FPV Dogfight with Head-tracker in a Spitfire... a Journey to get there

[Spitfirefan7]

The DJI FPV camera is pretty amazing in that regard, most FPV cameras would place a black dot on the sun. But the strong suit of the new camera are zoom and focus at the distances that we normally fly formation with.

Another screen capture to share:

View attachment 183676

Your FPV Spitfire film was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen! The projector gunsight was incredible! Do you know where I could purchase one, and could you give an r/c plane newbie some pointers?

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Your FPV Spitfire film was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen! The projector gunsight was incredible! Do you know where I could purchase one, and could you give an r/c plane newbie some pointers?

Please contact Tim Noack in Germany for the functional reflector gun sight. He makes them for sale. Contact info is in the description of the video. He is a great guy! Pointers on R/C plane replied in PM. Welcome to the hobby!

 

[FPVAirCombat]

I am too slow with my editing. So sharing my friend’s chase footage of our Spitfire formation sortie instead...

 

[PsyBorg]

Hrrrmmm.. Interesting.

I just noticed that the lead plane tracks beautifully but the chase planes struggle to hold a good vertical line when in trailing formation. You guys fighting prop wash with that much separation on these flights? Didnt notice it so much on the edf's you guys fly.

 

[FPVAirCombat]

We were out of trim and flying very slowly. Normally the planes are trimmed for 50-60% throttle. We had to slow down for the chase drone to keep up so were at 35% throttle. But everyone was so focused on keeping in formation, no one took the hands off sticks to re-trim so noseS kept dipping. It got better on later flights with a jet in lead, but footage was not included...

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Have not checked in with FliteTest forum in a while. Just want do quick update on my FPV journey. In my interactions with members here as well as other social media, the biggest obstacle for people to try head-tracking FPV has been lack of a precise head-tracker and compact pan & tilt gimbal to fit into most RC cockpits. There are no readily available products for people to buy. So for 2021, my new year resolution is to make it easy for others to enjoy flying fixed-wing head-tracking FPV like I do.

Earlier in the year, I traveled to Taiwan to visit family. While there, I developed a compact pan & tilt gimbal for production. Hopefully, it will be ready for sale in a couple of months. In the mean time, my team mate has also developed a wireless head-tracker. We might put that in production as well if all test out well. Though there’s a DIY option now available using Arduino Nano BLE boards.

This is particularly relevant since Josh Bixler will be doing a video for aerial laser combat. I think it would be even more fun if head-tracking FPV can be used. Laser tag has originally been my motivation to get into FPV. And I helped developed the reflector sight to make aiming the laser gun more realistic and fun.

It’s just as well that this is the year for Top Gun Maverick. Looks like 2021 is the year FPV Air Combat might catch people by surprise. It’s all coming together...

 

[FPVAirCombat]

There’s so much aerial footage, including flying Zero fighter in different fields in Taiwan, but little time to do editing. For now, just share a quickie doing precision touch & goes flying Mig-29 on my home field runway:

 

[flyingkelpie]

There’s so much aerial footage, including flying Zero fighter in different fields in Taiwan, but little time to do editing. For now, just share a quickie doing precision touch & goes flying Mig-29 on my home field runway:

Great to see someone doing this! Glad I found the thread. It gotta be fun with a setup like that! Does it tilt on all axes or just two?

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Just two, pan & tilt. Adding roll would increase the gimbal size, cost and narrow use cases, ie. Be limited to fit in larger model cockpits.

 

[BayDesigns]

I'd love to fly laser tag combat but I fly alone for the time being... ah, well, maybe someday.

 

[FPVAirCombat]

I'd love to fly laser tag combat but I fly alone for the time being... ah, well, maybe someday.

You can get ready for it by practicing flying with head-tracker first - if you don’t do that already. It really adds a lot more realism to FPV flying compared to fixed camera flying. And helps greatly with situational awareness especially if you fly in unfamiliar field.

 

[flyingkelpie]

Just two, pan & tilt. Adding roll would increase the gimbal size, cost and narrow use cases, ie. Be limited to fit in larger model cockpits.

Thought so. Might make one in the future when I have money to spend!

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Some precision aerobatics practice from fighter pilot perspective:

 

[FPVAirCombat]

I made a little tutorial on how to land in FPV consistently using runway geometry. One can use the trapezoidal shape formed by runway edge during final approach to judge if one is too high, to low or on glide slope to landing and make power adjustments accordingly to arrive at aiming point at correct landing speed range for touch down. Hope it’s helpful to you!

 

[FPVAirCombat]

A little mock strafing fun with reflector sight and dubbed engine sounds in a Zero fighter…

 

[FPVAirCombat]

Finally had a chance to fly my Spitfire again, this time flying escort for a Tanker (camera plane) in the desert. Some freeze frames to share:

 

[PsyBorg]

@FPVAirCombat Those are some great stills. That top one especially.

 

[Jackson T]

Those pics are awesome! Are they from the DJI fpv camera or a separate dedicated camera?

 

[The Hangar]

Fantastic shots man, it’s hard to believe it’s a model!

 

[JetCrafts]

wow