great review bruce, it reminds me that i havent flown any models for 3(!!!) years. this looks like a good addition to my "getting back into rc flying" kit along with a couple of AXNs and maybe one of these cloud surfers... your go around also reminded me of a few of the same situations i had with my AXNs, mis-judging their glide slope a few times :) keep them coming !
Great demonstration of the variometer and how it will benefit operators. FrSky should give you a new radio after this video series, they are going to sell a ton of these now.
Great to see you flying again Bruce. The video is so clear. The inset a must see feature in future RC FPV quad copter video. Good to see you reaching your maximum legal limits. Well said.
Hello, and congratulations for your videos. I am very surprised to see that you control in mode 1. I thought it was typical control mode of my country (FR). Yet we continued to enjoy your videos :)
Bruce, You should show have the vario can be used to cut the motor at your legal limit, and could also raise the flaps to kill the lift. The joys of the brilliant Taranis radio...
+Barry Cole I have done that, also increased the frequency of voice above 100m, got caught out with a glider that hit serious lift and in the few seconds between misheard voice had gone surprisingly high, was thinking what did she just say? as the thing seemed to stand still in the sky but just get smaller. I reduce the throttle max not cut completely as it feels wrong to lose one control method when close to serious lift.
Very good Bruce , i thought you did'nt have a observer at first , if Barry was there we would have heard him talking in the background , now i see your wife was observer and very quiet but thats ok she is good on the camera , reminds me of the old saying " a woman should be seen and not heard " . Variometer very good in thermals to hear lift etc , not cheating when it tells you your too high for the law , keep on flying :-)
Impressive tool especially easy for those not in the know about Thermals ( myself included ) Just out of curiosity what is your record flight time using limited battery power ? I have been way too much into mini quads and not touched a glider for a while but am seriously considering it again for the summer months. A 3 min rush with a mini quad is brilliant but the nice and easy floating around compares just as much.
Great Bruce, do you think that 118 meters is too low for thermal flying? I mean could you fly at 50 meters for example or does the thermal effect only kick in higher up?
+Nils Rohwer It's possible to snag thermals as low as 10-20m above the ground and climb up to the 122m legal ceiling (that's what I do with my DLG) but it does require more skill and is a lot harder.
+Nils Rohwer Yes, it is a limitation... but on the other hand, it makes it more of a challenge to get sustained flight from thermal lift -- because you have to bail out so early yet stay aloft long enough to find another bit of lift.
Great video Bruce. What was the altitude reading when you landed? On my Frsky (high-precision) vario it usually shows +20 - 50 ft when I land. I've tried different positions and models, but it's always the same.
Gah, we get bushflies blown across from the mainland about now and they drive me nuts when trying to fly. Worse, we had these tiny spiders floating on strands of web, that always seem to get on your face or in your ear the moment you put fpv goggles on. Guys on the flight line were waving, scratching and sticking fingers in their ears, or doing the funny spider dance the other day. Looked like the Loony Bin Rc Club in action. Hahaha!
G'day, Yay Team ! Excellent Stuff Bruce... The first Flight Instrument I ever saw on a Hang-Glider was in 1978, when a friend made a Fairing on his A-Frame to hold an AM Transistor Radio & a R/C Sailplane Variometer transmitting on the AM-Band...; he'd invariably be the highest Kite in the Sky, and once he was "securely Up There", then he could re-tune the Radio to check the Criquet or Feetball Scores... The Sending Unit was a Cylinder about 6 inches long & 1 inch in diameter..., with I think a 9-Volt Battery (?). Segue Warning... I suspect you will get a signifigantly good giggle from "Celtic Country. Marketing Garbsge In Glen Innes !". Ye cannae the now be puttin' any nae Scottish Garbage inter yonder Irish Bin, y'see, nor thy Irish Garbage inta the Manxian Bin, and God forbid ye t' be puttin any Garbage frae Brittany inter yonder Galacian National Tartan bedecked Celtic Garbage-Bin...; Och-Aye, Hoots-Mon...(Avast, Shiver me Timberz, & Splice the Main-Brace, me Hearties !). And, to think that you used to suspect that Waikato Council were making some strange decisions...; wait till you see what we have Here ! ;-p Ciao !
Following the theme of getting telemetry via the smart port. Could you do a video where you plug a naze32 rev6 into a x4r-sb and pass back the data from the naze32 much like what you can do with the d4r-II and the telemetry port. Thanks in advance Gordon.
Not a Taranis user myself so just wondering if you could set a custom switch to automatically deploy airbrakes and/or cut the motor at the max altitude?
Bruce would I be right in thinking this setup would also work with the Turnigy 9XR Pro using the FrSky module??? ( I am planning to get the 9XR Pro so I can have the 3 axis stick upgrade)...Rgds...Laurie
Hi Bruce, That's an excellent instructional video on what the Vario actually does & how you can avoid "Breaking the law." Nice soaring too. All us "RC yachties" need now is a proximity detector to avoid hitting the marker buoys. How's the S&A system coming along? Stay safe & have fun.
Hi Bruce, you have never tested the long range L9R, would you do the review of that some time? I guess for many people LRS is too much, but they still want a reasonable long range to fly FPV.
+Gary Lowe it is not from sea level. I don't think its 400 ft from the tallest building. I believe its 400 from the ground. Correct me if I'm wrong. thanks.
Aviation rules (for aircraft) are 500' above the ground in a rural area, and 1000' above the ground in a built up area. From drones, you are limited to 400' AGL everywhere.
I personally fly with the long range receiver from FrSky, it kind of sucks, because it doesn't have Telemetry capability as the versions below does.... Nice video Bruce, thanks for sharing it...
Another great informative review, I will have to put one in my dlg so I know when I'm in lift cause I still can't find it hehe. Saying that I still have to build my new one.......
+Greg Hines Yes, it's not a problem. This airfield is barely used (only two planes came/went during the entire day yesterday) and we can hear any approaching craft either on the radio or by ear *long* before they get close.
Thats awesome. My boy and I fly at a park ten min from a small airport, we just make sure were below the tree line when we hear em coming. Thanks for the videos, my 6 yr old and I enjoy them.
+FlyingMerf As I said in the previous video, my Taranis is *very* old and still running the original software. I suspect an update or two might fix the problem :-)
+xjet I'm running the latest firmware and have had no obviously wrong readings as yet. I also use feet, as for an old pilot metres just confuses what's left of my brain.
+mrmurder75 You have to change it in radio settings, not model settings. Just scroll down on radio setup page till you get to units and switch from metric to imperial (to get to radio setup, just long press the menu button from any model).
Mode one! Interesting. Guess it makes sense in NZ...down under, flying inverted, reversed controls. Alice in Wonderland. Through the looking glass. Up is down. Left is right.
I knew he said he used mode 1 before watching the video but it still took a while to click in watching the video. I was like "why is he pulling full down on the elevator?" LOL.
Will a verio gadget give wind under my wings for a mega meat pack plane under development. The mega meat pack planes needs as much thermal lift that it can detect!
+nilamotk Both of you, do yourselves a favour and buy a Taranis Plus radio. nilamotk if he can afford to be a pilot can definitely afford to buy himself a decent radio.
this looks fun. i would like to try a DLG but i have a bad leg so i could not throw one.. but this sure looks fun. i may not have any mountains to sore through here in AZ where its flat desert.. i do think we have good thermals. at least that is my guess watching the birds of prey how they glide with zero effort for what seems like hours on end. maybe one day ill find a DLG made for us cripples. laughs, i could over hand launch about it.. but that is not how a DLG works.. so id need like a hack of one i guess with a small motor.
I don't know why a vario could be considered cheating. If our models and model competitions are analogs of the full size world, do you think that there is even one full size glider in the world that does not have a vario? I think that our model aircraft world needs to keep up with technology. If the technology is this affordable and easy to setup then varios should be allowed if they are not already.
I am a new Taranis owner, therefore I really appreciate these demonstration/ tutorial videos regarding Taranis and FrSky technology.
great review bruce, it reminds me that i havent flown any models for 3(!!!) years. this looks like a good addition to my "getting back into rc flying" kit along with a couple of AXNs and maybe one of these cloud surfers... your go around also reminded me of a few of the same situations i had with my AXNs, mis-judging their glide slope a few times :) keep them coming !
Great demonstration of the variometer and how it will benefit operators. FrSky should give you a new radio after this video series, they are going to sell a ton of these now.
Just started in FrSky with a Taranis Q X7 and an X8R with the FLVSS and Variometer! So excited to get up in the sky next week!
Thanks for the demo. I'm hooked so going to get one of these and try this out when summer arrives in UK.
Lovely video work Kate! Summer is time to venture out with sunscreen and smiles. :-)
Brilliant..You must have just uploaded this in the last few minutes Bruce...My idea of fun R/C flying using the vario....Thanks...Laurie
That was great as always Bruce, thanks for your efforts. I have learned a lot from your videos.
Great to see you flying again Bruce. The video is so clear. The inset a must see feature in future RC FPV quad copter video. Good to see you reaching your maximum legal limits. Well said.
Hello, and congratulations for your videos.
I am very surprised to see that you control in mode 1.
I thought it was typical control mode of my country (FR).
Yet we continued to enjoy your videos :)
Nice demonstration, now I need a sailplane, too!
Bruce, You should show have the vario can be used to cut the motor at your legal limit, and could also raise the flaps to kill the lift. The joys of the brilliant Taranis radio...
+Barry Cole I have done that, also increased the frequency of voice above 100m, got caught out with a glider that hit serious lift and in the few seconds between misheard voice had gone surprisingly high, was thinking what did she just say? as the thing seemed to stand still in the sky but just get smaller.
I reduce the throttle max not cut completely as it feels wrong to lose one control method when close to serious lift.
Cool to seem some actual gliding. Nice video. keep em coming :)
Very good Bruce , i thought you did'nt have a observer at first , if Barry was there we would have heard him talking in the background , now i see your wife was observer and very quiet but thats ok she is good on the camera , reminds me of the old saying " a woman should be seen and not heard " . Variometer very good in thermals to hear lift etc , not cheating when it tells you your too high for the law , keep on flying :-)
FrSky has a high precision variometer and normal variometer sensor. Which of these were you using? Thanks for your help Bruce.
Impressive tool especially easy for those not in the know about Thermals ( myself included )
Just out of curiosity what is your record flight time using limited battery power ?
I have been way too much into mini quads and not touched a glider for a while but am seriously considering it again for the summer months. A 3 min rush with a mini quad is brilliant but the nice and easy floating around compares just as much.
Excellent video!
Bruce, is this module compatible with spektrum receivers? Great video!
Great Bruce, do you think that 118 meters is too low for thermal flying? I mean could you fly at 50 meters for example or does the thermal effect only kick in higher up?
+Nils Rohwer It's possible to snag thermals as low as 10-20m above the ground and climb up to the 122m legal ceiling (that's what I do with my DLG) but it does require more skill and is a lot harder.
Hey Bruce, thank you for the answer, do you find it too low in general though?
+Nils Rohwer Yes, it is a limitation... but on the other hand, it makes it more of a challenge to get sustained flight from thermal lift -- because you have to bail out so early yet stay aloft long enough to find another bit of lift.
Great video I would love to see a thermalling basics video.
man great video makes me want to get one there are some awesome mountains here in utah that would be fun to soar up
Great video Bruce. What was the altitude reading when you landed? On my Frsky (high-precision) vario it usually shows +20 - 50 ft when I land. I've tried different positions and models, but it's always the same.
Gah, we get bushflies blown across from the mainland about now and they drive me nuts when trying to fly. Worse, we had these tiny spiders floating on strands of web, that always seem to get on your face or in your ear the moment you put fpv goggles on. Guys on the flight line were waving, scratching and sticking fingers in their ears, or doing the funny spider dance the other day. Looked like the Loony Bin Rc Club in action. Hahaha!
G'day,
Yay Team !
Excellent Stuff Bruce...
The first Flight Instrument I ever saw on a Hang-Glider was in 1978, when a friend made a Fairing on his A-Frame to hold an AM Transistor Radio & a R/C Sailplane Variometer transmitting on the AM-Band...; he'd invariably be the highest Kite in the Sky, and once he was "securely Up There", then he could re-tune the Radio to check the Criquet or Feetball Scores...
The Sending Unit was a Cylinder about 6 inches long & 1 inch in diameter..., with I think a 9-Volt Battery (?).
Segue Warning...
I suspect you will get a signifigantly good giggle from "Celtic Country. Marketing Garbsge In Glen Innes !".
Ye cannae the now be puttin' any nae Scottish Garbage inter yonder Irish Bin, y'see, nor thy Irish Garbage inta the Manxian Bin, and God forbid ye t' be puttin any Garbage frae Brittany inter yonder Galacian National Tartan bedecked Celtic Garbage-Bin...; Och-Aye, Hoots-Mon...(Avast, Shiver me Timberz, & Splice the Main-Brace, me Hearties !).
And, to think that you used to suspect that Waikato Council were making some strange decisions...; wait till you see what we have Here !
;-p
Ciao !
Following the theme of getting telemetry via the smart port. Could you do a video where you plug a naze32 rev6 into a x4r-sb and pass back the data from the naze32 much like what you can do with the d4r-II and the telemetry port.
Thanks in advance
Gordon.
Not a Taranis user myself so just wondering if you could set a custom switch to automatically deploy airbrakes and/or cut the motor at the max altitude?
Yes you can set a custom function based on a logical switch to override the throttle channel or the air brakes channel.
Now I'm inclined to go find out if you can set an altitude-based function to turn the motor off.
I'd like to see a build video on that plane with cog and details such as upgrades and changes
Bruce would I be right in thinking this setup would also work with the Turnigy 9XR Pro using the FrSky module??? ( I am planning to get the 9XR Pro so I can have the 3 axis stick upgrade)...Rgds...Laurie
Hi Bruce,
That's an excellent instructional video on what the Vario actually does & how you can avoid
"Breaking the law."
Nice soaring too.
All us "RC yachties" need now is a proximity detector to avoid hitting the marker buoys.
How's the S&A system coming along?
Stay safe & have fun.
Hey Bruce, would there be any benefit from adding a folding prop to this model at all? Cheers !
Hi, why you don't put the antennas inside and at 90 degrees apart? Thanks
Hi Bruce, you have never tested the long range L9R, would you do the review of that some time? I guess for many people LRS is too much, but they still want a reasonable long range to fly FPV.
This may be an incredibly obvious question, but is the legal height limit from the ground or from sea level or some other factor?
slinkyfpv Thanks for the reply. That would make sense.
+Gary Lowe it is not from sea level. I don't think its 400 ft from the tallest building. I believe its 400 from the ground. Correct me if I'm wrong. thanks.
+Christian Prodanov its 400' from the ground. not the tallest building.
+Gary Lowe It's 400 feet AGL (above ground level)
Aviation rules (for aircraft) are 500' above the ground in a rural area, and 1000' above the ground in a built up area. From drones, you are limited to 400' AGL everywhere.
I personally fly with the long range receiver from FrSky, it kind of sucks, because it doesn't have Telemetry capability as the versions below does.... Nice video Bruce, thanks for sharing it...
I'm sold!
Any tutorials or key words I can search for on order to set up these tones? (While accents and decent) very useful.
Can I use a variometer with the FrSky Taranis X-Lite Pro?
What about a vario meter on a regular plane? Like a FMS pa18 1700mm?
great video, btw what is that amazing tail cam your using?
Another great informative review, I will have to put one in my dlg so I know when I'm in lift cause I still can't find it hehe. Saying that I still have to build my new one.......
Bruce,
Is there anyplace the sailplane pilots are allowed exceed the 400 ft limit?
What is the max alltitude you may fly with a RC model??
I couldn't figure out why you were constantly pulling back giving it full elevator all the time. Lol I forgot that you run mode 1. ☺
Great review! Does that work out well, sharing the runway with full scale planes?
+Greg Hines Yes, it's not a problem. This airfield is barely used (only two planes came/went during the entire day yesterday) and we can hear any approaching craft either on the radio or by ear *long* before they get close.
Thats awesome. My boy and I fly at a park ten min from a small airport, we just make sure were below the tree line when we hear em coming. Thanks for the videos, my 6 yr old and I enjoy them.
Hi can you make a video of how to make an extra page of altitude and rate of climb and decent thanks
Excellent demo. FRSky will now have to increase production on their Vario.
Any idea why there are occasional obvious errors in altitude?
+FlyingMerf As I said in the previous video, my Taranis is *very* old and still running the original software. I suspect an update or two might fix the problem :-)
+xjet I'm running the latest firmware and have had no obviously wrong readings as yet. I also use feet, as for an old pilot metres just confuses what's left of my brain.
+Sean Coyne I'm planning on getting a vario so can you tell me how to change the reading to feet instead of meters please?
+mrmurder75 You have to change it in radio settings, not model settings. Just scroll down on radio setup page till you get to units and switch from metric to imperial (to get to radio setup, just long press the menu button from any model).
Mode one! Interesting. Guess it makes sense in NZ...down under, flying inverted, reversed controls. Alice in Wonderland. Through the looking glass. Up is down. Left is right.
I was wondering who was buying all those "mode 1" transmitters. Bass akwards
+valiant360420 The #1 pilots. That's why it is mode 1 :)
I knew he said he used mode 1 before watching the video but it still took a while to click in watching the video. I was like "why is he pulling full down on the elevator?" LOL.
when are you going to review the vortex
like the cam mount
Is this compatible with the Frsky I6?
Anythink i need to add, to set this up right ?
Which Vario is best for a Spektrum DX9
This review is fantastic and shows how varios work in real time.
Seems you have the hang of soaring but does it require a lot of skill?
How about one on the FrSky FLVSS?
Will a verio gadget give wind under my wings for a mega meat pack plane under development. The mega meat pack planes needs as much thermal lift that it can detect!
Any chance you could do something on the 9xr pro with frsky please?
Regards,
Ruaidhri (old fart in Dublin)
yes with the frsky djt module, and the telemetry LCD
+nilamotk Both of you, do yourselves a favour and buy a Taranis Plus radio. nilamotk if he can afford to be a pilot can definitely afford to buy himself a decent radio.
+stewjw 9xr is open source, its cheap, and good for starting out.. its useful for everything... the company drones use Futaba.. (1800$ in radios...)
Also, Im not a pilot.. I have my PPL and access to a few planes..
I am however a UAV pilot, and had to go through countless bullshit to do so.. Including 2 mil in liability insurance...
idk why that motor not being centered drives me nuts
It has to do with spin torque. if the motor is straight it will turn the plane on its yaw axis when motor is on. But I know what you mean.
Thoght I was the only one.
the wifecam is much better than the barrycam :)
you can see the thrust angle
60fps butter :D
nice
Maybe one day, but I find the vario noises annoying. Prolly due to my having tinnitus and some hearing loss.
Content overload!
+xjet GREAT !!!
this looks fun. i would like to try a DLG but i have a bad leg so i could not throw one.. but this sure looks fun. i may not have any mountains to sore through here in AZ where its flat desert.. i do think we have good thermals. at least that is my guess watching the birds of prey how they glide with zero effort for what seems like hours on end. maybe one day ill find a DLG made for us cripples. laughs, i could over hand launch about it.. but that is not how a DLG works.. so id need like a hack of one i guess with a small motor.
You could try a bungee, they look pretty good
wheres the "hello and welcome back to rc model reviews" intro.... lol
+chris curnew LOL, I was waiting for the same greeting. Made me double check if I was in fact watching RCmodelReviews :)
I don't know why a vario could be considered cheating. If our models and model competitions are analogs of the full size world, do you think that there is even one full size glider in the world that does not have a vario?
I think that our model aircraft world needs to keep up with technology. If the technology is this affordable and easy to setup then varios should be allowed if they are not already.