Included with the EVO Flight Mini Stinger

The EVO Flight Mini Stinger includes everything you need to fly, right out of the box. Here’s what is included:

• The EVO Flight Mini Stinger Micro RC Helicopter
• A 2.4 GHz, DSM-2 Spread Spectrum Transmitter (requires 4AA Batteries)
• A Portable Lipo Charger built into the transmitter
• 1 cell 3.7V 110mAh Li-Po Battery

The Evo Flight Mini Stinger is great for beginner and experienced pilots, because you do not have to buy any additional parts. You can use this helicopter to get experience and practice your orientation indoors when you cannot fly outdoors because of the weather.

Main Features of the Evo Flight Mini Stinger Indoor RTF RC Electric Helicopter

Like the Blade MCX the Evo Flight Mini Stinger has a proportional four channel radio. Four channel control means that pilots can fly the helicopter with four dimensions of freedom. The Evo Flight Mini Stinger can fly up/down, rotate left/right, pitch forwards/backwards, and bank left/right. With a four channel radio you can precisely control the Evo Flight Mini Stingers’ movement through all three dimensions. With a rotor size of 188mm (7.4”) and a length of 213mm (8.4”) this helicopter can easily fit in the palm of your hand.

The coaxial rotor design of the EVO Flight Mini Stinger provides this helicopter with great stability, and eliminates the need for a separate tail rotor to control yaw (rotation about the main rotor axis). The main rotors spin in opposite directions, canceling out rotor torque caused by their rotation. Coaxial RC helicopter are great for flying indoors, because of their stability and the precision control provided.

The Evo Flight Mini Stinger uses a tiny 1 cell lithium polymer battery for power. Unlike most micro RC helicopters, the battery is removable and interchangeable. Each cell provides 3.7 volts of power with a capacity of 110 mAh (Milli ampere hours). You charge the battery using the included transmitter, which runs off four “AA” alkaline batteries. A typical charge takes about 30 minutes and provides an average flight time of 6 to 8 minutes. Because the battery is interchangeable, we recommend that you purchase an extra so that you can use one while the other is charging.

Weighing only 1 ounce, the Evo Flight Mini Stinger is virtually crash proof. A sudden drop from a few feet above the ground won’t damage it, and in most cases minor collisions with walls are not a problem. Although it is not indestructible, the Evo Flights durability makes it an ideal present for anyone over 12 years of age.
If you want to get into the exciting world of RC helicopters, the Evo Flight Mini Stinger makes a great starting place. It will show you all the basics of RC helicopter flight, and can be used as a starting place to more advanced models. If you’re already an experienced RC helicopter pilot, you’ll like the Mini Stingers control and stability. Watch our site for tutorials on the Mini Stinger, including a how to for installing replacement parts.

UAV Option New to Law Enforcement Across the Country

By Heather S. Benjamin, PIO/Information and Communication Manager
Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado

On August 31, 2009, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado attained monumental authorization from the U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) operations. The authorization granted by the FAA allows the Sheriff’s Office to conduct tests and evaluation flights of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Draganflyer X6, by receiving a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA). The COA is granted by the FAA for a one year period allowing the agency to test their UAV.

The Draganflyer X6 was chosen mainly because it fit the COA requirements and fit the needs of our agency simultaneously, with our desire to make the FAA process as stream lined as possible. Ben Miller says he reviewed at least 50 various UAV products before selecting the Draganflyer X6.

This comes after an 18 month research project where extensive thought and comparison of UAVs, cost, application process with the FAA, and more were considered. Most recently, the Sheriff’s Office completed a six month application process through the FAA to receive a COA and has since begun to evaluate the UAV. COAs are known amongst the UAS industry as moderately unattainable and even agencies like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have been denied, according to the FAA website.

The Draganflyer X6 is a small, remotely operated, electric helicopter built by Draganfly Innovations of Saskatchewan, Canada. Built of mostly carbon fiber the Draganflyer X6 overall weight is just over two pounds and can carry a payload of just over one pound. Payloads include the FLIR Tau infrared camera and a Panasonic Lumix LX3 digital still camera. Payloads are remotely operated and real time images/video are visible via a laptop operated on a ground station.

Operations of unmanned aerial vehicles by public agencies in the National Airspace (NAS) is a predominantly uncharted territory and thus the FAA regulations are considered interim at best, according to the FAA website. The Sheriff’s Office hopes to provide flight mission data to the FAA to aid them in the drafting of federal aviation regulations to govern the use of these small unmanned systems. The COA provides the Sheriff’s Office approval to fly the Draganflyer X6 in an area two miles in diameter located five miles southeast of the Grand Junction Regional Airport with an operational ceiling no greater than 400 feet above ground level (AGL). These flights must remain visual line of sight (VLOS) and are not allowed after dark. Local air traffic must be contacted 24 hours and 15 minutes prior to flight as well as filing a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) describing specific flight operations.

“This is an applicable technology to law enforcement that I am convinced will save lives,” the Sheriff’s Office Quartermaster Ben Miller, said. Miller is one of two employees who are trained to operate the Draganflyer X6.

The Draganflyer X6 model is priced at about $25,000 US dollars in 2009, but the Sheriff’s Office currently has it under a lease agreement. The company, Draganfly Innovations Incorporated is a privately owned company who have been a pleasure to work with through this process, Miller said. Draganfly has a relationship with law enforcement in Canada, most likely based on the location of the company and thus was excited to work with a U.S. law enforcement agency who is enthusiastic about venturing in new FAA territory.

Casey Dodson flying the Draganflyer X6

Without trying any products but deciding on the Draganflyer X6, as an agency we couldn’t justify an outright purchase of the product. The FAA won’t permit demonstrations of UAVs without COAs. Thus, we were limited to on-line videos and personal recommendations, and technical articles to help us make our decision on the product that most fit our project guidelines.

“Right now we don’t own this equipment. We’re struggling to figure out how this exceptional technology that we believe will save lives can fit in an environment where out budget is cut and our employees are losing ground in employment benefits as cost savings measures are continually implemented by our County government,” Sheriff Stan Hilkey said. “Using tax payer funds for this type of important research and development has never been more unpopular. When and if the time comes to try and purchase this equipment we may attempt to use seized drug funds from our local seizure board, which will make this more acceptable to our struggling constituency, and also increase the collaboration with the resource as the seizure board has broad representation from all law enforcement agencies in our County.”

The Draganflyer X6 was chosen mainly because it fit the COA requirements and fit the needs of our agency simultaneously, with our desire to make the FAA process as stream lined as possible. Ben Miller says he reviewed at least 50 various UAV products before selecting the Draganflyer X6.

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office has, to date, conducted over 72 Search and Rescue (SAR) missions in 2009. “With the ability to attain a bird’s eye view of a search area for a fraction of the cost of operating full-scale aviation assets, UAS technology is a great fit,” Hilkey said.

In direct reference to a SAR mission, anytime you have terrain that takes time to get across, you will save significant time by flying it. The perspective of having eyes at ground level – essentially

Ben Miller at the Command Center

six feet off the ground, versus having ‘eyes’ 200 feet off the ground – is greatly beneficial when looking at a vast amount of terrain. We can over lap that view with maps, information from the reporting party and this is one way to make a quicker incident action plan, and in Colorado less time to rescue equals more lives saved. We do anticipate that an initial

deployment during the first phases of a ‘hasty searching’ that occurs in SAR events could potentially save man hours and volunteer hours in the field.

Our effort is solidly based on the desire to add tools to make our jobs easier and safer, Hilkey emphasizes. In the SAR aspect, if we can deploy and find either our objective or clues to it, then it has proven to be valuable, especially in circumstances where persons are at risk due to climate, terrain, health, etc. In a tactical aspect, the measurement would be more in officer safety. How can we measure the ability to see hostile threats, or tactically be safer because we know the layout of a compound, terrain, etc., Hilkey went on to say.

Over the summer months of 2009, about 40 miles outside of Grand Junction, in a remote area along a two lane state highway, a pick-up truck with a trailer attached and a semi-truck crashed spilling hundreds of gallons of an acidic material. The Grand Junction Haz-Mat team arrived, but not before a number of first responders who attempted to control traffic and assist the occupants of the vehicles were exposed to toxic gases. Hazardous fumes were a major concern and trying to determine a safe boundary for all involved as well as the media took several hours. It is anticipated that the Draganflyer X6 could have been put in the air, above the spill with either live video and/or sensor payloads to quickly determine a safe range from the acidic fumes and total size of contaminated area.

Casey Dodson and Ben Miller

The X6 can also provide crime scene photographs, evidentiary search support and real time mission data to special response teams inside law enforcement. Tactical operations, such as a previous incident where we had a man who was thought to have barricaded himself in his house or position himself in the field surrounding his house. But deputies knew he had weapons and he was believed to be a danger to law enforcement. Looking back on that SWAT operation that took several hours through the night and into the early morning, Commanders on-scene believe that if we had the Draganflyer X6 in operation at the time, it could have been used to clear the farm field surrounding the suspect’s house. The man hours, the labor and the time it took to surround a large farm field – covering about ¼ of a mile around the house – could have been cut down to 20 or 30 minutes with one man operating the Draganflyer X6.

These are only a few examples of how Hilkey and his staff hope to put the Draganflyer X6 to use over the next year, really putting it to the test of this agency’s needs and thoroughly testing it for all the benefits to law enforcement. For any agency interested in learning more about the testing phase or the equipment being used by the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, email Miller at Benjamin.Miller@mesacounty.us.

The weather was extremely cold with winds blowing at 20kmh/12.4mph creating a wind chill of -37°C / -34.6°F . The Draganflyer X6 and held hand transmitter unit performed extremely well in these harsh conditions. The only limitations that were encounter were that of the operators’ hands becoming too cold to fly. In order to remedy this, the operators switched off. While one operator was flying the Draganflyer X6 the other operated sat in a warm vehicle to warm their hands.

The Draganflyer X6 UAV RC Helicopter was used to take aerial photos of the scene of this urban traffic accident. The aerial of photos of this accident will be used by the Saskatoon Police to provide clear evidence for use in their investigation of this traffic accident.

Draganfly Innovations operating under approval of Transport Canada is able to provide assistance to police agencies with Draganflyer UAV helicopters day or night with in a 250 km radius of the city of Saskatoon in rural or urban environments. This 250 km range covers 10 of the 15 cities in Saskatchewan.

The Ontario Provincial Police (Kenora and Thunder Bay) operating under transport Canada approval is able to operate Draganflyer UAV helicopters in the province of Ontario. The Draganflyer X6 represents the first federally approved, commercially produced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle by an emergency service in North America.

Draganflyer UAV Helicopter Virtual Tour Panorama

To build one of these panoramic virtual tours aDraganflyer X6 or Draganflyer X4 is flown to the desired altitude. At which point aerial photos are taken at every 20° for a total of 18 aerial photos. Then a photo is taken with the camera facing directly down. Then the photos will be combined by using panorama tools graphical interface (PTgui) software.

For more information on how to get your Draganlfyer X6 or Draganflyer X4 pictures made into a virtual panoramic tour we recommend you check out the PTgui forums or contact NorthStudio.com.

Using the Draganflyer X6 UAV RC Helicopter to take aerial pictures of the scene provides the police with clear evidence to use in their investigation. Because the Draganflyer X6 can be rapidly deployed the police are able to minimize the amount of time the road way had to be closed from traffic. It is far quicker and easier for the police to use the Draganflyer X6 than to use a conventional aircraft or boom truck.

This is not the first time the Draganflyer X6 UAV RC Helicopter has been used by the Saskatoon Police Service. On May 28 2009 the Draganflyer X6 saw its first operation use in traffic collision photography.

Both the Ontario Provincial Police and the Saskatoon Police Service have been approved by Transport Canada to use the Draganflyer X6 in their daily operations. Recently the Draganflyer X6 and the Ontario Provincial Police were featured in Blueline magazine. Blueline magazine is the premiere Canadian Law Enforcement magazine.

The Draganflyer X6 has also received approval by the United States Federal Aviation Authority in the form of a certificate of authority (COA) to be operated by the Mesa County Sheriff for use in their policing operations.

UAV RC Helicopters are becoming extremely useful tools for police agencies. They have the benefits of reducing the cost of obtaining aerial photographs in evidence gathering as well as being very quick to deploy. By being able to be deployed quickly they help the police gather evidence faster and in the case of traffic accidents allow the police to get traffic moving again sooner.

This video depicts the Draganflyer X4 RC Helicopter being quickly set up and flown from its case which has an optional detectable back pack harness.

In this video we see the Draganflyer X4 being transported in its soft pack with back pack harness on a man riding a mountain bike. This truly shows has easy it is to pack the Draganflyer X4 into a remote location.

One of the camera payloads the Draganflyer X4 RC Helicopter can carry is the Panasonic FX-580 12.1 Mega Pixel Digital Still camera. This video gives a good description of how this camera integrates with in the Draganflyer X4 System.

This video gives us a picture in picture of what the camera sees as the rc helicopter is flying. The video is transmitted live while recording to the on board digital video camera.

Another camera payload option for the Draganflyer X4 is a micro video board camera with a on board digital video recorder. This video gives you the details of the Micro Video board camera.

The Draganflyer X4 RC Helicopter, as demonstrated by these videos, is a very versitile and portable UAV aerial video and aerial photography platform. We here at RCHelicopter.com will be looking for new videos from Draganfly Innovations.

Flying unmanned aerial vehicles in the United States is governed by the FAA as they control the airspace. In order to operate a UAV in US airspace you must receive authorization from the the FAA. The FAA currently classifies all UAVs’ including the Draganflyer X6 as a reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle. This is the same classification used for the aerial vehicles that the military uses in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Mesa County Sheriffs office had to complete a complicated permitting process, meeting all the stiff FAA requirements specifically in the area of safety. The Draganflyer X6 was able to met all the requirements imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration. This allows the Mesa County Sheriffs Office to obtain a certificate of authority (COA) from the FAA. By obtaining the certificate of authority the Mesa county Sheriffs office can submit a Notice to Airmen to the FAA which in turn allows them to conduct operations with the Draganflyer X6. Read more in this article by the Grand Junction Free Press.

If you are in the New York area go out to the 2009 Gizmodo Gallary . There you will find a host of high tech gadgetry including the brand new Draganflyer X8 RC Helicopter.
The Gizmodo Gallery is a place for the tech world to celebrate gadgetry as art and history. Check out the post on Gizmodo

The Gizmodo 2009 Gallery is Open

• Wednesday, September 23 through Friday, September 25

  12noon – 8pm

The Gizmodo Gallery is located at :

View Larger Map

Draganfly Innovations releases their latest UAV helicopter, the Draganflyer X4.

Diverging from the Draganflyer X6’s larger 6 rotor design, the Draganflyer X4 features the same quad rotor design used by older RC helicopters. Four brushless motors independently drive four carbon fiber rotor blades, all controlled by an advanced flight computer.

The flight computer uses SteadyFlight technology to process the inputs of seven individual sensors, including:

• A barometric pressure sensor
• Three accelerometers
• Three gyroscopes

The avionics computer reads sensor outputs and precisely determines the motor speeds required to keep the helicopter flying straight and level. If selected by the pilot, a barometric pressure sensor is used by the helicopter to maintain altitude. Properly trimmed and balanced, the helicopter will hold its position in the air allowing you to do excellent aerial photography and videography.

Four different cameras have been customized to work with our latest RC helicopter, including:

• A 12.1 MP digital still and video camera
• A micro color video camera
• low-light black and white video camera
• A FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) video camera

These cameras transmit wireless video via a 5.8 GHz radio transmitter built into the mount. Wireless video can be received using either the handheld controller (which includes its own flat patch video antenna) or the video base station. HD Video glasses plug directly into the handheld transmitter, allowing you to see what the helicopter is seeing and get perfectly aimed aerial photographs and video. The video base station is compatible with any modern PC running Windows and features three standard RCA output jacks. This allows you to use your own recording equipment with the cameras or even broadcast the video stream if needed.

Because all wireless communication is subject to interference, all of our cameras now feature a built-in DVR that records a pristine, interference-free copy of your aerial video to an SD card. After you finish flying, plug the SD card into your computer and edit the video using the software of your choice. Each camera also features a custom designed mount with a remote tilt feature. Designed to give you the best quality video possible, each camera mount features balanced, oil-filled shock absorbers. The shock absorbers keep the recorded video free from vibration, guaranteeing that you get the best possible results.

The Draganflyer X4 UAV helicopter features an innovative case system that makes transporting the helicopter easier than ever. The entire Draganflyer X4 helicopter presses neatly into its pre-cut slot in the case. Each part and accessory fits into molded high-density foam inserts for safekeeping during transport. The transport case features a dual layer design with flight accessories in the top layer and the base station in the bottom layer. A patented, load-bearing system clips on to the transport case allowing it to be worn like a backpack. Made from flexible Cordura™ nylon, the load-bearing system is securely attached using Fastex™ hardware and adjustable straps.

The entire transport case fits neatly into an ATA (Airline Transport Association) certified hard case, rated to last over 100 flights as airline baggage. The padlockable, all-metal, carpet-lined ATA case allows you to safely transport the helicopter anywhere in the world without worrying about damage caused by the rigors of airline travel.

Designed for small enterprises and projects on a budget, the Draganflyer X4 is one of the most affordable UAV RC helicopters ever. Use the power of a full featured UAV RC helicopter for your project – the Draganflyer X4 makes professional quality aerial photographs and video easier to obtain than ever before.

For the past several years, Mark Sharpe of the Ontario Provincial Police force has been using aerial pictures and video to help with law enforcement.

The OPP found a solution with the Draganflyer helicopter, North America’s first commercially available UAV legalized for law enforcement applications. Fast deployment and an advanced autopilot make the Draganflyer UAV the perfect choice for police departments who need aerial pictures and video.

So why would a police force based out of a small city need aerial surveillance? For one thing, the Ontario police need to cover a huge area ranging all the way from the U.S border to Hudson Bay. It is hoped that using remotely operated vehicles can help reduce charter costs to remote areas. Aerial pictures and video are also very useful in court, helping judges and juries to visualize crime scenes effectively.

Featured on www.canada.com, the Winnipeg Free Press, and the Saskatoon Star Pheonix, it’s clear that there’s definitely a market for UAVs in law enforcement applications.

RC Helicopters Fishing

I wouldn’t recommend trying this – you could easily lose your RC helicopter in the drink. Nevertheless, this is an amazing video. It looks like the pilot’s added floats to his heli, just in case he catches a really big fish!

Ultimate 3D Flying – Insane Tricks With RC Helicopters

Here’s a really cool one, that shows what’s possible with a 3D RC helicopter and really great flying skills.

RC Helicopter Crashes Volume 2 – Who Doesn’t Love A Little Destruction?

Every once in a while, it’s cool to see some spectacular crashes. This type of thing happens to everyone – here’s a compilation of some of the worst crashes ever seen! When RC helicopters crash, destruction is usually very quick.

RC Helicopter Direct Drive Turbines

RC Helicopter jet engines spin their axels at far to great a speed to directly hook up to the rotors, so the most obvious way to slow them down is a gear box. In the direct drive design, the turbine shaft is directly connected to a gear box, which slows down it’s rotation speed and powers the main rotors. This is the most obvious and simple design, but it has a few problems that have caused another, more sophisticated one to gain popularity. For example:

1. All the thrust produced by the jet engine is wasted. Because the only work done by the engine comes from it’s main turbine shaft, all the thrust from the engine is left unused. The thrust from the engine is usually channelled outside the RC helicopter.
2. The wasted thrust can lead to unwanted motion. RC jet engines produce a lot of thrust, and forcing it outside the RC helicopter creates unwanted forces that have to be cancelled out.
3. Direct drive jet RC helicopters are very inefficient. Only 20% of the total power produced by the rotor blades actually goes into turning the rotor blades.

With all the problems present in direct drive turbines, most jet RC helicopter enthusiasts are turning to another design:  two stage turbines.

RC Helicopter Two Stage Turbines

Two stage turbines use the thrust produced by the engine, instead of simply venting it as exhaust. Recall that a jet engine has a main turbine shaft, which is used to compress air and keep the engine running. A two stage turbine leaves the first shaft free to spin, and then adds an additional turbine to the end of the engine, where the exhaust is emitted and thrust is produced. The second turbine spins another shaft, which then drives the gearbox that powers the main rotors. What’s the benefit of using two turbines instead of just one? There are actually quite a few:

1. A two stage jet engine is about 80% more efficient than the direct drive design.
2. Less thrust is wasted, so there are fewer unwanted forces caused by venting it.
3. The engine has to carry less load. Overall, it’s better if the jet engine doesn’t have to directly power anything. Harnessing the thrust produced by the engine reduces vibrations and wear.

The only problems with the two stage design are that two stage turbines tend to be heavier than their direct drive counterparts, and they’re also a little more expensive.

Vertical Magazine is the helicopter industries “insider” publication, featuring commentary by some of the industries leading voices. Although they usually feature full scale, piloted helicopter applications, our 1 kg UAV’s features were unique enough to write an article about.

The OPP became the first police service to use RC helicopters for forensic purposes inside city limits. You can learn more about Draganflyer X6 RC helicopters at www.draganfly.com

One of the PD-100’s coolest features is a transmitter with an integrated LCD display. The display shows images gathered from the camera and flight data. The transmitter also logs flight data and can interface with a computer. We expect to hear more about the PD-100’s features by it’s release date in 2010.

The PD-100 isn’t being manufactured yet, but Prox Dynamics expects to start shipping to customers by 2011. No price has been released yet. You can watch the video below to get an idea of how it flies.

• Comes in three different colors, green/purple, yellow/orange, and blue/orange
• Uses A 50mAh 3.7V Rechargeable Lithium Polymer Battery
• Battery Charge Time: 15-20 minutes
• Flight time: 5-9 minutes
• The battery charger is built into the transmitter.
• Compatible with standard mini helicopter parts

All the standard mini helicopter modifications can be done with the Havoc Stinger. Add weights to the nose or tail to make it go forwards or backwards more quickly. The Havoc Stinger is not a knock-off, and was made by the same company that makes the successful PicooZ RC helicopter.

Included with the Blade MCX

The Blade MCX includes everything you need to fly, right out of the box. Here’s what’s included:

• The Blade MCX RTF Micro RC Helicopter
• A 2.4 Ghz, DSM-2, Spread Spectrum Transmitter (Including 4 AA Batteries)
• A Portable Lipo Battery Charger (Including 4 AA Batteries)
• 1 cell, 3.7 volt, 110 mAh lipo battery (removable)
• A Small Screwdriver
• Some Extra Canopy Securing Rings

The Blade MCX is great for beginner pilots, because you don’t have to purchase any additional parts. The
Blade MCX is also well suited to pilots with previous RC helicopter experience, for flying indoors and during the winter months.

Main Helicopter Features

One of the coolest features of the Blade MCX is it’s proportional, four channel radio. Four channel control means that pilots can fly the helicopter with four dimensions of freedom. The Blade MCX can fly up/down, rotate left/right, pitch forwards/backwards, and bank left/right. Having a four channel radio system lets you precisely control the Blade MCX’s movement through all three dimensions. With a rotor diameter of 7.5 inches, and a length of 7.9 inches, it can easily fit into the palm of your hand. It is very uncommon to find RC helicopters of this size and price range with four channel control.

The Blade MCX features a coaxial rotor design. This coaxial design gives the helicopter great flight stability, and removes the need for a separate tail rotor to control yaw (rotation about the main rotor
axis). The main rotors spin in opposite directions, cancelling out any torque caused by their rotation. Coaxial RC helicopters are great for flying indoors, because they are very stable and so can be controlled with great precision.

The Blade MCX uses a tiny 1 cell lithium polymer battery for power. Unlike most micro RC helicopters, the battery is removable and interchangeable. Each cell provides 3.7 volts of power with a capacity
of 110 mAh (Milli ampere hours). You charge the battery using the included base station, which runs off four “AA” alkaline batteries. A typical charge takes about 30 minutes and provides an average flight time of 6 to 8 minutes. Because the battery is interchangeable, we recommend that you purchase an extra so that you can use one while the other is charging.

The Blade MCX uses a genuine Spektrum DS-2 type radio system. The helicopter radio is fully compatible with many other DS-2 transmitters, including the:

• Spektrum DX5e
• Spektrum DX6i
• Spektrum DX7
• JR X9303
• JR 12X

Modular radios which have Spectrum modules will also work with the Blade MCX. Please note that the Spektrum DX6 is not compatible.

Spread Spectrum radios greatly reduce the chance of any radio interference from other aircraft of sources. It also uses a short transmitter antenna, allowing the transmitter to fit in a small and sleek container.

The Blade MCX Transmitters are all mode 2, meaning that throttle and rudder are controlled with the left stick and pitch and roll with the right. The transmitter throttle stick is not spring loaded, so it remains at the position that it was last set to. Most RC helicopter pilots prefer this, as it allows you to remove pressure on the throttle stick while hovering. The radio has a dual rate feature, which allows you to choose how fast the helicopter responds to your commands. Beginners should start with mode 1, which can be set by pressing down on the right control stick and holding until the red light starts blinking. Setting the transmitter to mode 2 is done the same way.

Weighing only 1 ounce, the blade MCX is virtually crash proof. A sudden drop from a few feet above the ground won’t damage it, and in most cases minor collisions with walls are not a problem. Although it is not indestructible, the Blade MCX’s durability makes it an ideal present for anyone over 12 years of age.

If you want to get into the exciting world of RC helicopters, the Blade MXC makes a great starting place. It will show you all the basics of RC helicopter flight, and can be used as a starting place to more advanced models. If you’re already an experienced RC helicopter pilot, you’ll like the Blade MCX’s control and stability. Watch our site for tutorials on the Blade MCX, including a how to for installing replacement parts.

Setting up A Workbench for Building RC Helicopters

The very first, and most important thing you can do when you start building RC helicopters is to set up a proper work area. Having a good place to build your RC helicopters makes the process more enjoyable, and can improve the final result. Here’s a checklist that you can go through when setting up a new work area.

1. Get A Good Work Bench – A good work bench has a large, flat top which is free of cracks and holes where small parts and dust can collect. Pre made work benches are available at most hardware stores, but you can make one relatively inexpensivly by setting a large piece of particle board on a pair of saw-horses. The saw horses can be made from 2X4 beams of wood. You don’t have to screw the top onto the saw horses, it’s weight should hold it on sufficiently. This way you can dismantle the table for cleaning or storage when you’re not using it.
2. Add Proper Lighting – Add a good, bright light to your workbench. Working in the dark is hard on one’s eyes, and a good light will help you see small screws and parts.
3. Get Some Shelves for Storage – Keep your tools organized by putting them in plastic or wood shelves, available from almost any
   hardware store.
4. Add a Sturdy Chair – You’ll probably be sitting at your workbench for seceral hours at a time. Use a comfortable chair, which sits at about table height.

Building RC helicopters requires some special tools, and the instructions should list the ones that you need. Here’s a short list of the most common tools that should be kept handy when building RC helicopters.

• A set of Metric Allen Wrenches and Drivers – Most of the screws and bolts found on RC helicopters are metric, so having a good set of screwdrivers is a must.
• Ball Link Pliers – Ball links are used to join the servos to the control surfaces in RC helicotpers. Their installation and removal requires a set of ball link pliers, which you can get from any local hobby store. This is one of the most inexpensive, and useful tools you can get for building RC helicopters, a typical pair costs only around $10.
• Thread Lock Compound – It’s a good idea to secure bolts with a small touch of thread lock compound while building. This prevents any of them from vibrating loose when you’re flying your RC helicopters. Note that not all bolts require thread lock, especially those that go through plastic and other composite materials.
• Hobby Knives – You’ll need a good hobby knife to cut things with when building RC helicopters.

Now that you’ve got a good place to work and the tools you need, here are some tips to help you through the building process:

• Read the Manual – This one seems like a no-brainer, but the vast majority of problems that first time builder encounter are caused by not reading the manual carefully. Read the section you’re working on, then read it again. Only proceed with building a part when you’re sure you understand the instructions.
• Start the Canopy First – Some builders prefer to work on the RC helicopters canopy before anything else, because it’s one of the
  most labor instensive parts and can take a long time to build. Canopies usually require cutting, sanding, painting, applying decals, and finishing. When you’re applying decals, first spray the canopy with window cleaner. This will let you slide the decal into place, and the decal will only start to stick when pressed down. Once it’s in place, lightly squeeze the cleaner out from under the decal and wipe it away.
• Building the Main Frame – Follow the instructions carefully, and build the main frame. Movable parts should be lightly lubricated
  and moving freely.
• Rotor Head – Sometimes, rotor heads come pre assembled. Remove a bolt to see if the manufacturer used thread lock compound when they built the rotor head. If they didn’t, thread lock should be applied to every screw and bolt in the rotor head. Adjust the mesh (the interface between two gears) between the motor and main rotors to minimize friction.
• Stop the Muffler from Vibrating Off – Losing a muffler in flight is somthing you definately want to avoid. Besides checking that it’s tightly bolted to the engine before each flight, you can use small lock washers on the long bolts that attach the engine to the muffler. High temperature thread lock compound can also be used.
• Adjust the Belt Drive – Tail rotors are commonly powered by belt drives on RC helicopters. Adjust the tension in the belt drive so
  that it moves as freely as possible.
• Lubricate Ball Links – Ball links need to rotate freely, and can be lubricated with petroleum jelly.

Follow these tips and your RC helicopters instructions carefully, and you’ll end up with a result you can be proud of. Have fun building and flying your RC helicopters!

Now that you’ve got a good place to work and the tools you need, here are some tips to help you through the building process:

One of the leading magazines in the RC helicopter industry, Rotory Modeler, has done a 20 page, user review of the Draganflyer X6 UAV. The review discusses all aspects of this unmanned aerial vehicle, including applications, construction quality, flying properties, and the included flight accessories. The X6  got a rave review, with the authors citing it’s simplicity, functionality, and versatility.

The reviewers were impressed with our optional FLIR infrared video camera, being able to see in the dark and see  people and other objects from a great distance. Here’s what the reviewers had to say:

Thermal Infrared cameras used to be large, cooled units that required a large amount of electricity to operate.  Camera technology has advanced to the point where a FLIR camera can be economically installed on a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) such as the Draganflyer X6.

The reviewers also liked the build quality and design simplicity of the X6, commenting:

“When you remove the X-6 from the case you can immediately appreciate the simplicity of the design, making this a very robust and easy to maintain aircraft.”

The reviewers were very impressed with the bright OLED display screen built in to the transmitter. You can see the screen clearly, even in direct sunlight, ensuring that you don’t miss critical flight information due to glare.

All in all, the Draganflyer X6 got a fantastic review. You can read the review by picking up a copy of the May/June 2009 issue of Rotory Magazine, available from Rotary Magazine’s Web Site and most hobby stores.

Identification Constable Marc Sharpe of the Kenora Identification Services Unit, Ontario Provincial Police with Draganflyer X6.

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (PRWEB) March 26, 2009 — From the pages of Popular Science Magazine’s “Top 100 Innovations of the Year“, Draganfly Innovations’ Draganflyer X6 UAV RC Helicopter has made the significant leap to commercial utilization.

The six-rotor, one kilogram, electric, VTOL, UAV helicopter designed for aerial photography and videography was used by the Forensic Identification Unit of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on February 21, 2009 to collect evidence in a homicide investigation in a remote area outside of Kenora, Ontario, Canada. This represented the first operational mission of a federally approved, commercially produced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle by an emergency service in North America.

Then, in March, 2009, the Saskatoon Police Service announced that it will follow suit, becoming the first urban police service in North America to utilize the Draganflyer X6 Police UAV for aerial forensic purposes within city limits.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles such as Draganfly’s Draganflyer X6 helicopter are subject to Transport Canada aviation regulations. Prior to the Saskatoon Police Service being able to test the Draganflyer X6, Transport Canada officials were in Saskatoon for a flight demonstration, to undertake their standard risk assessment testing, and discuss technical issues with Draganfly Innovations.

Under the Special Flight Operations Certificate granted by Transport Canada, Draganfly Innovations personnel will operate the Draganflyer X6 Police UAV Helicopter while Saskatoon Police Service personnel will operate the cameras used for forensic support.

The use of UAVs goes back to the 1950’s with the military, but only recently has it evolved into police applications. One of the innovators was Identification Constable Marc Sharpe of the Kenora Identification Services unit of the Ontario Provincial Police.

The Ontario Provincial Police's Draganflyer X6 UAV helicopter captures high resolution aerial photographs of major case scenes. The Draganflyer X6's onboard camera has remote controlled zoom, tilt and shutter. Typically, one police officer controls the UAV and another operates the camera controls.

“Having used a fixed wing UAV since 2007, I could see the potential for great benefits to our forensic support operations. It gave us the ability to collect aerial evidence quickly and at minimum cost,” states Sharpe. “However, it also became apparent that in order to improve and expand operational effectiveness, an optimal UAV would need certain attributes. It would need to be small and light, have Vertical Take Off and Landing VTOL capabilities, have a GPS hold system while hovering, be constructed of exceptionally strong materials and be completely transportable.”

The Draganflyer X6 met all Sharpe’s requirements for a Police VTOL UAV. Sharpe continued, “The Draganflyer X6 enables us to economically obtain high quality aerial photos of major case scenes in a timely fashion.”

About Draganfly Innovations Inc.:
Draganfly Innovations Inc. has been manufacturing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles including radio controlled helicopters, airplanes, and airships for the past eleven years. From toys to industrial tools for police and military, Draganfly Innovations Inc. strives for optimum performance and ease of use. Draganfly’s innovative products have been featured on CNN Headline News, MSNBC, Discovery Channel, and in magazines and newspapers such as Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, Gizmodo.com, WIRED, GQ, Stuff, Maxim, The New York Times, and The London Times. All Draganflyer helicopters, including the new Draganflyer X6 are exclusively available from Draganfly Innovations Inc.

Draganfly president Zenon Dragan flies a mini-helicopter with a camera mounted on it for police to do aerial photography of crime scenes and accident scenes. Photograph by: Gord Waldner, Star Phoenix, Saskatchewan News Network; Canwest News Service

The Draganflyer X6 Helicopter is the first North American, federally approved, commercially manufactured UAV legal for use by emergency services in North America. The Saskatoon Police and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) will begin using the Draganflyer X6 in police investigations.

The Draganflyer X6 is a small remote-control helicopter, which uses six horizontal blades, and a built-in camera for aerial photography and HD video. Up until now, police have had to rely on beam trucks to take aerial photographs and capture images of an entire collision scene.

“Say we have a major artery blocked in excess of eight hours… with this we hope that we can do all our measurements and free that freeway up within half the period of time.”

Read the entire story published by the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, the Regina Leader-Post, and the Calgary Herald newspapers on March 10th, 2009.

Thursday, Dec 4, 2008
noon – 8:00pm

Friday, Dec 5, 2008
noon – 8:00pm

Saturday, Dec 6, 2008
11:00am – 8:00pm

Sunday, Dec 7, 2008
11:00am – 4:00pm

Gizmodo Gallery
Reed Annex
151 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002, USA

Attend via Webcam
See what’s going on from the comfort of your chair by logging into the Gizmodo Gallery Live Streaming Webcam.

What else is at Gizmodo Gallery?
A ton of cool stuff! See the complete list of Gizmodo gallery items.

PRWeb:

Draganflyer X6 Helicopter Wins Popular Science’s Best of What’s New 2008 – Aviation & Space

Draganflyer X6 helicopter wins the Popular Science Best of What’s New 2008 award in the Aviation & Space category. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter is a remotely controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to carry a wireless video camera.

For 20 years, Popular Science’s Best of What’s New awards honor the innovations that make a positive impact on life today and change our views of the future PopSci’s editors evaluate thousands of products each year to develop this thoughtful list, there’s no higher accolade Popular Science can give

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (PRWEB) November 11, 2008 — The Draganflyer X6 six-rotor helicopter has just been announced as a winner of the Best of What’s New 2008 award in the Aviation & Space category. This award acknowledges the Draganflyer X6 as a breakthrough product representing a significant leap forward in technology in its class. Each year thousands of new and innovative products are considered for this award. Winners are selected based on the potential to improve our way of life or to change the way we think about the future.

Draganflyer X6 Helicopter, Best of What’s New Winner, Aviation & Space

The Draganflyer X6 is a six-rotor electric helicopter designed to carry a high-resolution wireless video camera for uses such as industrial inspection, military reconnaissance, and aerial photography. Measuring 36 inches (99cm) across, the Draganflyer X6 helicopter weighs 2.2lb (1kg). What makes the Draganflyer X6 helicopter special is the advanced technology that controls its flight and allows it to be piloted with minimal training. Unlike conventional remotely operated helicopters, the Draganflyer X6 will hover stably even with the pilot’s hands removed from the controls. A conventional remote control helicopter would crash under the same conditions, requiring constant user input for stability (flying a conventional RC helicopter has been described as being similar to balancing a basketball on the end of a broomstick). The advanced technology used in the Draganflyer X6 helicopter consists of eleven sensors monitored by an onboard processor running over 10,000 lines of code. The sensors include three accelerometers, three gyroscopes, three magnetometers, one barometric (air pressure) sensor, and a GPS receiver. The Draganflyer X6 determines its orientation and position, easily moving where the operator directs it, handling all of the complex attitude and altitude adjustments on its own.

Best of What’s New awards are presented each year to the top 100 products in 11 categories. “For 20 years, Popular Science’s Best of What’s New awards honor the innovations that make a positive impact on life today and change our views of the future,” says Mark Jannot, Editor-in-Chief of Popular Science. “PopSci’s editors evaluate thousands of products each year to develop this thoughtful list, there’s no higher accolade Popular Science can give”. Other Best of What’s New 2008 award winners in the category of Aviation & Space include the NASA Mars Lander and the Boeing Advanced Tactical Laser.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter features an optional GPS hold function that allows it to maintain its position in the air, freeing the pilot to focus on other tasks such as aerial photography. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter uses interchangeable cameras: A 1080p high-definition video camera, a low light video camera, a thermal infrared camera, and a high-resolution digital still camera. A viewfinder signal is transmitted wirelessly from the helicopter, received by an embedded video receiver in the handheld controller and displayed on video glasses, allowing the user to see what the helicopter sees. The camera mount can be tilted by remote control.

All of the Best of What’s New 2008 winners can be viewed in the December issue of Popular Science available now.

About Draganfly Innovations Inc.:
Draganfly Innovations Inc. has been manufacturing radio controlled helicopters, airplanes, and airships for the past ten years. From toys to industrial tools for police and military, Draganfly Innovations Inc. strives for optimum performance and ease of use. Draganfly’s innovative products have been featured on CNN Headline News, MSNBC, Discovery Channel, and in magazines and newspapers such as Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, GQ, Stuff, Maxim, The New York Times, and The London Times. All Draganflyer helicopters, including the new Draganflyer X6 are exclusively available from Draganfly Innovations Inc. www.draganfly.com

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Industrial 6-Rotor Unmanned Helicopter Provides High Definition Wireless Video and High Resolution Photographs

Draganfly Innovations releases the Draganflyer X6 helicopter. This remotely operated, unmanned, miniature helicopter is designed to carry wireless video cameras and still cameras.

The ease with which this helicopter can be piloted is the most revolutionary feature of the Draganflyer X6

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (PRWEB) August 27, 2008, Draganfly Innovations announced the launch of the Draganflyer X6 helicopter, a miniature aircraft for commercial/industrial aerial video and photography. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter is easy to fly, capable of operating autonomously, and has an appearance that is nothing like a conventional helicopter. The unique design utilizes six main horizontal rotor blades and allows the Draganflyer X6 helicopter to hover efficiently and maneuver rapidly using differential thrust.

Draganflyer X6 Helicopter

Remotely controlled aircraft are available for many purposes, and most fall into a class somewhere between toys and the high quality models piloted by hobbyists. Beyond this class is a large gap approaching the point where full size aircraft must be used to achieve tasks such as commercial photography and industrial inspection. In the past this gap was filled by model aircraft with additional equipment grafted on, which required skilled and trained pilots to operate. Draganfly Innovations has created a better alternative; a purpose built self-stabilizing multiple rotor helicopter specifically designed for filming high definition video and photographing high-resolution aerial pictures.

The Draganflyer X6 is a fully functional miniature unmanned electric powered helicopter. Aimed at industrial and commercial use, it provides reconnaissance and inspection information using on-board wireless video and still cameras. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter is able to fly autonomously or can be flown manually by remote control. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter achieves its stability by using an on-board processor running more than ten thousand lines of code and receiving data from eleven on-board sensors (three gyros, three accelerometers, three magnetometers, one barometric pressure sensor, and one GPS receiver). It can be piloted by users with minimal or zero training. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter determines its own orientation and motion and moves where the operator instructs it, automatically handling the complex attitude and altitude adjustments that would ordinarily require a practiced pilot. “The ease with which this helicopter can be piloted is the most revolutionary feature of the Draganflyer X6″ says company president, Zenon Dragan.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter can be put into GPS hold mode where it will maintain its position without any user input. This means that after activating GPS hold, the pilot can set the handheld controller on the ground while the Draganflyer X6 helicopter flies itself. This mode will allow the user to focus on other tasks such as aerial photography from the Draganflyer X6 helicopter.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter uses interchangeable cameras, covering different areas of use. A high definition video camera provides 1080p resolution. For dawn and dusk use, there is a low light (0.0001lux) video camera. For night use or search and rescue, the thermal FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) camera provides heat vision. High-resolution photographs can be captured with the 10.1 mega-pixel digital still camera. When using any of the camera modules, a viewfinder video signal is streamed wirelessly back to the operator for real-time viewing on video glasses. The camera mount tilts by remote control, and the helicopter can pan side to side or in a circle.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter uses six custom designed high efficiency carbon fiber rotors and direct drive brushless motors which result in a quiet and maintenance free helicopter. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter weighs 1kg and has a payload capacity of 500 grams.

Durability and safety have been incorporated into the design of the Draganflyer X6 helicopter. With dual motors on each of the three arms, even if an in-flight collision causes one of the motors or rotors to stop working, the Draganflyer X6 helicopter will still be able to keep flying using the remaining five motors. This ability to fly with a missing motor or rotor is not found in any other comparable helicopter. Other safety features include bright LED navigation lights for safe flying at a distance or in darkness, and automatic self-landing if the radio link controlling the helicopter is lost. An on-board flight recorder (black box) stores telemetry and flight data in a removable memory card, and can be used for post flight analysis.

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter is flown using a custom designed handheld controller with a 2.8″ color OLED touchscreen that displays telemetry and flight data. The handheld controller also receives streaming video sent by the Draganflyer X6 helicopter and passes this to the video goggles, enabling the operator to view what the helicopter is seeing while also keeping an eye on the helicopter itself.

Additional information, pictures, and videos are available from the Draganfly Innovations web site: www.draganfly.com

At about $20 for a set of two, these micro RC helicopters are a great deal. Each micro heli has an infrared controller and integrated charger. Like most inexpensive RC helicopters, the Micro Bullets lack any gyroscopic stabilization. Instead, they use a weighted flybar to stabilize the main rotors and control flight path.

Apparently, the Micro Bullets can reach an altitude of 50 feet. This seems unlikely, as the infrared controls that they use have a range of only about 10 feet. The Micro Bullets also feature a channel selector, allowing up to three micro helis to fly at the same time.

Not much sets the Micro Bullets apart from other products, but the extremely low price is definitely a selling point.

• Canopy – The canopy off your rc helicopter and check it for cracks and other defects. If your canopy was glued together from two halves, make sure that it’s not splitting at the seam. If the canopy mounting holes are enlarged from vibration then they won’t hold screws well. Fix this by placing large washers between the screws and the canopy.
• Servo Tray – Make sure that the servo tray isn’t cracked, and that it’s fastened securely to the fuselage.
• Frame – Ensure that all bolts and screws are tight. If you find any that have vibrated loose, tighten them with a screwdriver and secure them using a thread locking compound.
• Bearings – Bearings are moving parts, so they wear out over time. Make sure that they move freely and lubricate / replace them as needed.
• Landing Gear - Check the landing gear for any signs of stress or damage. If bolts are loose, be sure to tighten them and hold them in place with thread lock.
• Tail Boom – Depending on the type of RC helicopter you have, check the belt or the shaft for signs of wear. If you’re storing the RC helicopter for a long period of time release the belt drive tension.
• Fuel Tank - Be sure to drain all the fuel in the tank, then dissasemble it and make sure that the fuel lines are secure and that the clunk can swing freely.
• Gear Box – Disassemble the tail rotor gear box and lubricate each part. tighten any loose screws.
• Batteries – There are many different opinions about storing and caring for rechargeable batteries. In general: don’t over discharge your cells, store at a 50 percent charge, and cycle regularly to gauge performance. Batteries should be replaced after their performance begins to decrease. If you want to store your batteries over the winter, keep them inside where it’s warm. No battery reacts well to freezing.
• Rubber Grommets – The rubber grommets that servos are mounted to can dry out over time. Prevent this by lightly coating them with petroleum jelly.
• Servo Arms – Check all the servo arms and make sure that none are cracked.
• Clevises – Make sure that the clevises are securely fastened to the servo horns. You can secure the clevises by slipping a small piece of fuel tubing over the closed clevises.

We hope that these tips help you keep your RC helicopters performing well.

This is an impressive set of features for an RC helicopter in it’s price range. This list illustrates why the AD Caliber is different from the many toy RC helicopters being sold today:

• 2.4 Ghz Radio System – Unlike the infra red control systems used by cheap micro helis, a 2.4 Ghz radio system is immune to interference and also has an increased range.
• Lithium Polymer Battery – The AD Caliber uses a lithium polymer battery, allowing fast charge times and long flight times.
• Cyclic Control – Unlike many mini RC helicopters, the AD Caliber’s rotor blades can change pitch. This allows the RC helicopter to be extremely maneuverable and fly with great precision.
• Small Size – The AD Caliber is about the same size as a conventional mini heli, letting you fly it almost anywhere.

All of these features make the AD Caliber a great bargain for it’s projected $240 price tag.

Mode 1 RC Helicopter Radio Transmitter

On a mode 1 RC helicopter radio transmitter, the left stick controls fore and aft cyclic and left / right yaw, and the right stick controls the throttle and left / right cyclic.

Mode 2 RC Helicopter Radio Transmitter

On a mode 2 RC helicopter radio transmitter, the left stick controls the throttle and left / right yaw, and the right stick controls the fore / aft cyclic and left / right cyclic.

Mode 3 RC Helicopter Radio Transmitter

On a mode 3 RC helicopter radio transmitter, the left stick controls fore/aft cyclic and left/right cyclic, and the right stick operates the throttle and left / right yaw.

Mode 4 RC Helicopter Radio Transmitter

On a mode 4 RC helicopter transmitter, the left stick controls the throttle and left/right cyclic, and the right stick controls the fore/aft cyclic and left/right yaw.

Unlike conventional PPM (pulse position modulation) and PCM (pulse code modulation) radio systems which operate on distinct channels, spread spectrum radios broadcast over a large range of channels simultaniously. These channels are all members of the 2.4 Ghz band, which removes them from the frequencies often used by other radio devices. Because of this, spread spectrum radio systems are not affected by the interference caused by non RC radio systems.

Spread Spectrum technology also eliminates the need for frequency control. Spread spectrum radio systems broadcast over a multitude of radio frequencies, and the user is never aware of what they are. This works because:

1. The transmitter is assigned a unique identification code when it is built.
2. The radio receiver is programmed to seek and lock to this same code.
3. After the transmitter is turned on, it encodes the signals it sends with its identification code.
4. The receiver searches for this code, and locks to the frequencies that the transmitter is operating on.

Each identification code is unique, which means that no other radio system in the world uses it. Because of this, the individual frequencies that the radio is operating on are irrelevant, so many spread spectrum radios can operate simultaneously.

The most noticeable consequence of this technology is that spread spectrum radios are immune to radio interference. Spread spectrum radios also allow an extremely fast servo response time, because the entire encoding, decoding, and execution of radio commands happens in milliseconds.

Spread spectrum technology is becoming more prevelant in RC radio systems, and will shortly replace conventional FM radio systems entirely.

Using a Commercial Balancer

Using a commercial RC helicopter blade balancer (available at most hobby stores) is the easiest and most accurate way to balance your rotor blades. If you don’t mind paying at least 40 to 60 dollars, then we recommend this method over the “hombrew” method listed below.

Checking Dynamic Rotor Blade Balance

Before you check the static balance of the rotor blades, you will have to check the dynamic balance. You will need the following supplies:

1. Pocket Knife
2. Sharp Pencil
3. Tape

Follow this procedure to check the dynamic balance of your rotor blades:

1. Set the knife on a flat surface.
2. Remove the rotor blades from the RC helicopter, and balance one of them on the knife blade.
3. Using the pencil, mark the balance point on the blade, being careful not to move it and upset the balance.
4. Repeat for the other rotor blade.
5. Place the blades on top of each other, and check the relative positions of your balance marks.

If the balance marks are more than 1 millimeter away from each other, then the dynamic balance of the rotor blades will have to be adjusted. Do this by the following procedure:

1. Place the blades on top of each other.
2. Transfer the mark closest to the root of the blades to the other rotor blade.
3. Balance the blade with two marks on the knife, and add tape to it’s root as needed to get it to balance on the new mark.

Your rotor blades should now be balanced dynamically. The next section will show you how to statically balance them.

Statically Balancing Rotor Blades

Follow this procedure to statically balance your RC helicopter rotor blades:

1. Obtain two right angle metal brackets from your local hardware store.
2. Remove your RC helicopters rotor blade holder from the rotor head.
3. Straighten the rotor blades, like they would be in flight.
4. Set the rotor blade holder on the pair of right angle brackets, resting on the balls.
5. Observer the rotor blade assembly. If it tips over then add tape to the lighter rotor blades center of gravity.

After completing the above procedures, your RC helicopter rotor blades should be properly balanced.

RC helicopter blades are balanced along their vertical axis before flight, but they can still travel through the air in a less than optimal path. If the rotor blades have slightly different shapes, then each blade will try to follow a different path while spinning. You can check to see if your RC helicopter’s rotor blades are tracking properly by following this procedure:

1. Get a friend that is willing to help you balance your model.
2. Mark one rotor tip with bright adhesive tape.
3. Have your friend hold the transmitter, while you hold the model so that the rotor blades are at eye level.
4. Be careful not to hold the blades too close to your face, and have your friend increase throttle to full.
5. Watch the rotor blades edge on. If you only see one profile, then they are tracking correctly. If you see two then they will have to be corrected.

Fortunately, there is a simple and cost effective way to fix badly tracking rotor blades. If you have a collective pitch helicopter, then you should be able to adjust the pitch of each rotor blade. A fixed pitch RC helicopter can be balanced by adding tape between the top surface of the rotor blade and the root holder. You can also try gently flexing one rotor blade to increase the camber of its airfoil.