Have That! - The official Blog of FirstPersonView.co.uk

X600D owners to receive free upgrade to new model

2010-02-03T00:56:00.007Z

Over the last week or so I have been working very closely with XAircraft and together we've managed to turn the X600D recall into a positive by giving all affected customers not just replacement parts but far superior next-generation upgrades.

The next-gen upgraded flight board includes several enhancements such as GPS functionality - a hugely sought after feature for a quadrocopter.

We have been working closely with XAircraft to get the new boards (that is flight controller, ESC and a new board for USB connection (they have moved the USB connection to a daughter board to make room for the GPS functionality)) and 4 new motors for all of our customers as soon as possible.

As soon as we have the new next-gen parts we will issue them to our customers.

We will also be stocking the next-gen X600Ds but stock will be very limited initially and this will be exacerbated by the Chinese New Year close down in February. Pre-order yours on our website now if you'd like one: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/aircraft/x600D-quadrocopter

X600D product recall

2010-01-19T21:08:00.004Z

Unfortunately a batch of X600D Quadrocopters have been found to have potential defects (as per this post on RCG http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1175755). In that post XAircraft have published a list of serial numbers and unfortunately several of our units were on the list.

We have now contacted all of our customers and got the serial numbers from each of them. Those that require new parts will be shipped new parts to rectify those potentially defective X600Ds as soon as possible.

We have never actually had any complaints from X600D customers or failures of our own X600Ds (which were on the list) and everyone has been very happy with them. That and the fact that XAircraft are dealing with the recall very professionally and properly will hopefully mean that it won't be too much of an inconvenience to our customers and XAircraft's reputation won't be badly affected.

All the best

Simon

X600D manual and step by step install video now available

2010-01-06T21:11:00.004Z

I have now produced a translated manual and packaged it up along with the software, and Windows 7 drivers on our website www.firstpersonview.co.uk/aircraft/x600D-quadrocopter

In addition to that I've done a step by step howto video and uploaded it to YouTube! I had to split it into 3 parts for YouTube - the three parts are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4g3oC02kik
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-3y_XEu_vg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHR33oyKkgc

X600Ds now in stock and pre-orders have been shipped out.

2010-01-02T17:44:00.001Z

The X600Ds have arrived and the pre-orders have now been shipped out. You should receive them on Monday.

I've built mine but I'm waiting for a LiPo and receiver to arrive (hopefully on Monday) so I can't comment on flying it yet. The materials and quality of the components is excellent and the quickly translated manual was actually fairly easy to follow. I guess that shows how straightforward the X600D is to put together. There's nothing difficult about it, its just a case of putting it together step by step...and doing everything 4 times!

I'll be updating the manual to include an extra couple of photos and some slightly more clear translations today also.

I'm really looking forward to flying it on Monday, even if it is indoors.

FirstPersonView.co.uk featured in the Financial Times How To Spend It Magazine Christmas Gift Guide

2009-12-19T00:53:00.004Z

I'm very pleased to say that our Advanced Flight Kit is featured very prominently in the Financial Times How To Spend It Christmas Gift Guide here: http://www.howtospendit.com/#/articles/763-gift-guide-first-person-view-flight-simulator

This follows our previous mention in the June issue of How To Spend It magazine's Technopolis column which can be seen here: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/myfiles/file/FTJune09.pdf

The Advanced Flight Kit is available from our website here: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/flight-kit-boxes/advanced-flight-box-cam45-vr1400-goggles-rx

XAircraft X600D Quadrocopter

2009-12-18T23:08:00.004Z

I'm very pleased to be able to announce that we will very soon have stock of the excellent new X600D Quadrocopter from XAircraft. XAircraft have taken feedback from its customers to make the followup to the fantastically well received X500D even better than its older sibling.

Unlike a traditional model helicopter the XAircraft X600D has no complex mechanical transmission system - it uses four high-performance direct-drive brushless motors and propellers and a sophisticated electronic brain controls them using inputs from three-axis gyroscopes, three accelerometers and your control movements.

This incredible design makes for a very efficient and very stable platform which translates into long flights which are easy to control. The XAircraft X600D also has excellent load carrying capacity - 500grams is easily achievable and 1200grams is the maximum tested load capacity.

The Police, Fire service, and TV/ Film production companies have taken advantage of the stable platform offered by quad rotor systems such at the Microdrone and DraganFlyer - both with price tags far in excess of £10,000! The XAircraft X600D brings quadrocopters within the grasp of the rest of us at under £300.

The XAircraft X600D does not require special helicopter radio equipment and is compatible with standard 4 channel Tx and Rx systems (Futaba, JR, Sanwa, etc).

For more details check it out on our FirstPersonView.co.uk here: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/aircraft/x600D-quadrocopter

New PIXIM based camera DX201 excellent in contrasting lighting conditions

2009-12-13T17:57:00.006Z

The DX201 uses the latest Pixim DPS (Digital Pixel System) wide dynamic range image sensor and image processing technology. The DPS system uses individual ADCs in each pixel to achieve a wider dynamic range than CCD and CMOS cameras and provides a better image when there is a sharp contrast in lighting conditions.

The DX201 is a highly sophisticated camera and is supplied with a plug in remote control to allow you to configure everything to your personal preference without the added bulk of built in controls.

The product is supplied with an optional metal case which adds approximately 14g to the weight. Many customers prefer to use the unit uncased for this reason.

The DX201 is available now at http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=186

Specifications
Video Standard User selectable NTSC or PAL
Image Sensor 1/3" DPS (Digital Pixel System)
Signal System PAL/NTSC
Effective Pixels 720 x 540
Resolution 540 TV Lines
Minimum illumination 0.5Lux/ F1.2;0.08Lux(Slow Shutter)
S/N Ratio >48dB
White Balance AUTO 2000K to 11000K
Dynamic Range 102dB Typical MAX 120dB
Auto Iris Lens DC
Video Output 1.0Vp-p,75 Typical 0.8~1.5Vp-p adjustable
Power Supply DC 12V
Power Consumption <2w

New 3D FPV camera literally adds a new dimension to FPV flying!

2009-12-13T16:51:00.002Z

FirstPersonView.co.uk is very excited to announce the 3D-Cam FPV which uses two tiny high quality cameras 65mm apart to generate field-sequential 3D video just the same way that your eyes do. Together with our VR1400 video goggles the pilot is now able to see his flight in 3D allowing better depth perception - particularly handy when landing, or flying close to trees, etc.

Not only does the 3D-Cam FPV bring this revolutionary 3D technology to FPV flying but it also brings another much wanted feature: in flight exposure control. Simply let the camera automatically adjust to your desired level and then flick the switch on your Tx to lock the exposure. You can also turn the camera from 3D to 2D mode and change the convergence point - all from your Tx!

Available now at http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=173

Specifications:
Image Sensors: 1/4" CMOS
Resolution per camera: 480 lines per camera
Sensitivity: 3.0V/Lux-sec @ 5600K
S/N Ratio: 48dB
Weight: 30gr
Size: 30x90mm
Lens: Standard 3.6mm CCD lenses
Voltage: 5-12V
Current Consumption: 105mA
Video Output: NTSC (2D mode) / Field sequential NTSC (3D mode)

The BFPVMFA formed with £5m public liability insurance.

2009-07-22T01:15:00.005+01:00

I'm pleased to be able to announce the formation of the BFPVMFA (The British First Person View Model Flying Association) which covers members with £5m public liability insurance.

Check out the website at www.bfpvmfa.org and join today!

Archos 5 now available at FirstPersonView.co.uk

2009-03-20T23:18:00.004Z

I've been a fan of Archos products since I first used the AV500 to record FPV flights. The build quality is amazing and the functionality of the AV500 is superb (record in DiVx, USB host, play any movie format, etc).

Unfortunately the AV500 was discontinued a few years ago so I've recently been testing the new Archos 5 product from the latest Archos range. The Archos 5 is billed as an 'Internet Tablet' and has WiFi and the Opera Internet browser built in as well as Flash 9.

You need to buy the 'DVR Snap On' to record analogue video which is a bit of a shame but once you've got that its an excellent choice for recording your FPV adventures in a digital format. You can then easily transfer them to your PC, add a bit of music and stick them on YouTube!

I've found the Archos 5 60gb to be an excellent device with a fabulous screen, excellent touch screen element, brilliant internet browser, flawless movie playback (although Archos charge about £12 more for a downloadable codec to allow you to play all formats), superb recording from a composite video source and very good battery life.

The onscreen keyboard implementation is even pretty decent too - I am writing this blog post on the Archos and I wrote the last one the same way as well.

All in all I am extremely impressed with the Archos 5 60gb.

Website improvement: we now accept Paypal

2009-03-20T23:13:00.003Z

By implementing Paypal we have given our customers the ability to choose their preferred payment platform and also got around the annoying £500 limit per day per card on NoChex.

If you get to the checkout with over £500 of items in your cart the website will automatically grey out NoChex and direct you to Paypal. You dont need to have a Paypal account to checkout with Paypal either.

Cameras now available in NTSC

2009-03-08T00:51:00.003Z

I'm pleased to announce that we now stock cameras in both NTSC and PAL versions.

All of the other gear (Goggles, Diversity, etc) work just as well with either NTSC or PAL so there's no need to worry there.

Check it out: www.firstpersonview.co.uk

Website Improvement: Now includes shipping estimator

2009-03-08T00:41:00.003Z

I'm frequently asked how much shipping will be to a particular country.

The FirstPersonView.co.uk website calculates the shipping cost based on the weight of the item, the destination country and the Royal Mail service chosen but until today it only revealed this information once you'd got to the checkout and entered in quite a few of your details.

Now you can see the shipping price by simply adding the item to the cart and then pressing "Estimate Shipping".

FirstPersonView.co.uk are proud to sponsor the FPV board on rcmf.co.uk

2009-03-07T00:43:00.006Z

If you frequent the Radio Control Model Flyers forum (RCMF.co.uk) then you may have recently seen a new FPV board and these two graphics appearing on your screens from time to time:

We're proud to sponsor the new board and I hope it will prove to be a popular and useful resource for FPV pilots everywhere. I'll be lurking in there ready to answer any questions that come up about our gear.

First Person View simulator - Found it!

2009-03-07T00:16:00.005Z

I wrote a few posts ago about my fruitless search for an RC simulator with an FPV mode. RC simulators are doubtless very popular these days and with good reason. I have been searching for an FPV simulator for those same good reasons and I've finally found one!

The simulator is called AeroSIM RC and its fantastic. It offers full FPV mode with an OSD and even head tracking. Of course it also works with your RC Tx through the buddy port like all of the other simulators out there.

I've ordered some SVideo to composite video adaptors to allow me to plug my goggles into my PC and fly FPV from my desk (with my real RC Tx, my head tracker and an OSD on screen)! I can't wait to try this out!

The graphics are based on Google Earth images and AeroSIM comes with a system to create your own scenarios based on your favourite locations, although the process is quite complicated and so far I've been unable to get this to work on Windows Vista.

The graphics aren't at the photo-realistic level that you might have come to expect from programs like Phoenix RC but they're not bad and the physics are just as important in a simulator - for my money the AeroSIM RC simulator is spot on in that respect.

There's a two minute playable demo on the AeroSIM RC website so you can give it a try and make up your own mind.

AeroSIM RC comes with plenty of different aircraft to fly and there are a few game modes to play (fly threw hoops, score points by hitting birds, etc) if you get bored of practising your circuits.

You can also fly the plane from the old fashioned line of sight view or from a chase plane, etc. as well.

The guys behind AeroSIM RC promise to keep building the software and adding new features and updates will be free for life. Sounds great!

Website Improvement: Now includes testimonials.

2009-01-29T02:59:00.003Z

Its 3am and I've finally finished the next mod to the website. We now have customer testimonials and the ability for customers to submit their testimonials as they wish.

Check it out at www.firstpersonview.co.uk on the left hand side.

I hope this is useful for customers to get an idea of what people really think of our products when they receive them and also their experiences with our customer services.

Web Site Improvement: Now includes prices in Dollars and Euros

2009-01-28T19:47:00.005Z

After a great deal of my sweat and tears the website now shows an approximate conversion in both Dollars and Euros. http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk

This is a feature requested by many of our foreign customers and it also serves to show UK customers how cheap our products are compared to those in the US at the moment.

The Advanced Flight Kit for instance is cheaper from us than buying from America and you'll get it next day with no additional costs, unlike one from America which would attract 14% import duty (the rate for video goggles), usually a £10-15 admin fee from the courier and up to 2 weeks waiting!

Easystar Pilot makes the front page!

2009-01-24T01:15:00.005Z

A couple of days ago I watched this beautiful but tragic Easystar film from Sweden: http://uk.youtube.com/user/dadde87.

I felt for the guy and emailed him to say that I was impressed by the beautiful film and sorry to hear about the tragic ending and I offered him some "disaster discount" to get him back in the air!!

We started having an email conversation and today he let me know that the model was found! He put posters up in the local supermarkets and before long got a call! Apparently the Easystar glided down to earth, hit City Hall (of all the buildings to hit!!) and was rescued by a lady who works at City Hall.

The Easystar is a little worse for wear but what a relief to get eveyrthing back, almost in one piece. He even made the front page of the local paper!

First Person View simulator...Are there any good ones?

2009-01-24T01:07:00.002Z

I am often asked about RC simulators that include First Person View or cockpit view. Yesterday I downloaded the demo of RealFlight G4 after a tip that this indeed includes a cockpit view.

Unfortunately the demo version doesn't include the cockpit view so I was unable to test it. I wonder if anyone else has used RealFlight G4 for FPV simulator flying and if so what is it like?

Or has anyone got other suggestions for FPV simulators?

Personally I love flying Phoenix RC simulator but unfortunately that does not include the FPV angle.

We're booked in for the 3rd annual FPV event in Northern France for May 8th-10th

2009-01-24T00:45:00.003Z

http://translate.google.fr/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Faeroimmersion.free.fr%2FMeeting09.htm&sl=fr&tl=en&hl=fr&ie=UTF-8

Its official! The event is on and I've just booked a ferry ticket! The entire www.firstpersonview.co.uk team (that's right BOTH of us!) will be there from first thing on Thursday morning until about midday on Sunday and we'll have as much as we can fit in the car! Hopefully the Easystar, Wing Dragon, Innovator (which hopefully by then will be modified to be a twin or perhaps a pusher) and Trex 450 - all setup for FPV flying.

Lets hope for good weather now!

I hope to meet lots of other FPV pilots at the event and have some great fun flying. If you can make it please do come along, full details are in the link at the top of this post. If you need any help translating or anything let me know and I'll try and get you in touch with someone who can tell you everything you need to know.

I wonder if anyone there will have a Mikrokopter. I'd really love to see one in action. Perhaps I'll ask Alex Wilder at NextGenRCif he's going to go to the event.

FPV Tanks are go!

2009-01-24T00:38:00.003Z

Here's a testimonial from one of our customers who has fitted FPV cameras to two RC tanks with InfraRed fighting capability and been battling his young daughter in the woods!

I have just come back in from test driving one of the tanks.

Total complete success! It is absolutely brilliant, quite surreal though. It actually feels quite fast when you go full chat. The suspension is very good on the model so vibration was not an issue, also I had no signal interferance from all the motors & systems in the tank.

The sets were worth buying just for the tanks alone. Any other models we use them in will be a complete bonus.

Many many thanks. Just on that 10 minute play outside I am sold on the system. You have to actually use it to get the full feel of it. I think with practise & familiarity it will become quite an immersion experience.

Best Regards to you,

Andy

New Cameras coming very soon...sneak pics

2009-01-24T00:27:00.010Z

I probably shouldn't reveal these yet but what the heck. www.firstpersonview.co.uk will very soon be stocking a range of 12v cameras.

These are well proven FPV cameras and we have put them through significant testing in real PFV flight use over the past 6 months before deciding to develop a 12v plug and play power system to accompany them.

The KX171 and OSC camera will hopefully be available on our website on or around the 5th February alongside our 2.4Ghz transmitter with built in PSU and 12v output for the camera. The Tx module also has OSD pins which include an audio pin for use with the new Ez-OSD telemetry feature when it is available.

Pan and Tilt units now finally in stock!

2009-01-24T00:23:00.004Z

After a very very long wait our Pan and Tilt units are now in stock and we've shipped out all back orders. We're very pleased with the units and they're available here with a standard pan servo: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=124

Or here with a 180 degree modified pan servo: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=136

TrackR2 head trackers arrived today! Pre-orders sent out and now in stock.

2008-09-19T13:07:00.010+01:00

At last they have arrived. The TrackR2 is now in stock. If you have been waiting for yours it has been sent out today.

If you'd like to order one now please go ahead here, we have a few left! We've already placed our next order for TrackR2s.

TrackR2 head tracker now in stock here

BMFA announce FPV is "a legal and insurable activity"

2008-09-19T13:07:00.007+01:00

The BMFA have recently announced that they have agreed with the CAA and their insurers to confirm that FPV is, in their words, "A legal and insurable activity".

There are a few guidelines that the BMFA would like us to follow:

After Consultations with the Civil Aviation Authority and our insurers, BMFA is happy to confirm that First Person R/C will be a legal and recognised aspect of model flying and as such covered by the BMFA Insurance policy but ONLY where the following conditions are applied:

• The activity is solely for ‘sport and recreation’ purposes.

• Two pilots must take part

• A buddy Box system must be employed

• The pilot in charge must operate the master transmitter

• The pilot in charge must not wear the headset or view a screen

• The aircraft remains within the natural unaided visual range of the pilot in charge

• Reliable operation of the Buddy Box is established

• A clear handover protocol is established

• The pilot in charge is solely responsible for the safety of the flight

These operating conditions very clearly place the legal responsibility for the safety of the flight on the pilot in charge.

Only by compliance with the above procedures can First Person RC take place as a lawful and insurable aspect of model flying activity.

Manny Williamson
Development Officer

Link to the full press release on the BMFA website