Looks like this heli will enter the market in Taiwan soon. My neighbor/friend, the local distributor, received a sample of the 100D last week.



This will also be my first CP heli, Frank. Have to start somewhere and if NE follows its tradition of making helis that are responsive and easy to learn on, this would be it. It's very light so this might bring about a bit of forgiveness when crashing it.

Listen to this... The TX is awesome!!! No need to unscrew anything to switch from mode one to mode 2. It's superbly designed. At the back of the TX, there is a small sliding door covering a large toggle switch. Flick it up and the self-centering springs switch from one stick to the other and done! You know how in mode 2, the right stick always goes back to the center position? Well, these springs are deactivated and reactivated on the left stick at the flick of a toggle switch. Awesome engineering! It takes one second to switch modes. Well done Nine Eagles! I'm really looking forward to this one!!!

NICE!!!

Thanks for sharing. It looks great, though I do like the colour scheme on the first pictured 100D's better. TX sounds awesome.

Hurry up and take more photos of it and some video of it flying.

This is the canopy/colour that I like, it looks less toy like:





The picture you show bobepine looks too mCP-X'ish to me.

He asked me if I wanted to fly it. I reluctantly refused because I'm sure I'll crash it and his shop is so small. He has only one sample and no spare parts. He told me he will bring it home sometimes soon and we will try it in our basement. I'll video the TX mode switching feature when I go back, and I'll be sure to video the test flights. Both of us have never flown 3D, though, so don't expect inverted flight just yet... I like the other color scheme better, too, BTW.

I can understand your reservations about flying it. I'd be happy to see some footage of normal flight, I will mainly be buying this heli for circuit flying and not 3D flying anyhow. The idea of it being CP and flybarless appeals to me, not for the 3D factor but for the challenge, extra speed and wind fighting abilities.

Originally Posted by bobepine

Looks like this heli will enter the market in Taiwan soon. My neighbor/friend, the local distributor, received a sample of the 100D last week.



This will also be my first CP heli, Frank. Have to start somewhere and if NE follows its tradition of making helis that are responsive and easy to learn on, this would be it. It's very light so this might bring about a bit of forgiveness when crashing it.

Listen to this... The TX is awesome!!! No need to unscrew anything to switch from mode one to mode 2. It's superbly designed. At the back of the TX, there is a small sliding door covering a large toggle switch. Flick it up and the self-centering springs switch from one stick to the other and done! You know how in mode 2, the right stick always goes back to the center position? Well, these springs are deactivated and reactivated on the left stick at the flick of a toggle switch. Awesome engineering! It takes one second to switch modes. Well done Nine Eagles! I'm really looking forward to this one!!!

Now that is some amazing thinking. They managed to top their own easy mode switching design of flipping the antenna 180 degrees and screwing it back on. This is even faster. I know how the heli flies also matters, but this mode switch design is simply genius.

I have a feeling I will skip the 328 and wait for this little beast

I guess, this mode switching thing is only really important for the companies producing and selling the helis, not really for the customers.
I do not really care if my NE tx has the possibility to change mode (it would only be an advantage if I wanted to sell it).
I buy a tx with the mode I need. No need to change afterwards.

But for producers and vendors it is much easier - no necessity to stock (and mark!) two (or more) types of sets, no danger of sending the wrong one...

I wonder why you think this is "that good, that genius"?
Is it important for anybody of you after buying the heli?

Walter

Originally Posted by bobepine

Looks like this heli will enter the market in Taiwan soon. My neighbor/friend, the local distributor, received a sample of the 100D last week.

I wonder, what kind of battery plug they use?
Looks again different, from Walkera, mCP x, MicroDeans...

Guess, the first thing I will do is to change plugs to be able to fly with my mCP x batteries...

Walter

Good point, Walter. I think it's just really good engineering. In my case, it's helpful because if I go fly with my neighbor and friend, he flies mode 1 and I fly mode 2. And as you mentioned, inability to switch modes could be a deal breaker if you ever decide to sell the heli.

Originally Posted by Donaldsneffe

I wonder, what kind of battery plug they use?
Looks again different, from Walkera, mCP x, MicroDeans...

Guess, the first thing I will do is to change plugs to be able to fly with my mCP x batteries...

Walter

I have not paid attention to that, but I noticed that the battery is almost as big as the 328 batteries, yet, the heli is MUCH smaller and lighter than the 328. So I'm guessing this little bird will have a a lot of ooumff.

Originally Posted by Donaldsneffe

I guess, this mode switching thing is only really important for the companies producing and selling the helis, not really for the customers.
I do not really care if my NE tx has the possibility to change mode (it would only be an advantage if I wanted to sell it).
I buy a tx with the mode I need. No need to change afterwards.

But for producers and vendors it is much easier - no necessity to stock (and mark!) two (or more) types of sets, no danger of sending the wrong one...

I wonder why you think this is "that good, that genius"?
Is it important for anybody of you after buying the heli?

Walter

It's genius because of the reasons you mentioned. No more risk of getting the wrong mode type (GW 9958 anyone? ), no more double stocks, or finding that a heli with your preferred control mode TX has been sold out, but the other mode is still present. Newbies (although they should not start with a sub micro CP) can try which mode works best for them.

And when selling it there is also a benefit, as you already mentioned, it will always fit the next buyer's needs, unless he or she wants mode 3 or 4.

But all these benefits set aside, I think it's genius to think up a construction that allows this mode switch, it requires some out of the box thinking, as most companies rely on the trusted method of relocating springs inside the TX (fiddly job) or at least need you to unscrew both stick units, and swap them, like on the Align 100. I think it's a brilliant mix of electronics and mechanics.

Added benefit, it can help with trouble shooting. Say, if your main motor won't start, but swapping the motor has revealed it's not the motor, it might be the stick or the ESC. Switching modes you can test the sticks on different functions. If suddenly on the other mode the elevator servo is dead, it's the stick, but if the motor still won't turn, despite the switch, it has to be the ESC. Without this easy switching trick, you would need a second, known to be good TX to test what is broken.

Originally Posted by SoloPro

But all these benefits set aside, I think it's genius to think up a construction that allows this mode switch, it requires some out of the box thinking, as most companies rely on the trusted method of relocating springs inside the TX (fiddly job) or at least need you to unscrew both stick units, and swap them, like on the Align 100. I think it's a brilliant mix of electronics and mechanics.

The more "complicated" (nevertheless "genius"), the more can break easily.

For myself this is absolutely no point, and cause I am a mode 2 flyer, and most people here are, this would also not be a big disadvantage when selling (but do I want to sell it if I buy it?).

I would prefer to hear of improvements, "genius" constructions in the heli.
I would prefer if all helis of similar size (of different companies) would use same kind of battery plugs.
And what I would prefer most: If I even would not need to buy a new tx for every heli of different brand (and to Nine Eagles: IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THE NEW TX WITH ALL MY "OLD" NE HELIS AND PLANES!).
I hate this system, every company uses its own 2.4 GHz protocoll.

USING COMPATIBLE PROTOCOLS FOR 2.4 GHz SYSTEMS AND BEING COMPATIBLE TO ALL MODELS EVEN OF THE SAME COMPANY (NINE EAGLES - and even the new Walkera helis) - this would be genius in my eyes!

Walter

Originally Posted by Donaldsneffe

The more "complicated" (nevertheless "genius"), the more can break easily.

For myself this is absolutely no point, and cause I am a mode 2 flyer, and most people here are, this would also not be a big disadvantage when selling (but do I want to sell it if I buy it?).

I would prefer to hear of improvements, "genius" constructions in the heli.
I would prefer if all helis of similar size (of different companies) would use same kind of battery plugs.
And what I would prefer most: If I even would not need to buy a new tx for every heli of different brand (and to Nine Eagles: IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THE NEW TX WITH ALL MY "OLD" NE HELIS AND PLANES!).
I hate this system, every company uses its own 2.4 GHz protocoll.

USING COMPATIBLE PROTOCOLS FOR 2.4 GHz SYSTEMS AND BEING COMPATIBLE TO ALL MODELS EVEN OF THE SAME COMPANY (NINE EAGLES - and even the new Walkera helis) - this would be genius in my eyes!

Walter

I see your point, it's very frustrating. On one hand, it's still genius that every company uses their own system, since it's a way to tie a customer down to their brand. So it's not technical genius, but marketing genius. The customer is the loser in this game though, you either have to stick to a single brand, or swallow having to maintain several TXs...

Originally Posted by Donaldsneffe

I hate this system, every company uses its own 2.4 GHz protocoll.

USING COMPATIBLE PROTOCOLS FOR 2.4 GHz SYSTEMS AND BEING COMPATIBLE TO ALL MODELS EVEN OF THE SAME COMPANY (NINE EAGLES - and even the new Walkera helis) - this would be genius in my eyes!

+1001

Unfortunately, I don't think a unified 2.4G system will ever come to fruition.

It's a huge backwards step in my opinion. Back in the good old days, you could use any TX with any RX by simply changing over a crystal.