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View Full Version : First FPV project - EasyGliderStar


Mick
2010-12-05, 08:15 PM
Having got interested in First Person View (FPV) flying I attended an FPV meet just east of Boucherville during the summer to see what it was like and got hooked. I then spent loads of time reading and asking dumb questions on FPV forums around the world. Finally it was time to make a few decisions and reach for the wallet.

I have planned a two stage project:

Stage 1 - learn to fly FPV at WIMAC where I can get lots of help. Therefore I bought a Fat Shark 5.8GHz video camera, transmitter, receiver and goggles kit for close-in flying. I will use my existing Aurora 9 2.4GHz radio so I don't cause any issues with other club members.

Stage 2 - when I want to go beyond the field and have the confidence to spend more money on FPV then I will buy a 433 GHz UHF for uplink and either 1.3 or 2.4GHz video downlink and a build a ground station with a tracking receiver. I can then utilise the 5.8GHz to connect the ground station to the goggles giving more freedom of location. Theoretically no wasted money, we will see.....

The platform is the trusty Multiplex EasyStar but with all the added weight I needed more wing area and wanted ailerons so I elected to use the EasyGlider wings and therefore also used the EasyGlider tail feathers to maintain yaw stability. I chose the EagleTree OSD Pro for on-screen information like HUD with a Co-Pilot4 for stabilisation. Servos were stock Turnigy 53317S for the tail and HXT900 for the ailerons. Motor is a HXT 2835 2200kv in-runner driving a 6x4 prop. ESC is a Mystery 40A which has a low noise switching SBEC, this runs everything on board. The Fat Shark kit came with the RCV922 camera, 100mW transmitter and video goggles with built-in receiver. For recording I picked up an Aiptek MPVR camcorder as it has a video-in socket.

Therefore, following the instructions carefully I connected all the electronics on the bench. This only required some minor soldering to get the connections right. It all worked first time and the OSD was easy to set up but the instructions could be a lot better.

http://s4.postimage.org/2hbymtr8k/001_Copy_2_800x600.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/2hbymtr8k/)

Following some threads on an FPV forum I chopped out loads of foam from inside the fuselage to creat enough room for the electronics and decided to use some magnets to hold the front fuselage halves together with the tail and motor mount glued; a compromise between rigidity and access.

http://s4.postimage.org/2hc58z57o/024_800x600.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/2hc58z57o/)

I followed a thread on RCGroups to trim and fit the EasyGlider wings, this was easier than it sounded, just lots of white bits everywhere!!

http://s4.postimage.org/2hc8k1u78/002_800x600_2.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/2hc8k1u78/)

I had to wait for weeks for the EasyGlider fin & rudder and horizontal stabiliser & elevator to arrive as the N. American Multiplex distributor had to get them from Germany. More foam chopping as the fit is different on the two models. All worked out OK as it ended up square to the wing once the glue dried.

http://s4.postimage.org/2hcxd41lw/034_800x600.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/2hcxd41lw/)

Then put it all together and set up the radio. It took a long time moving all the components around inside the fuselage until I was happy with it.

http://s4.postimage.org/2hd5mss2s/043_800x600.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/2hd5mss2s/)

With the magnets you can take split the front fuselage to gain access to the OSD and CP4 but it is limited by the rudder cable. Better than gluing it but only flying will tell if it was a good decision. This should enable me to upgrade it later to Stage 2, if the EasyGliderStar lasts that long.

Lots of trimming and setting up the radio and OSD then it was time for a first flight. The weather, as always, was not co-operating. Loads of nice days when I was waiting for the tail but now it is snowing and windy. I decided to fly it without the FPV goggles to get the aircraft trimmed out and to check out the CofG and stability with the blend of bits from two aircraft.

When I got to club field on Saturday, 4 December 2010 it was -3C with wind at 20km per hour gusting to 40, great. At least it had stopped snowing. It flew no problem, very stable and controllable. A few clicks to trim it. A bit underpowered for the conditions. Mike helped me by wearing the goggles and shouting out what was displayed on the OSD and giving feedback on video quality. It appears that the goggles to camera lead is not good as when a connection is moved lots of noise and interference or maybe this was interference on the transmission, hard to say, needs more investigation. With the throttle closed it needed some heavy down elevator to get it to penetrate into the wind and descend. I managed to get it back down onto the runway for a safe landing.

Second flight today, Sunday, with the wind a bit calmer but still too windy and cold to try the goggles for the first time. Thanks to David, Robert and Tarek for the help.

First flight video:

YouTube - EasyGliderStar first flight

Second flight video:

YouTube - EasyGliderStar at WIMAC 5 Dec 2010

It has been a real challenge getting this far with the FPV project but there is more fun to come once I don the goggles for the first time. A bit of nice weather would help.

PaulG-rc
2010-12-05, 08:36 PM
That is very cool! I love the on screen display.

I would like to do that too with my glider one day. :D

Ionel
2010-12-05, 10:49 PM
Excellent job Mick.
I am happy you did it in a very professional way, so it may trigger what was missing for me to start it.

Hadi
2010-12-06, 08:54 PM
Great job Mick,

Just wondering in your first picture, what is that cubic thing on the right bottom corner of pan/tilt pod?

Dwight Macdonald
2010-12-06, 09:44 PM
Very cool Mick!

Shawn
2010-12-07, 09:58 AM
Fabulous Mick!

Ronald Longtin
2010-12-07, 11:30 AM
Another FPV fan...

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/12/how-a-rc-airplane-buzzed-the-statue-of-liberty-with-no-arrests.ars

Mick
2010-12-07, 04:45 PM
Great job Mick,

Just wondering in your first picture, what is that cubic thing on the right bottom corner of pan/tilt pod?

Hadi, that is the FMS Co-Pilot4 that provides stabilisation in roll and pitch. It uses 4 infrared sensors to detect the heat difference between land and sky so keeps the plane in level flight. According to those who know this is required to a) reduce pilot workload when doing other things like looking round at the scenery and b) when the aircraft is in autopilot mode when the Return To Home (RTH) function kicks in. RTH is enabled either manually if you loose video or automatically if you loose radio control so the receiver goes into fail-safe mode. RTH is a good safety feature but it takes some setting up to get right. This is one of the later stages of the flight test programme.

Mick
2010-12-12, 07:24 PM
Yesterday was a great day for flying, low wind, no sun, no snow. So packed the car and set off to the club field to try real FPV.

For the first flight, we launched the EasyGlider* flying LOS and when I was ready I gave the radio to Michael, put on the goggles and after a few minutes took the radio in my sweaty palms. WOW. It is fantastic, got completely disorientated so totally relied upon Michael and Richard to guide me round the sky: left, right, up, down but after about 5 min I started to get the feel of the area. It is totally different in FPV mode. I managed a good landing on the snow covered runway. What a feeling, awesome. Sadly no video as I must have stopped the recorder as I put in my pocket.

Second flight even better, I took off with the goggles on the top of my head and 15s into the flight Richard pulled them down over my eyes. a good 10min flight and another good landing, feeling more confident.

Third flight and this time all FPV from the launch to the landing and celebrations. Another 10min flight. Video worked great on second and third flights as Robert and Jimmy were in charge of it.

This FPV stuff exceeds my expectations. All those great videos from other people and now mine:

http://vimeo.com/17738169

Many thanks to all the helpers.

Hadi
2010-12-12, 08:22 PM
Awesome video Mick, I wish I was there to see

beto9
2010-12-13, 10:07 AM
Amazing! What a 5 minutes those must have been!
Did you have the same interference in the goggles or they were free of it?
The gentle flight of the glider makes me think that when you put the camera in a regular plane you will be close to cardiac arrest!

Fantastic!

Flying73
2010-12-13, 02:41 PM
I was there to see it. It is bizarre (in a good way) seeing the pilot looking one way while his plane is flying behind him.:eek:

beto9
2010-12-13, 04:22 PM
I was there to see it. It is bizarre (in a good way) seeing the pilot looking one way while his plane is flying behind him.:eek:

Oy vay! Yes, it must have been weird even if I suspect that Mick is somewhat disoriented normally:D:D:D:D:D

Mick
2010-12-13, 07:02 PM
Yes, the recording and the goggles showed the same interference so was that scary on approach over the trees? Too right and some. The interference is caused by the loss of signal due to weather, trees or as you notice more often when in turns the aircraft banks and the polarisation error reduces the received signal strength. A more sensitive, circular polarised antenna would help considerably but then it also becomes directional, bringing more complications and guess what more cost.

Not only disorientated but when flying close to the ground like on approach, when the aircraft banks then with no reference other than what you see in the goggles you tend to fall over: I had to be caught several times. I can see why FPV pilots sit down.

It was a really awesome experience. Can't wait to do it again, hopefully on Sunday if the weather is as good as the forecast.