Hi Guys,Just wondering what you guys think of putting a copilot on a coax heli. I want it to stabilise the heli during waypoint navigation so all I need to worry about is direction, airspeed and altitude.I'm just wondering if there would be much benefit when the coax is relatively stable already. I noted in another thread that Chris stated it was easier if the copilot could be kept seperate from the navigation system ie: only linked to the ailerons for a plane. As this couldn't be done with a heli will that mean that it won't have much of a stabilising effect while the heli is under navigation instruction or can this be fixed by increasing the gain ?Thanks
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Spartan AP2000i is a computer flight stabilizer for helis. It will do ccpm mixing + more. It uses the FMA copilot sensor. You could use a standard TX (non mixing/low budget) with this controller and it will mix CCPM or whatever your helicopter has. It will make a standard heli fly like a coax with the gain turned up.
While a normal heli when using 'aileron' (in plane terms), a little nudge to the side and back to center will result in a continued side movement while loosing altitude. The AP2K has a gain that can be set on a slider. 15% is enough for me to have smooth flight and still control someone like a normal heli. But at 100% you will have to hold the stick to the side as far as it will go to even get a slow side movement from the heli. Once the stick is released it will auto level. This is the same while moving the stick in ALL directions. (it may have a slight drift, no GPS hold)
Also, many people use this while training for flying 3d, if they loose orientation and its dropping like a rock all they have to do is push the gain up and it will instantly level and stop. I lifted nearly 5lbs of payload with my nitro 90 heli. It was to much weight for my dampeners and I started a horrific pendelum only a few feet from the ground. I slapped the gain up and the heli instantly stopped and the payload rocked back and forth a few times before it leveled. The heli didn't move.
Note: it will have problems with morning and evening when the sun is low as it uses the same sensor as the FMA copilot.
A stabilizer not using a sensor but gyros will allow you to fly lower than the tree tops and near buildings/objects. This stabilizer is called the Helicommand. The price is a bit higher but since is uses gyros, an external gyro for the tail is no longer needed saving some money.
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While a normal heli when using 'aileron' (in plane terms), a little nudge to the side and back to center will result in a continued side movement while loosing altitude. The AP2K has a gain that can be set on a slider. 15% is enough for me to have smooth flight and still control someone like a normal heli. But at 100% you will have to hold the stick to the side as far as it will go to even get a slow side movement from the heli. Once the stick is released it will auto level. This is the same while moving the stick in ALL directions. (it may have a slight drift, no GPS hold)
Also, many people use this while training for flying 3d, if they loose orientation and its dropping like a rock all they have to do is push the gain up and it will instantly level and stop. I lifted nearly 5lbs of payload with my nitro 90 heli. It was to much weight for my dampeners and I started a horrific pendelum only a few feet from the ground. I slapped the gain up and the heli instantly stopped and the payload rocked back and forth a few times before it leveled. The heli didn't move.
Note: it will have problems with morning and evening when the sun is low as it uses the same sensor as the FMA copilot.
A stabilizer not using a sensor but gyros will allow you to fly lower than the tree tops and near buildings/objects. This stabilizer is called the Helicommand. The price is a bit higher but since is uses gyros, an external gyro for the tail is no longer needed saving some money.
Troy