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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Gary Mortimer on July 18, 2012 at 11:23am

You might want to avail yourself of CAP 722, you will be subject to it Jim. 

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Permalink Reply by james wyatt on July 18, 2012 at 1:50pm

Thanks for the reply gary,,,,but i am lost already......what is a cap22'''''''''''is my initial first step,to purchase the mega 1 kit

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Permalink Reply by Jake Stew on July 18, 2012 at 1:00pm

Sure.  I'd get an APM2 with external GPS though.  You'll also want a fast telemetry radio like the 3DR, or one of the 1W 3DR-style radios that Seppo is building.

You can fly the APM with just a laptop and joystick, but the APM sends a lot of telemetry data so slow telemetry radios like xbees have too much of a lag from what I've read.  Some people are using two of them, but it would probably be easier to just use a 3DR.

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Permalink Reply by james wyatt on July 18, 2012 at 1:56pm

thanks for the reply jake/.....i think i have bitten off more than i can chew.......I would really like to fly the plane all the way from scotland to the south coast by joystick,,,,,,so can you give me a list of purchases..i feel very inadequite at the moment .....as i said i am not technically minded......but i really want to do this

 

                                            jim

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Permalink Reply by Jake Stew on July 18, 2012 at 4:09pm

A lot depends on your exact mission.  Do you want to fly with video, visual, IFR, or on autopilot?

The APM is a good solution for all of these, but all the other equipment really depends on what your range from the plane is going to be.

Are you going to follow the plane or have multiple pilots or want it to be autonomous?

As some people have mentioned, there are rules, regulations, and laws involved.  I can't comment because I don't live in your country and don't know much about the applicable rules.

I would warn you though that you incur a lot of legal liability when you undertake things that some might find reckless or illegal.  I highly suggest that you build a record of safe operation and knowledge of the hardware which you can later use to defend your actions should something unfortunate happen.  It would be really hard to defend yourself if you crash into someone with 800 miles worth of fuel onboard during your first try at a long mission.

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Permalink Reply by james wyatt on July 18, 2012 at 4:39pm

hello jake

  we initially thought about one man setting it on its way,and another man landing it....we want to video the flight, a good course would be a coastal route for the scenery,,,,i am sure i could tickle it up to get a thousand miles out of her.i have done a lot of research on the spirit of butts farm and maynard hill

then i thought about a joystick and a laptop for a pilots view.........i think this would be better......that way i can control things, but i would still be well over the horizon......can it be done......providing i can do it legally of course

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Permalink Reply by Paul Feely on July 18, 2012 at 2:28pm

Jim,  CAP 722 is guidance for Unmanned Aircraft System Operations in UK Airspace, I've attached it, have a read through and it will give you an idea of the certification you'd need for such a flight.

Flying from Scotland to the south coast with APM is not really feasible, Paul

Attachments:

• CAP722.pdf, 392 KB

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Permalink Reply by james wyatt on July 18, 2012 at 4:30pm

hi paul

    i have read about 4 pages ......a bit too much for the moment....i will read the rest later......there is a lot of it...thanks

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Permalink Reply by james sowell on July 18, 2012 at 2:41pm

do you have the fuel tanks in the wings?

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Permalink Reply by james wyatt on July 18, 2012 at 4:00pm

hello james

    yes 19 in total plus genesys plus spark gas conversion

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Permalink Reply by Dr Mike Black on July 18, 2012 at 3:02pm

Hi all,

I think, that in honest answer the AP / APM can do it, it is doable over a given time period (refueling, etc, the problem as gary correctly postulated is that its not legal.(CAP 722, CAP 658, CAP 652,,so forth  and so on...)

We fly very long missions with AP on board and whether you fly, in a confined area or in a straight line, makes no odds, its still distance.Its down to the powers that be allowing you to fly/drive along a coast road from scotland right through england, with built up areas, children, nunneries, in fact everything that isnt bare land..the CAA would never let it happen....

It takes me 7 hours to drive from here to my inlaws in Port Patrick, so its going to take you a while to do this.

lol they dont even like private aircraft being flown here.. (hence all the very cool vintage jets are all grounded, and fly in the US or SA)

personally you are going to have a serious issue getting approval to do it, let alone the logistics to manage a flight like that...

Anyway..as we both know the weather is always crap here! :)

looking forward to your thoughts on how you plan and execute a mission like this.

Kind regards,

Mike.

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Permalink Reply by james wyatt on July 18, 2012 at 4:43pm

at this point i would like to thank you all for all your help......i dont think the law is going to let me do it......its a hell of a learning curve.....but now i have started ,,,,,i want to at least finish the plane and the electronics......probably a white elephant....but i want to build it anyway.

 

                   jim

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