some more advice from Droidworx...
This is a quick guide for those new to
Multi-Rotor craft offering some basic safety and operational procedures ...and
are
recommended standard operating procedures for those
piloting
Droidworx or any multi-rotor craft.
Operation and
safety
1..
Please read the instructions for the relevant Flight
Control electronics before proceeding. Go to the web
site of your flight
control system and make yourself well acquainted with the correct procedure for
the
electronics installation and software operation.
2..
Caution:
never connect and start the engines for the first time with the
propellers
attached....and always balance your propellers; unbalanced
propellers can cause excessive
vibration which may lead to material
fatigue.
3..
Note: check the orientation of the flight controller you
are using (which way is front) and also the
engine assignment configuration;
for instance which is engine 1,2,3 etc. and check also that your
propellers,
clockwise and counter clockwise, are also installed correctly before your first
flight.
4..
Before the first flight hand test your craft – arm and
calibrate your electronics, hold the craft with both
hands by the landing
gear skids above your head with the front facing away from, and to the front
of
you, make sure you are well clear of obstructions and other people. You
may need the assistance of
another person for this test.
5..
Raise
the throttle to around 25% and gently move the craft around the
axis’ roll
(tipping the craft left and right) and feel for a steady and smooth resistance
to your
movements, do the same for pitch (tipping the craft forward and
backward) and also yaw, rotating the
craft clockwise and anti-clockwise
whilst keeping it horizontal. If the craft offers smooth resistance to
your
movements it will fly correctly.
6..
Your first test flight should be
in an open field in low or zero wind. A sports field (not currently in
use)
is a good option; choose a site with short or mown grass. Do not takeoff
from dry dusty sites.
7..
Make sure any onlookers or spectators do
not gather about you…if so ask them to move away from you in a
perimeter not
less than 50m (150 feet) diameter around you.
8..
Make sure that you
have fully charged your transmitter and onboard battery packs.
9..
Make sure that
the antenna of your Radio (TX) is up and
correctly positioned; make sure the receiver (RX) for your
craft is well
positioned within the craft and secured and that the antenna is facing downward
and to
the back of your craft and not touching any part of the
craft.
10..
Place the craft on level ground and turn on your
transmitter – check that you have the correct model
11..
selected on
your TX.
Set the transmitter timer to about 80% of the known flight
duration.
12..
Connect the battery to your crafts FC inputs and wait
for the engine controller beeps to stop.
13..
Stand about 4m away from
your craft and behind the craft with the craft facing directly away
from
you.
14..
Check the 50m flight safety perimeter you have
established, also checking behind you for children
running in to see what you
are doing.
15..
Survey the area; look for obstacles that you might not
have seen previously, like power-lines and
overhead
wires.
16..
Never fly your craft near a controlled aerodrome or in
controlled airspace.
17..
Check the weather conditions, the wind speed
and direction. Do not fly in gusty strong wind at any
time.
18..
Always try and fly the craft with the wind at your back so the
craft will drift directly away from
you.
19..
Always keep your eyes
on the craft when in flight – if people approach you inside your
safety
perimeter to talk to you or to ask questions whilst you are flying the
craft do not engage in the
conversation and ask them to stand well clear of
you until you have landed.
20..
Re-check your perimeter and raise the
throttle slowly and check to see if the craft wants to tilt to one
direction
or another; sometimes you may need to adjust the trim on your TX to get a level
flight,
21..
however most times the craft will fly perfectly first
time if you have installed the electronics and the
software has been set
correctly—check with the Flight Control manufacturer for standard or
beginner
settings for the craft.
22
Take offs are sometimes easier
with a short burst of power to lift the craft off the ground.
23
Hold
the craft in a controlled hover directly in front of you about 2-3m off the
ground away from
“ground effect” prop wash.
24
When you have
mastered this hover position you can then move on to
rolling the craft gently
from side to side and forward and backward.
25
Make sure that you
always stand
behind the craft, this makes for easy orientation of the flight
controls.
26
Repeat this exercise several times before you take the
craft any higher.
27
Always fly the craft well away from people and /
or property.
28
Always check for children
nearby.
29
Pre-flight safety check
30
Thoroughly check the
craft before every flight…
31
Open the body and check to see if all
the components are safe and secure and not loose.
32
Check to see if
any wires have come off
33
Check for loose bolts on the
assembly
34
Check that the battery's are secure
35
Check the
battery voltage, and if you have more than one battery, check your spares
too
36
Check the propellers for marks and nicks
37
Check the
propeller nuts or bolts, make sure they are tight
38
Check the engine
mounts and the bolts and nuts for tightness
39
Check the Transmitter
battery voltage; never fly the craft with a low voltage reading on
your
transmitter (check with the manufacturer of your equipment for minimum
and maximum voltage
readings).
40
Check that the transmitter
antenna is not damaged.
41
Check that the craft receiver module is
well connected and that the antenna's are properly positioned.
42
Take
a good look over the craft from all sides to make sure that nothing appears
unusual or out of
place.
43
Check your flight
perimeter
44
Check for power-lines and overhead
obstacles.
45
Assess the weather conditions, wind direction and speed.
An anemometer (hand held wind speed
meter) is a good tool to have otherwise
use some dry grass or a tissue, throwing in the air to gauge
the wind
direction. Do not fly in gusty and turbulent conditions.
46
Set your
transmitter timer to 80% of the known battery
duration.
47
Do’s and Don’t's
48
Never fly in
strong wind – the operational safe wind speed for these craft is about 10-15
KPH.
49
In the event of a crash or a hard landing, always check the
craft for damage before taking off again.
50
In this instance, you
must also check that you do not have dirt or grit in the engines; this can cause
an
engine or engines to overheat and fail in flight resulting in an out of
control craft and serious damage
or injury to the craft , other people and
their property.
51
Your launch field should preferably be open and
flat with short grass. If it is necessary to take off in a
field which only
has long grass, manually flatten a 1.5m diameter take off perimeter with your
feet.
52
Always have a flight plan – visualize your flight path and
check again for obstacles.
53
Never fly the craft out of direct line
of sight and always keep your eyes on the craft whilst it is in
the
air.
54
Never fly the craft above 400 feet in height (the
length of a football field).
55
Never fly near people – a 50m (150 ft)
perimeter around and above people is a recommended
minimum and operational
law in most countries.
56
Always set your transmitter timer before
each flight to about 80% of the known flight duration for the
battery pack's
you have installed in the craft.
57
Never turn your transmitter off in
flight.
58
First person view flights are against the law in some
countries – check the relevant aviation safety
authority in your country
before flying FPV.
59
Always have a “spotter” with if you do fly
FPV.
60
Never let friends fly your craft unless they are well
schooled in the discipline.
61
Never fly under the influence of any
substance or alcohol. Whilst there is a minimum blood alcohol
level allowed
for driving an automobile in most countries, the law for pilots in command of
flying craft
around the globe is universal…there is a zero limit
tolerance.
62Always turn your transmitter on before connecting the
battery to the craft...and always disconnect the
battery from the craft
before turning your transmitter off.
happy and safe
flying...
__________________
