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Basically just remade the V1 rocket in this video here xd those who don't know what that is:the v1 rocket was the first rocket powered missile made. created in late war ww2 by nazi germany.
Thanks for inviting us to get involved in the project! It was super exciting seeing the design evolve so quickly and we had great fun working with you!
I don't know if others already commented, but instead of a solid fuel tank you could use a fuel bag. You can fill the bag completly, so that there is no air inside, and the bag simply shrinks as the engine consumes the fuel. I have seen this type of tank used in several other rc-jets. Anyway keep up the good work :D
@@iansaxby9264 that would Probably not be the best idea, as the fuel could still slosh from one side of the wing to the other. Unless you use multiple smaller bags the weigh would shift to much. Also the accessability wouldn't be to great since you can't just open the wings. But it would be a good idea to contain the fuelbag in a more stable fuel tank in case there is a leak.
@@wolfganghorn7492 I agree with some of these points regarding weight shifting, accessibility and leaking. It'd be good to keep the fuel bag contained, especially in case of a crash to avoid a fuel leak causing further damage to components and environment. Great idea though to minimize air / voids in the fuel line.
One of the reasons of shorter signal range than typical might be caused by all the foil and metal (and carbon fiber) in the airplane. Also maybe some components of jet engine (pump which stalled for ex) sparks and cause radio interference. Best solution is to keep your RX antennas as far as possible from the metal parts etc. (end of the wing is a good spot). Also DSM2 is an old technology, as other have said ERLS is great solution and should guarantee range measured in kilometres. But if you would go for ERLS I think 2.4ghz is better than sub ghz versions, as these lower frequencies can have issues with bouncing from metal/carbon parts.
Also getting and diversity receiver and placing the antennas in a position where never both can get blocked by the engine/carbon is really worth on such an expensive aircraft. For maximum safety he could also install a flight controller and gps for rth
@@kiritoxasuna2643 during turn it is possible that antennas changed alignment with receiver antenna (they should be on the same plane) which can drastically reduce signal strength. So when you fly straight everything is alright until you turn and antennas are out of alignment and you loose signal. That is why you can see two antennas on receivers which are 90 degrees apart from each other.
DSM2 is kinda trash, he should definitely use ELRS or crossfire. Those systems easily reach 100km of range. With those systems you don’t have to worry too much about antenna alignment when your flying less than 10km
Having seen a dsm2 controlled drone have a similar loss of signal when even closer to me than this jet was I agree that orientation affects signal strength. If the receiver was in the body of the airplane then the aluminized tape was most likely directly between the transmitter and reciever during a banking turn like what was going on during the LoS event... My money is on the tape being a significant factor.
Really glad that you show us the whole process, including when things don't go to plan :) Could the foil tape have blocked the signal from your transmitter?
I've been using Spectrum for years and I've never had a problem, if you do a range test and set up fail safe you should never have a problem flying line of sight,
Exactly, it's very affordable, going the elrs way, and crossfire has been tried and true for over a decade. I recommend getting a radiomaster boxer with one watt elrs built-in. He's never going to read this bla bla bla bla bla
You should really switch to ELRS for your control link, even at 10mw it will far out perform the other protocols like DSMX, FRSky etc. for this project though I’d seriously consider crossfire or elrs 868mhz for simple redundancy.
Maybe a satellite or two on the wingtips away from the foil would have helped. Also: Do not use dsm2/x on anything else than UMX planes and little park flyers! I used to have Spektrum gear as well and had about 1-2 signal losses per year. I switched to a 4in1 modul transmitter with open/Edge TX using mostly an external ELRS module or the internal frsky. Not had a problem since and you can still use your dsm2/x receivers on little planes with the 4in1 module.
hey, i have had a LOT of problems with spektrum and classic protocol 2.4GHz links, even with satellite receiver in redundancy. I switched to ELRS and never had any problem since, at least caused by the RC link. Using spektrum or frsky 2.4, you often forget how short distance it is. It's all going great, until it isnt and you loose control. I have a crash on my channel, almost lost the plane in the river... It was more than 5 years ago, and didnt know why, until it happened again in a field away far away from any city. At this point, I knew it couldnt be interference, it just is the incredibly small range + some metal obstruction like the Jet in your case. You get at most a kilometer or so. Anyways, quick fix is to get ELRS radio with 1W transmitter and ELRS receivers. Cheers
also with such an expensive engine on a plane I would run a flight controller with GPS and rth. And also would use a elrs diversity rx so when one antenna gets blocked by the engine or alufoil the other may still have connection
@@BoarhideGaming Yes they did have pulse jets, but the fuselage and engine position is almost identical, even the take off ramp and trolley is the same as V1
I think the RF signal issue is most likely caused by the use of a less robust protocol. I would recommend moving to crossfire (either TBS crossfire or ELRS) to ensure that you dont loose the signal. Both of those are capable of reaching tens up to hundreds od kilometres range. Spektrum i made for LoS flying and its just not stable enough.
Lesson of the day: Don't use Spektrum radios. A friend and I had a very similar experience recently. It wasn't a jet and luckily the plane mostly survived, but these crashes could be completely avoided by using a better radio link like ELRS or TBS Crossfire.
You did a great job. I feel bad about the crash. You are a very talented & highly motivated young man. You should be proud. Always look forward to your videos.
Great project! In the future, avoid protocols like Spectrum DMSX and rather use a radio that can run openTX/edgeTX with an expressLRS module. These systems are not only cheaper but also offer far more customizability and range at the cost of a slightly more cumbersome setup.
Great work dude! I'm always impressed by how open you are with sharing your process, even the failures As for the signal strength: if I were you and you were me, I'd be flying something like this with FPV and an on-screen display enabled within the FPV view. That way you can see signal strength degrade in real time and compensate for it, since radios are finicky. I think it'll add negligible weight to your airframe and save you plenty of trouble in the long run
I strongly suggest that you should start using fpv cameras for these kinds of aircraft, it would both give us nice views, but you could understand the situation of the aircraft incase of failure.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Spectrum failsafe's mate. That is soooo common with those radios if you don't make sure to run the dual antennas at 90 degrees to each other. Watch ANY Flite Fest footage and count how many happen with Spectrum radios every year. Get you an FR Sky or a Radiomaster. they are super reliable and well proven to be rock solid.
Yep I lost many planes due to Spektrum equipment. Flew FlySky for a while and loved it and got into Radiomaster few years back now. Absolutely love it!
Meanwhile i just chuck the cheap AR410s into everything and never have signal issues. Also your flitefest example isnt the best, as it needs to normalize by amount of radios being used. If Spektrum makes up 90% of all the radios at it then you would expect more Spektrum failures then other brands.
@@demondoggy1825 But Spectrum is lower in the food chain at Flite Fest. Mainly because of the constant signal loss there. MANY return pilots KNOW not to use them. Most are Radiomaster, Taranis, or Flysky entry level radios. and even those have far less issue than the spectrum gear.
@@borgonianevolution Again, thats anecdotal evidence. I take a spektrum radio using the antennaless receivers to flitefest and dont have any issues even in combat. They only seem to have a higher signal loss rate because they are used more. This is just as valid of take as yours.
@@demondoggy1825 Well... no... you are talking to someone who was active on the forums for Flite Test and had more than just yours or my own opinions. I am still as far as I know the highest poster on that forum. So yeah I have more than enough empirical evidence my friend. Even Flite Test themselves have moved on from Spectrum. They are over priced one trick ponies with questionable links.
Definitely go with ELRS. I had Frsky before and the random cutouts and resulting crashes made me switch. Now I can't even get close to the range limits.
You should really get a radio with edgeTX and ExpressLRS build in or with a module bay and an external ExpressLRS Transiver. With that you will never experience a signal loss in a range where you can still see the plane. I really like the radiomaster Radios and they are not too expensive especially compared to the spectrum Radios.
Love your videos! in regards to the fuel sloshing and creating air bubbles, you can add fuel tank foam which will help with several issues. 1. sloshing, 2. ullage explosions, 3. air bubbles getting into the fuel lines 4. better control of the craft. They use this tech in fighter jets. It weighs next to nothing, barely offsets fuel capacity, and its as cheap as... foam. =)
Can't wait for version 2, in terms of the signal redundancy is great but also maybe perform some sort of range test with a buddy to test different aircraft orientations. Especially since you have access to some really good fields.
This makes me think about Starship's first test flight. Being nervous and full of anticipation before the flight, then it takes off and everybody is happy, then something goes wrong, and then it goes from bad to worse, and eventually the vehicles are no more. All that while still being happy how it performed and what you learned from the flight.
Inspiring experiment ! I hate it when crash forensics point at something forgotten. It happens, and I applaud you that you admit AND document it. Bravo ! Hope the little engine is OK... I know you're just getting started.....
What I like about you is that you share everything, success and failure. And that you are always so optimistic. Good look with mark2. I’ll be tuning in with fingers and toes crossed for you.
Outstanding project, I was actually on the edge of my seat for a time there hehe, looking forward to part two! Thanks for this, brightened my day up mate. 💯🙂
1 Acronym: ELRS. As a former Spektrum user who has lost planes and drones to dropped signals on Spektrum, I can tell you ELRS is the way to go. It's cheap, and it's better.
It would be really cool to have a workshop tour/ what tools you use video as your shop seems to have been changing quite a lot over some of your recent videos - like all of your projects and videos.😀
So sorry it didn't go to plan James! I know you have built ekranoplans before, but did you know that the soviets tried to build a huge one that they could launch the energia buran from (soviet space shuttle thing), and other spacecraft from in flight, this would be an epic combination of things you have done on the channel before, and I think it would be an epic (yet deeply sketchy) project. Good luck on the next project :)
Now idk if you read comments but I just wanna say thank you so much, you inspired me to make my own RC plane and like, the videos you made helped me alot in the deisgn. Something which I was scared of doing (hardware (I have some experience in software)), I finally got the courage to explore something new, I am 15 btw and thank you again
Why did the RC fail? Quite possibly, the 2.4ghz set you're using just doesn't have the range. Especially with spektrum branded stuff, I've had the occasional dropout well within visible range, a fast plane like that could reach those limits quickly. IF you want to stay on 2.4ghz, Futaba, JR, Jeti, those brands come to mind as being more highly regarded in terms of consistency. You could also switch to a lower frequency lrs like the TBS crossfire.
Either low frequency crossfire, R9M, or ELRS 2.4 at normal frequency, or both ELRS 900Mhz. ELRS 2.4 should be more than enough, you get 1-2 km sometimes with good performance at most on spektrum, and tens of km on ELRS. Jeti, futaba, JR, etc all rely on the older style communication protocols, with no LORA, and suffer from range too, but with more graceful dropouts, and are way more expensive for similar performance in the end. Spektrum will often drop instantly :| which is why it is the worst.
On flat unobstructed terrain like that, hell, even a cheapo Flysky should be able to do multiple kilometers - stock FSi6s have been tested to 4km before the signal became intermittent and 10km before it was lost altogether. My gut says something in the airframe blanked the signal - foam is RF transparent but a foam plane doesn't usually have all that jet gear in it. That big expanse of foil tape along the upper rear fuse could well be the culprit, in a gentle climb it was probably directly between the Rx and the Tx.
@@tenns From a technology perspective, futaba jr etc are definitely older. From a lived experience perspective, my spektrum and frsky equipment would drop out while the old farts on futaba and jr kept flying just fine... For lrs, I've had good luck with crossfire, and the frsky r9m stuff usually works but is susceptible to bad qc. Haven't tried the others.
@@rcbinchicken rf blocking is definitely a possibility. I'd still recommend getting away from Spektrum, they just aren't good, but whatever system it's replaced with will need care taken with antenna placement. And use a redundant receiver system if possible.
oh yeah that tape, forgot about it, should be that then. Also flysky seems better than spektrum, always impresed with iforce2D range he showed in some videos, never could get similar with spektrum!@@rcbinchicken
An excellent project. Tiny details do matter as you have found out. The following details won't save/kill your project but will make you more professional. Yes, Imperial speed measurement is "mph". Metric speed measurement is "km/h". That is all lower case and don't forget the "/" or "forward slash" or the "oblique". It stands for "per". Happy flying.
I think the foil plus long distance from the receiver made the signal cut out. So either you should add an antenna along the whole wingspan to ensure it is never completely blocked by the heat shield or you should mount the engine in a way its heat doesn't reach the foam.
What I love about content like this is, it shows you how hard it must've been for the original designers/builders/inventors of aircrafts to actually have success in what they were trying to achieve.
Hi James, i Think the loss of signal is cuz of the Spektrum transmitter. I am not hateing on Spektrum but i had the same problem with a Spektrum radio on a aircraft. Then i swiched to Futaba and i have no problems now.👍
Really sorry for the loss of the aircraft. Great video and it looked like a genuinely fun project. r/c model pilot here for over 30 years and commercial UAS operator for over 10 years. In that time one thing I have learned is that your radio needs to be absolutely solid and in my bitter experience, Spektrum stuff is not great and in some cases is absolutely appalling. Equally, neither my Futaba nor Airtronics have ever missed a beat. Not finger pointing here as it's just one person's view, but I'd be looking very carefully at the radio during your post mortem and thinking hard about what brand to put in the version 2 model. A 250g foamie glider is one thing, a jet powered foamie is a very different risk proposition. Good luck...!
Use TBS Crossfire RX/TX system. That will eliminate all of your RC connection issues. If you wire it up correctly, settings set properly, it WILL keep connected to your model. I guarantee it.
Awesome as always. You really should be running an ELRS radio system. One with Gemini, or even better, Dual band Gemini. Your Spektrum NX10 is a nice radio, but DSMX doesn't have the range, penetration, or noise rejection of a LORA system like ELRS. And adding Gemini (transmits on 2 channels for redundancy) or Dual band Gemini (900mhz and 2.4ghz, with 2 channels on each, so 4 total channels) will ensure the packets get there, one way or another. Also, it's cheaper than Spektrum. :D
That takeoff went exactly as I’d expect. With that high of a power to weight ratio it’s really important for the thrust to point at the CG. Bummer you lost signal, where was the RX antenna mounted? Maybe the fuel and engine blocked the signal.
I'm a retired airline pilot with a suggestion regarding yaw control. Rather than employing ailerons (creating the need for a rudder), how about spoilers ? With airlerons, when you attempt to raise the wing with down aileron, you 're increasing camber to increase lift on that wing, while doing the exact opposite on the wing on the inside of the turn. This will cause the aircraft to yaw in the opposite direction of the desired turn; this is what you're trying to eliminate. Spoilers on the inside wing come up, decreasing lift , allowing the aircraft to turn without adverse yaw. If this were a prop aircraft, you'd need rudder to counter yaw caused by asymetircal thrust of the decending blade at high angles of attack. But this is a jet, so no "P" factor. Not sure whether you want full span or just outboard wing spoilers. Where it'll matter is a slow speed where you need to maintain sufficient roll control. Watching to the end of this video, I see that you uncovered the fuel pickup point in the tank, and sucked up some air, causing shutdown. Here again, smooth coordinated turns would prevent slips and skids, keeping G forces straight down, with respect to the fuel tank interior. However, your fix, with regard to the fuel air separator, is a more effective measure.. Just a thought.
Foil tape and glass tape will blocking signals to some one extent or another, but additionally turbines generate loads of static due to high RPM and friction in the system. This generates significant interference, so it is essential to keep your receivers well away from the turbine, fuel pump and ECU. Good quality turbine oil with static inhibitors are also a good shout, if you're not already using some, but as you've also realised you need your signal to be MUCH more redundant. Dual receivers, minimum, and four antenna to provide redundancy and eliminate as many signal blind spots on the model as possible whilst it is in any given orientation - point the antennas in different directions - along the fuselage and straight up/down. The very tip of the RX antenna pointed straight at the TX creates the weakest signal because the signal radiates along the length of the antenna and not from the top. You need to make sure that at least one antenna is never pointing straight at you in any given orientation. I hate publicly slamming manufacturers, but I've been a Spektrum customer in the past and it's just garbage. I've lost more models to Spektrum lockouts then I'd like to admit. Please choose a more reputable TX/RX solution which is actually fit for purpose. PowerBox, Futaba, Jetti, Multiplex, just not Spektrum. A high quality Tx/Rx is your best insurance policy and will elevate your chances of your recovering your expensive model. Even if it is DIY, it's still not cheap. It might be made out of cheap materials but it's still got a two grands worth of propulsion system in it. Building cheap is possible but it's a false economy. There are companies which already manufacture foam fuselage airframes so I'm not sure what we're trying to prove here.
i have a theory for why the radio cut off, if the fuel cut off and stalled the engine the rapid speed loss might of caused the wiring to come undone and temporarily come back from it going down, it was probably pitching left because when a RC controlled plane loses signal it will execute the last input for around 4 seconds. Also, the metal foil might of caused radio interference
This was a great project! Jet engines are so amazing and we have seen how they can be used for lots of fun projects. I also understand why Tyler Perry changed over his RC aircrafts from jet powered to electric. Still, jet engines are and will always be cool and lots of fun.
It looked more like its was stalling due to the weight, temporarily regaining control was due to the increase in airspeed falling down. with the camera's on board you should have past some cotton strings over the wing showing the direction and behavior of the airflow over the wings. Great tool when reviewing the camera footage. Great video.
First of all - congratulations on another great video - I really like your content, your creativity and your honesty with yourself. It has been a good many years now since I flew RC but I recall we always did a "range check" with the RC transmitter and receiver in the aircraft before a maiden flight ... never had a loss of signal every happen to me ... but those were ancient times of course. Keep on going and I cant wait to see V2 of your mini V2 ... !
I dont know, but... rc model airplanes has been a long hobby of mine. Your motor shutoff could olso be an electrical issue. Maybe because of your high speed, your servo's couldn't lift all the weight or something like that. We're used to flight with 2 lipo batteries so you'll never have an issue like that. The reason why you couldn't communicate anymore could also be a startup because the lack of power. Idk just saying
my guess on loosing RC signal is that the aluminium tape you put on the plane inadvertently shieling the RF signal, along with poor antenna placement. are you sure the jet cutting out want failsafe due to poor RF signal?
Make sure your two Rx arials are mounted 90⁰ perpendicular to each other as you will lose signal on one and switch over to the other. 2.4ghz can also be blocked by foil tape and carbon fibre
Great video, shame about the crash! I've had loads of crashes with spektrum. It is best to have a control link with signal strength and a tx16s transmitter
Does the jet engine have a sparker to start the engine? When it shut down, does it automatically tried to restart? Sparks create enormous Emi. Se with diy plasma cutting tables. The spark for ignition just kills all the elektronica and data comme tions around it.
You should do a video where you take an RC aircraft and introduce slight amounts of damage to the control surfaces and fuselage over and over until the plane is completely inoperable. It would be interesting to see if you could try to design a plane that would be as reliable as possible to be able to continue to operate with minor damage. It would also be interesting to just see how little damage it takes to start affecting the planes aerodynamics.
The jet pilots from my club do not use normal tanks but "bags" in a tank. This is actually just a support and is a double wall in a crash. When this bag is empty, the volume is not replaced by air. This also eliminates the need for a tank pendulum. Use a proper remote control system for such expensive flight projects. The Spectrum equipment is susceptible to interference, especially if you have a large model and can seemingly fly further away. It works well in the FCC space, but you are in the UK.
I use Futaba and JR radios for my turbine jets. I used to use Spektrum until I lost 3 jets to signal failure and blackouts due to voltage creep above and below voltage and unexplained signal losses. I only use Spektrum for my park fliers due to all the bind and flys. I also use a flight controller for return to land if it loses signal. With all the fail-safes available for under 200 dollars it's almost dumb not to put one in our 1000s of dollar investments. Then again I'm not crunched for time and stressed out to put content for subscribers. It must be a pain to try to remember everything and then make sure you have video content. You have it tough my friend. I can't imagine the mistakes I would make If I were making videos and building projects. Thanks for always showing the good, the bad, and the ugly. You Rock!
You don't suppose that when the jet turbine stalled it automatically started firing the ignition trying to start up again? Ignition interference is a pretty common gremlin, maybe that combined with signal reflections off the aluminum tape was just enough to put things on the fritz at that range.
Very nice work, you'll come up with a winning design soon enough. Perhaps the weight to thrust distribution is recalculated to avert the pitching, have you considered a design that mounts the engine internally? Like a harrier jump jet? This would allow you to keep the power.
You know, I hate to admit this, I love your channel mostly because you’re not afraid to mess up, I’ve seen you crash so many creations, the carnage is always fun to watch, you should make a b roll of all your best crashes lol. But you always overcome
You really should build another one. Once you fix the fuel problem and figure out whatever the glitch was with the signal, it seems like the plane definitely WILL work.
Thank you again to Insta 360 for sponsoring this video! - get your GO 3 here with 5% off and a free selfie stick! store.insta360.com/product/go-3?insrc=INRLGG6&KOL&Holidaysales
Basically just remade the V1 rocket in this video here xd
those who don't know what that is:the v1 rocket was the first rocket powered missile made. created in late war ww2 by nazi germany.
Looks better than a GoPro.
Let‘s gooooo new project ❤❤❤
I don't think there's a selfie stick in the offer. But there is a advertisement t-shirt.
Take the golf ball out of your mouth old chap ....
That foe 'posh' accent is so grating I can barely watch your otherwise great content!
Thanks for inviting us to get involved in the project! It was super exciting seeing the design evolve so quickly and we had great fun working with you!
Let’s do it again!
W
Subscribe people!
@@Project-AirW
@@Project-Air yeah
I don't know if others already commented, but instead of a solid fuel tank you could use a fuel bag. You can fill the bag completly, so that there is no air inside, and the bag simply shrinks as the engine consumes the fuel. I have seen this type of tank used in several other rc-jets.
Anyway keep up the good work :D
Good suggestion!
I'm wondering if the carbon fiber tube in the wings could serve as containment for a fuel bag?
@@iansaxby9264 that would Probably not be the best idea, as the fuel could still slosh from one side of the wing to the other. Unless you use multiple smaller bags the weigh would shift to much. Also the accessability wouldn't be to great since you can't just open the wings.
But it would be a good idea to contain the fuelbag in a more stable fuel tank in case there is a leak.
@@wolfganghorn7492 I agree with some of these points regarding weight shifting, accessibility and leaking. It'd be good to keep the fuel bag contained, especially in case of a crash to avoid a fuel leak causing further damage to components and environment. Great idea though to minimize air / voids in the fuel line.
Is a wine box bag too DIY for this?
One of the reasons of shorter signal range than typical might be caused by all the foil and metal (and carbon fiber) in the airplane. Also maybe some components of jet engine (pump which stalled for ex) sparks and cause radio interference. Best solution is to keep your RX antennas as far as possible from the metal parts etc. (end of the wing is a good spot). Also DSM2 is an old technology, as other have said ERLS is great solution and should guarantee range measured in kilometres. But if you would go for ERLS I think 2.4ghz is better than sub ghz versions, as these lower frequencies can have issues with bouncing from metal/carbon parts.
Also getting and diversity receiver and placing the antennas in a position where never both can get blocked by the engine/carbon is really worth on such an expensive aircraft. For maximum safety he could also install a flight controller and gps for rth
I'm not sure that its the range because before the control was lost he had gone farther and then he lost control after the high g turn.
@@kiritoxasuna2643 during turn it is possible that antennas changed alignment with receiver antenna (they should be on the same plane) which can drastically reduce signal strength. So when you fly straight everything is alright until you turn and antennas are out of alignment and you loose signal. That is why you can see two antennas on receivers which are 90 degrees apart from each other.
DSM2 is kinda trash, he should definitely use ELRS or crossfire. Those systems easily reach 100km of range. With those systems you don’t have to worry too much about antenna alignment when your flying less than 10km
Having seen a dsm2 controlled drone have a similar loss of signal when even closer to me than this jet was I agree that orientation affects signal strength.
If the receiver was in the body of the airplane then the aluminized tape was most likely directly between the transmitter and reciever during a banking turn like what was going on during the LoS event...
My money is on the tape being a significant factor.
Really glad that you show us the whole process, including when things don't go to plan :)
Could the foil tape have blocked the signal from your transmitter?
i also think that's the problem
so extend the antennas to the wingtips or something?
Foil, big carbon composite tube, engine can block the signal. Good range test should have show these before the flight.
Use a different control protocol. Something like elrs. They have pem recievers now and 50km of range.
that is actually an excellent observation
If the signal had not been lost, you could have glided down very easily.
Don’t use spektrum.
I've been using Spectrum for years and I've never had a problem, if you do a range test and set up fail safe you should never have a problem flying line of sight,
I've been using elrs, works underwater with my model submarine 😂 and spectrum users talk about line of sight with no obstacles.
AMEM !!! Screw spektrum
FrSky or Jeti are king
Yep! I lost multiple planes to Spektrum. Switched to Radiomaster and ELRS and never had another problem. And everything is a quarter of the price!
@@Destructor429 I don't care what any Spektrum Knob Slober says.. spektrum is affected by Ignition interference
Why not use long-range receivers/transmitters? Such as ELRS or Crossfire?
Exactly, it's very affordable, going the elrs way, and crossfire has been tried and true for over a decade. I recommend getting a radiomaster boxer with one watt elrs built-in. He's never going to read this bla bla bla bla bla
This was my first thought...The issue is that the RC plane community is very fixated with the spectrum/futaba transmitters and receivers.
@@Nicholas_KageI'd suggest that too and he'll probably have miles of range
Get a jeti tx/rx, it's worth it.
Whatever radio used here, it would have been enough for the range shown. But I exclusively use ELRS - I wouldn't use anything else nowadays.
You should really switch to ELRS for your control link, even at 10mw it will far out perform the other protocols like DSMX, FRSky etc. for this project though I’d seriously consider crossfire or elrs 868mhz for simple redundancy.
Maybe a satellite or two on the wingtips away from the foil would have helped.
Also: Do not use dsm2/x on anything else than UMX planes and little park flyers! I used to have Spektrum gear as well and had about 1-2 signal losses per year.
I switched to a 4in1 modul transmitter with open/Edge TX using mostly an external ELRS module or the internal frsky. Not had a problem since and you can still use your dsm2/x receivers on little planes with the 4in1 module.
USE lrs! Absolutely useless these spectrum controllers
hey, i have had a LOT of problems with spektrum and classic protocol 2.4GHz links, even with satellite receiver in redundancy. I switched to ELRS and never had any problem since, at least caused by the RC link.
Using spektrum or frsky 2.4, you often forget how short distance it is. It's all going great, until it isnt and you loose control. I have a crash on my channel, almost lost the plane in the river... It was more than 5 years ago, and didnt know why, until it happened again in a field away far away from any city. At this point, I knew it couldnt be interference, it just is the incredibly small range + some metal obstruction like the Jet in your case. You get at most a kilometer or so.
Anyways, quick fix is to get ELRS radio with 1W transmitter and ELRS receivers.
Cheers
Even 100mW ELRS will far outperform DSMX/FrSky
1w Elrs? Do you want to cross the whole Planet? 100mw is more than enough for like 20km.
@@sheggy012 dynamic power + foil tape= no problem picasso.
It prevents from things you didnt think about.
also with such an expensive engine on a plane I would run a flight controller with GPS and rth. And also would use a elrs diversity rx so when one antenna gets blocked by the engine or alufoil the other may still have connection
@@bot-sk8mt yup put some ardupilot on that boi, and you're golden.
For the first prototype bro didn’t even have landing gears and still buttered that better than Ryanair
My bet is that a 1/16 Mosquito took it out - you've basically built a V1. ;)
Great project - looking forward to version two.
hehehe
Didn't the V-1 use a pulse jet? Would love to see that miniaturised
@@BoarhideGaming looks more like the salamander.
@@BoarhideGaming Yes they did have pulse jets, but the fuselage and engine position is almost identical, even the take off ramp and trolley is the same as V1
@user-jh6ik1qd7p yeah
the fact the camera survived that wicked crash speaks pretty well of your sponsor's product
I was going to say the same thing. They got a good ad out of it, that was a brutal crash.
Exactly! And it's space age thech they'd love to have in the army 50 years ago, always a cool thought
Great project! As others have said, ELRS for the win. Super strong and cheap control link. Hopeful for part 2!
Yes please lol.. super cheap too
And widely available, even we have PWM receiver now too
I think the RF signal issue is most likely caused by the use of a less robust protocol. I would recommend moving to crossfire (either TBS crossfire or ELRS) to ensure that you dont loose the signal. Both of those are capable of reaching tens up to hundreds od kilometres range. Spektrum i made for LoS flying and its just not stable enough.
Lesson of the day: Don't use Spektrum radios.
A friend and I had a very similar experience recently. It wasn't a jet and luckily the plane mostly survived, but these crashes could be completely avoided by using a better radio link like ELRS or TBS Crossfire.
A brave man using those purple label T pro servos. Every single one I’ve ever had has failed.
Average german engineer in 1940-1945
ahem he is british clearly 💀
Ah yes the tiny propeller jet plane
@@GibDib that would be the me163 im talking abt the me162 look it up
@@pointer1829 I stand corrected
Wasnt that made in 1938
The tart lemonade quenched her thirst, but not her longing.
You should upgrade to expresslrs protocol, really sturdy to interference and even low power outputs have kilometers of range.
The truest greatness lies in being kind, the truest wisdom in a happy mind.
You did a great job. I feel bad about the crash. You are a very talented & highly motivated young man. You should be proud. Always look forward to your videos.
Great project! In the future, avoid protocols like Spectrum DMSX and rather use a radio that can run openTX/edgeTX with an expressLRS module. These systems are not only cheaper but also offer far more customizability and range at the cost of a slightly more cumbersome setup.
Great work dude! I'm always impressed by how open you are with sharing your process, even the failures
As for the signal strength: if I were you and you were me, I'd be flying something like this with FPV and an on-screen display enabled within the FPV view. That way you can see signal strength degrade in real time and compensate for it, since radios are finicky. I think it'll add negligible weight to your airframe and save you plenty of trouble in the long run
I strongly suggest that you should start using fpv cameras for these kinds of aircraft, it would both give us nice views, but you could understand the situation of the aircraft incase of failure.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Spectrum failsafe's mate. That is soooo common with those radios if you don't make sure to run the dual antennas at 90 degrees to each other. Watch ANY Flite Fest footage and count how many happen with Spectrum radios every year. Get you an FR Sky or a Radiomaster. they are super reliable and well proven to be rock solid.
Yep I lost many planes due to Spektrum equipment. Flew FlySky for a while and loved it and got into Radiomaster few years back now. Absolutely love it!
Meanwhile i just chuck the cheap AR410s into everything and never have signal issues. Also your flitefest example isnt the best, as it needs to normalize by amount of radios being used. If Spektrum makes up 90% of all the radios at it then you would expect more Spektrum failures then other brands.
@@demondoggy1825 But Spectrum is lower in the food chain at Flite Fest. Mainly because of the constant signal loss there. MANY return pilots KNOW not to use them. Most are Radiomaster, Taranis, or Flysky entry level radios. and even those have far less issue than the spectrum gear.
@@borgonianevolution Again, thats anecdotal evidence. I take a spektrum radio using the antennaless receivers to flitefest and dont have any issues even in combat. They only seem to have a higher signal loss rate because they are used more. This is just as valid of take as yours.
@@demondoggy1825 Well... no... you are talking to someone who was active on the forums for Flite Test and had more than just yours or my own opinions. I am still as far as I know the highest poster on that forum. So yeah I have more than enough empirical evidence my friend.
Even Flite Test themselves have moved on from Spectrum. They are over priced one trick ponies with questionable links.
Definitely go with ELRS. I had Frsky before and the random cutouts and resulting crashes made me switch. Now I can't even get close to the range limits.
You should really get a radio with edgeTX and ExpressLRS build in or with a module bay and an external ExpressLRS Transiver. With that you will never experience a signal loss in a range where you can still see the plane. I really like the radiomaster Radios and they are not too expensive especially compared to the spectrum Radios.
Love your videos! in regards to the fuel sloshing and creating air bubbles, you can add fuel tank foam which will help with several issues. 1. sloshing, 2. ullage explosions, 3. air bubbles getting into the fuel lines 4. better control of the craft. They use this tech in fighter jets. It weighs next to nothing, barely offsets fuel capacity, and its as cheap as... foam. =)
Can't wait for version 2, in terms of the signal redundancy is great but also maybe perform some sort of range test with a buddy to test different aircraft orientations. Especially since you have access to some really good fields.
Love is the flower you've got to let grow.
This makes me think about Starship's first test flight. Being nervous and full of anticipation before the flight, then it takes off and everybody is happy, then something goes wrong, and then it goes from bad to worse, and eventually the vehicles are no more. All that while still being happy how it performed and what you learned from the flight.
Inspiring experiment ! I hate it when crash forensics point at something forgotten. It happens, and I applaud you that you admit AND document it. Bravo !
Hope the little engine is OK... I know you're just getting started.....
I am looking forward to version 2. I have given up the Spectrum a long time ago. I use ExpressLRS much more reliably - greetings from Brazil.
Your work is kinda ASMR for us DIY guys...very nice to watch and very relaxing. Well done
What I like about you is that you share everything, success and failure. And that you are always so optimistic. Good look with mark2. I’ll be tuning in with fingers and toes crossed for you.
Outstanding project, I was actually on the edge of my seat for a time there hehe, looking forward to part two! Thanks for this, brightened my day up mate. 💯🙂
1 Acronym: ELRS. As a former Spektrum user who has lost planes and drones to dropped signals on Spektrum, I can tell you ELRS is the way to go. It's cheap, and it's better.
It would be really cool to have a workshop tour/ what tools you use video as your shop seems to have been changing quite a lot over some of your recent videos - like all of your projects and videos.😀
Maybe on a second channel!
That fuselage has lots of internal room. If you wanted, you could have a good-sized fuel tank inside it. 2 minutes leaves one definitely wanting more.
So sorry it didn't go to plan James! I know you have built ekranoplans before, but did you know that the soviets tried to build a huge one that they could launch the energia buran from (soviet space shuttle thing), and other spacecraft from in flight, this would be an epic combination of things you have done on the channel before, and I think it would be an epic (yet deeply sketchy) project.
Good luck on the next project :)
Remember that failure is an event, not a person.
Now idk if you read comments but I just wanna say thank you so much, you inspired me to make my own RC plane and like, the videos you made helped me alot in the deisgn. Something which I was scared of doing (hardware (I have some experience in software)), I finally got the courage to explore something new, I am 15 btw and thank you again
same here
It Would Be Cool To See A HE-162 Using This Engine
Why did the RC fail? Quite possibly, the 2.4ghz set you're using just doesn't have the range. Especially with spektrum branded stuff, I've had the occasional dropout well within visible range, a fast plane like that could reach those limits quickly. IF you want to stay on 2.4ghz, Futaba, JR, Jeti, those brands come to mind as being more highly regarded in terms of consistency. You could also switch to a lower frequency lrs like the TBS crossfire.
Either low frequency crossfire, R9M, or ELRS 2.4 at normal frequency, or both ELRS 900Mhz. ELRS 2.4 should be more than enough, you get 1-2 km sometimes with good performance at most on spektrum, and tens of km on ELRS. Jeti, futaba, JR, etc all rely on the older style communication protocols, with no LORA, and suffer from range too, but with more graceful dropouts, and are way more expensive for similar performance in the end. Spektrum will often drop instantly :| which is why it is the worst.
On flat unobstructed terrain like that, hell, even a cheapo Flysky should be able to do multiple kilometers - stock FSi6s have been tested to 4km before the signal became intermittent and 10km before it was lost altogether. My gut says something in the airframe blanked the signal - foam is RF transparent but a foam plane doesn't usually have all that jet gear in it. That big expanse of foil tape along the upper rear fuse could well be the culprit, in a gentle climb it was probably directly between the Rx and the Tx.
@@tenns From a technology perspective, futaba jr etc are definitely older. From a lived experience perspective, my spektrum and frsky equipment would drop out while the old farts on futaba and jr kept flying just fine...
For lrs, I've had good luck with crossfire, and the frsky r9m stuff usually works but is susceptible to bad qc. Haven't tried the others.
@@rcbinchicken rf blocking is definitely a possibility. I'd still recommend getting away from Spektrum, they just aren't good, but whatever system it's replaced with will need care taken with antenna placement. And use a redundant receiver system if possible.
oh yeah that tape, forgot about it, should be that then. Also flysky seems better than spektrum, always impresed with iforce2D range he showed in some videos, never could get similar with spektrum!@@rcbinchicken
An excellent project. Tiny details do matter as you have found out. The following details won't save/kill your project but will make you more professional. Yes, Imperial speed measurement is "mph". Metric speed measurement is "km/h". That is all lower case and don't forget the "/" or "forward slash" or the "oblique". It stands for "per". Happy flying.
At least paint it like a V1 cruise missile. Spoiler....
same fate. engine cuts, then it glides down unguided to crash into England.
Nahhhh☠️☠️☠️
Edit: hollup I just saw your pfp
Afterburner we need one of these micro turbines with an afterburner!!!! You can make this happen!!!!!
Thank you again for all your hard work
I think the foil plus long distance from the receiver made the signal cut out. So either you should add an antenna along the whole wingspan to ensure it is never completely blocked by the heat shield or you should mount the engine in a way its heat doesn't reach the foam.
What I love about content like this is, it shows you how hard it must've been for the original designers/builders/inventors of aircrafts to actually have success in what they were trying to achieve.
11:17 end of the ad
Hi James, i Think the loss of signal is cuz of the Spektrum transmitter. I am not hateing on Spektrum but i had the same problem with a Spektrum radio on a aircraft. Then i swiched to Futaba and i have no problems now.👍
Spektrum, is the reason for the failsafe. Get a radio that isnt famous for failsafe.
Great stuff! Well done 👍Switch to ELRS? Also, did you set failsafe to RTH?
ELRS is definitely the way to go, he should probably also add a flight controller and GPS for RTH.
This could be a great and especially cheap alternative to suralince drones. I wonder if you could get a contract over this
Thrust vectoring on the jet engine would be cool!
1 step at a time chief
Maybe the electronic components heated up so the radio signal wasn't working? You could use some thermal cameras next time
Looks a lot like the V1 Flying bomb, launch rail and all.
the music and the adrenalin I felt before pulling off the pin 💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥
Another awesome Jet project... worlds fastest DIY Jet plane for sure 🤟. Shame it didn't quite end well, but still awesome
Go 3 is actually pretty good, I attached it to my rc, and it fits well, and turns out that it could be the main cam for a pov rc plane.
0:07 V2 Flashbacks
V1*
love how he goes big, even if he fails big because of it. It is amazing to achieve these things
ExpressLRS Next time!
you can try mounting the engine underneath the body then it could be more stable and use some ceramic plates to protect it from the heat
Really sorry for the loss of the aircraft. Great video and it looked like a genuinely fun project. r/c model pilot here for over 30 years and commercial UAS operator for over 10 years. In that time one thing I have learned is that your radio needs to be absolutely solid and in my bitter experience, Spektrum stuff is not great and in some cases is absolutely appalling. Equally, neither my Futaba nor Airtronics have ever missed a beat. Not finger pointing here as it's just one person's view, but I'd be looking very carefully at the radio during your post mortem and thinking hard about what brand to put in the version 2 model. A 250g foamie glider is one thing, a jet powered foamie is a very different risk proposition. Good luck...!
I want to see version 2! Thanks for all of the great videos, keep up the good work!
Use TBS Crossfire RX/TX system. That will eliminate all of your RC connection issues. If you wire it up correctly, settings set properly, it WILL keep connected to your model. I guarantee it.
All the world is a stage, And all the men and women merely players.They have their exits and entrances; Each man in his time plays many parts.
Wtf 😭
I would recommend you to use a ELRS transmitter and receiver , they basically have infinite range !!
Awesome as always.
You really should be running an ELRS radio system. One with Gemini, or even better, Dual band Gemini. Your Spektrum NX10 is a nice radio, but DSMX doesn't have the range, penetration, or noise rejection of a LORA system like ELRS. And adding Gemini (transmits on 2 channels for redundancy) or Dual band Gemini (900mhz and 2.4ghz, with 2 channels on each, so 4 total channels) will ensure the packets get there, one way or another. Also, it's cheaper than Spektrum. :D
That takeoff went exactly as I’d expect. With that high of a power to weight ratio it’s really important for the thrust to point at the CG. Bummer you lost signal, where was the RX antenna mounted? Maybe the fuel and engine blocked the signal.
I'm a retired airline pilot with a suggestion regarding yaw control. Rather than employing ailerons (creating the need for a rudder), how about spoilers ?
With airlerons, when you attempt to raise the wing with down aileron, you 're increasing camber to increase lift on that wing, while doing the exact opposite on the wing on the inside of the turn. This will cause the aircraft to yaw in the opposite direction of the desired turn; this is what you're trying to eliminate. Spoilers on the inside wing come up, decreasing lift , allowing the aircraft to turn without adverse yaw. If this were a prop aircraft, you'd need rudder to counter yaw caused by asymetircal thrust of the decending blade at high angles of attack. But this is a jet, so no "P" factor. Not sure whether you want full span or just outboard wing spoilers. Where it'll matter is a slow speed where you need to maintain sufficient roll control. Watching to the end of this video, I see that you uncovered the fuel pickup point in the tank, and sucked up some air, causing shutdown. Here again, smooth coordinated turns would prevent slips and skids, keeping G forces straight down, with respect to the fuel tank interior. However, your fix, with regard to the fuel air separator, is a more effective measure.. Just a thought.
Foil tape and glass tape will blocking signals to some one extent or another, but additionally turbines generate loads of static due to high RPM and friction in the system. This generates significant interference, so it is essential to keep your receivers well away from the turbine, fuel pump and ECU. Good quality turbine oil with static inhibitors are also a good shout, if you're not already using some, but as you've also realised you need your signal to be MUCH more redundant. Dual receivers, minimum, and four antenna to provide redundancy and eliminate as many signal blind spots on the model as possible whilst it is in any given orientation - point the antennas in different directions - along the fuselage and straight up/down. The very tip of the RX antenna pointed straight at the TX creates the weakest signal because the signal radiates along the length of the antenna and not from the top. You need to make sure that at least one antenna is never pointing straight at you in any given orientation.
I hate publicly slamming manufacturers, but I've been a Spektrum customer in the past and it's just garbage. I've lost more models to Spektrum lockouts then I'd like to admit. Please choose a more reputable TX/RX solution which is actually fit for purpose. PowerBox, Futaba, Jetti, Multiplex, just not Spektrum. A high quality Tx/Rx is your best insurance policy and will elevate your chances of your recovering your expensive model. Even if it is DIY, it's still not cheap. It might be made out of cheap materials but it's still got a two grands worth of propulsion system in it. Building cheap is possible but it's a false economy. There are companies which already manufacture foam fuselage airframes so I'm not sure what we're trying to prove here.
I've had several brownouts with spektrum. I fly taranis now and it's very good, also a bit more affordable.
Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
i have a theory for why the radio cut off, if the fuel cut off and stalled the engine the rapid speed loss might of caused the wiring to come undone and temporarily come back from it going down, it was probably pitching left because when a RC controlled plane loses signal it will execute the last input for around 4 seconds. Also, the metal foil might of caused radio interference
This was a great project! Jet engines are so amazing and we have seen how they can be used for lots of fun projects. I also understand why Tyler Perry changed over his RC aircrafts from jet powered to electric. Still, jet engines are and will always be cool and lots of fun.
It looked more like its was stalling due to the weight, temporarily regaining control was due to the increase in airspeed falling down.
with the camera's on board you should have past some cotton strings over the wing showing the direction and behavior of the airflow over the wings. Great tool when reviewing the camera footage. Great video.
First of all - congratulations on another great video - I really like your content, your creativity and your honesty with yourself. It has been a good many years now since I flew RC but I recall we always did a "range check" with the RC transmitter and receiver in the aircraft before a maiden flight ... never had a loss of signal every happen to me ... but those were ancient times of course. Keep on going and I cant wait to see V2 of your mini V2 ... !
but isnt it a mini V1 ?
I dont know, but... rc model airplanes has been a long hobby of mine. Your motor shutoff could olso be an electrical issue. Maybe because of your high speed, your servo's couldn't lift all the weight or something like that. We're used to flight with 2 lipo batteries so you'll never have an issue like that.
The reason why you couldn't communicate anymore could also be a startup because the lack of power.
Idk just saying
Excellent learning moment for anyone who wants to make a Jet powered project.
Also maybe have a GPS autopilot incase it loses control signal?
Try using ExpressLRS as your control link rather than Spectrum, you could fly to the moon then
my guess on loosing RC signal is that the aluminium tape you put on the plane inadvertently shieling the RF signal, along with poor antenna placement. are you sure the jet cutting out want failsafe due to poor RF signal?
Make sure your two Rx arials are mounted 90⁰ perpendicular to each other as you will lose signal on one and switch over to the other. 2.4ghz can also be blocked by foil tape and carbon fibre
this is like skydive
Great video, shame about the crash! I've had loads of crashes with spektrum. It is best to have a control link with signal strength and a tx16s transmitter
Does the jet engine have a sparker to start the engine? When it shut down, does it automatically tried to restart? Sparks create enormous Emi. Se with diy plasma cutting tables. The spark for ignition just kills all the elektronica and data comme tions around it.
You should do a video where you take an RC aircraft and introduce slight amounts of damage to the control surfaces and fuselage over and over until the plane is completely inoperable. It would be interesting to see if you could try to design a plane that would be as reliable as possible to be able to continue to operate with minor damage. It would also be interesting to just see how little damage it takes to start affecting the planes aerodynamics.
The jet pilots from my club do not use normal tanks but "bags" in a tank. This is actually just a support and is a double wall in a crash.
When this bag is empty, the volume is not replaced by air.
This also eliminates the need for a tank pendulum.
Use a proper remote control system for such expensive flight projects.
The Spectrum equipment is susceptible to interference, especially if you have a large model and can seemingly fly further away. It works well in the FCC space, but you are in the UK.
I use Futaba and JR radios for my turbine jets. I used to use Spektrum until I lost 3 jets to signal failure and blackouts due to voltage creep above and below voltage and unexplained signal losses. I only use Spektrum for my park fliers due to all the bind and flys. I also use a flight controller for return to land if it loses signal. With all the fail-safes available for under 200 dollars it's almost dumb not to put one in our 1000s of dollar investments. Then again I'm not crunched for time and stressed out to put content for subscribers. It must be a pain to try to remember everything and then make sure you have video content. You have it tough my friend. I can't imagine the mistakes I would make If I were making videos and building projects. Thanks for always showing the good, the bad, and the ugly. You Rock!
Hope you have a nice Christmas 😊
You don't suppose that when the jet turbine stalled it automatically started firing the ignition trying to start up again? Ignition interference is a pretty common gremlin, maybe that combined with signal reflections off the aluminum tape was just enough to put things on the fritz at that range.
With a thrust to weight ratio of yes, this thing flies pretty good.
7:25 "...with some gentle encouragement."
The gentle encouragement:
Nothing is so strong as gentleness. Nothing is so gentle as real strength.
Very nice work, you'll come up with a winning design soon enough. Perhaps the weight to thrust distribution is recalculated to avert the pitching, have you considered a design that mounts the engine internally? Like a harrier jump jet? This would allow you to keep the power.
You know, I hate to admit this, I love your channel mostly because you’re not afraid to mess up, I’ve seen you crash so many creations, the carnage is always fun to watch, you should make a b roll of all your best crashes lol. But you always overcome
You really should build another one. Once you fix the fuel problem and figure out whatever the glitch was with the signal, it seems like the plane definitely WILL work.
One faces the future with ones past.