Skycat PRO SERIES User manual

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SKYCAT PARACHUTE SYSTEM
USER MANUAL v3.5 - 3/2018
PRO SERIES LAUNCHERS
Thank you for choosing Skycat.pro!
We want to offer uncompromised customer service to all our old and new
customers. Our team has years of experience in various fields of the UAV
industry and based on this experience and feedback from our clients, we
recognize the importance of customer-oriented approach. Our first goal is to
stand out from the crowd, in a positive way.
Please read and follow the instructions carefully. This manual is updated
regularly. In case you have any questions, ideas or feedback, please don’t
hesitate to contact us at www.skycat.pro/contact
Fly safe!
Skycat team

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Introduction and important knowledge
Please read and follow these instructions carefully to ensure successful
operation and to stay within warranty limits.
We recommend launching your Skycat system a few times as an exercise,
before using in-flight. Careful installation is essential, to achieve best possible
performance.
In case of any uncertainty, please don’t hesitate to contact us for assistance.
Latest manuals and videos are available at: www.skycat.pro/downloads-1
Safety
General safety
-Only launch Skycat towards free airspace. Never point or launch towards
people or animals.
-Do not expose Skycat system to rain or use near flammable materials.
-Don’t try to repair damaged components. Contact Skycat for repair and
spare part services.
-Only use to protect stable aircraft. Not suitable for aerobatic flying.
-Use reliable, digital RC control systems to reduce risk of unwanted eject.
-Use of excessive force should not be required at any point of arming,
loading or installation process.

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Skycat launcher
-Do not trigger Skycat launcher empty. Piston may slide out and break.
-Do not eject on grass, sand or other loose materials. Airflow generated by
the piston can lift debris into the launcher.
-Only use Skycat launcher to eject a parachute and not other items.
-Use of safety goggles is recommended while arming the launcher.
-If launcher stays loaded over two months without launching, it is
recommended to open and refold the parachute. This may decrease
deployment time in an emergency situation.
-Do not swing loaded launcher around. G-forces can slide the parachute
out accidentally.
-Only use original Skycat cloth for parachute folding.
-Mount Skycat launcher without applying pressure to the launcher tube to
avoid jamming of the piston.
-Use high leverage pliers to squeeze Fuse locks properly. Incorrectly
squeezed fuse can cause an unwanted launch!
Skycat trigger
-Do not connect a fuse directly to the trigger output!
-Only use trigger to conduct current through an armed Skycat launcher.
-Handle and mount trigger carefully, components are not protected against
mechanical impact.
-Incorrect connections may damage the trigger!
-Power cable polarity incorrect, ie. positive to negative.
-Power and launcher cables connected in reverse, ie. battery to
launcher cables and vice versa.

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How does Skycat.pro parachute system work?
Parachute is folded into a compact package and slid into the Skycat launcher.
Skycat Trigger connects the launcher to power and control sources. Trigger is
controlled via the PWM channel of Skycat Rescue Radio receiver, or any other
standard RC PWM source. Multiple control sources can be used by adding an
extra trigger for each.
Launcher’s spring-loaded piston is armed with a wire fuse. After the trigger
receives a launch signal, it allows current flow to the fuse.
The fuse heats and snaps in a fraction of a second, releasing the piston and
ejecting the parachute away from the propellers.

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System power requirements
V2 Trigger takes operating voltage from the controlling device through the three
pin PWM wire. Operating voltage range: 4,9 - 6,1 V.
V3 Pro trigger has built in 5V voltage regulator (500mA output) which powers
the trigger and receiver. If you want to use another power source for receiver,
please disconnect the red wire of V3 Pro trigger’s three pin PWM wire.
Power source for parachute launch can be aircraft's flight battery or a dedicated
launch battery. Launch battery requirements:
-V2 trigger: 3-4S Li-Po, V3 Pro trigger: 3-6S Li-Po
-Capacity 1000mAh or bigger.
-Sufficient C value (able to provide 30A continuous and 70A peak current in
all working temperatures).

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Creating a fuse
1) Measure and cut fuse wire.
a) X48-CF 120 mm long fuse wire
b) X55-CF and X68-CF 135 mm long fuse wire.
c) X68-PC (discontinued) 125 mm long fuse wire.
2) Loop both ends of the wire through the fuse locks. Leave 3mm gap
between wire ends!
3) Carefully squeeze fuse locks in place with high leverage pliers.
Two correctly crimped locks offer required strength to operate in any condition.
However, our recommendation is to use four locks, when parachute system is
used in-flight. Only use genuine Skycat FUSE® wire. Using other wire may
damage the system.

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Launcher arming
Always detach launcher from the aircraft while arming.
Hold the launcher firmly, launcher spring is strong. Use of safety goggles is
recommended.
Make sure that the fuse contacts the pins at both ends, before sliding in the
folded parachute.
Arming Demonstration: www.tinyurl.com/skycat-launcher-arming

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Parachute folding
•Always fold on a clean and dry surface. Wrap Skycat parachute cloth
around the parachute so that black side faces out.
•If launcher stays loaded for over two months, it is recommended to refold
the parachute. This can decrease deployment distance in an emergency.
•Opale Paramodels parachutes can come with a red bag attached. The
bag is not needed with Skycat parachute launcher and should be
removed.
Skycat X48-CF
Opale Paramodels 1.8m2 www.tinyurl.com/skycat-x48-opale18m2
Fruity Chutes 48-SUL www.tinyurl.com/skycat-x48-fruity48sul-2
Skycat X55-CF
Opale Paramodels 2.5m2 www.tinyurl.com/skycat-x55-opale25m2
Fruity Chutes IFC-48-S www.tinyurl.com/skycat-x55-fruity48s
Fruity Chutes IFC-60-SUL www.tinyurl.com/skycat-x55-fruity60sul-2
Fruity Chutes IFC-60-SUL www.tinyurl.com/skycat-x55-fruity66sul
Skycat X68-CF
Opale Paramodels 4.0m2 www.tinyurl.com/skycat-x68-opale40m2
Fruity Chutes IFC-60-S www.tinyurl.com/skycat-x68-fruity60s
Fruity Chutes IFC-84-SUL www.tinyurl.com/skycat-x68-fruity84sul-2

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Trigger unit
LED explanation
•Short blink, long pause Standby, waiting for launch signal.
•Nearly continuously lit Launch activated.
Errors
•Long blink, long pause No signal from receiver.
•Double blink Launch signal detected at power up*
*If launch is activated when battery is connected, parachute will not be ejected.
Trigger will not accept eject command until channel is toggled OFF and ON, i.e
Rescue Radio is switched OFF and ON.

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Trigger unit connections
If launcher and trigger are mounted close to each other, trigger leads can be
shortened. Decide mounting locations for all Skycat components:
-Launcher and battery should be easy to connect and disconnect.
-Visibility of the status LED helps with setup. A multimeter can also be used
to determine trigger status.
Solder XT60 connectors according to the diagram. Be careful, wrong
connection may damage the trigger!

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Trigger unit mounting
Mount trigger to your aircraft with velcro or double sided tape. Make sure all
wires are free of tension and securely fastened away from sharp corners.

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Rescue Radio
Skycat Rescue Radio supports TBS Crossfire Micro TX (100mW) and TBS
Crossfire TX (500mW) transmitter modules. Both come pre-configured to
operate in non-limited adaptive power mode (outputs 100mW / 500mW if
required). Please check your country’s regulations and re-configure if required.
Do not operate using illegal power output. Skycat will not take responsibility for
illegal operation. Rescue Radio can be ordered pre-configured to preferred
power output, per request. We can also offer configuration service after
purchase. Please contact TBS or Skycat for more assistance.
TBS Crossfire Micro TX manual (100mW): www.tinyurl.com/crossfire-micro-tx
TBS Crossfire TX manual (500mW): www.tinyurl.com/crossfire-tx
LED explanation
•Continuous green Battery full.
•Blinking green Battery half full.
•Continuous red Battery almost empty, recharge required.
•Blinking red Launch activated. Power cycle to reset.
As a safety feature, Rescue Radio will not shut down until battery is completely
empty. This can damage the Li-Po battery. Always charge when the “battery
almost empty warning” is displayed

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Rescue radio mounting
1. Mount Skycat Rescue Radio to the handle your transmitter.
2. Mount external launch button onto a preferred location using double sided
tape.
3. Secure the cable in place with a cable tie (near the launch button, to
relieve strain and to prevent cable failure).

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Launcher mounting
Launcher can be mounted with a ready-to-use Skycat mount, or a custom mount.
-Point launcher up, away from propellers. Do not mount horizontally or
pointing down.
-Launcher needs to be supported from the base, against recoil forces
created by the parachute launch.
-Make sure wires are free of tension and securely fastened away from
sharp corners.
-Do not cover air intake openings at the base!
-If velcro straps are used to fix the launcher in place, do not overtighten to
allow unrestricted piston movement.
M3 threads at the base of the launcher help with installation.

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Harness lines
Harness lines distribute the force of the parachute to 3 or 4 locations on the
airframe. Choose the strongest points of your airframe such as the arms. Forces
can exceed hundreds of kilograms if parachute is ejected during free fall, make
sure your airframe can withstand this.
Basic packages include 3 meters of stock line. Depending on the configuration
of your airframe, cut the line into 3 or 4 segments.
Add 20 cm (8 inch) of extra line to the target harness line length. For example
cut 70 cm segments for 50 cm target length.
1. Fold a 8cm (3.1 in) segment at the end of the line.
2. Make a figure-of-eight knot according to the image above and pull it tight.

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3. Choose a reference length, to which you can compare each line.
4. Make a figure-of-eight knot to the second loop. Make sure the location of the
loop doesn’t change during the knotting, otherwise the length will vary. Result is
a ready-to-use harness line with fixed length.
Tip: Add tape to hold the loop while making the knot.
Pro Harness Upgrade
Pro Harness Upgrade replaces the stock line with ready-to-use harness lines.

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Connecting harness to airframe
Loop the harness line around the boom or other durable location of your
airframe and pull the line through the loop.
Connecting harness to parachute
Harness lines and parachute are joined with a quick lock.

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Shock cord
Optional shock cord adds distance between the parachute and harness lines
and helps to stabilize the descent, especially in windy weather.
A quick lock connects shock cord to the harness lines. Parachute is connected
without a quick lock.

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Transmitter setup (standard RC radios)
1) Remove propellers and disconnect the launcher.
2) Decide which transmitter switch and channel you want to use to launch the
parachute.
3) Configure your transmitter so that when you flip the switch:
-Throttle channel outputs 0% throttle.
-Your flight controller switches to manual mode (or any mode which
allows throttle-down during flight).
-Parachute trigger is activated.
Testing procedure
Repeat with each flight mode (manual, ATTI, GPS etc.)
1) Apply 10-30% throttle.
2) Flip the eject switch.
3) Motors should stop and trigger should activate. Check voltage output with
a multimeter or a light bulb.
To achieve all of the above, please refer to the manual of your transmitter. We
have made instructions for some transmitters, you can find them at our
download page: www.skycat.pro/downloads-1

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Fail-safe setup (standard RC radios)
Decide what you want to happen if transmitter signal is lost:
a. If you want the parachute to eject, setup failsafe according to instructions
above.
b. If you want return to home or some other failsafe function of your flight
controller activated, follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer
and make sure that parachute is not ejected.
Testing procedure
1) Remove propellers and disconnect the launcher!
2) Apply 10-30% throttle.
3) Turn off your transmitter.
4) Aircraft should enter into the fail-safe mode that you selected:
a) If you chose to eject the parachute, motors should stop and trigger
should activate.
b) If you chose to activate your flight controller’s failsafe, trigger should
not activate.
For instructions on how to set-up failsafe, please refer to the manual of your
transmitter.