Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Cost of FPV?

So, figured I would compile a list of the current best things for a complete FPV setup (including twin video reciever with diversity switching, head tracking, On Screen Display, and with the new low cost of telemetry tracking). This doesn't include S&H or a bunch of the small cables and costs there, or backup/replacement servos, props, multiple batteries, a camcorder to record your flights, etc. This sets up with 900MHz as the basis for Video transmission and 72MHz R/C control (other option is 2.5GHz, but this attenuates faster, so distance is reduced for both video and control). This is also based on an Easy Star plane, but cost is similar for other platforms, like a funjet (actually goes up about $100 for twinstar for multiple motors/esc or the easy glider). So, here it goes (oh, and the final bill is right around the $2000 mark, minimum):

Monday, December 28, 2009

Return of the EZ*

Wow...been trying like hell to find a replacement Multiplex EasyStar Kit. They've been back ordered for around 6 months now. Finally found a place in Utah that had them in stock for $60 each, plus S&H, so ordered 2. Merry Christmas to me. ;) Can't wait to get them here to begin some of the mods I had planned (like carving out the inside and putting the servos in the tail to balance out all the stuff I have in the nose for FPV as well as a heavier battery. Probably will just use the existing wings that I have already with the aileron's already in place. Need to decide if I cut out a hatch into the mid-section where the servos use to go, from the bottom to put the electronics all in there. Feels like it would work out better than trying to cram them all in the main compartment, which always made the camera pod not want to fit on very well (and part of the problem the resulted in the crash).