Quantum Leap in Night Blade Technology
Archiver
Posts: 46,084
4/12/2000
Quantum leap - yea right!
I know that is a bold statement but check out the photos from the latest
project that I have been working on. First glo-sticks were cool - then the
light strings were the rage - now check this out !!
NOTE:
Helicopters have enough power/energy to cause serious life threatening
injuries. RC Helicopters could be dangerous under the best of conditions.
Night flying RC Helicopters may be even more dangerous. Watching a display
on a RC helicopter (rather than paying attention to flying), at night, may
be very dangerous. From this point on, you have been warned and you are on
your own.
Choose the top link on the Cedar Park Cedar Choppers webpage (Night Blades)
http://www.inetport.com/~davisele/fc.html
I put a computer on one of my raptor's blades and hooked up some LEDs. I
wrote some demo software that displays any text message - in this case I
just displayed "RAPTOR" (a future version of the software may allow the
user to enter their own message or Logo with a PC {or maybe even their TV
remote control}). It is somewhat mesmerizing to see the blades and LEDs
flash out words or messages - at 2000 rpm !!! - Since the blades are
invisible at that speed, especially at night, the message just floats near
the hovering helicopter.
After a few seconds the display changes to ACTUAL MEASURED RPM - it
displays that for a few seconds and then loops back in a continuous loop. I
can make the computer display many other things like on board battery
voltage, etc.
I need to clean up the software - its a big kluge right now - However, I am
happy that it works at all - A lot of things have to happen when the blades
are at 2000 rpm !!!
My display shows that it measured 3740 rpm - of course that is wrong - I
tested it on a signal generator and it was accurate +/- 10 rpm up to 19999
rpm - (Since I display only characters - I'll bet that the integer rpm value
to character conversion got messed up a little bit - that will be fixed when
I tidy up the software. I also will add some rudimentary graphic routines.
You will need:
the fully complete computer costs $39
the LEDs cost about $3-4 for all 8 of them
two batteries at $1.99 (grocery store price)
the wood blades that came with your heli (you know - the ones that you don't
use anymore)
If you will notice - I only mounted things in the balsa wood part of the
blade - I am making the assumption that the hardwood is the strength member
and thus I did not want to chop holes in it! I know the CG should be as far
forward as possible - but come on, this is just a prototype.
The night photos are low quality - sorry - but I have little experience in
time delay exposures - in retrospect, I'll bet I could have taken a regular
picture at 1/30 sec and not gotten all of the multiple copies of the
message. The image one sees flashed out by the blades is rock solid - it
always starts at the same place. Either your eyes don't see the individual
messages (no camera movement) or maybe your brain integrates them together -
but what you see looks like a very old computer display where you could see
the individual dots that made up the character.
If anyone is interested in this project - then I will write up a more
detailed set of instructions for the web page.
Mike at MHT may do an article also.
I hope this or other projects make for an interesting summer of night flying
!!
thanks
Richard
Quantum leap - yea right!
I know that is a bold statement but check out the photos from the latest
project that I have been working on. First glo-sticks were cool - then the
light strings were the rage - now check this out !!
NOTE:
Helicopters have enough power/energy to cause serious life threatening
injuries. RC Helicopters could be dangerous under the best of conditions.
Night flying RC Helicopters may be even more dangerous. Watching a display
on a RC helicopter (rather than paying attention to flying), at night, may
be very dangerous. From this point on, you have been warned and you are on
your own.
Choose the top link on the Cedar Park Cedar Choppers webpage (Night Blades)
http://www.inetport.com/~davisele/fc.html
I put a computer on one of my raptor's blades and hooked up some LEDs. I
wrote some demo software that displays any text message - in this case I
just displayed "RAPTOR" (a future version of the software may allow the
user to enter their own message or Logo with a PC {or maybe even their TV
remote control}). It is somewhat mesmerizing to see the blades and LEDs
flash out words or messages - at 2000 rpm !!! - Since the blades are
invisible at that speed, especially at night, the message just floats near
the hovering helicopter.
After a few seconds the display changes to ACTUAL MEASURED RPM - it
displays that for a few seconds and then loops back in a continuous loop. I
can make the computer display many other things like on board battery
voltage, etc.
I need to clean up the software - its a big kluge right now - However, I am
happy that it works at all - A lot of things have to happen when the blades
are at 2000 rpm !!!
My display shows that it measured 3740 rpm - of course that is wrong - I
tested it on a signal generator and it was accurate +/- 10 rpm up to 19999
rpm - (Since I display only characters - I'll bet that the integer rpm value
to character conversion got messed up a little bit - that will be fixed when
I tidy up the software. I also will add some rudimentary graphic routines.
You will need:
the fully complete computer costs $39
the LEDs cost about $3-4 for all 8 of them
two batteries at $1.99 (grocery store price)
the wood blades that came with your heli (you know - the ones that you don't
use anymore)
If you will notice - I only mounted things in the balsa wood part of the
blade - I am making the assumption that the hardwood is the strength member
and thus I did not want to chop holes in it! I know the CG should be as far
forward as possible - but come on, this is just a prototype.
The night photos are low quality - sorry - but I have little experience in
time delay exposures - in retrospect, I'll bet I could have taken a regular
picture at 1/30 sec and not gotten all of the multiple copies of the
message. The image one sees flashed out by the blades is rock solid - it
always starts at the same place. Either your eyes don't see the individual
messages (no camera movement) or maybe your brain integrates them together -
but what you see looks like a very old computer display where you could see
the individual dots that made up the character.
If anyone is interested in this project - then I will write up a more
detailed set of instructions for the web page.
Mike at MHT may do an article also.
I hope this or other projects make for an interesting summer of night flying
!!
thanks
Richard