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Rockin Copter — Parallax Forums

Rockin Copter

xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
edited 2015-01-02 20:52 in General Discussion
I had this idea of putting a VU meter on a copter for awhile and today I decided it was time to see what it would look like.

I literally threw it on, it's not pretty, it's not project section worthy, but is was fun and the response I got tells me to press on. I'm pretty sure nobody has used a uC to run a VU on a copter either.

Bear with me on the first attempt. Bad CG, bad gyro init and overall crash imminent, I love it!

[video=youtube_share;gw1kxOPU_S0]

IMG_0599.JPG

IMG_0600.JPG

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-12-30 05:27
    Totally bitchin! Best holiday project yet. Has a "Close Encounters " vibe to it, try that music at some point. Definitely continue!

    Edit: Sell the idea to Parallax and it can become the Rocklin Copter!
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2014-12-30 08:12
    Erco, I thought Close Encounters too! I was going to re-record the entire thing with the close encounter tones/music but the whole thing was so precariously taped together I was lucky to get that couple minutes of flight without damaging anything.

    In the meantime I would like to source a small Propeller board with built in ADC. This could be very small and run off an iPod shuffle. I would like to use an mp3 player to feed the ADC because wireless wouldn't be as reliable. Or have the Propeller "record" the music on the ground to SD, and then "play it back" on the WS LEDs in the air. I'm leaning toward the external MP3 player because it will have perfect timing, and if the Prop was to reboot or something went wrong it wouldn't start playing from the beginning.

    If anyone knows a small Propeller board that can run on 12v and has a built in ADC please let me know. If anyone that is making Propeller boards wants to send me a quote for 50 boards that fit the description I'm interested in seeing what the price is. Please keep in mind I seriously doubt I would pursue trying to make and sell this myself and if you want to use the idea please do!

    Thanks.
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2014-12-30 11:21
    Pretty cool. First thing I thought was that the music should have been "Flight of the Valkyries" instead of, well, whatever that was. :)

    Or was it "Ride of the Valkyries"? Whatever it was in that scene in Apocolyse Now.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2014-12-30 11:49
    You where correct the first time:

    http://www.last.fm/music/Richard+Wagner/_/Flight+of+the+Valkyries

    I like to listen to it while viewing pictures of this:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_XB-70_Valkyrie
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2014-12-30 16:59
    I'll do Flight of the Valkyries next, once I shrink it down a 10 minute flight (10 minute song) should be possible.

    I know a lot of people don't like the music I used in this video. This video wasn't really for us, I'm making it for the kid that designed the frame to help him get more attention. Certain music was chosen based on demographical data.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-12-30 17:55
    See also:
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2014-12-30 18:46
    That is going to be wild! The best thing is you can just use timing and no need for music on board, maybe an RTC and a schedule would be easier than having everyone boot up at the same time. If they are going to go completely dark I supposed we'd all need GPS hold too.

    I'm going to move up to a larger copter, I'm not really happy with having to cram all this stuff onto a 250mm quad. I have everything but the frame, I sure wish this were still available - http://www.parallax.com/product/80090

    I think I'll go to Lowes and do scratch built for a change. Maybe plywood!
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2014-12-31 02:41
    You can get individual parts now:

    http://www.parallax.com/product/elev-8
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    edited 2015-01-01 19:24
    The movie I thought of was Independence Day. The robotics tech not being up to it they sent up a full sized helicopter with human pilots and a similar display to try and get the aliens' attention. Unfortunately, it worked.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2015-01-02 20:52
    I managed to recruit another copter pilot, specifically a CWO USMC copter pilot. We have the three ships like the video Erco linked.

    Ordering three Prop minis (hope they get here in time) - http://www.parallax.com/product/32150

    I have plenty of WS2812 strips, lucky me. We're going to remake the Close Encounters scene. Next weekend. Trying to find someone who does music to create an original instrumental for us to use. Any takers?

    We will conduct the flight in a public place, but fly over a publically inaccessible area. I plan to play the audio onsite for the crowd, as well as dub it into the video.

    I'm excited, I love copters and LEDs.
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