Do-eezy flying

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 850
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From: USA
Originally Posted by [email protected]
I just went to their website to watch their video - it really is carefully edited smoke and mirrors.
Is there a R44 with a certified 4-axis AP flying?

Joined: Apr 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 1,814
From: EGDC
What parts were smoke and mirrors?
Helisas is only 2 axis for Robbies according to the link - only 3 axis for Bell 505.
To do what they claim - ie fly a helicopter with 3 fingers from take off to landing, you need a 4 -axis autopilot.

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 850
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From: USA
Originally Posted by [email protected]
The startup, taxi, takeoff, transition, approach and landing. We saw an acceleration, a speed reduction, a climb and some turns.
It is most instructive to watch all of the videos they have posted on Youtube. They have several years into this, have flown a fully autonomous Mosquito helicopter, and are now quite brilliantly moving into what is the world's most popular, and soon to be numerous, helicopter type.
I don't doubt they have all those capabilities. None of them require any sort of new technology. They could (and probably did) put this system together out of catalog parts. The only thing new would be the user interface and perhaps some control law software.
The most interesting part of the Jon Hamm video is the blurred out second iPad. It make me wonder what sort of proprietary info might be displayed there. But that is just me with my "curious engineer" hat on. I don't think they are trying to put anything over on anyone by blurring that screen.
Helisas is only 2 axis for Robbies according to the link - only 3 axis for Bell 505.
To do what they claim - ie fly a helicopter with 3 fingers from take off to landing, you need a 4 -axis autopilot.

Joined: Apr 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 1,814
From: EGDC
The guy in the RHS is clearly flying the collective for lift to the hover and landing. Smoke and mirrors.
If there is no 4-axis autopilot certified for the R44, how are they doing it? Pixies? Leprechauns?
They have the i-pad talking to a basic pitch and roll servo to allow very basic autopilot functions - that is it.
If there is no 4-axis autopilot certified for the R44, how are they doing it? Pixies? Leprechauns?
They have the i-pad talking to a basic pitch and roll servo to allow very basic autopilot functions - that is it.

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 850
Likes: 0
From: USA
Originally Posted by [email protected]
The guy in the RHS is clearly flying the collective for lift to the hover and landing. Smoke and mirrors.
If there is no 4-axis autopilot certified for the R44, how are they doing it? Pixies? Leprechauns?
They have the i-pad talking to a basic pitch and roll servo to allow very basic autopilot functions - that is it.
Watch all the videos, particularly the one posted here.

Joined: Apr 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 1,814
From: EGDC
Watched it - the careful editing means you can't see if there is a left hand collective fitted as well even though there is only the right hand half of the cyclic.
He doesn't take his feet off the pedals when he lets go of the other controls in the hover.
It doesn't take off and land by itself.
Yes you can see the collective move so they may have an experimental autopilot fit but I would have to see it fly a take off, a complete circuit and a landing without the human intervention on the controls to even be slightly convinced.
I have been flying aircraft with 4 -axis APs for many years that can go from hover to hover so it's not ground breaking technology.
He doesn't take his feet off the pedals when he lets go of the other controls in the hover.
It doesn't take off and land by itself.
Yes you can see the collective move so they may have an experimental autopilot fit but I would have to see it fly a take off, a complete circuit and a landing without the human intervention on the controls to even be slightly convinced.
I have been flying aircraft with 4 -axis APs for many years that can go from hover to hover so it's not ground breaking technology.

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 850
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From: USA
Originally Posted by [email protected]
I have been flying aircraft with 4 -axis APs for many years that can go from hover to hover so it's not ground breaking technology.

Joined: Apr 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 1,814
From: EGDC
But they claim to have a helicopter you can fly from that interface which is only partly true - when it lifts to the hover, flys a circuit and lands afterwards - all done through the interface, then you can believe their claims.
It seems to me they are peddling a half-truth to those without enough knowledge to question their results.
It seems to me they are peddling a half-truth to those without enough knowledge to question their results.
Joined: Apr 1998
Posts: 4
Likes: 1
From: Mesopotamos
Haven't watched the videos, but if the system started the piston engine, waited for the CHT to rise to normal operating temperature, accounted for abnormal vibrations, did a L-R mag check, a carby heat check, a manifold pressure check, a freewheeling check, a TR check, a light-on-the-skids check, then picks up the helicopter into the hover and does an available power check, then I would be quite impressed. If it still needs a human for this then less so.

Joined: May 2016
Posts: 88
Likes: 18
From: USA
Certification and regulatory issues aside, using off the shelf RC technology wouldn't be that hard to adapt. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what they did, using something like this.
https://navio2.emlid.com/ $170 for the brains capable of full autonomous flight.
https://navio2.emlid.com/ $170 for the brains capable of full autonomous flight.




