Update Sept 2014

spent this summer doing some scale FPV projects and got my Minion Mini racing quadcopter flying.

Turns out .. these Mini quadcopters are fantastic and super convenient! Makes me wonder why I ever bothered with the larger quads. The minis are all about the flying experience and that is what I am all about too.

Dec 2011 now have about 10 FPV flight in on the Mosquito. see the video on sross148 channel on youtunbe

feeling natural flying via FPV - it is easy to fly the mossy FPV than LOS! Catch is navigation. The blurry video makes landmark sighting very hard. Rrequires some extra planning and mental effort to find and identify landmarks by dead reckoning. So I really look forward to having on OSD and GPS info

Have the Bixler about half built. OSD gps, gyro all wired up just need to glued the plane together. autopilot should be nice to have as will the long range RC link. Hope to maiden within a week or so.

Early December 2011 now. Just got my Japan-FPV DVR. Makes much better video more like the real time video.

Bad news. Have had a dozen or so flight in and getting cocky. Decided to do a more ambitious flight with some over ocean flying just for the beauty of it. But I didn't cross all my Ts and dot my Is: I mistakenly turned the 5.8GHz patch antenna the opposite way!!! Was still able to fly, but did notice a lot of interference and minor drop outs. Foolishly kept flying. Chalked it up to high humidity and trees nearby. WRONG. Video suddenly cut out and never came back .. over the ocean! It's a floater now.

So no more Mosquito. Hello Bixler/1.2GHZ Lawmate system! and ordered a Mini Skywalker and a 2.4GHz FPV kit for it. Bixler should fly within a week once I get the Dragon OSD GPS working.

Finally did a successful FPV flight with the Bixler on 1.28GHz. But the video was very fuzzy. Plane is torn apart now, to re-route the power and video wiring, among other changes. Going to as a Gyro, FAA lighting kit, etc.

Also got well into another FPV build: a Mini Skywalker.

This is a cute wee thing, which is just enough wing to go full-bore FPV with it. I have it mostly built with 5.8GHz, CP antenna, and CE OSD 1.5. But the OSD seems to be a dud, won't fire up the GPS. So I ordered the Nova OSD instead - which has stabilization and return-to-home autopilot. Right now the plane is too tail heavy. Tried making a removeable stabilizer but it ain't working out - too heavy. Will just glue the stab on now. Tail assembly seem kind of weak and vulnerable also - like the full size early Skywalkers

Away on vacation for a while.

well after a few flights and a few crashes with the Min Skywalker (due to bad battery), I decided to go Big or Go Home for a while. Brought the EPP-FPV with it snear 6 ft wingspan out of mothballs, and put the Eagle Tree and 5.8 kit in it. Also strapped on a GoPro and have done a few flights now. Totally different flying this docile, high flyer. The videos are on my youtube channel - SRoss148

Working on another Mosquito FPV, this time with circular polarized antennae. Need another camera for it though.

and built a 5.8GHz FPV pod, which can be quickly moved between a half dozen of my other planes. Not tested yet.

Bixler is still my main ride. Will be flyiing it again this week I hope. Maybe get it out a km or 2.

next up :

halfway through a build of the HK Catalina .. for FPV flying off water (I live on the Pacific). inspired by Leif in Norway - keep it simple and fly in spectacular places.

ordered a Zephyr 2 wing! Going to be a real challenge to build and learn to fly. But I have grown into the planes I have, find their flight envelope limiting, I have and need to grow some more...
- will put my power kit from EPP FPV. 3536-1450 ~650W motor, 55A DLux ESC, 10x6 prop, dragonlink, Lawmate 1.3 w either V or CL antenna, gopro box, SuperHAD CCD

Love flying the Mini Skywalker - now I do it almost daily with no ground station, only Foxtech AIO goggles. nice. It's quick and capable, but kind of wish it was a more aerobatic plane now like the HK Kinetic. Caught the MiniS up a tree, but managed to climb up 35 and retrieve it.

Sounds like some awesome FPV setups I've been dreaming of some Foxtech AIO Goggles but for now I'll have to keep squinting at my little 7 inch monitor...

Thanks for all of the help you kindly gave me over in the Mini Skywalker thread- nearly ready for the maiden, unfortunately just had 10 inches of snow here overnight so it may be a while until I get the Mini in the air

Cheers!
-Al

Update June 2012

Bixler was lost when the spar broke. Now have built a Hi Spec Skysurfer with big extra spar and big motor - a blast to fly

Also flying a Zephyr2 wing a lot now

getting into multicopters in a big way. Have an MQx, and a LotusRC380. About to build a HT FPV and a Spidex Tricopter in the next 3 weeks. All will be FPV, of course!

Flying a big Mustang and a small hi spec Skyraider warbird. Line of sight only

update - Catalina died upon FPV maiden in a fireball! Now I have a Polaris XL seaplane to replace it

did an epic FPV trip to Tofino. Google 'Clayoquat experience FPV ' on youtube to see the video

built FPV micro Mig15, a FPV Wildcat, and a FPV Teksumo. The Tek is a real winner, the Mig is OK, the Wildcat sucks.

Renovating my ground station now. Will have USB charging station, 9 inch LCD screen, 32" LED TV in the truck, regulated power to receivers, etc.

picked up a balsa&fiberglass 1.8m glider called the Passer-X. Will do a sleek aerodynamic FPV system on it so it remains good for thermalling. My Phoenix2000 glider died in a crash when my FPV goggles shut down.

spring 2013

too many planes!! save me from attack of the drones in my basement workshop!

am spending more days toiling on projects than actually flying. Well except for flying lessons in real Cessnas - ha.

Will have my Tiger Moth scale project ready to maiden soon. Taking my time to get it right without issues for the maiden. Complex and very fragile and heavy machine.

Need to tweak the FPV for the 2 friend's projects I built.

Techpod will be on the docket for April. 3 hours long flights! Ok not around here - will drive up into the mountains for that.

need to get back to remaiden the PasserX and the Polaris XL

Here is the new thread for the :-

HobbyKing 1.5M DLG V2 Composite 1500mm
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...0#post30648156

Originally Posted by Mal Bond

Here is the new thread for the :-
HobbyKing 1.5M DLG V2 Composite 1500mm
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...0#post30648156

That link does not work for me