Hi guys,

I just thought I would let you know about a helicopter dance project I have been helping out with called "Copter".

We are learning a little more about both of the sides that are working in synergy. The differences in the terminology that is used has especially been fun!

I am helping out by piloting the mCPX's which are being used, the plan is to use around four mCPX's all set up on my Spektrum DX8 so the flight can be virtually seamless.

It has generated quite a bit of interest in the dance community and I always like to see members of the public who have never seen a "proper" remote control helicopter fly. I hope this brings more awareness and members to the hobby.

A rehearsal video from our 6th fly together can be found here:

http://vimeo.com/35994709

I realise the mCPX did not fly too much in this video but it is the only preview video we have currently.

Project Description:

A truly ‘ethereal’ performance: contemporary choreographer Nina
Kov's upcoming work replaces a dancer with a model helicopter.

LONDON, February 2012
-*
'Copter' is set to be a 15-minute
contemporary dance piece, an unusual duet between a radio controlled
helicopter and a dancer. French-Hungarian choreographer Nina Kov’s
aim is ‘to bring a fresh production to both the modelling and dance
world’.

The idea came about at a house party where some RC enthusiast
friends were flying helicopters around the room, when the
choreographer started dancing with them.

Controlling the helicopter is UK’s 3D intermediate champion Laurence
Gough. He says he has had to take his skills to a new level - working
his miniature aircraft like a puppeteer, in an effort to make it appear
as an animate, conscious creature.

The rehearsals are underway, with a premier set for July 2012. The
choreography will be then shot as a short dance film.

The company is looking for support from their fans, friends and future
audiences. Increasingly common among independent artists, they are
using crowd funding website indiegogo.com to raise $5000 from
micro-contributions by 16 February. Any funds raised will be matched
by Stream Arts Greenwich.

Help us make COPTER come true! -- IndieGoGo

A teaser trailer of the project can also be found at the above link.

Nina Kov is a French born choreographer. Her works have been shown
at The Place in London, the National Dance Theatre in Budapest and
other venues internationally.

Nina's website can be found at: Nina Kov -

Any contributions to this non-profit project are most welcome, the project page can be found here:

Help us make COPTER come true! -- IndieGoGo

There is also a Facebook group here: Log in | Facebook

There will be updates posted here, and on my blog along with the above locations.

Cheers,

Laurence

www.laurencegough.com
Sponsors:
Fast Lad Performance
OPTIFUEL
Horizon Hobby
Spektrum

interpretive dance is a beautiful thing, but using a rc helicopter as close to the face of a person is not wise at all, no matter how good of a pilot you think you are, the chance for s serious accident is real. Realize that however small the MCPX is, those thin rotors can take an eye out.

"Every man should dream.. just know when to wake up!"

I agree - safety is very important. We will try to keep more distance.

Thanks for your post.

www.laurencegough.com
Sponsors:
Fast Lad Performance
OPTIFUEL
Horizon Hobby
Spektrum

I think you just made our super cool hobby gay.

  ▲
▲ ▲
↑ ↑ ↓ ↓←→←→B A START

What Dood said !!!!!!

If you're not living on the edge you're just taking up space !

I believe there is room in our hobby for everyone. But err, its difficult not to agree with Dood.

yup agree with Dude.

Richard - Nitro =Charge Once Fly Many

Contributions? Hey Larry, Nina and you have too much time on your hands If you or she needs money, go work for it!

Wow, what a way to come to conclusions. I have a full time job already - I am volunteering to help with this non-profit art project in my own time at my only free weekends - I am not getting any money out of this.

Nina posted on some UK helicopter forums asking for help. The funds are simply going to this project, not quite sure where you got "making money" from.

If you do not like this there is no need to comment or contribute anything at all.

www.laurencegough.com
Sponsors:
Fast Lad Performance
OPTIFUEL
Horizon Hobby
Spektrum

Kinda cool : Why not build a small scale sprite or fairy using ultra lite foam around it - and clothe it - paint the blades white - audience will not hear it - won't see the blades and they will never figure it out.

They will go nut's - maybe have a few sound effect que's - the pilot can trigger with a basic foot switch.

Theirs a group of performing artist's doing some thing similar with a indoor ulta light foamy in Germany that look's like a Articulated Flying Speaking Dragon - It rock's the house every time they perform.

greyeagle

It is sad that this hobby and forum is supposed to be friendly and supportive yet it has become common for some to instantly name call and make judgements.

What goes up....ALWAYS comes down .

Sorry Larry, I was too quick to judge. Good luck with your friend's project.

Although in a perfect world, a forum like this would be 'friendly and supportive'. I would prefer an open discussion (with certain obvious limits) where members freely offer opinions if they want to. Sometimes one can over-react and input some negative feedback (like I did) and regret it later. Still better than censorship IMO.

I actually had skipped over your comment without seeing it Bob . I was referring mainly to the "you turned our hobby into something gay" comments . I remember when I quit doing the racetrack scene with my motorcycling buddies that they had a similar comment when they found out I had started to fly RC helis ,LOL. To each his own and if you don't like something then just move along . I'm surprised the mods let some here have a free pass to name call .

What goes up....ALWAYS comes down .

Nice work Laurence. Good luck with your project.

It's unfortunate that some narrow minded individuals are not more receptive and supportive of our models/hobby being used in other applications. Especially applications that would ultimately promote and legitimize our hobby. This is especially troubling at a time like this when our hobby needs as much good publicity as possible in the wake of the the upcoming FAA regulations.

Of course, maybe they're just jealous because they can't find a female that will even look at their helis, let alone fly with them with them at the controls!

The video clip is actually pretty cool. My wife liked it, too. I've never been excited by "modern dance", but I'd probably go to see a performance of this. And would most likely enjoy it. Great choice of music, as well.

Some expressed the usual "what you're doing is dangerous" point of view, lumping this in with videos we've all seen posted earlier, such as the bozo up in Canada flying from his front yard, over the heads of passers-by and a large crowd of people. This, however, is quite different. First, the pilot is a highly experienced pilot, the whole effort is in a "controlled" environment, and no doubt, everyone associated with the performance KNOWS of the danger, and is well aware of what can go wrong.

We go to the circus to watch the knife-throwing act, the trapeze flyers and go "ooooh, wow", and not "gee, that guy could get hurt". We watch football, soccer, air shows, drag races...all sorts of dangerous stuff, but nonetheless, the people involved are well aware of what they are doing and what the consequences might be.

Excellent work and you and the rest of the production staff are to be commended for the work.

The real mystery in all of this is how do you manage to get that MCPx to do its thing over the course of a 15-minute performance? Lots of charged batteries? Lots of MCPx waiting in the wings and swap 'em out as the batteries poop out? And kudos to your flying ability. What you're doing cannot be easily copied.

-----
Dave

* Making the World Better -- One Helicopter at a time! *

Team Heliproz

Thanks for the comments guys, it's nice to see some points from another view and makes it more worthwhile for me.

The plan is to have 4 mCPX's bound to my DX8 and to switch model memory, hopefully we can have someone's assistance to plug the battery in - or perhaps we will find another way which is safe.

As for lighting and sound effects - great idea I was struggling to see the model sometimes but now I have painted the canopy it is easier to see, perhaps we could look into more lighting options such as UV effects.

The point you made about other dangerous stuff is actually very true - everyone is well aware of the danger of the blades and I have told Nina many times that the blades are dangerous I think she is sick of me now .

Nina was after a helicopter look - I did suggest a quad as it would be more ideal for the type of flying but as the name suggests it has to be a helicopter .

I can't wait to get my hands on a V2 mCPX to try.

I checked out a lot of copyright free, free music and I think this was the most fitting, there isn't a massive choice but a big thanks for the people that do offer this.

Cheers guys.

www.laurencegough.com
Sponsors:
Fast Lad Performance
OPTIFUEL
Horizon Hobby
Spektrum

why not wear a mask disguised as goggles ?

good luck

fun,friends,honesty love respect ,trust & happiness

I frequently communicate with my friends and relatives through the use of interpretive dance. Then again, I've been adjudged to be technically insane and a threat to myself and others.

I just thought I'd share with the group.

I frequently communicate with my friends and relatives through the use of interpretive dance. Then again, I've been adjudged to be technically insane and a threat to myself and others.
I just thought I'd share with the group.

That's some funny s*** right there