Re: Auto takeoff/landing for an RC plane - stabilizing sensors

[abracadabra]

Way back, about 15-25 years ago, there was an article
in one of the RC modelling magazines.

They talked about using some kind of safe-to-handle
radio-isotope sensor on something about the size of a
dime. This was placed at each wing tip and at nose
and tail of plane.

These sensors were connected to a small circuit within
the RC plane. I think they even had the circuit diagram
for it in the article. I am not sure, but I think it ran
for 2-3 issues to fully cover the topic.

Apparently it worked very well for

- horizontal (forward) stabilization
- lateral (side to side) stabilization

I am fuzzy on this, but I think the magazine was
"RC Modeller" (because of the BIG "RC" in the
corner).

From recollections, it was in the 1st quarter of the
magazine, and the plane colour was definitely a
navy blue with yellow striping.

The reason why I remember it so clearly is because,
at the time, I was trying to look at the auto-stabilizing
of the hydrofoil which I previously mentioned.

Good luck in finding the article. My copy is buried
in storage, and I would not know where to start
looking for it.


Eric

"Chuck Jones" <ifyouwantit@comeangetit.com> wrote in message
news:osy0e.83479$755.47526@lakeread05...
> The trick with autolanding is informing the model as to the exact location
> of the runway. The big boys do this with GPS and a variety of Nav Aids.
> And still, as a rule, they don't autoland.
>
> Once you teach your model how to spot the runway on its own, you'll be
party
> way there.
>
>
> "Tom Watson" <tomwnospam@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
> news:xIr0e.9561$C7.971@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> >I have used the Futaba PA-2 to "stabilise" one of my models (it was a .40
> >size trainer). After a lot of fiddling I was able to get it to
"Autoland".
> >By that I mean I could close the throttle and by just using the rudder, I
> >could steer it to line up with the runway. I had it set up so that it
flew
> >at a slightly nose high attitude. It kept that attitude till touchdown.
> > Still needs a fair amount of experience to keep it lined up, but the
> > landing was sort of automatic.
> > My favorite party trick was lining up on the runway and then putting the
> > tx on the ground.!!. Calm conditions of course.
> >
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Tom Watson
> > Sydney Australia
> >
> >
> > <Sam> wrote in message
> > news:423faa10$0$29445$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
> >> Is there any autopilot capable of performing auto take off and landing
of
> >> fixed wing large RC plane ?
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

[William]

"abracadabra" <marceau504@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:g7ydna1U1rkQDt7fRVn-pQ@rogers.com...
> Way back, about 15-25 years ago, there was an article
> in one of the RC modelling magazines.
>
> They talked about using some kind of safe-to-handle
> radio-isotope sensor on something about the size of a
> dime. This was placed at each wing tip and at nose
> and tail of plane.
>
> These sensors were connected to a small circuit within
> the RC plane. I think they even had the circuit diagram
> for it in the article. I am not sure, but I think it ran
> for 2-3 issues to fully cover the topic.

There is an autopilot setup somewhat similar to that which uses
electrical sensors at each wingtip - pointed wires, basically.
As one wing dips, a tiny voltage potential is created between
the two sensors - the polarity and size of the difference
can be used to stabilize the plane. I don't think radioisotopes
are involved in this design, but I could be wrong.

> The reason why I remember it so clearly is because,
> at the time, I was trying to look at the auto-stabilizing
> of the hydrofoil which I previously mentioned.

My guess would be that the high humidity near the water
would complicate things, if not make it unworkable.
How about an RC helicopter gyro - seems like a good
match to the problem. -Wm

[Chuck Jones]

Problem remains as to informing the plane WHERE the runway is. And
designing the whole thing to make a smooth transition from whatever altitude
to the ground, lined up with and at the end of the runway. For years the
big boys used radio navigation aids located around the runway.


"abracadabra" <marceau504@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:g7ydna1U1rkQDt7fRVn-pQ@rogers.com...
> Way back, about 15-25 years ago, there was an article
> in one of the RC modelling magazines.
>
> They talked about using some kind of safe-to-handle
> radio-isotope sensor on something about the size of a
> dime. This was placed at each wing tip and at nose
> and tail of plane.
>
> These sensors were connected to a small circuit within
> the RC plane. I think they even had the circuit diagram
> for it in the article. I am not sure, but I think it ran
> for 2-3 issues to fully cover the topic.
>
> Apparently it worked very well for
>
> - horizontal (forward) stabilization
> - lateral (side to side) stabilization
>
> I am fuzzy on this, but I think the magazine was
> "RC Modeller" (because of the BIG "RC" in the
> corner).
>
> From recollections, it was in the 1st quarter of the
> magazine, and the plane colour was definitely a
> navy blue with yellow striping.
>
> The reason why I remember it so clearly is because,
> at the time, I was trying to look at the auto-stabilizing
> of the hydrofoil which I previously mentioned.
>
> Good luck in finding the article. My copy is buried
> in storage, and I would not know where to start
> looking for it.
>
>
> Eric
>
> "Chuck Jones" <ifyouwantit@comeangetit.com> wrote in message
> news:osy0e.83479$755.47526@lakeread05...
>> The trick with autolanding is informing the model as to the exact
>> location
>> of the runway. The big boys do this with GPS and a variety of Nav Aids.
>> And still, as a rule, they don't autoland.
>>
>> Once you teach your model how to spot the runway on its own, you'll be
> party
>> way there.
>>
>>
>> "Tom Watson" <tomwnospam@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
>> news:xIr0e.9561$C7.971@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>> >I have used the Futaba PA-2 to "stabilise" one of my models (it was a
>> >.40
>> >size trainer). After a lot of fiddling I was able to get it to
> "Autoland".
>> >By that I mean I could close the throttle and by just using the rudder,
>> >I
>> >could steer it to line up with the runway. I had it set up so that it
> flew
>> >at a slightly nose high attitude. It kept that attitude till touchdown.
>> > Still needs a fair amount of experience to keep it lined up, but the
>> > landing was sort of automatic.
>> > My favorite party trick was lining up on the runway and then putting
>> > the
>> > tx on the ground.!!. Calm conditions of course.
>> >
>> >
>> > Regards
>> >
>> > Tom Watson
>> > Sydney Australia
>> >
>> >
>> > <Sam> wrote in message
>> > news:423faa10$0$29445$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
>> >> Is there any autopilot capable of performing auto take off and landing
> of
>> >> fixed wing large RC plane ?
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>

[Steve Banks]

I interpreted the auto landing the pilot simply "presses a button" telling
the plane to land where it can as quickly as it can. Assuming that we
aren't "cheating" by installing beacons, the plane would have to "look"
around and find a suitable landing spot then fly over there.

The flying from point to point part is the easy part, picking a suitable
place to land is the hard part and may require a variety of sensors to
determine things like how tall the grass is or how muddy is that field and
certainly some computing power. Identifying collision courses with other
moving objects adds another level of complexity.

If you want to simplify the problem by assuming the plane is stable and the
whole world is paved and obstacle free then auto landing is throttle off and
trim for a non-destructive descent speed.




"Chuck Jones" <ifyouwantit@comeangetit.com> wrote in message
news:kp21e.85457$755.77257@lakeread05...
> Problem remains as to informing the plane WHERE the runway is. And
> designing the whole thing to make a smooth transition from whatever
altitude
> to the ground, lined up with and at the end of the runway. For years the
> big boys used radio navigation aids located around the runway.
>
>
> "abracadabra" <marceau504@rogers.com> wrote in message
> news:g7ydna1U1rkQDt7fRVn-pQ@rogers.com...
> > Way back, about 15-25 years ago, there was an article
> > in one of the RC modelling magazines.
> >
> > They talked about using some kind of safe-to-handle
> > radio-isotope sensor on something about the size of a
> > dime. This was placed at each wing tip and at nose
> > and tail of plane.
> >
> > These sensors were connected to a small circuit within
> > the RC plane. I think they even had the circuit diagram
> > for it in the article. I am not sure, but I think it ran
> > for 2-3 issues to fully cover the topic.
> >
> > Apparently it worked very well for
> >
> > - horizontal (forward) stabilization
> > - lateral (side to side) stabilization
> >
> > I am fuzzy on this, but I think the magazine was
> > "RC Modeller" (because of the BIG "RC" in the
> > corner).
> >
> > From recollections, it was in the 1st quarter of the
> > magazine, and the plane colour was definitely a
> > navy blue with yellow striping.
> >
> > The reason why I remember it so clearly is because,
> > at the time, I was trying to look at the auto-stabilizing
> > of the hydrofoil which I previously mentioned.
> >
> > Good luck in finding the article. My copy is buried
> > in storage, and I would not know where to start
> > looking for it.
> >
> >
> > Eric
> >
> > "Chuck Jones" <ifyouwantit@comeangetit.com> wrote in message
> > news:osy0e.83479$755.47526@lakeread05...
> >> The trick with autolanding is informing the model as to the exact
> >> location
> >> of the runway. The big boys do this with GPS and a variety of Nav
Aids.
> >> And still, as a rule, they don't autoland.
> >>
> >> Once you teach your model how to spot the runway on its own, you'll be
> > party
> >> way there.
> >>
> >>
> >> "Tom Watson" <tomwnospam@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
> >> news:xIr0e.9561$C7.971@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> >> >I have used the Futaba PA-2 to "stabilise" one of my models (it was a
> >> >.40
> >> >size trainer). After a lot of fiddling I was able to get it to
> > "Autoland".
> >> >By that I mean I could close the throttle and by just using the
rudder,
> >> >I
> >> >could steer it to line up with the runway. I had it set up so that it
> > flew
> >> >at a slightly nose high attitude. It kept that attitude till
touchdown.
> >> > Still needs a fair amount of experience to keep it lined up, but the
> >> > landing was sort of automatic.
> >> > My favorite party trick was lining up on the runway and then putting
> >> > the
> >> > tx on the ground.!!. Calm conditions of course.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Regards
> >> >
> >> > Tom Watson
> >> > Sydney Australia
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > <Sam> wrote in message
> >> > news:423faa10$0$29445$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.a u...
> >> >> Is there any autopilot capable of performing auto take off and
landing
> > of
> >> >> fixed wing large RC plane ?
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>