Draganfly DraganFlyer V Ti User manual

INVENTING THE FUTURE OF RADIO CONTROLLED FLIGHT
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CAUTION: ELECTRICALLY OPERATED PRODUCT:
NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN UNDER 14 YEARS OF AGE.
AS WITH ALL ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS, PRECAUTIONS SHOULD
BE OBSERVED DURING HANDLING AND USE TO PREVENT
ELECTRIC SHOCK.
IMPORTANT
BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THIS FLYING DEVICE, ALL
PILOTS MUST CAREFULLY READ AND UNDERSTAND INSTRUCTIONS
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How the Draganflyer FliesWarning!
THE Draganflyer V Ti IS NOT A TOY. IT IS A FLYING MACHINE CAPABLE OF CAUS-
ING PROPERTY DAMAGE AND BODILY HARM TO THE OPERATOR AND SPECTA-
TORS IF NOT OPERATED RESPONSIBLY.
Helicopters, by their nature, are not positively stable. Even if assembled and adjusted properly,
the Draganflyer V Ti will not hold a particular position without constant corrections from the oper-
ator, and will not automatically recover from an unwanted attitude without intervention.
High capacity rechargeable batteries such as the Lithium-Polymer flight batteries used by the
Draganflyer V Ti are capable of causing a fire if not treated correctly. Proper handling techniques
and precautions must be taken in order to avoid creating a hazardous situation. READ AND
UNDERSTAND THE BATTERY SAFETY INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS
MANUAL BEFOREYOUATTEMPT TO CHARGE OR USE THE SUPPLIED BATTERIES.
WARNING! THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS CHEMICALS WHICH ARE KNOWN BY THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER, BIRTH DEFECTS AND/OR OTHER
REPRODUCTIVE HARM. Many common materials, such as metals, plastics, glues, lubricants
and coatings contain chemicals in varying amounts and concentrations which will cause harm if
introduced into the human body. For further information on toxic or dangerous chemicals, please
refer to California’s health and safety codes sections 25249.5-13.
Table of Contents
Warnings......................................................................................................2
Safety Information ......................................................................................3
Component List............................................................................................4
Introduction..................................................................................................4
Detailed Components ..............................................................................5, 6
Assembly................................................................................................6 - 8
Familiarization......................................................................................9 - 10
Transmitter ................................................................................................11
Flight Controls....................................................................................11 - 12
Battery Safety ..........................................................................................13
Charging Transmitter and Lithium-Polymer Batteries..............................14
Thermal Intelligence..................................................................................15
How the Draganflyer Flies ..................................................16 - 18, 21 - 22
Assembly Diagram ............................................................................18, 19
Flight Training, Trimming and Maintenance ....................................23 - 31
Optional Eyecam Wireless Video ......................................................32 - 34
Troubleshooting..................................................................................35 - 36
Accessories and Replacement Parts ..........................................................37
Notes..........................................................................................................38
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Important Safety Information
• ALWAYS WEARAPPROPRIATE EYE PROTECTION WHEN OPERATING THE
Draganflyer V Ti. Loose parts or airborne debris ejected from the Draganflyer V Ti
could cause serious injury to the human eye.
• This flying machine is designed for use by people over 14 years of age.
•This instruction manual contains important information and must be kept.
• Do not fly in dangerous situations, including areas where electrical hanging wire exists
or in stairwells.
• Only use the Lithium-Polymer battery supplied with this kit; use of other batteries could
damage the Draganflyer V Ti or the batteries.
• Unplug the Lithium-Polymer battery pack when not in use.
•Never charge batteries unattended.
• The Draganflyer V Ti must not be used if any damage has occurred to the electronics,
blades, or frame.
• Do not expose the DraganflyerV Ti to rain or other liquids.
• Do not fly outdoors if it is raining, snowing, or extremely windy.
• Keep face, eyes, fingers, clothing, etc. clear from propellers.
• Do not attempt to lift objects with the Draganflyer V Ti.
• The Draganflyer V Ti is a precision machine and is vulnerable to misuse and abuse.
Protecting all components is an essential part of maintenance.
• Only use spare parts recommended or supplied by Draganfly Innovations.
• Do not fly over or near bodies of water.
• Do not fly without the canopy installed.
• NEVER FLY OVER OR NEAR PEOPLE. Always keep your DraganflyerV Ti a safe
distance from yourself and others.
• Periodically check the tightness of all bolts, nuts, and screws. Loose parts could cause
the Draganflyer V Ti to crash.
• Replace broken or worn components with original parts only. It is important to locate
and understand the cause of failure (including pilot error) to avoid recurring problems.
• Never modify any part of the rotor system or drive train. Modification could lead to
component failure.
• Keep your Draganflyer V Ti, radio, and related equipment clean and in good repair.
Regular cleaning and maintenance can find and fix potential problems (such as loose or
damaged parts) before they occur.
Check for hidden damage after a crash. Damaged components
could fail spontaneously in flight causing more serious damage.
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Component List
Quantity Description
1 Draganflyer V Ti Circuit Board
1 Draganflyer V Ti Carbon Fiber Frame
1 Carbon Fiber Base Plate
1 Clear Dome Canopy
1 4-Channel Digital Proportional FM Transmitter
1 3-cell 11.1 volt Lithium-Polymer battery.
1 Set of 4 rotors (2 Clockwise and 2 Counter-Clockwise) and Decal Sheet
1 120-voltAC peak charger for Lithium-Polymer battery pack and transmitter
1 Set of Velcro tape for flight battery
Draganflyer V Ti Small Parts Pack for main frame including:
1 5/64” Allen key wrench
4 6/32 Nylon Nut Caps for Carbon Fiber Bottom Plate
12 2-56 x 3/8” Hex Socket cap Bolt for main frame bolts
12 #2-56 3/16” x 1/16” Hexagon Nuts for main frame
8 #4-40 x 3/8” nylon mounting screws for main rotors
1 Instruction Manual(you are holding this now!)
1 Instructional DVD or VHS tape(NTSC only)
2.4 GHz Wireless Colour Video System (optional)
1 Colour Micro Video Camera with transmitter
1 Receiver
1 AC Adapter for Camera
1 AC Adapter for Receiver/Down converter
1 Battery Case
1 A/V Cable
Congratulations on your purchase of a Draganflyer V Ti! We believe it to be the most innova-
tive flying machine available on the radio control market. Please be sure to read the appropriate sec-
tions of this manual thoroughly before you attempt to assemble or fly your Draganflyer V Ti.
The Draganflyer V Ti flies similarly to a radio controlled helicopter. If you are a model
helicopter pilot, you should be up and flying within a few minutes. If you are not familiar with hel-
icopters or are new to R/C, DON'T PANIC. The DraganflyerV Ti is actually much easier to fly than
a traditional helicopter because of the advanced Thermal Intelligence technology. This allows the
Draganflyer V Ti to self-correct when flying outdoors. It is our experience that new pilots tend to
over control the helicopter or just the opposite, they do nothing at all. This is where the Thermal
Intelligence lives; if you get disoriented you can simply allow the Draganflyer to automatically
regain stability. However, please be aware that the gyros and thermal sensors will not fly the
Draganflyer for you, they only provide stabilization. To read more about how this amazing flying
machine works, please read the section “How the Draganflyer Flies”.
Introduction
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Detailed Components Draganflyer V Ti
Lithium Polymer
Battery
Whip antenna
Motor mount
Carbon fiber
frame tube
Main gear
Clockwise rotor
Vertical riser Carbon fiber battery tray
Electric motor
with pinion
gear installed
Main control circuit board
Counter-clockwise rotor
Canopy
Piezo electric gyro
Counter-clockwise (front / rear rotor) Clockwise (left / right rotor)
Detailed Components Charger
AC Wall Adapter
(15-18 volt output)
3 Cell Yellow Lithium Polymer
Charger
Transmitter Connector
(50mA output)
Lithium Polymer Connector
(1300mA output)
Adapter Connector
WARNING! Do not plug into heli-
copter transmitter, only Yellow
Lithium Polymer Charger.
Thermal
Intelligence
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Detailed Components Transmitter
Draganflyer V Ti Assembly
1) Charge the transmitter and the DraganflyerV Ti
battery while you are building your Draganflyer
V-Ti so that they are fully charged for the testing
part of the assembly. Refer to the charging
instructions on Page 13.
2) Unpack and verify that you have all parts against
the components list on Page 4.
Antenna
Throttle trim lever
Throttle / Yaw rudder
stick
Rudder trim lever
Hook for optional neckstrap
Elevator trim lever
Elevator (pitch) /
aileron (roll) stick
Aileron trim lever
On / off switch
Many of the steps involved in assembling the
Draganflyer V Ti have already been performed in
our factory. Every Draganflyer V Ti’s circuit board
has been test flown by experienced pilots. While
assembling the Draganflyer V Ti, you can also
refer to our instructional video and assembly
schematic on Pages 16 & 17.
Carrying handle
Battery Level Indicator.
Two LED display to indicate battery
voltage level. If red LED flashes,
charge batteries
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Draganflyer V Ti Assembly continued
3) Lay out the frame. The front motor arm will
already be inserted into the cross section. The front
vertical riser will also have a colored dot on it. Do
not remove this until after assembly. See photo 7-A
4) Insert the remaining 3 frame arms into the cross
section, ensuring that all frame arms are securely
pushed into the cross section. Note: It may be nec-
essary to pull the wires at the cross section to take
up any slack as the frame arms are inserted into
place. See photo 7-A
5) Screw four 2-56 x 3/8” hex socket cap bolts into
the cross section, attach nuts and tighten frame
arms in place using the supplied 5/64” Allen key
wrench. Note: Do not over-tighten as you will dis-
tort the plastic pieces. The nuts recess into the larg-
er opening of the hole. See photo 7-B
6) Tighten motor mounts using 2-56 x 3/8” allen bolts
and nuts. Ensure that the motors are straight up and
down and pushed all the way into the mount. See
photo 7-C
7) Hold the circuit board over the cross section and
insert the main wire harness plug into the large
connector on the circuit board. Orient the circuit
board’s LED eyeballs towards the front motor.
The front is marked by the red dot on the vertical
riser. If you are still unsure as to which motor is
the front, it has one red and one black wire
attached to it. Note: Be sure the opening of the
center area of the cross section is facing upward
with the harness protruding straight up.
See photo 7-D
8) Slide the vertical risers towards the circuit board
until they capture the edge of the circuit board at
the notches on the circuit board and tighten the
vertical riser using (4) 2-56 x 3/8” Hex Socket
bolts and nuts. See photo 7-E
7-A
7-B
7-E
7-D
7-C Main Wire Harness
pointing upwards
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Draganflyer V Ti Assembly continued
10) Attach decals to the top surface of the blades, mak-
ing sure that the unique color decal goes on the
front blade. The front blade will be one of the 2
counter-clockwise blades. See photo 8-B
11) Install Velcro tape on the battery tray between the
front and rear vertical risers. Install the opposite
side of Velcro on the battery pack, making sure to
put it on the flat side opposite of the battery wire.
See photo 8-C
12) Attach the canopy front first by inserting the verti-
cal risers’nubs into the 3 holes on the side of the
canopy. Note: The rear of canopy is not supported
by the rear vertical risers nub. See photo 8-D
13) Attach the rotors to the black main gears using two
#4-40 x 3/8” nylon mounting screws per rotor. Do
not over-tighten. The front and rear blades are
designed to turn counter-clockwise (front blade has
the unique color decal). The left and right blades
are designed to turn clockwise. Note: The front and
rear blades are shaped identically and the left and
right blades are shaped identically. See photo 8-E
9) Attach the carbon fiber battery tray to the bottom
of the vertical risers’nubs using the four 6/32
Nylon Acorn Nut Caps. See photo 8-A
14) Congratulations!You are now ready to set the parts
in motion. Refer to Draganflyer V Ti Familiarization.
Enjoy your completed Draganflyer V Ti!
8-A
8-B
8-D
8-E
8-C
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Draganflyer V Ti Familiarization
Never fly this aircraft where damage to property or injury to persons may result if loss of con-
trol occurs. Never leave the Draganflyer V Ti unattended with the battery connected to it.
Always disconnect the battery when not flying. Always turn the Draganflyer V Ti off before
turning off the transmitter. Failure to do so could cause the Draganflyer V Ti to become air-
borne and out of control resulting in injury or damage. We cannot stress this enough! Always
be sure to either enable or disable the thermal intelligence before each flight. Thermal
intelligence should only be enabled for outdoor use
Start-up Procedure (thermal intelligence disabled)
1) Turn the black on-off switch on the circuit board to
the off position. See photo 9-B
2) Install the battery and connect it to the circuitboard.
We recommend placing one finger on the circuit
board to brace it when connecting to the terminals.
To release the battery, press the hinged connector
to unclip from the circuit board.
3) Make sure the throttle is at the lowest position
before turning on the transmitter. Center all of the
trim levers on the transmitter. Turn the transmitter
on and fully extent the antenna. The transmitter
must be turned on before you turn the Draganflyer
V Ti on, this is very important! See photo 9-A
4) Insure the transmitter is properly charged. If the red
LED on the transmitter flashes or is not lit the
transmitter must be recharged.
5) Turn the switch on the Draganflyer V Ti to the ON
position. You will note that the red LED will start
blinking. Make sure at this stage that when you
advance the throttle stick, the red LED blinks
faster. This verifies the functionality of the radio
link. Return the throttle to the lowest position.
6) For safety reasons hold the Draganflyer V Ti down
on the ground by the canopy. Hold the left control
stick full left and down while you push the arming button. This both arms the helicop-
ter and disables the thermal intelligence. Always be prepared for the motors to turn on!
If they come on and you cannot throttle them back, turn off the switch on the circuit
board and refer to the Troubleshooting section. See photo 9-C
7) Turn the DraganflyerV Ti and transmitter off, and disconnect the flight battery. Refer
to the Flight Training section so you can begin learning how to fly your Draganflyer V Ti
9-A
9-B
9-C
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Draganflyer V Ti Familiarization continued
Never fly this aircraft where damage to property or injury to persons may result if loss of con-
trol occurs. Never leave the Draganflyer V Ti unattended with the battery connected to it.
Always disconnect the battery when not flying. Always turn the Draganflyer V Ti off before
turning off the transmitter. Failure to do so could cause the Draganflyer V Ti to become air-
borne and out of control resulting in injury or damage. We cannot stress this enough! Always
be sure to either enable or disable the thermal intelligence before each flight. Thermal
intelligence should only be enabled for outdoor use
Start-up Procedure (thermal intelligence enabled)
1) Follow the steps 1 thru 5 on previous page.
2) Each time you fly the Draganflyer V Ti with the thermal intelligence enable, you must
first teach the sensors the difference between sky and ground. While outside hold the
Draganflyer V Ti by the baseplate, positioning the led 'eyes' straight up and away from
yourself. Before arming look at the green eyes, one of three things will occur. (Always
hold the Draganflyer a safe distance from your face and eyes.)
• If both eyes are lit, the Draganflyer is receiving a strong reading between the earth
and the sky. Automatic levelling will work well.
• If only one eye is lit, the difference between sky and earth is blurry. Automatic
levelling will work but the Draganflyer may not be as stable.
• If neither of the eyes are lit, conditions are not suitable for automatic levelling and
you should either turn this feature off (see below) or fly when conditions are
improved.
3) To calibrate simply press the arming button while
the led 'eyes' are point up. Be sure to hold the
Draganflyer by the baseplate so the sensors do not
get confused by your body heat. See photo 10-A
4) To disable this feature hold the left stick down
and to the left while you push the arming button
5) To improve the accuracy of self-leveling, teach
the Draganflyer where level is by placing the
Draganflyer on a level surface. Stand back 10-15
feet and hold the left stick full down and right. The red light on top will blink to confirm
that the level position has been saved. This must be reprogrammed if there is a drastic
change in temperature or flying conditions.
6) Turn the Draganflyer V Ti and transmitter off, and disconnect the flight battery. Refer to
the Flight Training section so you can begin learning how to fly your Draganflyer V Ti.
The DraganflyerV Ti also includes an advanced automatic land feature in case of loss of signal from
the transmitter. To program the Draganflyer to use this feature, you must first fly the Draganflyer
and adjust the trims so that it is stable and has no tendency to drift in any direction. Land, and while
holding the rudder full left, press the arming button on the Draganflyer to save the trim settings. If
the trim changes(such as after crash repairs), this feature must be reprogrammed to save the changes
10-A
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Precautions
Warning: If the radio system is turned on or off in the wrong order, the motors may go to full
throttle unexpectedly and cause an injury or damage to property.
Prohibited
• Do not fly multiple Draganflyer V Ti’s simultaneously on the same frequency. Interference will
cause a crash.
• Do not fly outside on rainy days or at night.
• Do not fly in the following places:
Near people on the ground or objects in the air.
Near schools, hospitals or other places where there are a lot of people.
Near high tension lines, electrical substations, high structures or communication facilities.
Do not fly when you are tired, sick, or intoxicated. Fatigue, illness, or intoxication will cause a
loss of concentration or normal judgement and result in input errors and a crash.
When placing the transmitter on the ground during flight preparations, make sure it cannot be
knocked over.
Make sure you extend the transmitter antenna to its full length. If the antenna is too short, the
effective range of the radio will become shorter and reception problems can occur.
When turning on the power, always set the throttle stick to the lowest position, and follow these
steps in order.
1) Turn on the transmitter power switch.
2) Connect lithium battery
3) Turn on the Draganflyer V Ti power switch.
When turning off the power, always have the Draganflyer V Ti stopped and
at the lowest throttle setting, and follow these steps in order.
1) Turn off the DraganflyerV Ti power switch.
2) Disconnect the Draganflyer V Ti flight battery
3) Turn off the transmitter power switch.
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The Draganflyer V Ti Transmitter & Radio
Flight Controls
Aileron Operation (Left/Right - Roll)
When the aileron stick is moved to the right, the Draganflyer V Ti will tilt to the right. The left motor
speeds up and the right motor slows down. When the aileron stick is moved to the left, the Draganflyer V Ti
will bank to the left. The right motor speeds up and the left motor slows down.
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Elevator Operation (Forwards/Backwards - Pitch)
When the elevator stick is pulled back, the Draganflyer V Ti will tilt in a backwards direction.
The front motor speeds up and the rear motor slows down. When the elevator stick is pushed forward, the
Draganflyer V Ti will move in a forward direction. The rear motor speeds up and the front motor slows down.
Throttle Operation (Power Control - Ascend/Descend)
When the throttle stick is pushed forward, all motors on the DraganflyerVTi will increase in speed. When
the throttle stick is pulled backward, all motors on the DraganflyerV Ti will decrease in speed. The Draganflyer
V Ti will be in ground effect in the first twelve inches off the round. This generally requires less power and the
Draganflyer V Ti is less stable.
Flight Controls continued
Rudder Operation (Rotating Clockwise/Counter-Clockwise - Yaw)
When the rudder stick is moved to the left, the clockwise turning rotors speed up while the counter-clock-
wise turning rotors slow down. This makes the Draganflyer V Ti rotate to the left. When the rudder stick is
moved to the right, the counter-clockwise turning rotors speed up while the clockwise turning rotors slow down.
This makes the Draganflyer V Ti rotate to the right.
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Battery Safety
Lithium-Polymer batteries are a revolution in battery technology. These next-generation batteries
are capable of powering the Draganflyer in ways that would have been unimaginable only a year
ago. However, Lithium-Polymer batteries require special consideration and handling techniques due
to their extremely high capacity.
Use only chargers designed specifically for Lithium-Polymer batteries
Use only Draganfly Lithium-Polymer batteries with your Draganflyer V Ti and charger
Never allow the battery to short circuit
Do not leave Lithium-Polymer batteries charging unattended
Do not charge batteries near flammable materials
Do not store Lithium-Polymer batteries inside of your vehicle. Temperatures inside a parked
vehicle can rapidly exceed the recommended maximums.
Do not allow the battery temperature to exceed 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Permanent damage
will result.
Do not allow the battery to discharge below 9 volts, this will permanently damage
the battery.
After a serious crash, visually monitor the Lithium-Polymer battery for swelling or overheating on
a fire-proof surface(ie, concrete) to ensure it has not sustained any internal damage.
If the Lithium-Polymer battery is damaged in a crash or appears to swell, discontinue use
immediately, place the battery away from anything flammable (ie bare concrete floor), and
contact Draganfly Innovations technical support for assistance.
1. Read Draganflyer V Ti Lithium-Polymer Battery Precautions before charging or using batteries.
2) When the battery voltage begins to drop the helicopter enters a forced landing condition.All of
the controls will be the same except the maximum allowable throttle will be slowly reduced. In
this mode all of the led 'eyes' will blink together. Land and recharge the battery. Attempting to
fly past this past this point will permanently damage the battery.
3)Allow the Draganflyer V Ti motors to cool after every 6-9 minutes of flight. Extended continu-
ous operation of the Draganflyer V Ti (especially when performing advanced maneuvers) will
result in overheating of the motors and possibly shorten their life. This will also allow the battery
to cool, resulting in longer flight times and longer overall life for the batteries.
4)Allow the battery to cool to room temperature after use and before charging as well as after
charge and before use in the DraganflyerV Ti.
5) If you notice a performance decrease of greater than 20% in your Lithium-Polymer battery, the
battery is at the end of its life cycle. Do not continue to use, and ensure the battery is disposed of
properly. Repeated continuous operation of the Draganflyer V Ti without allowing appropriate
time for the motors to cool will result in premature wear and shortened life for the motors.
Replacement motors are available.
Flying with Lithium-Polymer Batteries
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The supplied charger is designed to quickly charge Lithium-Polymer batteries as well as charge your
transmitter. It will fully charge the supplied lithium-polymer battery in approximately 1-2 hours.
This charger operates only from the suppliedAC wall transformer.
Operation:
1. Connect the AC adapter to the AC power source(wall plugin). Connect the charger input to
the AC adapter. The green light will blink when power is applied to the charger with no bat-
tery connected.
2. Connect the charger output to the battery using the supplied cable.
3. When the green light goes out the battery is charged.
4. To charge another battery, make sure you disconnect the AC power for 10 seconds to reset
the charger. Reconnect the AC power then connect battery.
To charge the transmitter, connect the barrel adapter on the charger to the charge socket located on
the side of the transmitter. The amber light will illuminate while the transmitter is charging. It will
not extinguish when the transmitter is charged. The transmitter will take 14-16 hours to charge
fully.
Note: The Transmitter and the Lithium-Polymer packs can be charged simultaneously
Note: The charger and the battery pack may get warm when charging. Disconnect the AC adapter
from AC power when the charger is not in use.
Caution: Too much heat can damage battery packs. Wait for the batteries to cool after flying
before charging, and 15 minutes after charging before flying. It is advisable to have extra flight
batteries so you can always be flying!
WARNING:
Do not leave the transmitter on charge for
extended time (ie weeks); the internal NiCad
battery may be damaged.
Do not leave charging batteries unattended.
Do not charge batteries near flammable materials.
If battery becomes hot, disconnect it immediately.
Charging Draganflyer V Ti Batteries
Charging Draganflyer V Ti Batteries
14
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How does Thermal Intelligence work?
Thermal Intelligence (Ti) uses patented technology to sense the difference in infrared temperature
between the Earth and sky. The sky is always at a relatively lower infrared temperature, while the
infrared signature of the Earth is always relatively warmer. Ti uses four infrared sensors, so when
a change is detected in the Draganflyer's orientation relative to the earth's infrared horizon, it issues
the correct control signals to bring the Draganflyer back to level flight.
When the Draganflyer is flying above the Earth (even a few feet), the sensors see all the way to the
earth's infrared horizon. The infrared temperature seen for the Earth is an average of infrared gen-
erated from all terrain features. Ti incorporates a microcomputer to interpret input from the sensors
and modify signals between the aircraft's receiver and the motors controlling roll and pitch. This
amazing technology is not adversely affected by clouds or snow, and works just as well at night.
Calibration before each flight is utilized to ensure very accurate leveling over any terrain.
The DraganflyerV Ti also includes an advanced automatic land feature in case of loss of signal from
the transmitter. To program the Draganflyer to use this feature, you must first fly the Draganflyer
and adjust the trims so that it is stable and has no tendency to drift in any direction. Land, and while
holding the rudder full left, press the arming button on the Draganflyer to save the trim settings. If
the trim changes(such as after crash repairs), this feature must be
reprogrammed to save the changes in trim.
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16
Flying with Self Leveling
Flying the Draganflyer with the Self Leveling feature enabled is extremely easy. If you get disori-
ented or otherwise lose control, simply center the pitch, roll, and yaw controls, and reduce(or
increase) the throttle to a point where the Draganflyer is hovering. The Self Leveling will automat-
ically bring the Draganflyer back to a level and stable position.You may now either take back con-
trol, or land by simply slowly reducing the throttle. If the Draganflyer acts erratic or appears to be
hunting for a level position, this may be a sign that the calibration process was unsuccessful. Turn
off the Draganflyer and reattempt calibration. If it still acts erratic, disable the Self Leveling feature
and if the problem persists, refer to the Troubleshooting section in the Draganflyer manual.
When the battery begins to get low, the Draganflyer will slowly reduce the maximum allowable
throttle over a 10 second time frame. This is intended to allow a smooth descent before the batter-
ies are completely empty. If you notice this occurring, allow the Draganflyer to land and recharge
the batteries before you fly again. Taking off with batteries that are almost empty may cause the
Draganflyer to act erraticly.
The Draganflyer 5SL also includes an advanced automatic land feature in case of loss of signal from
the transmitter. To program the Draganflyer to use this feature, you must first fly the Draganflyer
and adjust the trims so that it is stable and has no tendency to drift in any direction. Land, and while
holding the rudder full left, press the arming button on the Draganflyer to save the trim settings. If
the trim changes(such as after crash repairs), this feature must be reprogrammed to save the changes
in trim.
Please remember:
• Self Leveling does not compensate for wind
• Proper calibration is crucial for correct operation
• Self Leveling does not work when flying indoors
• Self Leveling cannot fly for you;You are responsible for maintaining control
•You are still required to trim the Draganflyer out , even with the Self Leveling feature enabled
Precautions
• Automatic landing is a fail-safe feature only! We do not recommend 'testing' this feature!
•Avoid flying near sources of heat, over asphalt, or large bodies of water. The temperature dif-
ference may confuse the self levelling feature and cause erratic flight.
• Self Leveling is designed for flight stabilization only. It cannot fly for you!
• Keep the 4 sensor windows on top clean using alcohol
• Perform an infrared calibration at the beginning of each flying session.
•You are still required to trim the Draganflyer out, even with the Self Leveling feature enabled
• Always hold the Draganflyer a safe distance away from your face and eyes, and do not
operate the Draganflyer in any way which endangers yourself or others!
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17
How the Draganflyer Flies
Written by Nick Sacco, Rotory Magazine
When I first saw the Draganflyer, I knew that this little electric, four-motor helicopter was pure fun.
Even though I’ve flown conventional fuel-type helicopters for years, the idea of a four-motor, four-
rotor helicopter was just too good to be true.
Although the Draganflyer is constantly undergoing engineering changes to make it more commer-
cially desirable, its basic premise is that it is a stable hovering platform that climbs and turns by
manipulation of the motor-rotor speed only! The Draganflyer uses some fairly sophisticated elec-
tronic wizardry to maintain its stable hovering characteristics, but all this is totally transparent (and
should be) to the user. After all, do we want to enjoy it or constantly be tweaking and tuning it?
The daily “non-maintenance” is where the similarities to conventional model helicopters stop.As an
avid helicopter hobbyist, I enjoy the tuning and tweaking that is a normal part of helicopter life. But
I get a vacation from it with the Draganflyer. The Draganflyer is designed to be nearly maintenance
free, have a long service life and provide the owner with valuable flying time anytime it is required!
The kit is nearly assembled when received. Wiring consists of plugging a couple of connectors
together and the assembly steps are essentially tightening a few screws. Set-up for flight readiness
is just as easy also: Charge the batteries, align the motors and go have fun! Quite a contrast to con-
ventional helicopters whose complex pitch mechanisms demand hours of tuning and specialized
radio gear.
When you purchase the Draganflyer, you don’t have those tasks and all the necessary radio gear is
included. Actually the Draganflyer is a complete flying package. All that’s missing isYOU.
So how does it work?
The Draganflyer, as I alluded to earlier is designed as an integrated flight package.The circuit board
that lives in the center of the machine is the magic (and truly the heart) of the Draganflyer. That
means that the remote control system, the stabilization system, and the power system are built into
it. There’s nothing else to purchase. Let’s break down these three main components of the
Draganflyer and see just what makes it go…
The Remote Control
The remote control system consists of a 4-channel conventional FM system common in the remote
control hobby industry. The Draganflyer uses a standard Futaba® radio transmitter, but in living up
to its integrated design, the radio receiver is literally built into the Draganflyer’s electronic “brain”.
Viewing the circuit board from the side, the radio receiver would be the top portion to which are
mounted the LED’s (light emitting diodes) that serve as the Draganflyer’s “ready” indicator and
eerie-looking “eyes.” The remote control system is a 4-channel receiver having the decoder circuit,
the oscillator and RF crystal (which determines on which radio frequency it is operating).Also locat-
ed on this particular circuit board is a long square component called a piezo gyro. I’ll come back to
that when I discuss the Stabilization Section.
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How the Draganflyer Flies continued
The Power System
This set of components is located on the horizontal circuit board and is essentially a set of 4 speed
controllers – one for each of the 4 motors. The most obvious components are the large square
devices located near the rear of the circuit board called FET transistors. FET means Field Effect
Transistors. These devices may be thought of as an electronic valve. There are 3 wires on each FET.
Two of the wires supply voltage to its motor, while the third wire (the trigger) is how the “valve” is
opened. Apply a small voltage, the valve opens a little and the motors start to turn. Apply a little
more voltage, and the motor turns faster still. Now just imagine that the FET is responding to your
raising and lowering of the throttle stick on the transmitter (via the radio receiver) and you now have
a grasp of just how the speed control works.
The wizardry in my opinion is how, by applying certain aspects of physics, the Draganflyer is con-
trolled. Let me give you an example. When something turns, in this case a propeller, a force is gen-
erated by the motor called “Torque”. The propeller wants to turn one way and the motor, the other
way. I am referring to Newton’s law that states that a force in one direction will produce the same
force in the opposite direction. Another force caused by uneven thrust of the propellers at differing
attitudes, is known as “P factor.”.
Conventional helicopters overcome these forces by using a tail rotor. As the main rotor blades are
turning via the engine, the opposing force is trying to turn the helicopter’s body in the opposite
direction. The tail rotor has a variable pitch mechanism that simply pushes more (or less as the case
may be) air and produces more linear thrust that offsets the effect of torque and “P factor”. Without
a tail rotor, a conventional helicopter’s body would spin out of control. To actually cause the heli-
copter’s body to turn (or pirouette) the pilot either increases tail rotor pitch or decreases tail rotor
pitch depending upon which way the turn is to be initiated.
In the case of the Draganflyer, the exact same forces apply. The speed controller is designed to
match the front and back, left and right motor-rotor speeds to be exactly the same. But the
Draganflyer rotates the left and right motor-rotors in the opposite direction from the front and back
motor-rotors. This, in effect neutralizes the torque and “P factor” allowing the Draganflyer to hover
without spinning out of control.
So what happens when you push the right transmitter stick to the right or left as you would in a turn?
Simple, this is called Roll. The Draganflyer’s electronic brain receives the signal through the remote
control receiver. The signal received tells the motor controller to send more power to the left motor-
rotor and simultaneously reduce the power to the right motor-rotor by the same amount. This caus-
es the Draganflyer to maintain altitude (total thrust has not changed) but to tilt up on the left side
and thus begin a right turn. The exact same thing happens, albeit in the opposite direction when the
transmitter stick is pushed to the left.
When the right transmitter stick is pushed forward or backward for a Pitch control (either nose up
or nose down) a similar series of commands are given to the front and rear motor-rotors. Lastly,
when the left transmitter stick is pushed to the right or to the left, simulating “rudder” on a conven-
tional helicopter, the Draganflyer’s electronic circuit responds by increasing (or decreasing) the
front and back motor-rotors opposite from the left and right motor-rotors. This in effect upsets the
torque and “P factor” balance of the aircraft and the machine begins to pirouette in response to
whichever direction the left transmitter stick is pushed.
Kept in either left or right pirouette, the little machine can get a wicked pirouette going that will
make your head spin just watching it!
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19
Thermal Intelligence - Returns Draganflyer to level
and maintains a hover until you tell it otherwise.
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