My new nightfly project - Hobby King Yak 55

[Jee]

I don't have the equipment to do this..
.. but maybe I can get a friend to take some pictures in the near future.

I'll post them when (if) they are available.

Good news - the other friend (the one who did the controller) just told me that he figured out the bug in the brightness routine. So I can now write a new software. - No more "on" "off" but smooth flowing lights are the plan.

I'll also post a new video of this when it's done

 

[Jee]

Just a little update to this project:

There is one channel I do not use for leds - this channel will now be used to ignite fireworks strapped to the wings.
So far we have successfully tested the igniting capabilities - using electronic igniter-caps.
And also made sure those igniter caps to ignite the fireworks, I will use sparkling fountains with a 20 to 30 second duration.

I am very excited to see this in the air - but first I will have to some more coding, because I do not want to ignite the fireworks via timer but instead by using a switch on my dx8.

Stay tuned

 

[Jee]

Another Update..

.. today, or rather tonight is going to be the first pyro flight.

Wish me luck guys.

The pyros are installed, one on each wing. The software has been modified to recognize signal changes form the tansmitter. The DX8 has been programmed to send -100% on the correct channel on the press of the trainer button.

Now it just needs to be dark and calm.

 

[colorex]

WOW! Can't wait! Is that a sparkler or a smoker?

 

[Jee]

failure... but have some pics

It's sparkles - guess smoke in the night would need some form of illumination.

Sadly, tonight it did not work out. - Pushed the button, got the visual led feedback (so the signal went through) but it did not ignite.

Maybe faulty wirering - I will check that, do another dry test an try again next weekend.

Before flying the yak, I had my small flying wing in the air and tried to take some pictures - (first time I used this cam):

This is not the yak, that is the topic of this thread, it's just a epp-wing with static leds.
Will try pictures of the yak next time.

 

[colorex]

Awww... that's too bad... I'm personally experimenting with smoke, potassium nitrate and sugar type.

 

[Jee]

Again I failed to ignite the pyro effects - I though I only needed to put current on the igniters for a longer period of time.
Turns out that wasn't it (I went from 0,2 seconds to 2 seconds - still nothing.)

I will now have to replace the wiring. - When I tested it on the bench it worked, but my cables were a lot shorter. So I am now guessing I have to many losses on the long and thin cables.

Anyway I filmed my attempt tonight. I cut it down to under a minute, you can see some of the leds effects in this video:

I hope you enjoy it - and of course I will be back if (when) the pyros work.

 

[jman169]

What did you use to sequence the lights? Very cool looking airplane. Here is a picture of my last project.

 

[Jee]

Hi Jman,

Your plane looks very cool too.
My leds are controlled by a custom made board, which is equipped with an atmel32u4 and another chip controlling 12 pwm channels. It also decodes one PPM-Channel comming out of the Spektrumreceiver, so I can control it via remote.


So here is the latest update - I managed to ignite the fireworks finally. The setup has changed a little, now the ignition is connected directly to the lipo and a relay in the circuit stops them from blowing up instantly. - This relay is then triggered by one of the 12 PWM-Channels.

Works like a charm. But there are some bad news also - the fireworks, which burn quite nicely when ignited on the ground do not perform as well in the air, when there is air rushing by.

Here is the result so far:

Subtitles: "mhh well" ... "that was really unimpressive"

Next: I will try to point the fireworks backwards instead of outwards.

See you next time

 

[Jee]

Quick update: it's the wind in the air plus the fireworks themselfs don't really work (anymore).

They must have taken in some humidity while laying around in my car or something. - I just ignited one on the ground, and it did not sparkle nearly as much, as when I tested it, when it was fresh.

Ordered new fireworks..

See you next time!

 

[colorex]

Over at RCExplorer, David W. made a cheap ignitor system by just overheating a 12ohm 1/4Watt resistor by passing 12 volts through it. Thought it could be posted here as well.

http://www.rcexplorer.se/files/RCTANKBATTLE.html

 

[colorex]

Awww... that's too bad... I'm personally experimenting with smoke, potassium nitrate and sugar type.

Almost done experimenting! Good results so far!

http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?2218-Smoke-for-Electric-RC-Planes-Experiment

 

[Jee]

Ordered new fireworks..

See you next time!

Nearly two month ago at the 3d-heliforum.de meeting (german heli forum www.3d-heliforum.de) I was the only one who flew a plane ... namely the yak, in all it's led blinking glory and with fresh fireworks.

And this time they worked - sadly noone made a movie (it's really dificult do do good nightfly movies) but I got this picture:



I got some applause from the fellow pilots and the guests at the event.

All in all very cool, and I considere this project a success