R/C Helicopter - 3D Aerobatics
June 24, 2015 12:19 AM Subscribe
If helicopters fly by beating the air into submission, then that is some mighty fine capoeira right there.
posted by quinndexter at 12:56 AM on June 24, 2015
posted by quinndexter at 12:56 AM on June 24, 2015
eep! Somebody hit it with a crowbar. I'm having flashbacks to the manhacks from Half-Life 2.
posted by Wemmick at 1:01 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Wemmick at 1:01 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
That's pretty awesome. I am confused, however, as to how helicopters fly upside down. Doesn't the movement of the rotor pull them up? It's not lift in the usual sense, is it? It seems to me that an upside down helicopter would go be pulled down. A bit of googling and there are films of loops and then there's.... Chuck Aaron. So ... it's possible.
posted by chavenet at 1:56 AM on June 24, 2015
posted by chavenet at 1:56 AM on June 24, 2015
chavenet, the angle of attack of the main rotor blades (the "pitch") is controllable. To fly right side up, the angle of attack is such that it beats the air "down" relative to the helicopter. To fly upside down, the angle of attack is changed such that it beats the air "up" relative to the helicopter.
Much more goes into it. Smarter Every Day has a really cool and informative video series on helicopter flight, and the specific video that may answer your question is #3 in that series available here.
posted by theony at 2:01 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Much more goes into it. Smarter Every Day has a really cool and informative video series on helicopter flight, and the specific video that may answer your question is #3 in that series available here.
posted by theony at 2:01 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
thanks theony, that is a great explainer. (also the inspiration for my new punk band, Negative Collective, with lead singer Swashplate and debut album "Meat Servo")
posted by chavenet at 2:50 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by chavenet at 2:50 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
The variable pitch blades also let you store energy in the rotor, which can be quickly released with a pitch change to produce those snappy movements. It's a bit like dumping the clutch in a car, sort of.
You can see the pilot flip the rotor pitch back and forth at the beginning of the clip, before the rotor starts spinning.
posted by ryanrs at 3:12 AM on June 24, 2015
You can see the pilot flip the rotor pitch back and forth at the beginning of the clip, before the rotor starts spinning.
posted by ryanrs at 3:12 AM on June 24, 2015
Can anyone tell me what the dubstep soundtrack was?
posted by Brian Lux at 3:13 AM on June 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Brian Lux at 3:13 AM on June 24, 2015 [3 favorites]
I am so glad I am not in that helicopter
Seconded...
Looks single main rotor helicopters are possibly more manoeuvrable than their quadcopter cousins. Never seen a helicopter hover on its side like that...
posted by 13twelve at 5:03 AM on June 24, 2015
Seconded...
Looks single main rotor helicopters are possibly more manoeuvrable than their quadcopter cousins. Never seen a helicopter hover on its side like that...
posted by 13twelve at 5:03 AM on June 24, 2015
Airplane aerobatics are so much more... graceful. This reminded me of those scenes in horror films where the cutlery drawer comes to life and knives are flying through the air.
posted by backseatpilot at 5:19 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by backseatpilot at 5:19 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
While it's apparent that he is quite skilled, doing RC acrobatics (at night) near an open roadway is irresponsible.
posted by plinth at 6:28 AM on June 24, 2015
posted by plinth at 6:28 AM on June 24, 2015
I'm not sure why exactly... but that whole video terrifies me.
posted by ghostiger at 7:06 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ghostiger at 7:06 AM on June 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nope nope nop
posted by RolandOfEld at 7:50 AM on June 24, 2015
posted by RolandOfEld at 7:50 AM on June 24, 2015
Yeah, this is neat, but also feels like a really badly chosen venue.
Like, someone doing amazing pin juggling on a public sidewalk? Sure, go for it. But, someone doing amazing chainsaw juggling in the same place? However impressive the skill, it's still an irresponsible choice of location.
posted by tocts at 8:18 AM on June 24, 2015
Like, someone doing amazing pin juggling on a public sidewalk? Sure, go for it. But, someone doing amazing chainsaw juggling in the same place? However impressive the skill, it's still an irresponsible choice of location.
posted by tocts at 8:18 AM on June 24, 2015
Insane. This can't be real. Must be CGI. No human can fly those damn things like that. As soon as the drone/copter turns from my orientation, down it goes.
posted by pashdown at 8:45 AM on June 24, 2015
posted by pashdown at 8:45 AM on June 24, 2015
Looks single main rotor helicopters are possibly more manoeuvrable than their quadcopter cousins.
Most multirotors maneuver by changing the RPM of different motors, which is a relatively slow process compared to changing the collective of a rotor--control bandwidth is limited by the rotational inertia of the motors & rotors. But there are variable pitch multirotors.
Here's a (several year old) video that shows autonomous control of a variable pitch quadrotor, and compares vertical maneuverability to a fixed pitch vehicle.
posted by jjwiseman at 8:49 AM on June 24, 2015
Most multirotors maneuver by changing the RPM of different motors, which is a relatively slow process compared to changing the collective of a rotor--control bandwidth is limited by the rotational inertia of the motors & rotors. But there are variable pitch multirotors.
Here's a (several year old) video that shows autonomous control of a variable pitch quadrotor, and compares vertical maneuverability to a fixed pitch vehicle.
posted by jjwiseman at 8:49 AM on June 24, 2015
There is a law of [internet | RC aircraft | humanity] that every video of an exciting drone or RC aircraft phenomenon will attract comments on its recklessness and/or illegality.
posted by jjwiseman at 8:51 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by jjwiseman at 8:51 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Can anyone tell me what the dubstep soundtrack was?
Pretty sure it was Sandstorm by Darude.
posted by Drexen at 9:16 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Pretty sure it was Sandstorm by Darude.
posted by Drexen at 9:16 AM on June 24, 2015 [2 favorites]
Looks single main rotor helicopters are possibly more manoeuvrable than their quadcopter cousins. Never seen a helicopter hover on its side like that...
Variable pitch rotors is a trick that quads have learned.
posted by hellphish at 2:13 PM on June 24, 2015
Variable pitch rotors is a trick that quads have learned.
posted by hellphish at 2:13 PM on June 24, 2015
I bet that's what those giant prehistoric dragonflies sounded like as they hunted small animals.
posted by traveler_ at 6:11 PM on June 24, 2015
posted by traveler_ at 6:11 PM on June 24, 2015
Yeah, this is neat, but also feels like a really badly chosen venue.
I'm normally one of the first people to criticize some of the heli and drone pilots about choosing poor locations for where they're doing stuff, but in this case I think I'm willing to cut the some slack. From the audio a) it sounded like it was about 2am and b) they were watching for cars, and indeed, i didn't see any signs of another car after the one passed near the beginning of the video. So they at least made me think they were paying attention to that. And given that, this was probably even safer than a demo at an event, since there's no crowds.
That said, like a lot of other heli pilots, I do feel they fly way to close to themselves. That's probably my biggest gripe about most of the 3d heli pilots. And it's cost a few of them their lives.
I know a few people that could probably do most of what was shown in the video, partly because I don't necessarily feel that anything hugely impressive was shown in that (although still probably above anything about 98% of people that get into the hobby will ever be able to do). The moves were pretty nice and crisp though, very controlled.
Personally I doubt I'll ever get close to that ability level myself. Course, doesn't help that I don't ever seem to find the amount of time needed to practice that the top pilots seem to be able to find.
posted by piper28 at 11:38 AM on June 25, 2015
I'm normally one of the first people to criticize some of the heli and drone pilots about choosing poor locations for where they're doing stuff, but in this case I think I'm willing to cut the some slack. From the audio a) it sounded like it was about 2am and b) they were watching for cars, and indeed, i didn't see any signs of another car after the one passed near the beginning of the video. So they at least made me think they were paying attention to that. And given that, this was probably even safer than a demo at an event, since there's no crowds.
That said, like a lot of other heli pilots, I do feel they fly way to close to themselves. That's probably my biggest gripe about most of the 3d heli pilots. And it's cost a few of them their lives.
I know a few people that could probably do most of what was shown in the video, partly because I don't necessarily feel that anything hugely impressive was shown in that (although still probably above anything about 98% of people that get into the hobby will ever be able to do). The moves were pretty nice and crisp though, very controlled.
Personally I doubt I'll ever get close to that ability level myself. Course, doesn't help that I don't ever seem to find the amount of time needed to practice that the top pilots seem to be able to find.
posted by piper28 at 11:38 AM on June 25, 2015
« Older Alltha Smoll Theengs / Troo Kair Trooth Breengs | "Contains Strong Language" Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by aubilenon at 12:41 AM on June 24, 2015 [4 favorites]