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Don't test fly on a windy day - you'll probably regret it!


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Had a couple of test flights of my latest foamboard creation the other day, RM1 supersonic fighter, an easy build from online plans. CoG was spot on and the glide was superb, I was confident it was going to fly very well. The test flights did not go well. 😭.

1st day it was almost uncontrollable, which I put down to CoG, though I did have suspicions of a rx issue. Broken prop. 2nd day, CoG, more nose weight (though by all accounts it was set according to the plans.) Got to the field, a bit windy, but I thought what the hell and went for it. MISTAKE! Barely controllable and in between prop hanging and then diving, was blowing away as wind was higher aloft, plus it was not responding to my tx inputs.  Fail safe was set and I always test it's working when I set up.

Anyway, watch the video.

DON'T TEST FLY ON A BREEZY DAY!

I've been back 4 times, even searched with a drone, studied the video and have a 75% good feel for where it came down. Almost lost the drone when searching as it decided to auto RTH and was above power lines! The drone is worth several times more than the foamboard thing! Foamie had a model finder bleeper too.

I should have reduced the throws a bit after day one, but even setting up at home the elevons were twitching, which I put down to being close to the tx. I have flown a few bad ones but always managed to keep control, I blame the RX? And my stupid decision to try it on a breezy day. 1st model loss in 15 years. 😏 You live and learn.

Edited By Bonzo Moon on 28/01/2021 14:04:16

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Did you put your name, address or phone number on it? Might be worth another look. From my experience a model is often further away than you think when it disappears from view. Did you check the road or the trees the other side of the road. Good luck anyway and hope you find it.

Edited By Piers Bowlan on 28/01/2021 15:00:50

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I would not be surprised if it is the other side of the road. May be worth standing where you flew it from and taking a compass bearing, and then walking in a STRAIGHT line if possible. Also try and get some club mates to help you look, its depressing on your own. I have spent many happy hours looking for members errant models at our patch, and they are always further away!.

Good Luck.

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You said that you got a signal occasionally - did you have telemetry? It's too late now but this sort of situation is so much better if you have telemetry showing signal strength. For a start, you know before running out of range but if you do lose a model and can establish a link, then it's so easy to find the model. Hold the transmitter close to your body, turn 360 degrees while observing the signal strength and when it's at its lowest value, the model is directly behind you. Walk in the direction of the model and repeat to refine the accuracy.

I once used it in standing maize so thick that I needed to reduce the signal strength by going into range check mode before almost tripping over the model. It took only a couple of minutes to find the model - without, I'd probably still be looking!

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All this during covid, not to mention power lines, the sun, that big yellow balloon in the sky that I thought I saw this morning, a plate wing, powerful motor ? And modern radio gear that twitches, what am I doing wrong ?

I presume it has throttle control, sorry electric motor speed control, down thrust, side thrust, and it did glide ?

I will stick with 27meg, 2 channel r and e, and a full chat paw 09 ( or Cox td09 ) on the front !

Only kidding but what do I know.

And drones are a problem ?

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Thanks for all the replies, I will endeavour to answer.

Matty. I always check my failsafe at home when setting up a model. Set to close throttle and give a little right or left aileron so it will slowly circle and come down. The budget FlySky FS 6 tx doesn't have a facility for range test, and when you are on your own somewhere you can't do a walk away test. In my 35 mhz days I'd retract the antenna and walk away. Only switched to 2.4 ghz last year! And before people start posting saying the FlySky is rubbish, it has done me really well so far! Loads of range and 20 models capacity , I have 19 on it now, oops 18!

I will check out the flyaway report issue.

Piers. and Simon.

No name and address and phone number. I have done that before though. I have looked at the video several times and zooming in I can see exactly that it is this side of the trees on this side of the road. Not really a total flyway, I can see where it came down! I can narrow it down to an area of just about 100 yards. There was mostly no signal in the field, just occasionally with 90% error, but 0% error just over the small ridge on this side of the road.

I did the compass bearing thing (I am a qualified Ocean Yachtmaster amongst other things!). Having studied the video even more I've been to my standing flying location and looked and identified the trees it went into with binoculars. I can identify the trees it went in front of and behind. AND I did look along trees both side of the road just in case I've got it wrong. I've been back 4 or 5 times. It's deep scrub and brambles with a few small paths in it. I have been several times and have the mud and bramble cuts to show for it!

No telemetry, just TX battery strength and error on my display.

If I'd had some way of direction finding on 2.4 ghz I might have been able to pin point the location better. I know the method well, when I started ocean sailing 45 odd years ago there was no GPS and I used RDF for navigation! After a 5 day Biscay crossing you'd know your position within 25 miles or so! My tx is pretty basic. It was showing tx error and battery strength.

I thought afterwards , problem with having the tx turned on and rx still receiving when I was searching, the model finder beeps after a minute with no signal. I did turn the tx off occasionally but it was probably unwise to be searching with the tx turned on. It rained the next morning and by then there was no signal from it anymore anyway.

Having looked again this morning for about the fifth time with a 95% positive idea of where it went in unless I went down with a petrol hedge trimmer and cut through loads of 5 foot high brambles I'd have no chance of getting to it even if I could see it. I have given up.

It had a model finder beeper and they've always served me well before, but I can only think that it got disconnected as it went through branches or brambles. A couple of lessons to take away. Very silly of me to test fly it when it was a bit breezy, I'd have got away with it had it been light wind. And two, the original design had the rx mounted underneath in an open position and I didn't like that. Landing in scrub it might pull leads out, so I'd moved it on top. Lesson though, rx should be covered in some way as should the beeper.

I had a real scare with my drone.My standing point was under the power lines as it was the best search start location and I was timing my flight carefully but it was an old lipo and the drone decided to RTH with low voltage. It climbed to 50 feet and returned to GPS position just over the power lines and then started to auto land. Trying to descend between the lines! From underneath where I was stood it looked really inches away! Luckily I got control again and flew it away from them. The camera alone on it was £100. Drone £200? All for a foamboard model that cost me less than £50.

I might go and have another go with my big drone at some point, but apart from the little brushless motor there's little worth salvaging. £5 worth of foamboard. two servos, tx £8? probably dead, and battery will be zero. I will live and learn. My stupid mistake flying when it was breezy.

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Posted by Rich Griff on 28/01/2021 17:01:38:

All this during covid, not to mention power lines, the sun, that big yellow balloon in the sky that I thought I saw this morning, a plate wing, powerful motor ? And modern radio gear that twitches, what am I doing wrong ?

I presume it has throttle control, sorry electric motor speed control, down thrust, side thrust, and it did glide ?

I will stick with 27meg, 2 channel r and e, and a full chat paw 09 ( or Cox td09 ) on the front !

Only kidding but what do I know.

And drones are a problem ?

Ha ha, only just seen yours mate!

The glide was BEAUTIFUL, the original design didn't call for any side or down thrust and I doubt very much that was the problem.

I only switched from 35 mhz (uk standard) last year. Finally got fed up with a great long antenna with a flying wing. But 2.4ghz has served me well.

Yellow thing in the sky was a pain, low sun , winter time.

Drone was OK. They have their uses!

I've got 18 models on 2.4 ghz now all flying OK, I think I got a bad rx?

And re Covid, not a club field, so OK and my YouTube channel with 5K subscribers is part of my income so not just 'recreational' flying!

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Drones have there uses,  yeh right, like potentially causing a loud flash bang and national grid problem, would love to be a fly on the wall if that one went to court.

 

Wonder what Bmfa say about power lines.

 

Anyway no real harm as far as we know, but an "essential outing " ?

 

Maybe a pusher version next time ?

 

By the way, was the camera on your head ?

Edited By Rich Griff on 28/01/2021 17:46:40

Edited By Rich Griff on 28/01/2021 17:47:55

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Posted by Bonzo Moon on 28/01/2021 17:31:53:

And re Covid, not a club field, so OK and my YouTube channel with 5K subscribers is part of my income so not just 'recreational' flying!

From Article 16:

1.2. The purpose of the flight must be Sport, Recreation, Education or Demonstration.
The terms of our Authorisation do not cover any type of commercial operation.

Just sayin'

Geoff

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hello bonzo….sounds a bit precarious your description ….standing point under the power lines ….I wouldn't be putting that out on a public forum or anywhere.... and of course as already pointed out the article 16 stuff.....maybe a good idea to get the mods to delete some of your stuff?

ken anderson...ne..1...get the mods dept.

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Oh dear. Here we go. nocrookdisgust

For one, you are mixing up Covid and BMFA rules here. And drone operating rules. And I'm doing my best to comply with all, not that I see it's any of your business to be honest.

My understanding of Covid restrictions, is you are only allowed out for a walk for exercise and NOT for recreation, but my YouTube revenue is part of my income self-employed and we are allowed to go out to work. Making videos is part of my 'work'.

The camera was on the drone. I'm BMFA and CAA registered and the drone had the necessary operator ID label stuck on in an easily visible location. AND if I'd been flying the drone 'for commercial purposes' I'd have needed a PFCO, but I wasn't.

What would the BMFA say about power lines? I have no idea. But I bet more than a few models have ended up in them.

You don't have to be a BMFA member to fly a drone or a model aircraft by the way, though I am. I mentioned 'club sites', because AFAIK club sites are closed and recreational flying is not currently permitted.

I'm a qualified paraglider and paramotor pilot and can't fly those at the moment, let alone go sailing in my dinghy.

But I can go a fly a model plane in a suitable location.

If it had contacted a power line it would have broken a prop and fallen from the sky. It wasn't a USAF UAV!

Any more questions or observations? wink

edit

OK , only just seen Ken's post.  Yes, wasn't the best idea to be stood below the power lines but I was flying away from them, it was actually intended to be safer than where I was stood before flying towards them.  It was another lesson learned about RTH on drones.  AFAIK the battery still had a good 40 % left, as I said I was timing the flight.  I can't go back and edit or I would!

Edited By Bonzo Moon on 28/01/2021 18:40:27

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surprise I posted a video about me test flying a £40 foamboard model with a tiny little brushless motor and a 1000 mA 2s lipo on day when it was probably to windy for a test flight hoping it might be educational or interesting? Didn't expect the BMFA police, the CAA police, the Covid police etc. Lockdown fatigue I guess? Can't be bothered to discuss anymore. sadwink

Edited By Bonzo Moon on 28/01/2021 18:54:54

Edited By Bonzo Moon on 28/01/2021 18:56:12

Edited By Bonzo Moon on 28/01/2021 18:57:12

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You seem to be annoyed.

If so I do not understand why.

I don't think anyone on here is any form of police and I am puzzled why you make that accusation.

You said yourself that you have an excuse to go flying and are willing to argue the point.

I assumed you expected questions to be asked.

Why the surprise?

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Oh dear, the worth of the model has no bearing on flying, or at least I haven't found that bit in the Bmfa book or on the CAA site, but I'm still reading/swatting up for the opp number and flier number tests.

We don't go out if we can help it.

I only go out for shopping and bring home as much as I can carry.

I only go shopping once a week, less if I can.

I would love to go to the football field as dry days have been flat calm, and the football field is just about, but only just, big enough for the ninja helo santa gave me for Xmas.

I cannot honestly say that that outing would be "essential".

I don't work for the government.

The CAA say something like the fuel tank must have enough fuel for the expected flight.

Good job your drone has on board "clever" technology.

You say the camera was in the drone, so how did the drone camera track the plane.

Was the drone flying at the time.

I could go on, but, have you ever been to downing Street and done a TV interview in the back garden there? Only asking so don't shoot me please.

Isn't there some rule about filming for money ?

Anyway, so far you have got away with it, don't advertise, you are not stupid.

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Well yes, a bit perplexed. People telling me I shouldn't be going out, people telling me what the rules are, quoting articles etc. I know the rules thank you. And I do my best to comply with rules and regs. There's always someone wanting to tell you different. .

You said My reading is that we have to stay in and not go out.

NOT correct.

I'm not going to quote you lockdown regs, in a cut and paste, but you can go out for exercise and for work and essential shopping.

You should see the traffic on my local dual carriageway, try telling all those people that they have to stay in and not go out.!

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Oh my God and as I write an answer to one reply , there's someone else telling me 'the rules'.

I am not and was not filming for money. That's where the PFCO comes in with drones. You obviously aren't very well informed about THE RULES.

The drone was not tracking the plane, I flew it in a search the next day.

I have never interviewed anyone in the back garden at no 10, does that make you know all about RC flying rules?

I did some stunt work paragliding for a German film company for a film that was seen by millions of people, does that make me important too?

Flying electric models you always need to know the battery level it's just like 'the fuel in the tank' Though no doubt you've never had an IC model run out of fuel though.

If you are flying anything with a weight over 250 grammes you need to be registered. Don't kid me you didn't hear about it.

And no, I am not stupid, apart from the fact that I am responding to your questions.  Troll.

And I am not so stupid as to post things if I thought they were illegal.

 

 

 

Edited By Bonzo Moon on 28/01/2021 19:46:04

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Bonzo - this forum is full of frustrated flyers who are following the lockdown rules and not going out flying, so posting videos of you flying with thin excuses about it being 'work' for you ( i.e. you are flying for financial reward) is bound to get peoples' backs up.

It's just like the stupid Youtube "influencers" swanning around Dubai on holiday claiming it's "work".

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I think the newish government add is trying to, the one that says look them in the eye and say you have done as much as you could ( could, should etc ) to help stop the spread of this now very very very contagious virus ?

Are you on furlow by the way, be honest now.

I wonder what the Bmfa/CAA think about the post, ignoring any/all covid considerations ?

I am returning to RC aeromodeling after a good 20 years and consider my self a tyro, a novice again, so much has changed but the basics are still the same, hun in the sun, dipping wing, stall, prop hanging ( even control line, theyLL do that from time to time ) close the throttle if you can and get the thing down safely, don't don't don't hit anyone, or anything. You deliberately put the think into the ground if you gave to, no matter what the cost of the model !

Things change....

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Ps I am a gog, troll that one. And I consider myself a novice again, a tyro, not I've done xyz so I am blah blah blah, and then you film it and put it on here. When you where flying, no that not right, controling, no, guiding, no not quite, watching the model and filming it, where was the camera ? On your head ?

I hope to god your not going to say " I was holding the camera" are you ?

I am a novice again, you are not.

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I think the newish government add is trying to, the one that says look them in the eye and say you have done as much as you could ( could, should etc ) to help stop the spread of this now very very very contagious virus ?

Walking 5 mins up the road on my own and flying an RC model out in the open air on my own isn't going to cause an increase in Covid rates.

Are you on furlow by the way, be honest now.

Self-employed so no chance of furlow! I wish.

....

I do take the point about frustrated people though, it's tough and I am lucky to have been able to get out with my 'thin' excuse. If anyone will pay for the flight and accommodation I'll be happy to see what RC flying is like in Dubai? wink

I do hope we can all get out and do the stuff we love to do soon.

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where was the camera ? On your head ?

Mounted on my forehead filming the flight from my POV.

I'm still a novice too. Tech changes so fast, there are even flight controllers for RC planes now that will guide them and return to home. I have a cheap, £80 drone that was sent to me free by a manufacturer that will even fly a route by it's GPS waypoints. (I occasionally get offered free stuff for test and review. Mostly it was action cameras. 50 odd!)

I did grow up with IC motors. Chopped the end of my thumb off with one. Stainless steel pin and 4 days in hospital and they put it back on.

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