Homing device for locating a lost aircraft

[BFlyer]

I'm interested in opinions on the value of a homing device for quickly locating an RC airplane that has come down in the forest or field next to the flying field because of engine shutdown or "bad flight management". My experience is that it doesn't happen often, but when it does, it takes me 30-60 minutes to find the airplane. I typically have 2-3 hours per week that I can fly (combination of good weather plus lull in demand for my time from my family), hence my flying time is valuable to me. A homing or locator device would direct the pilot to his/her airplane quickly, so the main value proposition of such a device is the valuable flying time not wasted on hunting for the downed airplane. A secondary value proposition is not losing the airplane if it should come down in an area that is difficult to search.

[Jim_Marconnet]

When we come up with this wonderful device, I want one to put on my Wife when we go shopping in Wal*Mart! I spend so much time looking for her there.... :D

[jkettu]

These are routinely used on free-flight competition models. Sorry, don't have useful URL:s at hand right now.

[AXI Motor Models]

You can make or buy a lost model alarm (LMA) that beeps when you turn your transmitter off.
I've made a microcontroller based one and one with parts I had lying around.
Here's some links:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=295804 This thread will answer all of your questions about finding lost models.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=278905
http://www.designsoft.com.au/ahome/rc/PIC-LMA/LMA.html

[Marked]

I have taken the electronics out of one of those singing greeting cards and glued a small weight to the plastic strip that acts as the switch.Install in the tail section of the plane. When the it hits,the strip pops out and you get to hear your favorite but annoying tunes till you find it.Some adjustment is required so it doesnt go off during some ackro.Mark

[rivers]

http://www.walstonretrieval.com/main.htm

[Jim_Marconnet]

http://www.walstonretrieval.com/main.htm
That's exactly what I need to find my wife in Wal*Mart, but folks would look at me real strange if I was using that Rx! :)

[mdennis]

Here is one I keep thinking about trying. It would really be neat if I could figure out how to mount the golf ball. :D

Seriously though. If a guy could get the transmitter that goes into the golf ball separately it might work really well. The transmitter is so small and it requires no batteries. Whenever I have had a plane go down, I have always known the general vicinity, but couldn't always see it in the tall grass. A person could afford to put a transmitter in every plane since a dozen of them is only $40. (Golf balls included).

http://orders.radargolf.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=BPS

[Cary Reeves]

http://www.walstonretrieval.com/main.htm
These are very cool systems. My son was a falconer at the Air Force Academy and used this, or another system that looks just like it, for tracking birds in case of a fly-away. The little tx's are so light the birds don't even notice them strapped to their legs. It is my understanding that they use two tx's for redundancy.

[customcarmaker]

Hobbico makes an air alert monitor for about 20 dollars.

[dogon1013]

how about a simple count-down timer, like you can get at the grocerry store, in the cooking supply area. Just set it for the max amount of time you plan on flying, and if it doesn't come back to you in that time, the alarm will go off, and you have your locating beacon.

of course it would be nice if you didn't have to set it every time before flying, I can just see myself not bothering to set it before the one flight that I crash on.

[electric guy]

http://www.theplanelocator.com/ I am sure the other company mentioned would suffice. My experience with the sigjht you see was amazing.I flew a bird out of control and then could go directly to it and be on top of it quickly.In fact the transmitter needs small battery replaced monthly and the transmitter is quater size ,it not only saved time but you can always find your bird and that is found money. I fly in ga at gma

[A.T.]

DIY: several links for "Lost Model Alarms" or "Plane finders" under
"Electronic Circuits & Connectors for RC & Modellers."
at http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~atong/
regards

Alan T.
Alan's Hobby, Model & RC Web Links
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~atong/

[IwantaJet]

http://www.canuckengineering.com

A nice LMA manufactured and sold by a regular contributer to these forums.

(Not me)

Roy

[GotrekGurnisson]

http://www.walstonretrieval.com/main.htm

Looks to be a VHF telemetry system, as used since the 50s in wildlife radio tracking. Possibly a tad pricey for most people. Not sure what that guy charges for his gear, but a standard VHF receiver as used in wildlife tracking will set you back around AUS$1,000 (~US$760). A collapsible,3 element handheld yagi (antenna for receiver) costs around AUS$200-300 (~US$150-230). A VHF transmitter can vary widely in cost, but a ballpark figure would be around AUS$150 (~US$115). Might be worth it if you have a jet turbine worth thousands of dollars, but would be overkill for the average person methinks. The audible alarms are a much more affordable solution.

[dogon1013]

I just noticed that the new Berg 7P receivers have a programmable failsafe built in, so that if the transmitter is turned off, the servo's will all go to a preprogrammed position.

If you have a buzzer hooked up to one of the unused channels and you set the failsafe so that the buzzer is on when the transmitter is turned off you now have a simple lost-plane finder (as long as the crash doesn't disrupt the electronics).

[Fly2High]

http://www.theplanelocator.com/ I am sure the other company mentioned would suffice. My experience with the sigjht you see was amazing.I flew a bird out of control and then could go directly to it and be on top of it quickly.In fact the transmitter needs small battery replaced monthly and the transmitter is quater size ,it not only saved time but you can always find your bird and that is found money. I fly in ga at gma


How is the range on the Plane Locator?

This unit transmitter and reciever is $250, I think. Not bad afterall. Buy one transmitter and swap it into the plane you will fly. At $50 can't go wrong.

I fly sailplanes and when looking for thermals, you tend to get pretty far. Nice to be able to get a $300 - $1000 plane plus radio gear, servos etc. back.

Frank

[EchoSix]

Well, I was trying to find some more info out, however my dad and his buddies are on a hunting trip. They have designed a tracking system made for bow hunters. Its light enough for rc planes I think. Anyway heres a link to their site:

Tracking System (http://www.trackmasterats.com/trackmasterintro.htm)

Hope that helps some,

EchoSix

[mwhitman]

A lost model alert from Skyking RC Products saved my plane a couple of months ago. Without it, I would not have taken the time to hike down a steep hill in thick brush to look for it.

http://www.skykingrcproducts.com/accessories/lostmodel/lost_rc_model_alarm.html

Mike

[dogon1013]

Well, I was trying to find some more info out, however my dad and his buddies are on a hunting trip. They have designed a tracking system made for bow hunters. Its light enough for rc planes I think. Anyway heres a link to their site:

Tracking System (http://www.trackmasterats.com/trackmasterintro.htm)

Hope that helps some,

EchoSix

I didn't see a price on the link you posted. What does it go for?

[highrider]

Try using one of these. It is a Loc8tor hand held tracking device using RFID technology. I have used this device to find my crash victim on several occasions with great success. It is only 100 bucks and I can assign up to 24 homing tags to my hand held (they can be bought separately at $45 for 2). Because I am someone who not only loses his plane but also misplaces his keys, cell phone, wallet etc. I have a mini homing tag attached to everything I tend to not find in a hurry!
It seems to have an effective range of 600 feet which might not sound too far but I find that my plane tends to end up in a particular zone and helps me find whose back yard I need to recover it from! It's worth a look. My mom has one attached to her cats collar! www.loc8tor.com (http://www.loc8tor.com)

[airbourne in japan]

i've just lost my 3rd plane this summer at a total cost of $1500. after loosing the first one i bought some gws lost plane alarms for planes i'm building this winter, but i've used them before and they're only so so. i lost my third plane yesterday and i'm pretty pissed off about it. were i fly, the field is surrounded on 3 sides by 2m high 'jungle' and all three planes have gone over 100m away. lost plane locators are better than nothing, but you have to be pretty close to hear them. i'm gonna try this lost key alarm. it can be triggered remotely, has a range of 300' and has it's own lithium battery https://www.keyringer.com/orderform.html

[SAILORMAN]

A lost model alert from Skyking RC Products saved my plane a couple of months ago. Without it, I would not have taken the time to hike down a steep hill in thick brush to look for it.

http://www.skykingrcproducts.com/accessories/lostmodel/lost_rc_model_alarm.html

Mike

I have used this LMA. It loudly sat in a treed plane and annoyed the neighbors until the lipo puffed up and died.

Moral of the story: If you use lipos, get a LMA with an independent power source, or one that can be disabled with your xmtr.