When you start building RC Helicopters, you’ll need an area to work, a selection of tools, and other supplies. Here are some of the most frequently needed tools and supplies, and some tips to help you with the RC Helicopter building process.

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.

Gizmodo is featuring the Draganflyer X6 in the Gizmodo Gallery. The Gizmodo Gallery features “contemporary marvels, homemade wundergear and pieces of history”. The Gizmodo Gallery runs December 4th to 7th, 2008 in New York, NY. See the Draganflyer X6 Gizmodo Gallery Feature.

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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From: PR Web

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

The Ecoman Micro Bullet RC helicopters are two channel, electric RC helicopters which come in a pair. The Micro Bullets appear to be standard 2 channel electric RC helicopters, but it’s their price that really sets them apart from other products.

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.

Follow these maintenance tips to keep your RC helicopter looking and flying like new.

• 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.

Kyosho, a company known for manufacturing many quality RC helicopters, has recently introduced a new kind of mini electric RC helicopter. The Minimum AD Caliber is a fully functional mini RC helicopter featuring real cyclic control, an on board gyro, and a 2.4 Ghz radio system.

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.