Draganfly Draganflyer SAVS Installation instructions manual

1

WARNINGS
The Draganflyer helicopter is not a toy. This is a precision machine that is vulnerable to misuse
and can prove to be dangerous if not properly maintained or used in an inappropriate manor.
Throughout this manual, look for this symbol, which will be used to remind you about safe
operating procedures.
Helicopters by their nature are not positively stable. Even if assembled and adjusted properly the Dra-
ganflyer will not hold a particular position without constant corrections from the operator and will not
automatically recover from an unwanted attitude without intervention. Please completely read and un-
derstand all instructional information before attempting to fly the Draganflyer.
To provide optimum performance, your Draganflyer is powered by a Lithium Polymer battery. The same
properties that make these batteries extremely powerful and lightweight also make them dangerous if
handled incorrectly. Please read and understand all information pertaining to the battery before
attempting to use or charge it.
IF MISUSED THIS AIRCRAFT IS CAPABLE OF CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY HARM TO
THE OPERATOR AND SPECTATORS AS WELL AS PROPERTY DAMAGE. ANY DAMAGE
OR INJURY OCCURRING DUE TO MISUSE OF THIS PRODUCT IS SOLELY THE OPERA-
TOR’S RESPONSIBILITY.
WARNING! THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS CHEMICALS WHICH ARE KNOWN BY THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER, BIRTH DEFECTS AND/OR OTHER RE-
PRODUCTIVE HARM. Many common materials such as metals, plastics, glues, lubricants and other
coatings contain chemicals in varying amount and concentrations which will cause harm if introduced
into the human body. For further information on toxic or dangerous chemicals please refer to Califor-
nia’s health and safety codes sections 25249.5-13
2

The Dragan!yer SAVS
Congratulations on your purchase of the new
Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System
(SAVS). Following these instructions can help
you rapidly add aerial video to your list of val-
ued production services.
CONTENTS
The Essentials
Safety First - Page 3
The Simulator - Page 3
Pre-flight - The Helicopter - Page 4
Pre-flight - Flying Conditions - Page 4
First Flights - Page 5
The Details
Safety Precautions - Page 7
Battery System Care - Page 8
The Camera System - Page 9
Videography Tips - Page 13
Flight Controls - Page 14
Flight Training - Page 14
Pre-flight Checks - Page 18
Thermal Intelligence - Page 19
Maintenance - Page 20
Troubleshooting - Page 21
Ordering Parts
& Accessories - Page 26
The Essentials
Safety First - Always A Priority
Used correctly, the Dragan!yer SAVS will provide
excellent aerial video production. Used incorrectly,
however, it can result in bodily harm to you or others
and can also cause signi"cant property damage.
• Don#t !y over or close to crowds or close to yourself.
• Using incorrect start$up or shut$down procedures can cause
sudden uncontrolled start$up and increases the risk of injury.
• Maintain the Dragan!yer as recommended in this manual.
• Fly only under acceptable weather and "eld conditions.
• Carefully follow instructions for use and care of the Lithium
Polymer batteries.
• Read the complete safety section in %The Details.&
The Simulator - Fly More, Crash Less
If you are an experienced radio control helicopter pilot, you can
lift the Dragan!yer SAVS out of the box and begin !ying. If
not, you will need to learn piloting skills. Dragan!y Innova$
tions has created a great tool to help. Included with this pack$
age is the Dragan!yer Simulator program for your PC. Your
learning time to move from beginner to expert will be much
shorter and a lot less frustrating if you will spend a couple of
hours with this program. The simulator manual contains setup
instructions plus four valuable lessons to get you started.
3

Pre$!ight $The Helicopter
Check the packing list enclosed with your Dragan!yer to ensure that you have received all of the
necessary components and that none are broken or damaged. If anything is amiss, immediately
contact Dragan!y Innovations.
Your Dragan!yer was fully assembled and test !own before being packed and shipped to you. For
this reason, it is possible to take it right out of the box and begin !ying. We don#t recommend that
unless you are an experienced radio control helicopter pilot.
Instead, we recommend a little dis$assembly before you begin !ying. Because an inadvertent crash
could damage or destroy your camera system, we recommend taking it o'the helicopter until you
have enough experience to be con"dent in your !ying ability. Here#s what you need to do:
• Remove the four nuts holding the printed circuit board
base plate to the vertical risers.
• Disconnect the board from the camera.
• Loosen the camera mounting screws and remove the
camera.
• Replace the printed circuit board base plate with the
carbon "ber base plate. Replace camera mounting
screws.
• Check to make sure all bolts and nuts are tightened.
The transmitter for the helicopter has a detachable antenna and it needs to be installed before !y$
ing. The silver adaptor on the antenna twists onto the adaptor on the transmitter. When in place
you will be able to feel and see it lock in place.
As with most gear of this type, you will need to charge the batteries for the helicopter and the
transmitter. Please refer to the %Battery&section in Details for instructions. Initial charging time 16
hours for the transmitter and 1.5 hours for the helicopter, so this is a good time to carefully read
through this manual as well as installing and using the simulator program to begin the learning
process.
Preflight - Flying Conditions
As you learn to !y the Dragon!yer SAVS and capture aerial video, you should pay close attention
to !ying conditions. Perhaps the most ideal location for your initial !ights is a large !at open "eld
with no nearby obstructions. It would be great if at least a portion of the "eld is covered in tall
grass. This type of location is more forgiving of those inevitable bumps you may experience during
your "rst !ights. Before your "rst !ight, walk around the area to make sure there are no hidden ob$
stacles, potholes or debris that might ruin your day.
Paying attention to weather conditions is important. Because of its size, the Dragan!yer SAVS can
be signi"cantly a'ected by wind. You can learn best by !ying in little or no wind. Also, because
the electronics on the helicopter are extremely sensitive to moisture, it should never be !own out$
doors in rainy weather.
4

First Flights
If you can answer yes to the following checklist questions, then you are ready for your "rst !ight:
(Have you checked that you have all the components of your system?
(Have you completed simulator training, including the four practice lessons?
(Have you charged both the transmitter and helicopter batteries?
(Have you chosen an appropriate !ying location based on our recommendations?
(Have you removed and carefully stored the video system?
On The Field
Caution: The fo!owing start-up sequence is mandatory. Failure to fo!ow these steps can
result the the Draganflyer powering up suddenly and uncontro!ably. This can injure you
and damage the Draganflyer.
• Make sure the antenna is locked in place and extend it to its full length. Failure to do this can result in poor
reception and problems when !ying. Make sure the throttle control is at its lowest level.
• Turn the transmitter %On.&
• Set the transmitter !ight mode switch to the %Training Position.&Read the Details section to understand
what this switch does.
• You have two other modes of !ight for the Dragan!yer: with Thermal Intelligence %On&or with it %O'.&
For your "rst training !ights we recommend that the Thermal Intelligence switch be turned %O'.&This in$
volves both turning the Thermal Intelligence transmitter switch %O'& and using the arming sequence shown
below.
• Install and connect the Dragan!yer#s battery. Turn the Dragan!yer power switch %On.&
• Advance the throttle on the transmitter and observe the red light on top of the Dragan!yer. It should con$
"rm that the transmitter and Dragan!yer are communicating properly by blinking more rapidly as the
throttle is advanced and more slowly as the throttle is reduced. Return the throttle to its lowest setting.
• The next step is %arming&the helicopter with one of the sequences below:
(Thermal Intelligence O'( ( ( Thermal Intelligence On
5
Set the Thermal Intelligence switch on the transmit$
ter to %O'.&
Holding the helicopter on the ground, reach into the
canopy with a "nger and press the %arming button.&
The red light on top of the )copter will now blink
more slowly.
Set the Thermal Intelligence switch on the transmitter
to %On&
Hold the helicopter at arms length, base plate facing you,
LED#s facing up, while standing in a grassy area rather
than on concrete or asphalt.
Check to see that either one or two of the green LED#s
are lighted.
Reach into the canopy with a "nger and press the %arm$
ing button.&
The red light on top of the )copter will blink more slowly.

• Teach the Dragan!yer what level is. Place the helicopter on a level surface. Stand in front of it 10$15 feet
away and hold the left control stick full down and right for a couple of seconds. The two green LED#s will
blink to con"rm that the level position has been saved.
• The Dragan!yer is now ready to !y.
During the arming sequence, always be prepared for the motors to turn on! If they do
come on, the fact that you are carefu!y holding the helicopter wi!prevent injury or dam-
age. If you can’t throttle the motors back, turn the helicopter power switch “Off,”discon-
nect the battery. If review of the Troubleshooting Section of this manual does not identify
the problem, contact Draganfly Innovations.
• Throttle up and make your trim adjustments. It#s better to move to a hard surface to do this so you can ob$
serve the helicopters movements without lifting o'. The more time and care you take in setting the trim the
more likely that the helicopter will lift o'into a stable hover. Keep in mind that the trim adjustments may
interact. That is, when you trim out yaw movement, it may cause a previous adjustment to worsen. These are
very subtile e'ects and it is easy to over correct. With experience and !ight hours, this process will get eas$
ier. The goal of this step is for the Dragan!yer to lift straight up and not drift signi"cantly in any direction.
• Use your experience with the simulator to guide your "rst !ights. On the initial !ights get a feel for the
controls. Develop an understanding of what the helicopter is doing and how you should react. By not using
Thermal Intelligence, the helicopter will be reacting only to your manipulation of the controls. However, use
of Training mode position will make the helicopter react more gently to your movement of the controls. Af$
ter the experience of several !ights, you can move to the Active mode position and get a feel for more in$
stant reactions to your use of the controls.
• On a fully charged battery, the Dragan!yer will stay airborne for about 13 to 15 minutes. As the battery
nears discharge, the Dragan!yer will automatically begin to reduce its power consumption. You will notice
that it will take increases in throttle to keep the aircraft at a given altitude. When you notice this, prepare
for landing immediately while you still have su*cient control.
• At the end of your !ight, this shut down procedure MUST be followed exactly.
Caution: The fo!owing end-of-flight sequence is mandatory. Failure to fo!ow these steps
can result the the Draganflyer powering up suddenly and uncontro!ably. This can injure
you or others and damage the Draganflyer.
• Turn the Dragan!yer power switch %O'.&
• Disconnect the Dragan!yer#s battery.
• Turn the Transmitter power switch %O'.&
6

Details
We gave you the essentials first because we know
the last thing you want to do is spend time reading
through a long boring manual. But as you become
familiar with the Draganflyer, we know you will want
to know more details about its operation and care.
CONTENTS
The Essentials
Safety First - Page 3
The Simulator - Page 3
Pre-flight - The Helicopter - Page 4
Pre-flight - Flying Conditions - Page 4
First Flights - Page 5
The Details
Safety Precautions - Page 7
Battery System Care - Page 8
The Camera System - Page 9
Videography Tips - Page 13
Flight Controls - Page 14
Flight Training - Page 14
Pre-flight Checks - Page 18
Thermal Intelligence - Page 19
Maintenance - Page 20
Troubleshooting - Page 21
Ordering Parts
& Accessories - Page 26
Safety Precautions
Always turn the Dragan!yer o'before turning o'the transmit$
ter. Failure to do so could cause the Dragan!yer to become air$
borne and out of control resulting in injury or damage. We can$
not stress this enough!
Do not !y multiple Dragan!yers simultaneously on the same
frequency as they will interfere with each other and cause a
crash.
Do not !y outside on rainy or windy days or at night.
Do not !y near people on the ground or objects in the air.
Do not !y near high tension lines, electrical substations, high
structures or communication facilities.
If you place the transmitter on the ground during !ight prepa$
rations, be sure that the wind cannot knock it over as this may
cause serious damage.
Never !y this aircraft where damage to property or injury to
persons may result if loss of control occurs.
Never leave the Dragan!yer unattended with the battery con$
nected to it. Always disconnect the battery when not !ying.
Always be sure to either enable or disable the Thermal Intelli$
gence before each !ight.
Thermal Intelligence should only be enabled for outdoor use.
7

Battery System Care
Your Draganflyer helicopter kit comes with a digital peak, lithium polymer and NiCad battery charger.
There are two components to this charger, one is the yellow charger itself and the other is a power adap-
tor that plugs into a 110 volt wall outlet. To fully charge the Lithium Polymer battery for the Draganflyer
it will take between 1 and 2 hours, once completed the charger will turn off. The NiCad battery pack in
the radio transmitter will take between 14 and 16 hours for a full charge, the charger will not turn off
once the battery is charged.
The NiCad battery pack in the transmitter does exhibit “memory.” For this reason it is important to use
the battery until it is reaches about 9.6 volts before recharging.
BEFORE CHARGING PLEASE UNDERSTAND ALL BATTERY SAFETY INFORMATION
Charging Procedure:
• Always charge your batteries on a non flammable surface and ensure the there are no flammable ob-
jects in the near area.
• Connect the AC power adaptor to the AC wall plug and the power input on yellow charger. The green
light on the charger will blink to indicate that it is properly connected.
• To charge the Lithium Polymer battery simply connect it to the charging lead coming from the
charger. When connected, the green light will stay on. Once completely charged, the green light will turn
off.
• To charge the transmitter battery, connect the round charging lead to the charging jack on the side of
the transmitter. When properly connected, the yellow light will turn on. Charging takes 14 to 16 hours
for a full charge. Note the start time because the yellow light does not go off when charging is conplete.
• Do not leave the transmitter on charge for extended periods of time (more than 2 days) as the battery
may become over charged and damaged. In extreme cases this may cause a fire.
• To charge a second Lithium Polymer battery, disconnect the AC power adaptor from the charger for 10
seconds to allow the charger to reset. Reconnect the power adaptor to the charger then connect the bat-
tery.
• When the charger is not in use, be sure to disconnect the power adaptor from the charger and the wall
outlet.
Both the Lithium Polymer battery and transmitter battery can be charged at the same time.
You may notice that the charger and battery become warm during charging, this is normal. However, if
the either the battery or charger become to hot to comfortably hold discontinue charging immediately. To
help prevent the battery from overheating during charging or in flight, allow the battery to cool down
before using or charging. This will not only get you better flight performance but also longer battery life.
Never leave charging batteries unattended.
8

The Camera System
Your Draganfly Eyecam SAVS comes with the components listed below. Please check the package con-
tents against the list and if you feel that any items are missing please contact Draganfly Innovations be-
fore use.
1 – 1/3 inch CCD camera with white balance
1 – Anti-vibration camera mount
1 – Baseplate 2.4 GHz transmitter circuit
1 – Clear protector plate
1 – 3 pin power lead
4 – Nylon vertical riser extensions
Base Station including:
1 – Diversity 2.4 GHz receiver
2 – Circular patch antennas
1 – 3 cell 1320mAh battery for receiver power
1 – Video cable
1 – Voltage cutoff (9 volt)
•The Eyecam SAVS transmits video only.
•The Eyecam SAVS has been pre-installed and test flown. However, unless you are an experienced
helicopter pilot, you should first fly the helicopter without the camera until you are confident of your
skill.
•Best video results are achieved when there is a clear “line of sight” between the Eyecam SAVS trans-
mitter and the receiver.
•Don’t fly close to obstacles such as trees, walls, cars, buildings.
•Interference from certain electronic equipment can limit the range and quality of video.
•For best reception position the antennas of the receiver 1.5 to 2 meters above the ground, pointed in
the direction of the Draganflyer.
•Do not touch the antennas when in use as this will cause interference.
•The Eyecam SAVS does not come with a viewing or recording device. You must provide this.
Precautions
To avoid the risk of damage to the Eyecam SAVS, use only the supplied power connectors.
Do not place any components near a source of heat as this may cause the equipment to overheat.
Avoid humid conditions as condensation may form inside the camera and cause damage. If the camera
system appears to be wet or condensation occurs, discontinue use until the camera system has com-
pletely dried.
Never paint or attach metallic stickers of any kind to any of the components in the camera system.
Do not operate the Eyecam SAVS in temperatures exceeding 104 degrees F (40 degrees C) or below 14
degrees F (-10 degrees C)
9

Uninstalling/Installing the SAVS Camera System
Your Draganflyer SAVS comes complete with the Eyecam SAVS pre-installed. However, for training
purposes we recommend that you remove the camera system. Once you are comfortable flying the Dra-
ganflyer you can easily mount the camera using the following steps.
•Remove the 4 nylon acorn nuts and carbon fiber base plate from the vertical risers
•Remove the left and rear bolts from the center cross piece.
•Slide the center pivot of the camera mount through the motion limiter ring and position it so the brass
eyelets are in the left and rear bolt holes of the center cross piece.
•Install and tighten the left and rear center cross piece bolts, do not over tighten
•Install the base plate circuit board onto the four vertical risers with the populated side of the board on
the bottom of the helicopter. The velcro for the battery should be facing up between the left and rear
motors
•Thread the nylon vertical riser extensions onto the bottom of the vertical risers securing the baseplate
circuit board in place.
•Install the clear protector plate and four acorn nuts onto the vertical riser extensions.
•Locate the video camera connector and plug it into the 4 pin connector on the right side of the base-
plate circuit board
•Connect the power cable into the 3 pin connector on the right side of the main circuit board and also
the 3 pin connector on the right side of the base plate connector.
•
White balance
Your Eyecam SAVS is equipped with a manual white balance. This is a feature helps ensure the quality
of color stays true and does not fluctuate when there are changes in light levels. To activate the white
balance on the camera system follow these steps:
•Locate the white balance switch on the camera enclosure an insure it is in the “Off” position.
•Go through helicopter start up procedures, the camera system will now be “On” and transmitting a
signal.
•Position a white sheet of paper in front of the camera and turn on the white balance, wait a few sec-
onds before removing the paper.
The white balance is now activated and your colors will stay consistent.
10

Eyecam SAVS Technical Specifications
Video Camera:
Effective Picture Element: 1/3" High Resolution CCD 768(H)x494(V) Horizontal
Resolution: 480 Lines
Sync System: Internal
Minimum Illumination: 0.5 Lux @F1.2, 50 IRE
Gamma: 0.44
White Balance: manual or full auto
Electronic Shutter: 1/60 to 1/100,000 sec
Operating Temperature: 14°F to 113°F (-20°C to 45°)
Power Supply: 12 volts DC
Dimensions (L x W x D): 1.28” x 1.28” x 1.04” (32 mm x 32 mm x 20 mm)
Lens size: 4 mm
Diagonal field of view: 80 degrees
Horizontal field of view: 62 degrees
Vertical field of view: 48.5 degrees
Camera transmitter:
Operating frequency: 2.410 GHz
2.430 GHz
2.450 GHz
2.470 GHz
Power consumption: 5 volts DC
Transmission range: 1500 feet
Transmission Power: 50mW
Operating temperature: 14 to 104 degrees F (-10 to 40 degrees C)
Operating humidity: 20 to 80 %
Diversity Receiver:
- Switches between two individual receivers to get clearest signal
- Operates on both NTSC and PAL
Operating frequency: 2.410 GHz
2.430 GHz
2.450 GHz
2.270 GHz
Power consumption: 600 mA at 12 volts DC
Operating temperature: 14 to 104 degrees F (-10 to 40 degrees C)
Operating humidity: 20 to 80 %
Receiver sensitivity: - 83 dBm
Switching time: < 2 ms
Processor speed: 20 MHz
Video output: standard composite, 1 volt peak to peak
Antenna connections: SMA style
11

Dimensions(L x W x H): 5.4” x 7.2” x 1.6” (13.5cm x 18.0 cm x 4.0 cm)
Reciever patch antenna:
-right and left circular polarized
Operating Frequency: 2.4 to 2.5 GHz
Gain: 8 dBi
Horizontal beam width: 65 degrees
Vertical beam width: 65 degrees
Impedance: 50 Ohm
Operating temperatures: -40 to 85 C
Dimensions(L x W x H) 4.5 x 4.5 x 0.9 (114 x 114x 23mm)
Radome material: UV- inhibited Polymer
Receiver connections: SMA style
12

Videography Tips
Creating great video with the Draganflyer is much like creating great video with any other tool. Every
type of shot, be it a boom shot or dolly shot, requires skill and practice.
So, the first step to good video is to become an experienced pilot. The fastest way to do this is to start by
using the Draganflyer simulator program. A couple of hours practice using the simulator will make you
comfortable with the controls. Next move to the Draganflyer with the camera system removed.
After you are confident flying the Draganflyer without the camera system, add it back to the assembly.
• Plan your shots carefully taking into consideration the locale and current conditions. Wind is not your
friend. You can fly if there is light wind but it will add a significant level of difficulty.
• Consider lighting as you would any other shot. Shoot with the sun behind you unless you are trying to
develop a dramatic backlighted scene.
• While you can fly and shoot alone, it is better to have someone watching the incoming video and giv-
ing you directions. Flying is hard enough without trying to watch a monitor at the same time.
• To begin a “take,” start the Draganflyer moving ten to twenty feet (or more) before the action starts
you want to use in your shot. This will allow you to stabilize the helicopter and achieve a smooth mo-
tion.
• Fly past the action for five to ten seconds in order to have enough video to dissolve or cut out of the
shot.
• Plan several takes varying your speed and other movements. This will give you more choices when
you edit.
• Try different motion approaches. Remember that rising vertically is more easily controlled than de-
scending.
• In stable hover, use the yaw control (left stick) to create a slow circular pan.
• Combine movements like lifting off while using yaw to create interesting new perspectives.
Once you are confident in your ability to make the Draganflyer go where you want it to go the sky is no
longer the limit. Be safe, have fun and create awesome video.
13

Flight Controls and Flight Training
The flight controls used on the Draganflyer operate independently of one another and effect the helicop-
ter in different ways. In order successfully fly the Draganflyer, all of the controls will need to be used
simultaneously. However, we will first review their individual functions and effects. They are fairly sim-
ple and can be easily learned with practice.
Roll (Left/Right)
The right control stick, when moved left and right control the left and right motion of the helicopter,
called Roll. When the right control stick is moved to the right, the Draganflyer will tilt to the right.
When the right controls stick is moved to the left, the Draganflyer will tilt to the left.
Pitch (Forward/Backward)
Moving the right control stick forward and backward will make the helicopter fly forward or backward.
When the stick, also called the elevator stick is pulled back, the Draganflyer will move backward. When
the elevator stick is pushed forward, the helicopter will move forward.
Throttle Operation (Power Control - Ascend/Descend)
The Draganflyers throttle is controlled by moving the left control stick forward and backward. When the
control stick is pushed forward, all of the motors will increase in speed causing the helicopter to climb.
Pulling the control stick backward will decrease the speed of all of the motors and the Draganflyer will
descend.
Rudder Operation (Rotating Clockwise/Counterclockwise - Yaw)
The rudder control or yaw, as it is commonly called, will make the Draganflyer rotate or spin while re-
maining at the same height above the ground. This motion is controlled by moving the left control stick
to the left and right. By moving the control stick to the left the Draganflyer will spin (yaw) to the left or
counterclockwise. Moving the control stick to the right will make the Draganflyer spin (yaw) right or
clockwise.
The Draganflyer is also programmed to have two separate flying modes, “training/video” and “active”
both of which have different characteristics. The training/video mode will have less responsive controls
making the flight smoother and less aggressive. When on active mode the Draganflyer is far more re-
sponsive and agile allowing for more aggressive maneuvering. Switching between these two flight
modes is accomplished with a toggle switch located on the top right corner of the transmitter.
The Thermal intelligence feature on the Draganflyer is controlled by the toggle switch on the top left of
the transmitter. This switch will be labeled “thermal intelligence on / off”.
The following pages provide a series of practice lessons.
14

Lesson 1: Familiarization and trimming:
Start with the Draganflyer on a smooth, flat surface such as a paved driveway, patio or linoleum floor.
Slowly increase the throttle until the Draganflyer just starts to get light and slightly comes off the
ground, do not increase the throttle any further at this point. Move the pitch(right stick, up/down motion)
to observe its effect on the helicopter.
Repeat this will the roll(right stick, left/right motion), and yaw(left stick, left/right motion) controls one
at a time. By using all of the controls try your best to keep the Draganflyer in on stationary position. The
Draganflyer will probably want to wander off on its own in one or more directions. This is what the trim
tabs on the transmitter are for. These trim tabs should be moved in the opposite direction that your heli-
copter is wandering.
For example, if the Draganflyer want to scoot to the right you would need to apply left roll trim. When
inputing trim corrections only use very small amounts and observe the effect. In most cases the Dragan-
flyer will be wandering in more than one direction. Start by correcting for the worst noticeable move-
ment then move onto the next one. You should become comfortable with trimming the helicopter as it
may need to be done after a crash or rough landing. Once all of the trims are adjusted correctly you can
move onto the next lesson
Lesson 2: Basic hovering
In this lesson, we will lift the Draganflyer off of the ground a small distance and practice hovering in
one spot. For this lesson it is best to fly over a flat, smooth surface again. Stay less than one foot above
the ground, this will greatly lessen the chances of a crash. Remember that if you get disoriented or loose
control simply reduce the throttle to minimum immediately. Trimming the Draganflyer is very important
and must be done each flight so that it does not wander off on it’s own. For safety, stand about 15-20 feet
away from the Draganflyer , slowly increase the throttle until it begins to lift off from the ground.
Use gentle, smooth movements of the pitch, roll and yaw controls to keep the helicopter on a stable,
level position. It is important that you use the yaw control (left stick left and right) to keep the front of
the Draganflyer pointed away from yourself. At this point do not worry about maintaining a perfect
hover, just concentrate on keeping the Draganflyer level and within an imaginary 10 foot by 10 foot
square. If the helicopter start to oscillate back and forth simply reduce the power to land and start again.
Learning to hover is the most difficult part of flying a radio control helicopter so it is ok if it take a
while.
Remember to take a break every 5-10 minutes to allow the Draganflyer’s battery and motors to cool
down and to give your thumbs(and brain) a rest. Once you are able to comfortably maintaining hover
for 1–2 minutes you can increase the throttle to allow the Draganflyer to climb up to waist or stomach
height (For safety reasons, you should never fly at or near eye level). At this altitude, control will actu-
ally be easier, and you can practice tightening up that imaginary square until you can maintain a steady
hover.
To descend for landing, decrease the throttle a small amount (2-3 “clicks” on the throttle stick) and allow
the Draganflyer to gently settle to the ground. Keep practicing hovering as it is a requirement before be-
15

ing able to take off and land, as well as perform many other maneuvers. Most people will take 1-2 hours
of practice to be able to hover steadily, so don’t get discouraged if you do not pick up the skill immedi-
ately.
Lesson 3: Movements
This time, we will learn to move the Draganflyer around in a hover. This will teach you how to transition
from a hover to moving flight and back again. Prepare the Draganflyer using the same checklist and
trimming technique we have used in previous lessons. For this lesson you should also select a location
where you can take off and land on a smooth surface and fly over a grassy area. The edge of your drive-
way or patio would be well suited for this if the area is free of obstructions. If you are comfortable
enough, you can begin this lesson by taking off closer to yourself (5 feet would be a minimum safe dis-
tance). This will allow you to keep the Draganflyer over the grassy area for the duration of the flight.
Lift 2-3 feet off the ground and gently push forward on the pitch control momentarily to move a safe dis-
tance away from yourself. Return the pitch control to neutral once forward movement has begun. Pull
back gently to cause the Draganflyer to decelerate and then attempt to establish a hover at the waist/
stomach level. Any time you give a control input to the Draganflyer you will have to give the opposite
control input to level out the helicopter. So if you input forward pitch the helicopter will continue flying
forwards until you give it an equal backwards pitch input. Now, imagine a large square drawn on the
ground in front of you.
Using very gentle movements at first, and keeping the front of the Draganlfyer away from yourself at all
times, try to fly from one corner of the square to another along the edges. Allow a slight delay after your
control input for the Draganflyer to accelerate/decelerate. As you make changes to the pitch and roll
controls you may need to adjust the throttle to maintain a steady altitude.
It is better to lose a small amount of altitude than to apply too much throttle and have the Draganflyer
climb out of your control, so be gentle on any throttle adjustments. Use appropriate pitch/roll control
inputs to decelerate as you approach the corners of the imaginary square. Once you are comfortable fly-
ing front, back, left, or right, try combining the pitch and roll to fly diagonally across the imaginary
square. As you practice, slowly start adding more control inputs to increase the speed of the movements
until you can fly around that imaginary square at a comfortable walking pace.
As always, remember to take a break every 5-10 minutes. If you choose to land in the grass ensure that
the throttle is reduced to the lowest possible setting once on the ground to avoid stalling a motor. Take-
offs from grass are not recommended as the blades of grass can be hard on the rotors and drive train.
Lesson 4: Orientation
The object of this lesson will be to teach you to control the Draganflyer in orientations other than “nose-
out” (front of the helicopter pointing away). Take off with the Draganflyer and establish a stable hover,
keep the helicopter fairly low to the ground as it is likely that you will lose control at least once during
this lesson.
Start by using the yaw control to slowly rotate the Draganflyer from left to right and back again (do not
rotate further than 10-15 degrees initially). Once you are comfortable spinning the Draganflyer, start ro-
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tating further until you have spun it 90 degrees from the starting position and maintain a hover with this
orientation. It will help if you turn so you are facing in the same direction as the front of the Draganflyer
and watching it over your shoulder. Remember to take a break every 5-10 minutes.
Once you master hovering the Draganflyer with it turned 90 degrees to yourself, you can think about
beginning to practice “nose-in” flight. To do this, you will be best served to repeat lessons 1, 2, and 3,
but complete all these with the front of the Draganflyer turned towards yourself. The roll and pitch con-
trols will be reversed in this orientation, so don’t rush! Learning to fly “nose-in” will be just like learn-
ing to fly all over again, but don’t get discouraged! Try to practice a few minutes of nose-in each time
you fly the Draganflyer, and continue through the rest of the flying lessons.
Lesson 5: Climbs and Descents
Now you are ready to begin flying the Draganflyer at higher altitudes. The helicopter does not know it
has gone any higher, so the only real factor here your own nerves. Climbing is easy; just add power and
it will smoothly climb out. Reduce the throttle setting to hover, and the climb will stop naturally (Re-
member, small movements are essential). Descending is more difficult, because the Draganflyer forces
air downwards to generate the lift it needs to fly(this is called downwash), as you descend vertically, you
will pass into air that is moving downwards, causing the helicopter to accelerate as it descends. To
counter this, you can either begin the descent and then add small amounts of power as necessary to off-
set the downwards acceleration, or you can descend while
moving the Draganflyer forwards, backwards, left, or right. Descending in this manner will allow you to
fly outside of the downwash the helicopter generates. Set up for this lesson by first making sure your
batteries are fully charged(because you will now be flying higher above the ground, the risk is greater if
the batteries die unexpectedly).
Stand well away, as you will be passing through your eye level, and make sure any spectators are also a
safe distance away. Start by establishing a hover, then add power to climb to just above your head. Re-
duce power to stop the climb, settle back into a hover, then slowly descend. Keep the front of the Dra-
ganflyer away from you at all times. Repeat this process until you can climb and descend comfortably.
Now you can begin climbing higher and faster, however keep in mind that the higher you fly, the greater
the risk of causing damage in a crash. As well, you should keep the remaining power in the battery in
mind, as you will be drawing more power from the flight battery by climbing repeatedly.
CONGRATULATIONS. You have now learned to fly the Draganflyer. The abilities to transition from a
hover to a climb or sideways movement while maintaining directional control are the essential skills
needed to fly. You should now be able to take off, land, and fly around at will. Keep practicing, you will
soon be flying just like the professional pilots in our videos!
There are two additional lessons that will teach you to control the Draganflyer while in forward flight.
These are advanced topics, and you should be very comfortable with flying around rapidly, climbing,
and descending before you attempt either of these. You may also want to go back over the previous les-
sons except with the helicopter in “active” mode rather than “training/video” mode.
Lesson 6: Introduction to Forward Flight
Anytime the Draganflyer is moving horizontally through the air, it is considered forward flight; this
could be forwards, backwards, left or right. This is an advanced topic, so this lesson will be fairly brief.
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Select a large, open area, away from anything or anybody that the Draganflyer might cause damage to.
Prepare for flight and trim the helicopter. Begin by establishing a hover just above your head and at least
25-30 feet away from yourself.
Turn 90 degrees and start moving forwards. Continue the forward motion, and turn to begin flying in a
circle around yourself. Do not fly around yourself continuously as you may get dizzy; instead fly a few
circles to the left, then to the right, taking breaks often. Try to maintain a constant altitude and to keep
the front of the Draganflyer continuously pointed in the direction of motion. Once you can fly circles
around yourself, try reversing direction as you complete each circle and climbing/descending as you fly.
Lesson 7: Advanced Forward Flight
If you have mastered basic forward flight and nose-in flight, you are truly a master of the Draganflyer.
Flying figure-8s will be the last test. Once you can fly the figure-8 consistently and repeatedly, you are
ready to perform any other advanced maneuvers such as pirouettes, fast forward(and backward!) flight,
rapid climbs and descents, and anything else you can think of. Please remember however, to keep safety
first. It’s no fun when somebody gets hurt.
Pre-flight Checks
Before flying your Draganflyer it is essential to do a preflight check to ensure that your helicopter is in
good flight condition. This list of simple procedures will not only make your flying experience more en-
joyable but could also save you time and money by preventing in-flight failures.
•Ensure that the batteries are fully charged, a weak helicopter battery will result in poor flight perform-
ance and a depleted transmitter battery will lead to bad signal reception and erratic flight characteris-
tics possible even crashes.
•Visually inspect all frame components for damage such as cracks and breaks, any damaged compo-
nents should be replaced before attempting to fly
•Visually inspect all rotor blades to ensure they are free of cracks, as this may cause the rotor to fail in
flight.
•Ensure all rotor mounting bolts are securely tightened, loose rotor mounting bolts may come out dur-
ing flight
•Check the motor alignment to ensure that the motors are pointing directly vertical when the Dragan-
flyer is on a flat level surface.
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Thermal Intelligence
Thermal Intelligence is a technology developed by Draganfly Innovations that makes use of the princi-
ple that the earth and the sky are usually different temperatures. Your helicopter recognizes that differ-
ence and uses the information to help it maintain level flight.
Each time you fly the Draganflyer with the Thermal Intelligence enabled, you must first teach the ther-
mal sensors the difference between the sky and the ground. While outside, hold the Draganflyer by the
base plate with the LED’s facing toward the sky. This orientation will allow the thermal sensors to see
both the ground and sky. The green LED lights will let you know how well the thermal intelligence is
working, if you look at the two lights one of three things will occur. (Always hold the Draganflyer a safe
distance from your face and eyes.) Do not conduct the procedure while standing on asphalt. The heat
radiating from the surface may confuse the thermal sensors.
•If both green lights are illuminated, the Draganflyer is receiving a strong reading between the earth
and the sky so the thermal intelligence will work well.
•If only one green light is illuminated, the Draganflyer is having difficulty telling the difference be-
tween sky and ground. The thermal intelligence will work but the Draganflyer may not be as stable.
•If neither of the green lights are illuminated, the Draganflyer can not tell the difference between sky
and ground and the thermal intelligence will not work. In this situation you should disable the thermal
intelligence before flying. This can be done by simply moving the thermal intelligence switch to the
off position and arming the helicopter as described above.
If one or both of the LED’s are lighted, you can calibrate and arm the helicopter. To calibrate simply
press and hold the arming button for 3 seconds while the front of the draganflyer is pointed directly ver-
tical.
Be sure to hold the Draganflyer by the baseplate so the sensors do not get confused by your body heat.
To improve the accuracy of the Draganflyers self-leveling it is important to teach it where level is. Place
the Draganflyer on a level surface stand back about 10-15 feet and hold the left control stick full down
and right. The red light on top of the circuit board will stop blinking blink to confirm that the level posi-
tion has been saved.
NOTE: You will have to re-trim your Draganflyer when you disable or enable the thermal intelligence.
Keep in mind that the Thermal Intelligence system can be confused if you fly through changing tem-
perature conditions. For instance if you fly into a cool shady area from bright sunlight or fly from a
grassy area over water or hot pavement. If you need to make these maneuvers, be prepared to disable
Thermal Intelligence in flight and continue your flight manually. That’s why it is important to learn and
practice flying the Draganflyer without Thermal Intelligence. You will greatly expand the conditions in
which you can fly if you become an experienced pilot in both modes.
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Draganflyer Maintenance
Unlike a traditional helicopter, the Dragan!yer requires very little maintenance, however there are
some simple tasks which must be performed on a regular basis. Prior to each !ight, you should
check the following:
•Insure the rotor screws have not loosened.
•Check the alignment of the rotor blades, by making sure the motors are directly vertical when
the Dragan!yer is on a !at surface. +This step is especially important after a crash,
•Check the rotor blades for chips and cracks. Small chips on the leading edge can be smoothed out
using 150 grit sandpaper. Cracked or damaged rotor blades should be replaced immediately to
avoid in$!ight failure.
•Inspect the helicopter frame for cracks in the nylon components or carbon$"ber tubes, any dam$
aged parts must be replaced before !ying again. Twist each motor mount from side to side. If the
mount is cracked, the nylon will separate +typically where the mount clamps to the carbon$"ber
tube,. If you are able to easily twist the mount assembly 90 degrees from vertical and the assem$
bly has a )spongy#feel to it, it is very likely you have a cracked carbon$"ber tube.
•Extend the transmitter antenna fully and inspect it for serious bends or cracks. Make sure the an$
tenna is screwed completely into the transmitter base. Over time and with use it can become
loose.
•Check the circuit board to ensure it is "rmly retained in the vertical risers and that there is no
visible damage on it.
On a regular basis +every 1$3 hours of !ight time,you should perform the following additional tasks:
•Re$tighten all of the allen$head bolts in the frame +Be careful not to over$tighten!,as well as the
screws retaining the motors in their mounts and the acorn nuts on the carbon$"ber base plate.
•Check the position of the magnets in the motors. Sometime in hard landing or crashes the mag$
nets in the motors can %fall&down out of place. If a magnet is covering the vents on the motor
simply push it upwards with a !athead screwdriver.
•Clean any dirt that may have collected on or in the helicopter components. Any dirt accumulated
on the circuit board can be cleaned by using a tooth brush. To clean out the motors you can
spray them with compressed air or electric motor cleaner.
•The four thermal sensors on the top of the circuit board will also need to be cleaned occasionally.
This can be done with isopropyl alcohol and a qtip or cotton ball.
This regular maintenance is a very important factor in you Dragan!yer#s performance, failure to
perform these basic requirements may result in erratic performance in and in$!ight failure of com$
ponents.
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