What is the Draganflyer V Ti Pro?
From Draganfly Innovations Inc., the Draganflyer V is a radio-controlled, battery-powered helicopter. The “Ti” stands for “thermal intelligence”, a thermal sensing system allowing for safer and easier-controlled flights: The Draganflyer senses the horizon and can correct its flight to restabilize when needed. The “Pro” is a Draganflyer with an onboard video camera. This camera records video during flight and wirelessly broadcasts it to a receiving unit for viewing or recording. The picture below illustrates the important bits of the flight system, the Draganflyer helicopter and transmitter.
Who is the Draganflyer’s audience?
A specialty of the Draganflyer V Ti Pro is taking controlled, high-quality aerial videos. But it also appeals to anyone interested in radio-controlled equipment. Being battery-powered, it has the advantage of being quieter, cheaper and lighter than gas-powered helicopters, and has more maneuverability than planes. It can even fly indoors.
What is the origin of the name Draganflyer?
No, it’s not a “Dragonflyer”. Modify the spelling slightly, as “Draganfly” is taken from the name of the company president, Zenon Dragan.
How does the “Eyecam” onboard video camera work?
The Draganflyer V Ti Pro includes an onboard video camera that transmits a wireless video signal. The setup is easy and the quality is great,see the example videos on the Draganflyer website. Newer versions of the camera system include an isolated camera mount that reduces vibration, two video receivers that increase video quality, and an articulating camera mount: Instead of turning the helicopter to “point” the camera, the camera’s direction can be controlled independently. My demo unit had a camera setup where you manually pointed the camera to a limited extent. You can see the mount in the pictures below. See the next question for more camera detail.
How well does the onboard camera perform? I have been looking into purchasing the Draganflyer V Ti Pro in order to capture aerial footage. I really need to see the full video quality before I can justify purchasing this cool product.
I’d like to send you a video myself, but can’t: I have since returned the review unit generously lent to me by RCToys.com. Plus, my own footage was very limited, and for several reasons, I didn’t get to test the video capabilities as much as I wanted.
My recommendation is to wait until the newer camera system is available. Make sure the system you purchase includes that. Below is the text for the new camera system per the RCToys.com website. Contact them to see if it’s available yet, or check outRCToys’ example videos. These are compressed for Web distribution, so are not full quality, but still should help you decide if they meet your stability and level-of-detail requirements.
“Currently under development is a Servo-Operated Panning upgrade for the Eyecam Extreme and Articulating Camera Mount which will be controlled by the knob on the top-right side of the transmitter. TheArticulating Camera Mountallows you to point the video camera in the direction desired and also provides protective isolation from the Draganflyer V Ti Pro’s motors. Its frame bracing also dampens vibration, providing more stable video. Stabilization – higher video quality and less static, key capabilities in the Draganflyer aerial video surveillance! Upgrade from the Draganflyer V Ti’s already innovative Thermal Intelligence stabilization, heading lock gyro, agility and aerial video capabilities with the latest in the Draganflyer V Ti Pro’s CCD Video Camera technology! Stay tuned for its release!”
What can tell you about the (older version) camera I used? It was better than I thought it would be! Flying high gives impressive wide-angle aerial shots. Flying close to something gives excellent detail, even with objects close to the camera (you can see an ant crawling on the ground, or make out detail on individual blades of grass). I’d estimate that the video quality is as good as an average “prosumer” video camera. The only issue I encountered was interference caused by the Draganflyer’s motion during flight – this was evidenced at times by static lines interrupting the video feed. This wasn’t a big problem, but did happen every 1-10 seconds, depending on what was happening during flight. I understand the new camera system addresses and mostly resolves this issue.
I’d also say that the current camera, while great for video, does not take quality good enough for still photos (this is not a criticism of the camera, just a fact of life for almost any video camera). I don’t know if this is true for the newer camera system.
How does the thermal intelligence work?
According to the Draganflyer manual:
“Thermal Intelligence (Ti) uses patented technology to sense the difference in infrared temperature between the Earth and sky… …Ti uses four infrared sensors, so when a change is detected in the Draganflyer’s orientation relative to the Earth’s infrared horizon, it issues the correct control signals to bring the Draganflyer back to level flight.”
In shorter terms, this means if you lose control while flying, simply release the controls, and the Draganflyer will auto-correct and bring itself back to level flight!
What is the Draganflyer made out of? How durable is it?
The Draganflyer is primarily carbon fiber, high-impact nylon, and plastic. The unit is designed so that the plastic parts take the brunt of crash forces. This allows for easier and cheaper repairs. According to RCToys:
“The parts will remain plastic as if they did not take the impact, the carbon frame would, resulting in much more downtime in repairs as the entire harness would need to be removed.”
With the exception of the motors, we’re dealing with solid-state equipment: It’s very durable.My demonstration unit survived crashes I thought would really damage it.And when something actually broke, it was usually the plastic parts made to do so. Repairs require a little mechanical know-how, but that’s to be expected considering this is a high quality, remote controlled, video capable, battery powered helicopter!
How did you like it?
I loved it.
Depending on how you intend to use it, I would call it anything from a versatile tool to a unique and exciting toy.
“Toy” makes it sound kid-friendly, though, and while kids will love watching it, you need to be focused, dexterous and aware when flying it. Due to the four whirling rotor blades and the delicate work needed for some repairs, this is not for young children.
For those who would use this as an aerial video tool, it’s very effective. For those using it recreationally, it’s durable enough to last and interesting enough to enjoy for a long time.
Read on for more Draganflyer photos, Maintenance, repair and flight tips, and Andy’s flight log.
Note that the equipment you see here is about what you will receive, with the exception of the custom red and black paint job on the rotors. You can also click to see videos of and by the Draganflyer.
The shot below sights down one rotor blade towards the Draganflyer canopy. You can see the circuitry on the upper platform, the camera in the lower-right, and the battery on the lower platform.
The two pictures below show the detail of the rotors, their gearing and the motors. The top rotor is decorated with decals that came with the Draganflyer. The bottom rotor is a custom paint job. (It’s not as much fun if you can’t customize it a little, right?)
In reviewing a remote controlled, battery-powered helicopter with an onboard video camera and a thermal flight stability system, you’ve got to get some oddly-posed, strangely-angled dramatic shots.
Maintenance, repair, flight tips and flight log
Scroll through the document, or click to jump directly to a section: Motors, Flight,Fuses, Before you even think about flying, Preflight checklist, Andy’s Flight log.
If you have to replace a motor or motor mount, get out the soldering iron. Swapping out motors and motor mounts require that you must rerun wires through the motor mount itself. To do this, you must remove wires from the motors and resolder them.
Before soldering on a motor, make sure you’ve got the wires connected to the right motor terminals! The front and rear rotors spin counter-clockwise, and the left and right rotors spin clockwise. This means that the front and rear motors spin clockwise, and the left and right motors spin counter-clockwise. Test for yourself to verify things are spinning correctly before applying solder.
If your trim settings are way over to one side, and the Draganflyer’s hover is still off-level, then realign the rotors to the Draganflyer’s circuit board. Note that small adjustments here will produce big changes in flight performance. If you’re constantly having to readjust this, your frame or mounts are loose: Tighten the frame screws to prevent rotor alignment changes. See the manual’s section “Flight Preparation and Trimming” for more detail.
If you hear a high-pitched whirring sound when flying, you may have a problem with either the rotors or the decals. In extreme situations, this can also cause problems with lift, as more power is required to maintain altitude. If you’ve applied decals to your rotors, examine those decals. The decals may be slightly separating from the rotor on the rotor’s leading edge, and the whirring you hear may be part of a decal vibrating as the rotor spins. Less than a centimeter of separation can cause this. To fix, remove the decal.
If you don’t have decals, or are sure that’s not the problem, examine your rotors for signs of wear or tearing. As funny as you may think it looks, the Draganflyer should never be used as a lawn mower: Even a few encounters with blades of grass will wear out the rotors. If your rotor lines are no longer smooth, sand them carefully until they are. If too much of the rotor is chipped or torn, replace it.
If you can’t tell what rotor is causing the problem, gently but firmly hold down the Draganflyer with one hand, then turn everything on and spin the rotors until you hear the noise. Move the right control stick up, down, left and right. As power is transferred from rotor to rotor, you can isolate which one is noisy.
If you’re blowing fuses after landing, you’re probably trying to turn the rotors when they’re unable to do so. If the motors can’t turn, a fuse will blow, so avoid landings in tall grass, and cut the throttle before crashes. According to RCToys:
“The fuse is in place to prevent damage to the circuit board. If the rotors are trying to turn, and there is resistance on any of the motors, the fuse will blow. If a crash or rough landing is imminent, it is best to cut the throttle so no power is being applied to the motors.”
Before you even think about flying
With the addition of the “crash kit”, have the following equipment available. While the website states that a pair of pliers are all that is needed to assemble (the unit also ships with a small screwdriver and hex wrench), I found it helpful to have these tools on hand for repairs and maintenance:
Small flathead screwdriver (the plastic screwdriver that comes with the kit started to bend out of shape after some use).
Wire cutters / wire strippers (rewiring may be needed after replacing motor or motor mount)
Soldering iron with electrical solder (soldering is required when replacing a motor or motor mount)
Electrical tape (may be needed after rewiring)
120 grit sandpaper, or a Dremel tool with sandpaper wheel (used for smoothing out roughness and inconsistencies in the rotors).
Spray paint (Okay, this is 100% optional, but I found a light coat or two improves the look of the rotors better than the included decals, which tended to peel off, perhaps from humidity or my bad application.)
Depending on what you need to repair, things may get somewhat complex. Make sure you have a good understanding of the Draganflyer’s components, or are mechanically inclined. The manual gives a very detailed piece-by-piece schematic. Use it.
Watch the instruction video first, then read the manual to get the detail.You’ll see good basic build instruction, as well as showing you how all components (even some of the prepackaged ones) fit together, and a good visual overview of the helicopter. The video will help set expectation as to how the Draganflyer should perform, and the manual will give you the knowledge to make it happen easily and safely.
If you have a Draganflyer with onboard camera, remove the camera system while learning to fly the Draganflyer. This prevents damage to this expensive module during the inevitable “learning” crashes.
The most important thing I can stress about flight control: Learn how to hover before you try any other kind of flight. Learning hovering is very important for establishing control. It says this in the manual and video, but it’s so important I’m also stressing it here.
Get an extra Draganflyer battery. Flight time depends on many conditions, but is around 20-30 minutes. More batteries mean more fun before you have to recharge. (You should be fine with only one battery for the transmitter, as it will last an hour or two between recharges.)
Get the crash kit. When you’ve gotten good at flying, crashes should be rare. But getting experienced, particularly if learning on your own, will require (at least) a few rough landings or new rotors. The crash kit gives you needed spare parts for most repairs.
Make sure all batteries are fully charged.
Make sure the heat sinks are tight on the motors.
If your Draganflyer has an onboard camera, check the camera mount and camera transmitter antenna unit. Make sure the camera is secure. Make sure the connector in the camera’s circuit board is inserted firmly. Note that the camera connector is intentionally a little loose. According to RCToys:
“The connector is loose as to reduce damage to the wiring. In a crash, it will easily pop out. However, it won’t do this during flight.”
Prepare the control stick: Set all trim levels to the center settings. Make sure throttle control is off (all the way down)
Gently wiggle the platform mounts (the rods and brackets that hold the circuit board in place) to make sure they aren’t loose. Tighten if needed.
Sight down the rotors to make sure they are horizontally matched with the Draganflyer’s circuit board. If they’re not, realign them. If they’re loose, tighten them.
Gently pull at the thin carbon fiber rods. They should not pop out of their plastic mounting brackets. If they do, your frame is loose – tighten it.
In addition to the above components, periodically check and tighten all screws on the unit, paying close attention to the nylon screws for the rotors, and those underneath the carbon fiber battery platform.
This flight log documents my personal experience in learning the Draganflyer from the beginning, never having touched it before. This is not meant as a “how to” document, only as a way to show what I experienced so that others can learn from it. Your personal experience, and the amount of time it takes you to get comfortable with the Draganflyer, will vary. Times below are approximate, and were recorded over the course of about 2 months. The time estimates are of how long I spent trimming and flying the Draganflyer during each entry, and do not include time for maintenance or repairs.
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