2010/10/13
Overfly of Google HQ Campus and Shoreline Amphitheatre with Minimag Cularis Motor Glider and GoPro HD Camera
π
2010-10-13 01:01
in Rc
Ok, so let's settle the tech part first, I figured I'd get the best video by filming from under the Cularis, but since it doesn't have any gear, that means the camera is first to touch the ground on a landing. As a result, I padded it, to lessen the impact and the glue that holds it to the bottom of the glider does give out under impact.
Now, this is not ideal so my plan was also to land in the weeds like I would do at Rancho San Antonio, so the wings get caught in them and the bottom of the glider doesn't touch the ground. The weeds at Shoreline were not very tall though, and because they were far from me, I misjudged the height on landing and landed a bit hard on the ground, which did tear off the camera from the plane, but otherwise everything was fine, the padding worked and the video was intact.
All this to say that this setup however doesn't allow for easy repeated flights :) Takeoff is done at full power with a heavy toss and if I have enough back elevator I can miss the ground despite the added weight from the camera and resulting loss of aerodynamism from having that heavy block handing from under the glider.
The Biggest improvement from my attempt last year was that the Cularis was much bigger and easier to see from a distance. I was easily able to fly much farther from where I was standing (about a mile) without totally losing track of which way the glider was pointing and how I could still control it to fly it back (which definitely was a problem with the much smaller minimag).
Now, this is not ideal so my plan was also to land in the weeds like I would do at Rancho San Antonio, so the wings get caught in them and the bottom of the glider doesn't touch the ground. The weeds at Shoreline were not very tall though, and because they were far from me, I misjudged the height on landing and landed a bit hard on the ground, which did tear off the camera from the plane, but otherwise everything was fine, the padding worked and the video was intact.
All this to say that this setup however doesn't allow for easy repeated flights :) Takeoff is done at full power with a heavy toss and if I have enough back elevator I can miss the ground despite the added weight from the camera and resulting loss of aerodynamism from having that heavy block handing from under the glider.
you can see the camera under the belly
The Biggest improvement from my attempt last year was that the Cularis was much bigger and easier to see from a distance. I was easily able to fly much farther from where I was standing (about a mile) without totally losing track of which way the glider was pointing and how I could still control it to fly it back (which definitely was a problem with the much smaller minimag).
original main campus
the 'famous' bridge to 1950 :)
1950/alza
46/47
45 and the droid/eclair/cupcake
1098 and 900 alta with 101 in the background
1965
1945 and rengstroff
