5.8Ghz Helical FPV Testing - Flying Behind etc

by bmsweb | May 7, 2013 | (4) Posted in Reviews

I thought this would be a good test flight showing performance of an accurately built 5.8Ghz Helical antenna. I've been using a helical for a little while and I really wanted to take my antennas to a new level of accuracy and also make them so they are not as fragile.

I'm sure many of you have seen helical test flights before, but towards the end of this video we actually tried something pretty interesting . . we flew well and truly behind the helical with interesting results.

In any case I hope you get something out of this video.

- Find this article & others like it at www.FliteTest.com -

COMMENTS

rchacker on May 8, 2013
Perhaps a bit chopped up by the wind, but there must be some good thermals out there. Ever tried hooking them?
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bmsweb on May 8, 2013
Well on the way back into the wind is where I really felt the Thermal. 1k into it while fighting the wind I realise I had shot right up in altitude. I ended up cutting throttle and nosing her down and flew the next 2k with the nose down, no throttle without any loss of height. I've been in thermals before but not that strong.

Towards the end of the flight we saw a couple of eagles riding the thermals.
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tecdux on May 11, 2013
Very nice bmsweb!
You used helical with 5 turns, right? How many degrees of range? 60?
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bmsweb on May 12, 2013
Haven't done extensive testing with it as yet, but interestingly at 3km away I was able to turn the Helical 90Degrees away from the aircraft and still have video signal not great but still flyable. I wouldn't have expected to have any signal at all at the range with the helical turned away. Yes it was a 5 Turn.
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tecdux on May 12, 2013
thanks ;)
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skelator on May 12, 2013
love the design of the antenna frame, where did you get it? custom cnc?
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bmsweb on May 13, 2013
Thanks :) It's all custom made but this is only a prototype. This build utilises a number of CNC Machines to make them, so its not very cost effective unless you make heaps of them.
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5.8Ghz Helical FPV Testing - Flying Behind etc