Walkera Dragonfly 4 User manual

Hello, every one, this is rc-toy-shop, how are you!!
In order to make you all know very well about the helicopter, we send you for free this E-
book. Hope you will like it.
This Helicopter eBook has emphasis on the Walkera Dragonfly #4 & #35.
I hope I enlighten you to the extent you expect. Meantime, one step at a time. Right now,
let's get into some theory and understand what it is we got involved with.
Originally, these were going to be sections A through E. I know you want to get hovering
soon.
Warning: Chapter 6 is potentially dangerous, wear safety glasses or don't
attempt!
A) How the Bell-Hiller head operates
B) Collective pitch & Auto rotation
C) Tail function
D) Engine torque effects & inertia
E) Videos of things when done the WRONG way
1) Buy these tools...
1) Making a Pitch Gauge for a dollar
2) Proper charging and SAFETY with Li-Po batteries
3) Opening the box & what should be there
3) What/where/how to order parts & How much?
4) WALKERA Tx Switches and EXACT functions
4) Rx plugs and correspondence to Tx switches
4) Servo connections to the Rx
4) PLT & PZT? WARNING!!!
5) Head Balancing [for ALL helis]
5) Use of a gram scale
5) Flybar adjustments
5) Helicopter CG and battery placement
6) How to REALLY track the blades (Be CAREFUL!)
7) Tail rotor/gear & Main Drive adjustments
7) Gyro adjustments/placement & tailfin changes
7) Incorporating the ”Lazy Susan”
7) Fitting the canopy and adding a switch
8) Preflight Checklist & choice (Carpet, concrete, grass) of environment
8) What to look for after a crash
9) Blade tip LEDs for tracking & night flight [How to]
9) All the gears you want... from Long Island for pennies!
10) Dragonfly #4 and all fixed pitch chassis tweaking 11) Aerohawk XR-1 chassis tweaking

How the Helicopter Flies...
A Simplified Description of How Main Rotor Blades Work
Flight of a helicopter is governed by the pitch or angle of its rotor blades as they sweep
through the air. For climbing and descending, the pitch of all the blades is changed at
the same time and in the same degree. To climb, the angle or pitch of the blades is
increased. To descend, the pitch of the blades is decreased. Because all blades are
acting simultaneouly. or collectively, this is known as collective pitch. For forward,
backward and sideways flight an additional change of pitch is povided. By this means
the pitch of each blade increases at the same selected point in its circular pathway.
This is known as cyclic pitch.
With these two controls in mind let us make an imaginary flight. With the engine
warmed up and the rotor blades whirling above us in flat pitch, that is, with no angle or
bite on the air, we are ready
We increase the collective pitch. The rotor blades bite into the air, each to the same
degree, and lift the helicopter vertically.
Collective pitch
Now we decide to fly forward. We still have collective pitch so that as each blade
passes over the tail of the helicopter, it has more bite on the air than when it passes
over the nose. Naturally the helicopter travels forward.
Cyclic Pitch
Now we decide to stop and hover motionless so we put the cyclic pitch in neutral the
rotor blades now have the same pitch throughout their cycle, and the collective pitch
holds the helicopter suspended in space without moving in any direction.
In short, it is the cyclic and collective pitch which gives the helicopter its unique ability to
fly forward, backward, sideways, rise and descend vertically and hover motionless in
the air making it one of the most versatile vechicles known to man.

This is a very spendy hobby that will require lots of time, patience and money. The fact
that you went with an electric helicopter shows that you are environmentally conscious
and enjoy small precision machines. But I'll tell you now, it is not easy to fly. You have
to sift through tons of BS and options before deciding on which items are best for you.
You first learn to hover and then proceed to maneuvering flight, the latter of which is
much easier! Transitioning back to a hover for landing is a nightmare!
On a lighter note, do not feel so down if you break $100 worth of parts.
Take some advice our book give to you and try it again and again, you will be a good pilot !
1) Buy these tools if you think you need.
(must haves are bold)
2) Loctite 242, or Permatex medium blue. Remember, it needs to be removable! $3.50

3)
RTV silicone sealant. VERY important! $3

c) A set of metric hex keys which include 1.5, 2 and 2.5mm. Get the best quality you
can find. $6 Also, a 1/16” SAE hex, for stripped setscrews.
Note: While you're at it, grab 1.5 and 2mm setscrews, since you will find stripped
screws pretty soon! 6-10 of each should do it. .25 each, may be hard to find.

d) A pitch gauge to set the slant/pitch of your blades. $15 - $25, depending on which
and from whom. Once you know your settings, variable gauges are overkill. You can
also make one by using a protractor. Draw a trapezoid like this:
The top angle needs to be 5° (beginner), this represents mid throttle on left Tx stick.
When the blade is pitched 5°, the upper edge will sight LEVEL with the flybar. See prior
photo. Now make one 8-9° to represent full throttle, and 0° to represent idle. Note the
cutout in the middle so you can install it on the blade. If you make (2) of each angle,
this goes much quicker. Also, gluing the paper onto cardboard and cutting with a
straight edge and razor would be good. The angles given in the Walkera book are NOT
for beginners, that's why this thing's so touchy in hover.

e) An Xacto knife and really good needle nose pliers with a cerated inner surface. We'll
need these to remove jammed or stripped screws. Also, a small flat blade screwdriver.
f) A cheesy phillips screwdriver, because you can't over tighten anything with it.
g) A digital multimeter... see below! Note: eBay = $3 w/shipping!
h) A small SPST switch rated at 5 Amps with solder tabs on it, and a soldering gun.
i) Go to Home Depot and buy one of those wall mount lamp timers. You still need to
watch the charger, but this way it will turn off after an hour! You should also use the
multimeter to measure voltage and amperage on the battery. The only issue is... the
battery discharges back into the charger, as the light turns green. This may indicate a
fully charged battery, but since we have no documentation...

j) An Energizer Ni-Cad battery charger, with (8) AA cells. Charger only comes with 4.
You'll use these in the transmitter. Every 2-3 days, you alternate the front 4 and the
back 4 in the charger overnight. Let them cool down a bit before putting in the
transmitter battery “brick”. It has always been customary to use Ni-Cad rechargeables
in the Tx, plus there is a power indicator up front which actually works. These charge to
1.4v each, use your meter and when they get down to 1.2, time to recharge!
k) A “lazy susan” turntable. You can clamp/duct tape the heli to this device and go
CRAZY with all the controls and settings you try and nothing will get damaged. It will
keep the machine on the ground, yet allow FULL tail control through all possible
throttle/pitch/gyro settings. It will allow you to tune your heli to really hold the tail still for
you and it is the way the factory should set it up. but sometimes we are very curious and
move it by ourselves. An old turntable with the bubble balance from a 1960's
stereo system would also be ideal.
l) If you want to make your own training kit, buy 2 tomato plant sticks in gardening at
Home Depot and 4 foam balls at a craft store. Put balls on the end of the sticks, then
criss-cross and twist tie them to the landing struts.
Flight Simulators:

This was worthy of it's own category and will get a dedicated chapter eventually.
Remember, when running any simulator through your transmitter... unplug the crystal
from the handheld to disable the RF output of the unit and extend the life of the AA
batteries.
l) RealFlight Generation II RC Flight Simulator, comes with a controller that models a
real radio. I am not making this mandatory, it's up to you whether to spend the money
on parts, or a simulator. RC Helis are spendy, compare the shipping fees of a switch
harness for a plane and one for a Heli from the same dealer on eBay. FMS is a freebie,
It's amazing what you can get for FREE.
One of the user states:
My simulator works with cheap game pad controller, and
with any USB RC Transmitter controller. In addition,
most cheap "serial" cables can be used if you install
a program, called PPJOY (do ggole serch to find where
to download it) So, Walkera cable will most likelly
works with ClearView by using PPJoy. On your last
question, will it run on 98windows se, the best answer
is to try it. The program generally requires OpanAL
driver and 32mb 3d video card. The processor speed is
less important than the video card. Any recent (<3)
years video card will be fine.
2) FACTS ABOUT LI-PO batteries
Li-Po batteries have an energy density which is four times higher than conventional
Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries. These batteries are not as stable as Ni-Cd or Ni-MH
batteries. When they become unstable there is a risk of explosion. When the voltage
becomes too high or too low, a cell can ignite and cause the battery to explode.
TRANSPORT & STORAGE
To avoid dangerous situations, always store and transport the Li-Ion or Li-Po batteries
in a fire-proof case. When the batteries are outside the case, never leave them
unattended. Always store the batteries fully charged in a secure area and avoid
short-circuit. [Most buy a strong box from Walmart.]
MANIPULATING
• DO NOT store at temperatures above 45°C (113 F)
• DO NOT charge at temperatures above 45°C (113F)
• DO NOT expose to temperatures above 60°C (140F)
• DO NOT disassemble, crush, puncture or incinerate
• DO NOT short external contacts or reverse charge
• DO NOT immerse in water
• DO NOT drop or strike [Causes internal polarity reversal, as per Hazmat.gov]
• DO NOT place in microwave oven, standard oven or pressure container
• DO NOT eat the battery [Did you want fries with that?]
• DISPOSE OF AT AUTHORIZED BATTERY DISPOSAL SITES ONLY
• DO NOT over charge [see charge parameters with volt/amp below]
• Stop flying when the power starts to fade
• DO NOT expose to fire, heat
• DO NOT drill, cut, bend or crush
• Only use appropriate charger

• Never leave battery unattended while charging
• Only use the battery for the ZOOM 400 (see required battery)
• Not to be used without adult supervision
CHARGING OF LI-ION & LI-PO
• Always use an appropriate charger
• Check your charging parameters before each charging cycle
• Use a stabilized power supply to power your charger
• Never leave the battery unattended while charging
• Place the battery on a fire-proof surface while charging [garden slate/cinder block on top]
• Clear the area of flammable objects within a radius of 1.5 meters.
Battery Bunker
Place garden slate/slab on ground,
Cinder block on top of that,
Cover with another slab,
LiPo charges & stores inside. Arrow = wire out to charger
USE IN MODELS
• Never short-circuit (Can happen if dropped, according to Hazmat.gov)
• Never completely discharge the battery (don't “cycle” them like Ni-cads.)
• Stop flying before the power starts to fade
• Regularly check the battery temperature
• Let the battery cool down after flight, charge the battery when it is cool (to store or to
fly again)
• When the power output of the charged battery is insufficient to lift the helicopter,
dispose of the battery immediately.
Rules to follow:
If the pack is 11.1 volts, output of charger should be the same. 9.6v pack, also match
this. If output current of charger is1000 mAH (1 Amp) these LiPo packs would be
charged for this length of time:
1000 mAH pack @ 1 Amp with matched voltage = 1 hour
2000 mAH pack @ 1 Amp with matched voltage = 2 hours
1500 mAH pack @ 1 Amp with matched voltage = 1.5 hours, etc.
Go to Home Depot and buy one of those wall mount lamp timers. You still need to
watch the thing, but this way the charger will turn off after an hour! You should also use a
multimeter to measure voltage and amperage on the battery.
3) What's in the box?

one customer says:
It's about 3' long and 1' deep. Mine was wrapped in paper, but customs unwrapped it... probably
due to the suspicious shape. So, expect the wrapping to be tampered with. Even has a carrying
handle, ew!
Note: The box states (8) AAA batteries are needed, they're AA's!
The heli is twist-tied to the base and a foam block is used to hold the blades. Save it and trim it
down because it will be good for regular transport to your flying site!

Remove the nose canopy from the right hand side of box.
After removing the canopy, lift out the packing plastic and you'll find the LiPo(s) TAPED to the
underside.
WARNING: Sometimes these are shipped CHARGED already...

For example,The charger, GM-12W has an LED on it that is RED when it has a load,
GREEN when it does not.
The LED does turn GREEN when the Li-PO is charged, whether it still draws current is
unknown.
It is 12.6v @ 1 Amp output. Remember Ohm's Law? P= I x E, or Wattage = 1Amp x
12.6volts
Remove heli from box by undoing the twist ties at the base. Carefully remove foam blade
retainer.

Looking from underneath, notice the (black) diode and 3 (beige) capacitors on the motor
terminals: exposed wiring and cold solder joints! This should be resoldered to carry the
current better.
Then, use your RTV to coat these exposed leads to prevent shorting that could lead to
immediate power loss OR radio failure! Overnight dry time.
FYI: If the heli is in flight and loses radio signal from the transmitter, the receiver is pre-
programmed to kill the motor after approx. 10 seconds. It will in effect fall out of the sky.
Also note, one technician says: “ I have the receiver antenna extended to the rear tail fin,
not wrapped around the landing skid with tape. Doing this effectively makes the antenna
act like an RF choke, changing the reception frequency or the range”. Also, never cut the
antenna, which also inhibits range and may
change reception frequency!

Remove the transmitter from the box. Note: The antenna does NOT go in easily.
Remove any spare blades/parts you may have ordered. Note the inside of these “foamy”
blades.
Two plastic rods run the length of it, giving it strength and inertia during spin. Otherwise,
these would flex wildly. The colored tape on the blades (red/blue) is NOT placed correctly.
Remove them carefully and start from the trailing thin edge of the blade, go around the
thicker front and back to the trailing edge on the opposite side. Cut off the excess with your
Xacto knife and CA glue at the ends. This mod is to keep the aerodynamic shape of the
airfoil intact and also the air
pressure will ensure the tape is always pressed to the blade, since now the seam is at the

rear.
HM035-015 is the correct part to order, the rear bevel gear! This is the one that gets
trashed
when the tail strikes the ground, I would order 6-8 of these with the machine, along with 3
sets of tail blades (HM035-016) because on a tail strike, usually one of the 2 will survive.
Main Blades (HM035-042) 4-5 sets. This is your only chance to get parts under the
original shipping fee.
4) The Walkera Transmitter
For the price paid, this unit is pretty decent since it's a Futaba knockoff. It is unfortunate
it does not have exponential control for the right stick. What this does is make your
forward/aft & right/left controls (on the swashplate) move very slowly with less deflection
near the center point, but with more deflection out near the end of the stick's limits. This
would have been a great aid in helping you learn to hover. I have another fix for this
however, which will be made on the helicopter at the servos.
Shake the transmitter! My gimbal springs were sprung inside from the aileron stick, so
shaking will reveal any issues rattling around inside. Go around the radio, tighten all
hex screws and phillips head screws on the case. The retail on this is $40, so don't
expect much.
This radio has detents on the left stick throttle control, which allow you a fixed number
of speed positions instead of just linear control throughout. It may happen that your
ideal throttle speed for hovering without rising or falling is right between two detents.
The only way to eliminate this is to remove the metal clip inside the transmitter that
accomplishes this.
I was going to include a guide to this modification, but the Walkera throttle stick literally
falls to idle when the transmitter is held upright. It seems to have no binding except for
the detent clip itself. With that in mind, we're movin' on! I will give you the mod if you are
going to buy a transmitter tray. This will hang the radio at your waist flat and level. It will
allow you to fly with your fingers instead of your thumbs, which would be needed to fly
acrobatics. There is just not enough dexterity in the thumb to be able to fly well enough
for it.

These are the default (USA) factory settings for the rear dip switch bank on the
transmitter:
[left=off & right=on for all 10.]
1. Elevator [left] (reverses channel #1) (servo)
2. Aileron [left] (reverses channel #2) (servo)
3. Throttle [left] (reverses channel #3) (Note: paralleled to the ESC output to motor)
4. Rudder [right] (reverses channel #4) (servo)
5. Heli/Acro [right] (Tail rotor compensator: on increases tail pitch w/throttle, off
leaves tail alone)
6. Tail C [left] (Compensator reverse, not associated w/gyro but is the reverse switch
for Heli/Acro)
7. CCPM/Normal [left] (changes swashplate trim & throttle mixing)[This is NOT a CCPM
heli!]
8. Unlock/Lock [right] (Puts PLT & PZT knob settings into memory & deactivates
knobs)
9. Pit [right] (Pitch reverse, channel #6) (servo)[You may use this if head spun
counterclockwise]
10. Gear [left] (reverse, channel #5)[Landing Gear switch for retracts is at upper left of
Tx]
ESC: electronic speed control
CCPM: This is a collective pitch system which moves the whole swashplate up/down the
shaft like a Honeybee. This machine is a clone of the Schluter Heliboy/Miniboy/
Superior from the 80's... it too had a rod up the mainshaft! This is a VERY versatile
radio... just fix that damned Rx antenna!
These are the settings for Mode 1, 35MHz in Europe:

1. [left]
2. [left]
3. [left]
4. [right]
5. [left]
6. [right]
7. [right]
8. [right]
9. [left]
10. [left]
Here's the Mode 1 35MHz settings for Europe. The frequency crystal on the
right with the channel number on it can be removed while running a flight
simulator. This turns off the RF output section of the radio and makes your
batteries last much longer!

Warning: the RX-602 antenna wire is made from solid wire instead
of #26 multi-strand wire. Notice in the right photo that they put the antenna
through a plastic tube to protect it. Always range check your radio as
vibration will cause this wire to break at some point down the road.
Range Check: Place the transmitter and model on a table at your flying site. Check
that you have clearance or the tag for your radio frequeuncy and nobody is on it.
Unplug/turn off the motor and Plug in the battery. This is the one time you can do this in
reverse order, but the motor MUST be deactivated! If the servos are moving,
someone's on your channel, do NOT turn on your transmitter, I've seen this cause
scary crashes!
If the servos are calm, turn on the handheld. Do NOT pull the antenna up, inducing a
shortened range. Now take a walk with your helicopter, keeping an eye on the LED of
the receiver. As soon as it loses signal, it starts blinking and the servos will chatter at
the fringe of it's range. Battery power in the Tx will affect the range also. Mine went
beyond anywhere I could see to fly the little thing, about 150 feet!
This was in a long hallway, under flourescent lighting besides, they wipe out AM/FM
radios!
If the antenna wire does snap, a short range check will be your first heads up, don't fly!

PLT: This is used to adjust overall throw of your blade pitch. Setting this fully
counterclockwise will inhibit all pitch changes. It is set to 0 due to factory settings
pre-programmed into the transmitter. The settings have been “locked” into memory,
deactivating this knob altogether. Leave it off.
“The throttle curve controls the speed of the motor so as you increase throttle (raise
the stick), the pitch of the main blades changes (due to the pitch curve setup) and the
pitch of the tail changes (to counter react the increased drag of the spinning rotor
blades).” ~David Day
PZT: This is used to adjust blade pitch. Also set to 0 out of the box. Setting is
pre-programmed into the transmitter also and locked via dipswitch #8. For now, set it
fully counterclockwise.