Roban AH-1W Cobra 700 Size Scale Helicopter

[PawPaw]

F106 that’s amazing work! Can’t wait to see it operate. The FLIR & gun will be sync’d?

[F106DeltaDart]

Just got the pan servo functional on my gun. Ended up using a turnigy 180 deg servo. Plan is to use the same servo in the FLIR. I did get the FPV camera functional as well. My internet has been touch and go today, so I’ll try to get a video of the gun movement up once it returns to normal.

[sfcfury]

Congrats! It just wouldn't be RC with out the wife griping!! :) Yea I think you would have to calibrate it.... even if you don't use a specktrum receiver, I don't see how doing the process the way the video shows to do it would hurt anything. I have re calibrated mine several times (basically everytime I made a change using the castle link software), and each time the settings/endpoints end up slightly different... with both end points ending over 100. Like right now in my transmitter, the top end max of throttle is 117, and the bottom is -108.

[PawPaw]

Great news and pretty good Cobra news: Great news is my camera location inside the cockpit is 99% perfect! Any distortion from the clear plastic isn’t really noticeable at all. I’ll post a vid tomorrow...one I have now shows my hairy legs, dog, & wife griping at me.
The pretty good news is after hours of head scratching finally got my Talon 120 to arm in governor mode. Will only arm if the throttle is down and throttle trim is reduced to zero also. I think that’s because my throttle max hasn’t been calibrated....don’t have it on a test stand yet. Auto calibrate setting requires 100% stick while running. Making progress, anyway.

[sfcfury]

4.25 is the firmware version, mine is on that as well... Sounds you like you got it going then!

[PawPaw]

Ok, gotcha. Mine’s showing same as yours with those numbers. Don’t know if it matters but mine shows version 4.25....

[sfcfury]

I would clear out all the numbers, and set just the specified gear ratio. Sometimes I've had it change after hit okay, and when the I went back to look at the the numbers they were all crazy.. I just entered them again. Here's what I get with a 560kv entered, and looking at the 3rd rpm:

[PawPaw]

Well, got the 13.8 gear ratio to enter this time. Guess the program didn’t load fully at first. Is that ratio the motor pinion to main gear ratio? The top pinion to main gear ratio is 3.9:1 & that’s what I entered at first. 13.8 makes more sense & works in the program. I tried 1350 head speed but it shows 100% throttle with 1250 at 70%.

[sfcfury]

Does it need a firmware update? 3.79 is the most current version. Perhaps uninstall/reinstall the castle line software. If you still end up going with the fixed end point setting, you would still need to calibrate the ESC. Now I don't know if it's just a spektrum receiver/CC ESC issue when calibrating, but there's a little process you have to follow, and here's a very good video link on how to do the calibration. If you go that route, I would leave idle/normal as a normal linear throttle curve, and then set idle 2 at 83% flat curve, and idle 3 at 86% flat. That should be in the ball park of 1350rpm and 1400 rpm respectively with your 560kv motor.

[PawPaw]

I was on a computer. CastleLink doesn’t like my 560Kv Scorpion or I’m doing something dumb....as usual. Only way I can get motor to run is with it set to “fixed endpoint” and not governor..

[PawPaw]

Disregard last post: found pinion (20) & main gear (78) tooth count & got that ratio set (3.9 : 1). Entered the remainder of the data & CastleLink says at even 1600 head speed is too slow! Gotta keep digging, obviously. 🤔

[sfcfury]

It won't let you select the 'specified gear ration' button? Wait... how are you using this? On the computer or mobile device? I know on my phone, it won't let me input 13.8...

[PawPaw]

Another question: CastleLink gives me 3 options for setting gear ratio but can’t seem to input 13.8? Looks like tooth count the easiest way?

[PawPaw]

sfcfury, I’m sending you my first born child......Thanks!

[sfcfury]

Good idea, DCORSAIR....Thanks!

sfcfury, just got my CC link for the Talon 120 & need some help! Easy enough to set the basic stuff but am confused on the governor settings:

1. What is the AH-1W gear ratio?
2. Do you have your Talon set for soft or medium start?
3. How did you configure the 3 governor speeds? 3 position Tx switch for idle up? I just need the motor speed curve without 3D pitch but do want to keep auto rotate.

Forgive my stupidity but can’t seem to figure this part out. Thanks!

1. 13.8 is the gear ratio
2. I have motor start power set to low and initial spool up rate set to 1
3. Yes I have it set to the 3 position flight mode switch... I'm using a spektrum DX9 and the flight mode switch is B (top left). My throttle hold is switch H (top right). That's the default setting for spektrum.

If you set it to governor mode, and set rpm, then you enter your battery info, and motor info.
Here's my Castle Link printout.


CC TALON 120 SETTINGS.pdf

[PawPaw]

Good idea, DCORSAIR....Thanks!

sfcfury, just got my CC link for the Talon 120 & need some help! Easy enough to set the basic stuff but am confused on the governor settings:

1. What is the AH-1W gear ratio?
2. Do you have your Talon set for soft or medium start?
3. How did you configure the 3 governor speeds? 3 position Tx switch for idle up? I just need the motor speed curve without 3D pitch but do want to keep auto rotate.

Forgive my stupidity but can’t seem to figure this part out. Thanks!

[DCORSAIR]

On my 500 I was thinking magnets to hold my cockpit in, but the 800 size cabin is so huge I think I can get away with glue and only do the back piece with magnets and be able to get an arm in there to fix a problem, it's a thought for you if you don't want to use screws on your Cobra.

[PawPaw]

I can’t wait for the vids of all that, but every time I see one makes me want to change something that requires more money. I’m installing the cockpit into the canopy on mine with screws instead of glue just because I figure something will need to be fixed later.

[F106DeltaDart]

Nice flying, and the camera installation is looking good PawPaw! I got my receiver controlled switch hooked up the the gun this evening and it works exactly as I was hoping. Now the gun only rotates when I hold down on the button instead of spinning for 4 sec.

I'm also considering adding a drop-out panel underneath the pilot seat so that I can drop out the scale pilot figure and pop in a Pan/Tilt FPV Camera on demand. I've been doing fixed wing flying with an HD system with head tracking (DJI Occusync Air) in my Foamie Piper Cub and it has been loads of fun! That was one of my motivations to go with the Spirit Geolink. It gives me a position hold/return-to-home option if the FPV signal goes out, rather than needing the hand off control to my spotter. Will be doing a lot of signal strength testing before the Pilot ever goes under the hood!

[sfcfury]

Well thank you... but that's about as exciting as I get with it lol! Even then I had some issues on stability to work out... That was my first build... I pretty much went simulator, to a blade 450/DX6 radio combo (I couldn't pass that deal up! It was $400!)... to that heli. Built one other 450 and bought a blade 500 3D... then just went... 'what the hell' lets get a 700 cobra! lol