerial photography and video has never been easier, the onslaught of affordable RC helicopters and especially RC Quadcopters has made it possible for even rank amateurs to get a good platform for their aerial goodness.

The costs of using full sized aircraft for photo/video is prohibitively expensive in most cases. Be it photos for real estate agents, video for a tourist attraction etc..
And as the cost and difficulty of operating RC flyers capable of lifting good quality cameras has dropped, it has created a niche market for RC pilots with their "rigs".

A popular "standard" RC helicopter for aerial photo is the T-REX 600 a 3D heli with lots of mounts and mods available.

Quadcopters are the perfect platform for this, the extra propellers gives extra lift and stability ensuring a smooth ride.
Of all the RC Quadcopters out there one of the most popular ones is the unbeatable Gaui 500X, it's low price tag and excellent performance makes it a perfect choice for your first serious platform.

It has ample lift capability and quite a few custom mounts exist already, for instance:

http://www.dronesvision.com/sto-s-500-camera-mount-kit-for-gaui-500x-gaui-330x-for-aerial-photography-fpv/

or

http://www.buzzflyer.co.uk/Camera-Mounts-Gimbals/Gaui-One-Axis-Camera-Mount-330X-500X/p-169-1738/

GoPro Hero2 - The Perfect Camera for AP

What can Aerial Photography/Video be used for?

Photo and video for real estate agencies
Photo and video of tourist attractions
Video for commercials or movies
Covering sporting events
Stock photo and video (Good nature footage sells easily on "stock" sites)
Powerline inspection
Search and rescue

And a whole lot of other things, even just for fun! A lot of people attach cameras to their aircraft to be able to fly in first person view (FPV) using a camera such as the GoPro Hero2 and FPV goggles for direct video transmission.

You can also take it a step further by attaching the camera to a motorized gimball mount and utilizing a head tracking system, move the camera by moving your head around!

The sky is the limit(pun intended)!

Blade mQX Quadcopter

2012-04-14T06:37:00.000-07:00

The Blade mQX is a fantastic new quadcopter from Blade Helis.

It is a tiny high tech flyer with incredible speed and maneuverability. Weighing in at just 75grams (2.65oz) it is still strong and stable enough to be flown both in and outdoors even in breezy conditions. It's ultralight frame makes sure any damage from crashing is kept at a minimum.

The mQX is the best "intro level" out there right now, it's easy to fly and requires no assembly, just charge the battery and take off!

It's 8.5mm brushless motors gives it great speed and a 3-axis stabilizing system makes the controls feel extremely precise.

The Blade mQX comes included with a standard 500mAh battery a charger and you can buy it with or without the transmitter, an E-Flite MLP4DSM 4-channel DSM2.
The controller is a standard spectrum stick radio (it does however have audio signals on the trim, to tell you what increment your on), more than enough to control the mQX, but if your looking to upgrade to a more serious quadrocopter later (like the Gaui 500X), buying a real transmitter like the Aurora 9 right away, is preferable.

The battery gives around 15 minutes flight time per charge thanks to the ultralight build.
Don't be afraid to let your son or little brother try it out, it can take quite a few crashes without breaking, but the propellers can of course break/bend and Blade has included spares in the box.

For a total of $240 with the transmitter or $194 without, this is a steal considering how much fun you can have with it, powerful motors makes it able to perform tricks only seen by expensive nitro aircraft and it's durability ensures it can survive even the handling of 12 year old boys.

Gaui 500X Quadcopter Kit

2012-03-20T13:42:00.002-07:00

Gaui released their first quadrocopter in 2010 and have already established themselves as an leader when it comes to high quality rc quadcopters.

The Gaui 330X-S was well received by the RC community as a solid device that was simple to assemble and fly.

The Gaui 500X Quadflyer is the 330's big brother and make no mistake, this is a workhorse. With a payload capacity of up to 2,2Kg (that's 4,4 pounds!) it is the perfect model if your looking for a stable platform for aerial photography or video!
There are already multiple camera mounts available for it.
The stability of the 500X is inherited from the 330, it comes from the GU-344 quadflyer gyro an unbeatable three-axis stabilizing system.

500X Frame

The 330X-S design was based on UAV designs and it certainly shows in the 500X, the collapsible frame makes sure any damage from impacts are greatly reduced and it has excellent wind resistance which comes from the efficiency and loads of the propellers.
Using a high capacity battery a flight time of over 20min can easily be achieved.

500X Kit Parts

It comes delivered as a kit but the instructions are fairly simple and build time should be no more than 1,5-2 hours, if you have any experience with RC gear.
The kit comes with 4 Scorpion brushless motors, blades , 4 ESC and a protection frame which comes in handy indoors, in thight spots or for those first few test runs.

You will also need a RC transmitter, of all the 2,4Ghz transmitters available right now, the Aurora 9 is probably the best you can get for under $500. It's on sale at Amazon.com for $344.18, down from the normal price of $659.95! It's the only radio you'll need for a long time, easily reprogrammable from helis to quads and planes, features 5.1 inch touchscreen and is very easy to navigate and configure your setup with.

At $529,00 from amazon the Gaui 500 can seem a bit pricey if your just looking for a toy (your better of going for the Parrot AR Drone), but if you have plans of attaching a payload, use a GPS system or generally use it in a professional setting, it's the most bang for your buck your going to get for quite some time.

The 500X quality and specs are more than comparable to custom built quadcopters costing from 10,000$ and up.

What are you waiting for?

Parrot AR Drone Quadcopter - The Perfect High Tech Toy

2012-03-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

The AR Drone RC Quadcopter is a fantastic new RC device, combining the best of many worlds, including modeling, video gaming, and augmented reality.

It can be controlled by your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad and there are mods that let you use a normal 2.4GHz controller on it.
It features a bunch of sensors, front camera, vertical camera, and an ultrasound altimeter.
The Parrot AR can also be used for video gaming with AR.FlyingAce, a dogfight between two AR.Drones.

FPV

The on board cameras sends real time video to your iPhone as you fly, giving you a first person view of the flight! The video can also be recorded and saved for later.
The ultrasound altimeter gives the Parrot AR Drone exceptional stability and with the 1000mAh battery the flight time of about 12-14min, which is pretty darn good and should be enough for any usage and is comparable to the Gaui 330X-S

Simple, Fun and Robust

It has 4 15w brush less rotors, giving it great maneuverability and the carbon fiber frame can take a crash or two without any damage, although the 2 gyros on board will make sure those crashes don't happen too often.
It has an indoor and an outdoor hull which is super simple to switch. There is also an autopilot that can take care of take offs and landings.
The controller application is very intuitive and easy to use and you can download new apps and games from the iStore.

It's a great toy for people of all ages, something both father and son or anyone with interest in high tech gadgets will enjoy. It is hands down the best intro Quadricopter on the market to day and can be bought from amazon.com

And as is always the case with RC gear, remember to pick up a spare battery.

Video Review of the Parrot AR Drone:

DREAM FLIGHT turns into DISASTER - FPV Tricopter with GoPro Hero HD

2011-05-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

This is what can happen in less then 15 min, turning a Dream Flight into FPV pilot's Nightmare, followed by crash.
FPV tricopterwith GoPro Hero HD camera
was flown via video downlink, using Dragonlink RC system.

Syma 3 Channel S107 Mini Indoor Co-Axial Metal Body Frame & Built-in Gyroscope

2011-01-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

This Brand New 3 Channel Gyro mini Metal rc helicopter is 1 of the world's newest, smallest and lightest RC Helicopter you can get! At approx. 7.5" long, it easily fits in the palm of your hand and is fully functional, equipped with latest Gyroscope technology, which makes this helicopter an instant hot seller in the RC World. This mini Gyro Metal helicopter charges directly either from the USB cable or from the controller which uses "AA" batteries and has a full-function trim control for the perfect flight. Get one today before they all fly away!

Product Features

Amazing Technology in the palm of your hand!Syma Newest Model S107 3CH Gyro RTF Metal RC Helicopter.No Assembly required, Ready To Fly! Equipped with the latest Gyroscope technology. Colors and Frequencies May Vary. We have Red & Yellow color.

Full 3 Channels : Up, Down, Left, Right, Forward and Backward.A 25-30 minutes charge is equal to a 8-12 minutes flight.Recharging takes place via the transmitter or USB cable.

The transmitter has an Alignment Trim, a Charging and Power.Indicator, a Left/Right Lever and a Trimmer. A lightweight Lithium Polymer battery.

Length : Approx. 7.5 Inches.Width : Approx. 7.5 Inches (with main rotors).Height : Approx. 3.8 Inches (from bottom to balance bar).Main Rotors Surface Diameter: Approx. 7.5 Inches.

Suitable for indoor flying only.Suitable for ages 14+.Battery for the helicopter: 3.7V-180MAH LI-POLY.Flight Range : Approx. 30 Ft.ROHS, ASTM, FCC and CE Approval

Review from Amazon user Hey Mo!!:
Is there such a thing as a toy that's too perfect...?, July 28, 2010

The Syma S107 is so easy to control that on my first flight I had it tour my whole apartment, zooming in and out of closets and never touching an obstacle until I deliberately landed it. If you've never flown a good RC heli before, you might need to practice a bit. It might be your second or third flight before you get that good.

The S107 is *really* that easy to control.

I'm sure that many of you have played with Air Hogs and other micro helis and you long for a little heli that just plain flies where you want it to fly and stays up in the air. I'm here to tell you that such perfection is within your grasp.

Before I got my S107, I already owned two Syma S105s and I never get tired of flying them. They look almost identical to the S107 and the remote is identical, but they take a little bit of skill to fly with precision and I've made little tweaks here and there to get better control.

The S107 takes almost no skill to fly. They gyro makes it laughably easy to control. Just use it indoors, get it about 4 feet off the ground so that ground-effects don't mess with it, fly it a decent distance from air conditioning vents and the thing moves like it's hanging from a string on a stick.

That perfection is, perhaps, its one big flaw.

The thing is, I think the S105 is a bit more fun to play with. The S105 needs careful trimming at the beginning of each flight. The S105 tends to make broad turns, but pulls out sharply, risking blade-strikes, unexpected changes in direction and the occasional crash. It's incredibly easy to fly the S105, but even so every time that I fly one I grow more skillful with it.

The S107 just plain works. It goes where I point it.

I made one little change to my S107, taping a paperclip to the front to help it move forward more easily. That's the sum of all modifications that I made to mine. I can't find anything else to tweak. That's awesome. It's amazing. It's a fun thing to play with and the feeling of exhilaration endures even after many flights.

I heartily recommend this heli.

...But if you want a similar heli that's similarly amazing yet introduces a smidgen of challenge to each flight, consider the S105 as well.

Construction with Quadrotor Teams

2011-01-17T10:08:00.001-08:00

Teams of quadrotors autonomously build tower-like cubic structures from modular parts. Work done by Quentin Lindsey, Daniel Mellinger, and Vijay Kumar at the GRASP Lab, University of Pennsylvania.

My smallest Quadrocopter

2011-01-17T10:07:00.000-08:00

How to Link Hitec 2.4 System

2011-01-17T09:59:00.000-08:00

Echo in Concert (A Happy Quadrotor New Year!)

2011-01-17T09:58:00.002-08:00

One of our little quadrocopters, 'Echo', took some time off from her busy little schedule one evening and decided to play a little something for the holidays :-)

We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Created/filmed at the Flying Machine Arena, IDSC, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. For more info: http://www.flyingmachinearena.org

by Sergei Lupashin, Markus Hehn, Angela Schöllig and Raffaello D'Andrea

Quadrocopter looks into Bouwkunde ruins

2011-01-17T09:58:00.000-08:00

Delfy team from Delft University of Technology operates a flying frame, a quadrocopter, to take a look inside the burnt-out building of the architecture faculty.

Aggressive Maneuvers for Autonomous Quadrotor Flight

2010-10-15T06:25:00.001-07:00

Control of precise aggressive maneuvers with an autonomous quadrotor helicopter. This is a small autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Demonstrations of flips, flight through windows, and quadrotor perching are shown. Work done at the GRASP Lab, University of Pennsylvania.

Alien Jump Jet the coolest new aircraft, quad rotors

2010-10-15T06:22:00.000-07:00

This is the new alien jump jet
from
http://www.snelflight.co.uk
It is a 4 channel micro electric indoor VTOL

It has 3 micro gyros that keep it as steady as a rock in the air, ground effect isn't a problem so you can hover inches off the ground. It's auto stabilization is amazing push on it and it pushes back to stabilize itself, it's very cool. When you order it you can select to have either a mode 1 or mode 2 transmitter. Mode 1 has throttle on the right stick, mode 2 has throttle on the left stick.

It comes with the aircraft, replacment blades, a transmitter and a wall socket charger with an adapter for most major countries.
At the moment it is only available through snelflight.
They helped develop the aircraft and their customer support is amazing they are the best place to get one. They ship very quickly, usually in less then a week. But delivery times will vary depending on the postal service in your country.

It is controlled via IR, but an RF upgrade will be coming out later this year,
The IR signal is very powerful and it works well in the home, but if you want to fly it out doors or in large open areas you will want to upgrade it to RF.

This aircraft is a blast to fly and it looks really cool, I think it represents a new wave in electric consumer rc aircraft.

Alien Jump Jet at Amazon.com

DIY Wooden Remote Control Quadrocopter Build

2010-10-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you cross woodworking, steampunk and quadcopters?

A wooden steampunk quadcopter ofcourse.

Check out the instructions for building your own over at instructables.com

The build took 2nd place at the 2010 Minnesota State Fair.
It was built/invented by Greg "Grease" Lehman of St. Paul, Minnesota and looks completely awesome.

KK quad FPV maiden

2010-10-12T12:12:00.001-07:00

Kk controller
Jakub frame
Turnigy 2217 25a plush
35mhz corona rx
Kx171 10mw 2.4ghz immersion
2200 3s lipo

Parrot AR Drone WI-FI Quadrocopter review ( iPhone,iPod touch,iPad )

2010-10-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

Parrot AR.Drone Quadricopter Review ( Work with iPhone,iPod touch,iPad ) Ahhh, the AR Drone. With many other reviews, tips and home made videos floating around YouTube, let us see what the Flite Test boys have to say about it. Let's take a little trip back in time to frostier climates, and watch as Josh and Josh do the much anticipated review of the AR Drone. And hey, you might even learn how to save a few pennies on your purchase!

Conrad quadrocopter 450 outdoor fly

2010-10-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

flight in south france
Vercors mountains near Grenoble

Towards Musical Performances with Multiple Quadrocopters - IROS 2010

2010-10-07T13:05:00.001-07:00

Angela Schöllig, Federico Augugliaro, Raffaello D'Andrea

We work towards a platform for rhythmic flight with multiple quadrocopters: We envision an expressive multi-media dance performance that is automatically composed and controlled, given a random piece of music.

*More*
www.tinyurl.com/dance2gether
http://www.idsc.ethz.ch/Research_DAnd...

*Stage*
The ETH Flying Machine Arena - www.FlyingMachineArena.org

*Contributors to the Flying Machine Arena*
Sergei Lupashin and Markus Hehn

*Video*
Ray Oung

Autonomous quadrocopter flies through windows

2010-10-06T11:06:00.001-07:00

We've just come across a video demo from the University of Pennsylvania's GRASP Lab that shows an autonomous quadrotor helicopter performing "precise aggressive maneuvers."

Gaui 330x Quadcopter Electronics Setup

2010-10-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

Walk-through on how to setup your Gaui 330X
electronics. Tutorial, kit, build.

Flying Quad Copter Indoors

2010-10-05T07:30:00.002-07:00

Vario Quad Copter Promo

2010-10-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

Footage shot using the professional Quad Copter from Vario Helicopter. Can carry a camera up tp 4Kg. Two computers with full PID control keep the camera mount steady. Another two computers stabilize the Quad Copter.
The footage is straight from the camera....NO post software stabilization.

Mosquito Version 2 RC Helicopter - RTF

2010-10-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

This is a Brand New Version 2 of the Mosquito Version 2 RC Helicopter

. Known as Alany, Micro Mosquito, Alien Fly. The RC helicopter is carried by Syma, the best brand for mosquito rc helicopter. New Design Version 2, with new propeller design, provide extreme stability ! Precision control and action, stable Hoover and moving forward, backward, 360 spin much faster! The newly design Mosquito is the most stable indoor RC Helicopter
we have ever seen. With slight bigger dimension then V1, and much larger propeller design bring the mosquito much higher and faster. This rc helicopter is ready to fly right out of the box ! High quality made, with Lipo rechargeable battery built into the helicopter, and included a fast charger. Only takes 30 minutes to fully charge for 15 minutes flight time ! It has unique design of The twin, counter-rotating rotor, which provide top stability. Other features: 3 ch remote control, flashing multi color LED eyes. Charger and battery are included.

KK Multicopter Custom Quadcopter Build

2010-10-03T08:41:00.000-07:00

custom build of my KK Multicopter rc heli quad

Quadcopter fun flying.

2010-10-03T08:38:00.001-07:00

Custom frame with GU344 controller.