SnoozeDogs Mini Talon build and maiden video

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

Morning
The CG is bang on the main spar and level. I'll be checking again today as I've added some tape to the wings and tail last night. Oh and I need to add a gain nob for tweaking stability.

Cheers
P

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

MAIDEN
So here it is finally. I dont know why but the artificial horizon was below the real horizon just before chucking it up but I never noticed until part way through the flight. I then couldnt remember how many time I needed to throw the mode switch to set level. But anyway, the nose constantly wanted to dip despite cg being bang on the main spar. Prior to flying (back in the garage) I set level using a spirit level to ensure things were bang on. So not sure why the nose was dipping.

I forgot to press record on the runcam so most of the footage is from the Eachine 5800 div monitor which let me down mid flight.

I ended turning the stability gain down to about 20 part way through the flight which made the talon far more fun ... it felt like I was actually fling it. I may well have the 2nd position on the mode switch turn it off altogether. Due to the nose issue i didnt test RTH.

Still disappointed with the imrc 600mw 5.8 range at 600m ish. When i have the nose issues sorted and I'm a bit more confident i'll try more height and see if range improves.

Comments greatly received on what the problem with the nose might be.

[BlueFlyer]

congrats on a successful maiden, bet you were bricking it just before launch... I always do lol

When you set level on the workbench, you need to make sure that the wings are level with a spirit level, but have the nose pointing upwards a bit to give it some kind of angle of attack, when a plane flies straight and level, it's hardly ever perfectly horizontal when looking at it from the side... there's always a nose up angle of attack.

This will be why it's dipping its nose, its actually trying to get the vector to the same "level" setting as what you gave it in the workshop. When the plane is pointing perfectly forwards with no angle of attack, it will naturally lose altitude.

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

congrats on a successful maiden, bet you were bricking it just before launch... I always do lol

When you set level on the workbench, you need to make sure that the wings are level with a spirit level, but have the nose pointing upwards a bit to give it some kind of angle of attack, when a plane flies straight and level, it's hardly ever perfectly horizontal when looking at it from the side... there's always a nose up angle of attack.

This will be why it's dipping its nose, its actually trying to get the vector to the same "level" setting as what you gave it in the workshop. When the plane is pointing perfectly forwards with no angle of attack, it will naturally lose altitude.

I was crapping it but not as much as when I threw the axn! It's degrees of exposure I suppose. I knew I could fly LOS with stability on ... the axn didnt have stability. So getting the throw right on the Talon was my main concern. I had your and Coyotes words ringing in my ears "give it full beans, full throttle". And off she went!!!
Yep I use a level but set it level on both planes. Thats great advice thats Chris, I'll nose her up.

Thanks again for all the help I've been given. Cant stress enough how great this forum is.

[Coyote]

One thing to bear in mind with the artifical horizon not matching the actual horizon is something very basic. The OSD has absolutely no idea what angle you have your camera at. It puts the line in the middle of the screen when its level.

Due to the tilt of the camera the horizon in your picture won't normally be in the middle because we normally tilt our cameras down a bit so you see more land than sky.

Now looking at your video it's way off because you set level when the plane was level.  But planes don't keep a level cruise while they are level, it's always nose up. You can see this in the video, you have to give it climb in evaluator to keep it flying level.

[Dillwhacker]

I just learned (or at least kind of realised) two really useful things about AP's and AH's.
Cheers Blue & Coyote, mucho wisdom  :)

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

I did indeed set the plane dead level, no nose up. I'll address that issue before my next flight. How much nose up? 5 degrees, 10? So understand correctly I do not adjust my cg until i get nose up, I set my GC as it should be and then wedge the talon up by X degrees and then set level ?

I do have a very small amount of downward tilt on my fpv cam but not more than 5 degrees.

Great advice though

Thanks

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

I just learned (or at least kind of realised) two really useful things about AP's and AH's.
Cheers Blue & Coyote, mucho wisdom  :)

So much wisdom, I have no idea why their heads don't pop!

[Coyote]

Each plane varies. With the Talon I think it was around 5 degrees nose up was fine.

[BlueFlyer]

My preference is to overestimate how much nose up to give... I prefer my plane to try and nose up instead of flying towards the ground lol.

I never really measure how much attack angle I give it, I just use my mk1 eyeball and adjust again afterwards.

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

Each plane varies. With the Talon I think it was around 5 degrees nose up was fine.

Rodger. I'll sort it out. I'm off work till the 11th so will be giving it some hammer.

Thank you

[FPVSteve]

Any maiden where you end up with the same number of bits that you came with = happy days :) :)

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

Lol, it was a relief to get it down. And even less dirty than I expected!

[BlueFlyer]

was this with a 8000mah on board?

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

was this with a 8000mah on board?

Yep