RunRyder RC Helicopter Topic - Helicommand Profi( EDIT: It works!)

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Aerial Photography and Video > Helicommand Profi( EDIT: It works!)

rroback
Elite Veteran
Location: Irvine (UCI), Ca

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I'm starting this thread to describe the installation and testing on my brand new Profi. The profi came this morning, and it will take me some time to instal it. The instal is going to be on a maxi joker 2, that's been converted to flybarless with a rigid head, and copterfilms front mount. I'll be snapping pictures through out. My reasoning for choosing a Profi was looking for relative positon hold, or at least attitude, and specifically altitude hold. I've used an ap2000, and recently been running my maxi with a v-stabi system. The only comparable system is Carvec, which not only requires the base unit, but an add on to achieve altitude hold. Carvec is hard to get, expensive, and supported by one person. Profi should be cheaper, work just as well (especially if the gps unit comes out) and be supported more people. The cheaper helicommand units have excellent reviews, and I believe the Profi will follow suit.

Rhett..... I can't fly, but the Profi sure can.

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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rroback
Elite Veteran
Location: Irvine (UCI), Ca

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The box:

I'm not sure I've ever seen anything packed as well. Visible, clean, and well protected. Not even 2k worth of solar cells I bought for a research project! Took about a week to get here from Caprtron in Germany. A hard plastic case, cd, some cf tubes, little ball for air collection, the Profi Unit, computer connector, and rc connector, and a cd, as well has a few zip ties, some some sort of mounting bracket. The unit is well made, and quite light, although I don't have my scale to weigh it.

Rhett..... I can't fly, but the Profi sure can.

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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Smithprod
Veteran
Location: Oklahoma

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Looking forward to hearing more!

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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kookboy
Key Veteran
Location: Vancouver, BC

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Thank you for taking the time to do this.

Looking forward to the process/end results as well.

Jesse

... But honey it was only $$$

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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AZ ChopperCam
Veteran
Location: Mesa, AZ

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I think it's funny how they have such a great unit but it requires a serial port for programming.

I mean... come on, serial port?

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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eric_b
Key Veteran
Location: Denver, CO, USA

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they just wanted to conform to everyone else, LOL

it seems lots of things like this are serial

what's the yellow ball for??

gold balls, orange balls, carbon balls and now yellow balls?? What's next in the AP forums, blue balls?!?

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Smithprod
Veteran
Location: Oklahoma

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The serial port is goofy...I had to buy a usb adapter to use my HC3D with my laptop which is something else to keep track of. On the plus side I haven't used it since my initial setup.

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Disciple4123
Key Veteran
Location: Waynesboro, VA USA

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The yellow ball may be the alt sensor, I thought the ball was 2x and larger, and orange, maybe they are reducing it's size?

Eric

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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gjestico
Senior Heliman
Location: Vancouver, B.C.

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Specs seem great on that unit. I have to ask . whats with the weird coke-can housing ? Talk about a hard to mount device. Whats wrong with a rectangular box like every other piece of electronic hardware.
Any ways if it works great thats a small niggle I guess.

Greg

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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AZ ChopperCam
Veteran
Location: Mesa, AZ

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Adel clamp seems like a good method to mount the can. That's how air oil separator cans are mounted to engine bays in aircraft.

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GyroFreak
Elite Veteran
Location: Florida ... 28° 52' N 81° 16' W

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I just purchased the Helicommand 3A and the packaging was a beautiful little clear suitcase with custom cut foam padding. They certainly do some nice fancy packaging.

Bacteria They're the only culture some have
Growing old is required; growing up is opti

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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rroback
Elite Veteran
Location: Irvine (UCI), Ca

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the yellow ball isn't the sensor, it's just a soft foam ball, that, via an air hose, feeds the sensor. You need to make sure the sensor doesn't get turbulent flow. The serial port is a bit silly, but anything not running on a Mac is even sillier:P I'll use my girlfriends computer, which hopefully has serial. The bottom of the profi is clear, allowing the sensors to see through. I've got no idea where I'm going to mount it, but I'll figure that out.

Rhett..... I can't fly, but the Profi sure can.

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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AirFoilAviation
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Location: IL.

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I'm flying the HC3A and I can say being able to mount it inside the rear housing on the gsr is great. It mounts like a typical gyro so it's not hard to do. We just went to Staples to get the serial to usb adapter.

I talked to them about the unit you have and really can't wait to hear how well it works.

Keep posting.

Thanks
John

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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wlfk
Veteran
Location: uk

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Serial ports are great.. for what they are. There's an order of magnitude less work to build a serial interface compared to USB - at least for relatively simple applications. Also better microcontroller availability etc.

A lot of 'USB' devices are still internally 'serial' but have an USB to serial converter on the board. In view of that... easier just to buy an USB serial cable and be done with it.

K

A bit like a kite, but 500 times more expensive

01-22-2008 Over year old.

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nooobs
Elite Veteran
Location: web

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...

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rerazor
Elite Veteran
Location: Mich.

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The Profi sensor is very easy to mount. It has M3 threaded holes on the flat side of the "can". You can mount the sensor to a piece of G10 etc.. and then mount that to gyro boom mounts or horizontal fin mount. I have mounted mine to a piece of Alum. "L" channel and mounted it off the front of my stretched Mini joker. Currently I have the Profi sensor on the boom but plan on moving it back to the frame somewhere.

Since its winter here in Michigan I have disabled the position hold feature due to the contrast of the snow causing false readings and the fact that its not really needed for AP right now.

The Horizontal hold and Altitude hold works very well. The Yellow ball is nothing more than a sponge ball that is connected to a hose to read barometric pressure as Rhett mentioned to control altitude. I'm very impressed at how accurate it can hold.

I have tested the Profi with my Z-log and Vizon osd and the readings showed altitude hold to 1ft with very light winds. If the cold snap will ever end I plan on doing further testing and documentation. Its just to cold and brutal outside for me.

I also have an HC3A on an identical Joker and the Profi does have a more locked feel for Horizontal hold which is expected (piezo vs. SM gyros).

Overall, I'm really looking forward to using the Profi as soon as the weather breaks and following this thread.

I was also impressed with the packaging from Germany.

01-23-2008 Over year old.

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rerazor
Elite Veteran
Location: Mich.

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Rhett,

PM and I can e-mail you my setup file for a starting point.

01-23-2008 Over year old.

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rerazor
Elite Veteran
Location: Mich.

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Pics from earlier with it mounted up front for Position Hold testing.

It needs a clear view of the ground so the optic sensors can read the ground to help prevent drifting.