Debating Airplane vs Multirotor

[GeHuaLi]

Wondering how smooth a surface is required for airplane takeoff. A lot of your videos seem to be using very smooth gravel roads at worst.
Like to start with an airplane but live out in the country with fairly rough gravel roads. Do have some large open lawn areas but grass isn't mowed super short. Those wheels look pretty small!
Maybe for my situation a multirotor (drone) would be more practical as I'd rather fly on the farm and not have to travel to an airpark.

 

[JasonK]

Wondering how smooth a surface is required for airplane takeoff. A lot of your videos seem to be using very smooth gravel roads at worst.
Like to start with an airplane but live out in the country with fairly rough gravel roads. Do have some large open lawn areas but grass isn't mowed super short. Those wheels look pretty small!
Maybe for my situation a multirotor (drone) would be more practical as I'd rather fly on the farm and not have to travel to an airpark.

It depends on how big your airplanes are and what you have for wheels.

you can even hand launch smaller planes (I hand launch all of my stuff)

 

[GeHuaLi]

It depends on how big your airplanes are and what you have for wheels.

you can even hand launch smaller planes (I hand launch all of my stuff)

Thanks, sounds like hand launching could be the answer.

 

[LitterBug]

Hand launching and belly landings FTW! Planes will give you much longer flight time.

 

[GeHuaLi]

Hand launching and belly landings FTW! Planes will give you much longer flight time.

Sounds like a plan.

 

[GeHuaLi]

Is the Apprentice S 15E small enough to still be hand launchable?
Did I understand on your drone video that the learning curve is quite a bit higher for a multirotor compared to an airplane? Even with a lot of stability built in to modern drones?

 

[Merv]

Takeoff and landing is where multi-rotors shine. You can literally takeoff and land from anywhere, nothing but clear sky is required. You still need to be aware of trees and power lines. Now with better batteries, more efficient motors & props, flight times of 30 minutes are becoming common.

For the best of both worlds checkout the dRhem VTOL project by @Rcjetflyer2
https://forum.flitetest.com/index.p...no-flight-controller-and-stabilization.65261/

 

[JasonK]

a VTOL means you need to be able to fly both a quad and a fixed wing well, and it will fly less well in both situations then a dedicated craft, I would _not_ start there.

reguading the modern drone flight 'easiness' - if you have it in altitude hold, angle mode, etc, etc. yes it can be fairly easy to move it around, because at that point the drone is flying itself, your just giving it requests to change positions/orientations, but your not going to be doing what you see in many drone videos.

 

[GeHuaLi]

3 channel vs 4 channel? How important is yaw, which I believe is what 4 channel adds?

 

[JasonK]

3 channel vs 4 channel? How important is yaw, which I believe is what 4 channel adds?

For 3 channel you can have bank-n-yank which is throttle, roll, pitch or throttle, pitch, yaw (with di/poli-hedral wing for roll stability).

How important is 3 vs 4 channels -> it all depends on the plane your flying and what you want to do.


The Tiny Trainer 3 channel wing is throttle, pitch, yaw with no roll, plenty of 3 channel crafts are like that.
However wings and some other designs are going to be bank/yank which is roll/pitch/throttle.

 

[Phin G]

Tbh i have never flown anything other than 3 channel But now i fly kwads

 

[sprzout]

Is the Apprentice S 15E small enough to still be hand launchable?
Did I understand on your drone video that the learning curve is quite a bit higher for a multirotor compared to an airplane? Even with a lot of stability built in to modern drones?

Theoretically, you could hand launch an Apprentice. In reality, however, it’s unlikely unless you’ve got a decent headwind helping to provide lift. The stock Apprentice just doesn’t have enough thrust for an effective hand launch in low to no wind conditions.

Now, something I might recommend in place of the Apprentice, if you want to go with a Horizon Hobby plane - take a look at the Timber.

With their larger foam wheels, they tend to bump over uneven surfaces and might be better for flying off of grass. They’re also fairly docile in flight, and one of my more favorite airplanes.

a FT equivalent would be the Bushwacker, but be aware that the wheels in the kit aren’t exactly the best for rolling and can be a pain in the butt to make.

 

[Anton005]

Is the Apprentice S 15E small enough to still be hand launchable?
Did I understand on your drone video that the learning curve is quite a bit higher for a multirotor compared to an airplane? Even with a lot of stability built in to modern drones?

I started with fixed wing planes, with FT tiny trainer, first 3 ch, then used the 4 ch wing with ailerons, it is a great starter plane. Hand launching is great, it's a skill you quickly learn to do right 😉. Belly landing in tall grass is very easy.

Recently I got a wild hair to try multi rotor fpv, it's orders of magnitude more difficult in most aspects, if you like it and have time and patience to devote to it, it's fun, but I didn't have much of either so it became too frustrating for me. Flying it was no problem, it's the procurement of the gear (really hard right now, there isn't much supply) also the setup and configuration is insane compared to a plane! Building planes is so much more relaxing. A plane is built to fly almost by itself, a drone is like flying a rock, it's all about the flight controller. I have a lot of respect for the drone folks, they are very smart and very talented at soldering. I'll still fly them on simulator though.

 

[Hondo76251]

I'm fixed wing all the way. Had a few, but never really cought the quad bug. I live in the country too and do mostly hand launch and belly landing. If you are going to use gear it helps to have a meduim/large plane with extra big tires.

Heres a little example of some fun hand launch flying 😉

 

[PsyBorg]

Yeah but can your planes do this? a new 3 inch sub 250g quad is the go anywhere do anything new hotness. this hap[pens to be my OG Gremlin but I do the same with my 3 inch 4s build.

 

[Hondo76251]

Well, i have wings, so the gaps i shoot tend to be a bit larger! 🤣

I get the appeal of the quads, just didn't catch the bug i guess. I still have a lot of fun terrorizing my family and pets in the house with my inductrix from time to time though... lol

I need to get a "highlight reel" of my success instead of my crashes, but its still good for a chuckle...

 

[Hondo76251]

@PsyBorg actually i do have a little bit of quad footage hidden in my maker foam vid. Check out at the 5:20 mark 😉

 

[PsyBorg]

@PsyBorg actually i do have a little bit of quad footage hidden in my maker foam vid. Check out at the 5:20 mark 😉

I like the size of that shop. clean that up and you can have multiple project going. AND still have plenty of room to rip that inductric and vapor around.

 

[Hondo76251]

Thats a catch 22! I have have multiples of projects going all the time, hence the clutter! Lol

Plus, without the obstacles what would i fly through? 🤣