Discussion FPV Flying -- SAFETY!

[typicalaimster]

Here's some more food for thought.. Recently my club has been getting complaints from the neighbors about noise and airplane overflys. Of course this goes into a whole other political battle the neighbors are trying to do with the county. Long story short I ended up drawing up flight boundaries in Expert GPS and downloaded it to my GPS.

After I downloaded marker coordinates into my GPS I went over to the dollar store and picked up a couple of those foam pool noodles. I grabbed different colors so people could recognize how far from the field extents by color of the marker. For example the makers around the runway are green.. The mid markers that are 500 feet from the center of the runway are yellow, and the flight zone boundaries are marked as red. I then went over to the hardware store and picked up a couple 12' sections of 1/2" PVC pipe. The pool noodles have a hole in the middle of them, so basically you stake out your flight zone points. Then slide the pool noodle over the top of the PVC pipe.

I did a flight with the markers out in the field and they work REALLY well when you're flying FPV. I've often wondered how far OUT I fly when I'm under the hood. The markers out in the field allow me to patrol the parameter of our flight boundaries. Plus since I have a nice flight zone that's pretty close so I don't experience video dropouts.

Anywhoo figured I'd share.

[PeteSchug]

Interesting.

At our field 90 degrees to the flight line there is a fence with trees and underbrush at the property line. About a hundred yards inside that there is a line of ornamental trees that mark the limit that we allow ourselves to fly. I would guess that the nearest houses are 150 or 200 yards beyond the fence.

In the long direction we have a wood at one end and a swamp at the other. The swamp is notorious for eating planes. Many go in, few ever come out!

The ornamentals were planted deliberately, and in the few years that I have been with the club they have grown significantly.

I am the only one doing video (pilotage or otherwise), but most people have a pretty good idea of where they are in relation to the field limits, and when we tested sound levels at the property line one of our guys flew a plane right over the ornamentals while we measured the sound levels at the fence. We were pretty close to the ornamentals and the pilot was pretty far, but he nailed the distance very well.

Pete

[dmackie]

How bout practice on flight sims? Surely that's got to be the closest thing to real FPV..

[vrfpvflyer]

Any One Flying FPV at a US AMA santioned Field? Bennett Field in Las Vegas NV is where I had been flying FPV. Most people spectators as well as other RC flyers there had no problem with me flying that way. In fact they know I was out of their usual pattern of flying. Heli's share the runway. They fly at end of it. As an FPV pilot to land, I call the landing. I see heli's sometimes they do not hear us. So sometimes abort and retry calling landing again. Now try ground to air visual and take your eyes off plane to see if heli is out of the way. Don't think so. Seen a few mid air collisions between the two. My point being, Most people ther state that I am a safe and respecful FPV pilot. Including take off and landings. I have been reported to the AMA by just very few who do not think I should fly there FPV. For now I am not allowed to do so. I read AMA's under radio control # 10 stating no enhancements. However they are not specific! Rules posted at Bennett. 1 no alcoholic beverages! yet those few who do not want FPV do drink while flying!. 2 pets on leash. RC pilot well one I know of has big lab who has distracted me and others while flying! They get away with it. The park police have not caught any of them drinking or loose dogs. The field is a county park. I consider drinking at the field is like drinking and then operating a motor vehicle, while they are flying. I have posted in RC cam forum the letter from the AMA. You can find under the general section. 2 places I can still fly FPV is at Lead Mead NV field and The Dry Lake near Vegas. By the way I have had people who believe FPV is safe write statements and signed their own statement about how safe and respecful I am at Flying FPV. I can send to the AMA.
Thank for your time in reading this.

[vrfpvflyer]

Oh sorry in the RC Cam Forum I am lvsupertech.
Topic AMA not allowing FPV.

[VRflyer]

I have impression to read my story.
It was the same for me, peoples at my club was considering me as one of the most safest pilot. I proove manytime the advantage of video when my glow motor quit, I was able to find differents place to land etc.
We have the sames rules as you, at first some peoles said I must kept visual contact with the planes. Today everyone agree someone must remain in visual contact, so a spotter on my side while flying is accepted now.
Even the president of our association came to my house and we pass the day togheter with his wife. The association support me now, rules has been clarify.
Check carefully, the people who talk louder are the peoples who fly the biggest and most expensive planes. They don't want to see a newbie who don't know where he going with his plane, we are pros, we are the best, go play in a parc, let's the club for the real men.
They talk about how dangerous are our plane... they can kill many peoples with their plane, but no problem the law allow them, so they are safe.
It's preferable to fly outside r/ c club when you will be confident. You will have liberty.

Flying in r/c club for an FPV flyer is like flying in a cage for a bird.

[vrfpvflyer]

Originally Posted by VRflyer

I have impression to read my story.
It was the same for me, peoples at my club was considering me as one of the most safest pilot. I proove manytime the advantage of video when my glow motor quit, I was able to find differents place to land etc.
We have the sames rules as you, at first some peoles said I must kept visual contact with the planes. Today everyone agree someone must remain in visual contact, so a spotter on my side while flying is accepted now.
Even the president of our association came to my house and we pass the day togheter with his wife. The association support me now, rules has been clarify.
Check carefully, the people who talk louder are the peoples who fly the biggest and most expensive planes. They don't want to see a newbie who don't know where he going with his plane, we are pros, we are the best, go play in a parc, let's the club for the real men.
They talk about how dangerous are our plane... they can kill many peoples with their plane, but no problem the law allow them, so they are safe.
It's preferable to fly outside r/ c club when you will be confident. You will have liberty.

Flying in r/c club for an FPV flyer is like flying in a cage for a bird.

Thank You VRFLYER for your time on this. For now I fly FPV at a dry lake south of Las Vegas NV. Another area to fly FPV is Lake Mead RC airstrip. Both areas not AMA santioned. However there is a freq post to pin up. Moving up to 2.4 GHZ for control of planes. Spectrum. I have written to the AMA along with statements from other RC pilots, that I am safe and respecful. I now have a float sea monster plane. It will fly out of the water or a field. Just received the new 900 MHZ 500 milliwatt system to install on it. Will be able hopefully to have my wife drive our boat while I fly FPV across the lake . Will let you know. Will post you tube link.
I hope I do not drown plane lol.

[gwenhastings]

deleted

[typicalaimster]

Splitting off the tent thread since it's nothing to do with safety

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=791530

[Jason1970]

Hello,

Could someone please tell me more or where to purchase GPS return to home device?

I'm new to PFV, done 4 flights now and its pretty cool.


I read the top topic and the return to home feature sound interesting and flying should be safer incase of signal lose.

I already have a GPS installed for the OSD, can I just add this device to it??

Your commenst wold be welcomed,,

Thank you gents

Regards
Jason

[Trackercal]

Originally Posted by Jason1970

Hello,

Could someone please tell me more or where to purchase GPS return to home device?

I'm new to PFV, done 4 flights now and its pretty cool.


I read the top topic and the return to home feature sound interesting and flying should be safer incase of signal lose.

I already have a GPS installed for the OSD, can I just add this device to it??

Your commenst wold be welcomed,,

Thank you gents

Regards
Jason

http://www.intelligentflight.com/sto...products_id=34
Dragon OSD [DOSD-100] - $260.00 : Intelligent Flight, Smart flight solutions Here is the location I was given for the return to base gear.

[FPV-UK]

Hi All,

With my father’s help (he has 40 years of model flying experience, 30 years flying full size and 20 years of dealing with the CAA) I have put together a UK FPV safety list and risk assessment (using the CAA risk assessment guidelines) for inclusion with each of our products when we ship them.

I have thoroughly read through this thread and I think that my guidelines include all of the items relevant to the UK.

I would appreciate any comments/ feedback.

It will lose its formatting on this forum so I have attached the Word file and PDF where you can see the tables, etc. intact.

Many thanks

Simon Dale
www.firstpersonview.co.uk

[Mark Harris]

Very nice Simon, that looks quite comprehensive.

[SOCADJE]

Earlier in this thread someone mentioned a way for a flyer to post his FPV setup for review and comments as to Video/downlink Equipment used and platform used.. has this idea taken root ?
Also I would like to add a comment about using Quality servos.. Plastic gear servos should be discourged in FPV use.. I recommend only metal gear servos... Plastic gears are too fragile in my opinion...

[typicalaimster]

I've been using plastic gear servos for awhile now. Then again I make sure I have the servos rated at the right torque!