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Flying over water? - Tips

Discussion in 'CineStar FAQ - Tips and Tricks' started by Chris Newman, May 2, 2013.

  1. Chris Newman

    Chris Newman Member

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    Hey guys!
    I have some questions regarding flying over water.

    Do you guys attach any kind of floatation device to the heli to at least make it buoyant in case of a water landing?

    If so what do you use?

    Can you stabilize the gyros and launch from a boat? I'm sure a house boat would be fine but what about a sport / fishing type boat? Any issues, tips?

    Thanks in advance!
     
  2. Steve Maller

    Steve Maller UAV Grief Counselor

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    No need to stabilize the gyros on a boat. Do it on shore (if you have to), unless you're traveling a few hundred miles from shore. Remember, the "up and to the left" calibration is for the compass, and has to be done every time you fly. The "up and to the right" gyro/ACC calibration doesn't have to be done very often. I haven't done mine in a month or so.

    Oh, and I wouldn't bother with a floatation device. The odds of a soft landing, even in calm water are pretty remote. Chances are if something goes bad over water, your inner tube is going to be of no use.
     
  3. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Hi Chris:

    Tongue in cheek:

    1. Be brave.
    2. By all means, try and make it float.
    3. You really have to do this?
    4. Kiss it goodbye every time you take off.
    5. See item 1.

    :)

    A.
     
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  4. Chris Newman

    Chris Newman Member

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    Thanks for the responses:

    Oh yeah, up and to the left is for the compass. Alright then!

    I just want to make it somewhat buoyant so it's not a total loss!
     
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  5. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Up and left on the left-hand stick is for the accelerometers.
    The compass is going to require the twirling the copter in the nick and roll axis.

    :)

    Andy
     
  6. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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    And Chris once over water all of the motors will sound different. Flying freight over the Great Lakes at night makes everything sound different. :eek:
     
  7. Brad Meier

    Brad Meier Active Member
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    Ive flown off a houseboat with no issues. It would be harder to get the Radians to initialize correctly on a small boat in heavy chop. Try it and let us know.. ha

    For floatation I wouldn't worry about it. It would take a lot to float a heavy copter and depending on what you use may make it fly differently or cause other issues. Better to go with what you know. Standard setup... maybe keep flights shorter
     
  8. Arthur Vieira

    Arthur Vieira Flight Squad

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    One tip. Salt water tends to reduce Radio range.
    If there is no wind there is no problem, but on a winding day and/or hot weather, when the air is very humid try to keep it closer.
    Also if you fly low over water (1-3 feet) wait for some Video issues if you gear is not good.
    Salt water reflects radio signals, I'm not sure if non salt water does that also.

    My 2 cents...
     
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  9. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    It has crossed my mind to route the motor wires down the outside of the booms and seal the booms with waterproof caps. Just not sure whether that would be enough bouyancy to support everything. I suppose you could seal the gimbal booms too.

    The camera and electronics would have to be sacrificed....

    A friend of mine did fly his Blade mQx into two feet of water....and it sat there, underwater, with its little blue light blinking....so he fished it out, disconnected the battery and let it dry out....it it's been flying ever since.

    Andy.
     
  10. Steve Maller

    Steve Maller UAV Grief Counselor

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    I take it this was fresh water, right? One of my friends flew his quad into a river and it was underwater for 2 or 3 hours before he found it (had to find scuba gear, etc). Dried it out and got almost everything back in the air eventually.

     
  11. Tim Joy

    Tim Joy Active Member

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    I'm about to do 3 days over water and I was thinking that 3 pool noodles the length of the booms would keep it at the top in case of a water landing.
    The recent "ditch into the Thames", apparently the copter floated to the surface without the gimbal attached.

    Andy- That's a pretty good idea to seal the booms.

    Another option is the inflatable dog collars or whatever they are. They inflate when they sense water.
     
  12. Steve Maller

    Steve Maller UAV Grief Counselor

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  13. Duane Bradley

    Duane Bradley Active Member

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    My one tip - make friends with a scuba diver!
     
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  14. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Before the flight! They can be sooo stand-offish after the event....

    Andy.
     
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  15. Chris Newman

    Chris Newman Member

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    Thanks for the tips guys! Yeah I was thinking of the pool noodle idea and the sealing up the booms sounds good. Let me know if any finds the water sensitive inflatable dog collars or something like it!
     
  16. MIke Magee

    MIke Magee Active Member

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    Andy, I discussed that with Casey when I picked up my CS8 (Lots of water out here). He said he did the weight/float math based on the dimensions of the standard booms and that the numbers suggested sinking. Slower perhaps.
    FWIW.

     
  17. Tim Joy

    Tim Joy Active Member

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    Wooden props should make it float. :)
    This might be obvious to some, but it wasn't to me. I just did a little experiment with a short piece of boom in a bowl of water. It doesn't have anything resembling buoyancy.

    This is what I'm planning for a 3-mile river shoot.
    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...154327.-2207520000.1368035667.&type=3&theater
     
  18. MIke Magee

    MIke Magee Active Member

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    Tim, after some discussion with Casey, what he suggested was a pingpong type ball attached to a very long monofliment that could spool out. If your beloved CS8 went for a swim, the ball would rise to the top and let you know where to begin recovery.

    I try not to dwell on it much. But I bet some of the big brains on this forum could craft a solution.


     
  19. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    EDIT:
    WARNING: In this posting, I used the diameter of the boom, not the radius.
    Duh....

    So disregard what it says! I'll re-post at the current end of the thread with the correct calculations!

    Andy

    My calculation goes like this:
    1. Internal diameter of booms: 2.32 cm.
    2. CS8 boom length = 50 cm
    3. Internal volume of one boom: 848.72 cc and change.
    4. Total internal volume of all booms: 6,789 cc.

    5. Gimbal booms: 20.0 cm side booms (x 2).
    6. Front transverse boom: 20.0 cm.
    7. Rear transverse boom : 21.0 cm.
    8. 3-Axis gimbal top boom : 20 cm (x 3).
    9. Thus total length of boom in gimbal = (20x2) + 20 + 21 + (20x3) = 141 cm.
    10. Total internal volume of all booms in gimbal: 2393.4 cc.

    Grand total of internal volume of frameset booms and gimbal booms: 9,182.4 cc.

    Weight of 9,182.4 cc of distilled water: 9.1823 Kg (20.24 pounds).
    If the water is not distilled water, it only gets better, depending on the dissolved salts.

    The calculators I used were:
    1. Volume of a cylinder: http://www.online-calculators.co.uk/volumetric/cylindervolume.php
    2. Google's built in calculator.
    3. Weight converter for water: http://www.csgnetwork.com/h2oweightconv.html

    Bottom line: Cap all the booms and make them waterproof and it will float 20.24 pounds.

    Tell me if I got any of the above wrong. It's been a while since I had to do this kind of math. :)

    Andy.
     
  20. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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    Andy could you test this and let us know how it works?
     
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