Transition from RC to Drones

[Rchawks]

I wonder what other RC pilots take on the method and feel for the transition from flying rc aircraft to flying drones. I find myself trying to fly as if it has wings. What experience have any of you had with this ingrained reflex and response.

 

[dronerdave]

To me it's like getting in a car with an automatic transmission as compared to driving a stick. I mainly fly 3D planes which are much more difficult than my MP but still feel very comfortable flying a drone.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I have read the flight sim / gamers coming into the drone hobby have trouble with what joystick mode to run, as most sims use left stick back to gain altitude.
Do regular airplane remotes do this too ?
And if so, what joystick mode do airplane model pilots prefer with their drone flying ?

 

[dronerdave]

I'm a mode 2 guy all the way. Seems most in the US are that way. Rudder/throttle left, and ailerons/elevator on the right. I do know a couple guys who fly mode 1 but they are glider guys. Helos which I only fly on a simulator (and poorly) are kind of drone like. I think what a buddy of mine found by using a cheap game controller on his sim was that he had to adjust to what standard transmitter felt like in the field. I have a few Spektrum radios and an FR-Sky. I don't really have an issue flying my aircraft with any of the radios, but like a DJI product you get the feel of where the switches and what not are located. So I try to keep with one model if at all possible.

 

[dronerdave]

Oh and my Mavic is mode two.

 

[WithTheBirds]

From your RC experience can you recall anyone being able to take off, fly to 500m altitude and over 1km out before returning and landing safely with any kind of old school RC model?

Anyone can do this out of the box with the current DJI offerings.

I am not suggesting it is smart to break regulations , the point is they take no skill to fly- plenty of effort and practice to master.

The only minor challenge you might have is familiarisation with the flight modes, failsafe operation and finding your way around the app.

 

[dronerdave]

From your RC experience can you recall anyone being able to take off, fly to 500m altitude and over 1km out before returning and landing safely with any kind of old school RC model?

FPV is a different animal. So are different kinds of aircraft and telemetry. I was just generalizing the OP's question. No I don't have a problem between flying drones or fixed wing aircraft in regard to the transmitter.

Not sure about what you mean by old school RC model. The radio?

Here is NASA using a DX18 transmitter to fly a drone (without FPV) for several hours testing it. Much was BVLOS using telemetry.

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[WithTheBirds]

FPV is a different animal. So are different kinds of aircraft and telemetry. I was just generalizing the OP's question. No I don't have a problem between flying drones or fixed wing aircraft in regard to the transmitter.

Not sure about what you mean by old school RC model. The radio?

Here is NASA using a DX18 transmitter to fly a drone (without FPV) for several hours testing it. Much was BVLOS using telemetry.

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My post was addressed to the OP.

My comparison to "old school" can be taken to mean models that didn't have assisted flight, particularly GPS positioning.

 

[hiflyer201]

Most people can "fly" a drone the first time they try...that's how we get in so much trouble

 

[Rchawks]

I guess my question or point was should rc pilots focus more on single axis movement since drones are not dependent on lift from a set of wings. I think I tend to drop back to old movements that doesn’t really work well with this type of flying. Yes it is very easy , like a gift from mount Olympus ? I’ve only flown VLOS which is why I’m probably over controlling.

 

[MROJAS]

Building and flying RC helicopters for more than 10 years now, I just would not compare the two. Drones fly by themselves. Flying a RC helicopter is like standing on a basketball. Any RC model flying requires building skills, but not remotely the case with drones.

 

[Ty Pilot]

The RC experience was far more demanding operationally, requiring constant attention and being several steps ahead of the aircraft in flight. A drone (only) pilot might find it hard to never look away from their aircraft for an entire flight while in RC this was the norm in the more advanced disciplines, so in that respect their sort of apples and oranges. By the same token, depending on the type of flyer you are there is another angle.

If you flew/fly RC, you remember that first successful solo flight and the feeling you got of accomplishment; it was a real high feeling (no pun intended). I suspect many drone flyers are feeling this sensation when they fly their drone too. Personally most of the time I am flying I am not hyped about the flight but am focused on the task at hand whether it is our Real estate photography or capturing video, and in that respect; it's just another piece of equipment to hold a camera, and therein lies the new challenge, positioning an aircraft based upon what a camera sees. I was strapping cameras on all sorts of models back in the 90's, none of which could yield the kind of imagery we can create today, certainly not if I had to operate the aircraft and the camera.

And to think about it in that light, the only way we can get that imagery IS to have an aircraft that flies and steadies itself, so we can take on the duties of camera operator/producer/director. But yeah, the actual flying of a modern camera drone is no comparison even to a three channel trainer.

 

[Rchawks]

From your RC experience can you recall anyone being able to take off, fly to 500m altitude and over 1km out before returning and landing safely with any kind of old school RC model?

Anyone can do this out of the box with the current DJI offerings.

I am not suggesting it is smart to break regulations , the point is they take no skill to fly- plenty of effort and practice to master.

The only minor challenge you might have is familiarisation with the flight modes, failsafe operation and finding your way around the app.

Sorry for the slow response on my part While at work there's not enough time to answer properly. I used to fly rc gliders (thermal and slope) and I've always flown mode 2 (25 plus years) and have a helicopter as well. When flying thermal it was always about flying as high and as far as possible. After moving to the midwest I switched to electric gliders and added a camera because by this point the flying was secondary and done without much thought and then it was about getting the shot. I haven't had enough practice with the MM I bought to be comfortable with watching only the screen. I find myself relying only on what I see in the air. So I been practicing low level flying and trying to couple using the (if you will) the rudder, aileron and elevator controls in sync trying to smoothly transition from one angle to the other. I'm finding that once I'm at altitude this method probably isn't going serve me well. I'm realizing I will need to think more about getting to height and flying more in straight line paths and turning direction and not trying to fly like a heli or plane but simply a drone in 2d instead of 3d lol.

BTW excellent response TY Pilot.

 

[Rchawks]

I have read the flight sim / gamers coming into the drone hobby have trouble with what joystick mode to run, as most sims use left stick back to gain altitude.
Do regular airplane remotes do this too ?
And if so, what joystick mode do airplane model pilots prefer with their drone flying ?

I've always flown mode 2, the other settings felt awkward. One thing i do miss from radio controllers is the duel rate switches.

 

[old man mavic]

i have found it very easy to control my drone by just using the right stick to turn gently while flying forwards and it makes for a nice gentle turn, then if i want to turn in a smaller circle i just add in a small amount of yaw (rudder) to achieve this

 

[Rchawks]

i have found it very easy to control my drone by just using the right stick to turn gently while flying forwards and it makes for a nice gentle turn, then if i want to turn in a smaller circle i just add in a small amount of yaw (rudder) to achieve this

Excellent, Thank you