Captron HeliCommand 3A 3D RIGID Manuale utente
INSTRUCTIONS
M-SERIES
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►www.helicommand.com
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Congratulations on your decision to purchase a HeliCommand.
No other commercially produced system for model helicopters can stabilise
the horizontal ight position in addition to the horizontal attitude.
The HeliCommand was originally developed from a professional auto-pilot
system for commercial helicopters employed in lming and surveying, and is
based on several innovative technologies (international patents pending).
The range of applications covers beginners and advanced pilots.
However, beginners should be familiar with their model’s functions, even if they
are not yet able to maintain a stable ight attitude when ying. To all newcomers
to the helicopter hobby we recommend to learn more about the basics of heli-
copter technics to achieve a maximum in performance with the HeliCommand.
If you are a beginner, the HeliCommand will enable you to hover the heli-
copter, carry out slow circuits and generally practise more easily. However,
one point which should be addressed here is that the pilot must be attentive,
and should not let this unique system seduce him into trying manoeuvres
which could endanger himself or others.
Also, it is ideal for advanced pilots who are expanding their ying skills and wish
to practise ying with reduced sta-bilisation, as well as pro-standard pilots who
wish to concentrate entirely on the important functions of their ight display.
To anyone who categorically shuns all electronic aids for helicopter ying,
we have this to say: please be reassured: the HeliCommand was not deve-
loped with the aim of replacing ight tutors and training procedures; its sole
purpose is to help modellers learn to y safely, and to promote safer ying.
For quick installation: skip introduction and start with page 14.
Introduction
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• Stabilises all horizontal control movements: inclination (tilt), speed, position
• Auxiliary „pilot“ channel for adjusting stabilisation effect and switching
between horizontal mode and position mode
• Integral heading-lock (AVCS) gyro
• Second auxiliary channel (“AUX channel”) for gyro gain and mode,
optionally for automatic trim.
• Internal swashplate mixer
• Can be congured without connection to a PC by simple learning procedure,
for up to 3 head servos
• Fail-safe if radio link fails (PPM / FM only): switches to position stabilisation,
coll.pitch to ‘hold’.
• Suitable for internal-combustion and electric-powered helicopters
• Can be used indoors and in the open air
• PC adaptor available as accessory, for setup of 4 head servos, optimisation
for stabilisation and tail gyro, and additional options like automatic trim,
freewheel function for forward ight, etc.
HeliCommand 3D
Includes all the features of the basic “3A” version, plus:
• Horizontal stabilisation for inverted ying
• Expanded set-up facilities via PC adaptor (No. 84942000) (additional Expert
settings for optimising the tail gyro, 3D mode and control characteristics).
HeliCommand 3A
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Includes all the features of the HeliCommand 3A and 3D, plus:
• RIGID mode for stabilising ybar-less rotor heads (2- or multi-bladed heads),
highly effective in preventing ballooning and tuck-under at high speed and in
gusty conditions.
• Optimised pirouette stabilisation. No additional setup necessary.
(Only units from date code 10.08 on the label!)
• Suppressed oscillation for elevator. Also useable with standard Hiller ybars.
(Only units from date code 10.08 on the label!)
• Eliminates the need for aileron (roll-axis) and elevator (pitch-axis) trim
functions.
• Expanded mixer options: Virtual swashplate rotation, and sinus-compensation
(matches unequal pushrod travels caused by the tilting of servo arms).
• The pilot channel can be used to select: horizontal mode, position mode,
RIGID mode.
• RIGID and horizontal modes even function without visual contact between
the optical sensor and the ground, i.e. no opening is required in the helicopter
fuselage if you do not need to use position mode.
• Electronic linearisation to compensate for mechanical irregularities (angular
offset) when using the H4 swashplate linkage.
• The PC adaptor (No. 84942000) is required for setting Rigid mode.
Without the PC adaptor the HeliCommand 3D makes use of the parameters
which are pre-set at the factory.
HeliCommand RIGID
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LED Display 8
Description of facilities 9
Pilot channel 10
Tail rotor gyro 11
Automatic trim 12
Fail-safe 12
The upgrade versions of HeliCommand 13
Survey - the essentials 14
Installation 16
Electrical earth 17
On-board location 17
Mounting the unit on the tail boom 18
Notes regarding internal combustion engines 19
Setting up 22
Electric-powered helicopter 22
Factory reset 22
Setting up the transmitter 22
Calibrating (learning) the transmitter neutral points 22
Conguring the HeliCommand 23
Setting up the HeliCommand RIGID 26
First ight 28
Test-ying 28
Internal-combustion helicopters: vibration test 29
Trimming 30
Index
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Tips for ying 32
Take-off and landing 32
Hovering 32
Control travels 32
Effect of the opto-sensor 33
In darkness, or when overying optically smooth surfaces 33
Indoor ying 33
Checking the contrast 33
Versions and applications 34
HeliCommand 3A 34
HeliCommand 3D and above 34
3D manoeuvres 34
HeliCommand RIGID 34
Notes 35
For skilful pilots: differences in handling 35
Range of applications 35
Safety measures / We recommend 36
Liability exclusion / Guarantee 37
Fault-nding 38
Specication / Set contents 40
Accessories / Service / Imprint 41
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LED Display
Power up phase, please donít move for 10 s;
still no output of servo-signals.
Off / conventional controls (glowing red)
Horizontal mode (glowing yellow)
Position mode (glowing green)
orange-
Power up:
Setup:
Normal operation: Color indicates the pilot channel position
Flickering green: not enough contrast,
only horizontal mode but .no position mode
For checking: switch to ìgreenî mode and hold helicopter
in different distances above ground by hand.
Trim button is pressed, and connect to AUX-Kanal
and assigned (via PC-adaptor)
Setup process (step number = count of flashing)
Fault at selftest (LED flashes red) No output of servo-signals
(1x)
(2x)
(3x)
(4x)
(5x)
(6x)
(7x)
(8x)
No (during selftest)
Battery < 4V power up
Movement during power up phase, repeat power up
Instruments fault or too extreme temperature
Auto trim value at the limit
(reserved)
Unacceptable center divergence at automatic learning
process; at least one channel out of center?
LED dark : undervoltage < 4V
R/C-receiving
(Do not use for charge monitoring!)
(if necessary wait for temperature change to settle)
must be cleared and adjusted mechanically
No at automatic learning processR/C receiving
Complete neutral positions learning (then power off)
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Basically, all versions (3A, 3D, Rigid) offers the following modes of operation:
LED red = stabilising functions switched off (= conventional)
LED yellow = horizontal mode
LED green = position mode
Horizontal mode („yellow“): moves the helicopter to the horizontal attitude if you
release the aileron (roll-axis) and elevator (pitch-axis) controls.
This works totally independently of the optical quality of the ground surface. For
indoor ying you should select this mode; if you do not wish to, please read the
notes on page 29.
Position mode („green“): in this mode the unit stabilises the model’s position as
well as its horizontal attitude. This is the most powerful stabilisation, and is ideal
for “automatic” hovering and slow circuits. It works most effectively at heights of
about 0.5 to 2 metres above a natural surface (grass, gravel etc.). If you release
the aileron and elevator controls, the system actively brakes the helicopter until it
is stationary; all the pilot has to control is the collective
pitch / throttle function. If the model exhibits any slow drift at the hover, this can
very easily be corrected manually. For slow circuits close to the ground, you can
set a forward speed by keeping a slight constant push on the elevator stick, then
direct the model using the tail rotor stick (just like steering a car).
For higher speed and for ying at heights above about 5 m, this mode would
tend to be a nuisance because of its corrective actions; in this case you should
switch to horizontal mode („yellow“).
The conguration for the above-described functions is possible without PC,
unless four head-servos are used.
RIGID mode: this is a fourth mode of operation only available with the
HeliCommand RIGID: it is designed for ybar-less rotor heads, stabilising and
maintaining the helicopter’s attitude (see page 5).
Rigid mode can be combined to working parallel with the three modes
described above. These options are explained on page 26.
In addition to the previously described stabilising functions, all HeliCommand
versions offer the following supplementary functions:
swashplate mixer, tail rotor gyro and automatic trim.
Description of facilities
Pilot channel
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We recommend that you use this auxiliary channel as it enables you to switch
between the three modes, and also to set the desired stabilisation power.
It is advisable to use a slider or a three-position switch with selectable output
values for the pilot channel. If the pilot channel is not connected to the recei-
ver, a pre-set value applies which is: position mode with a setting of +70%;
this is a suitable setting for many models, and can be changed to any value
you like using the PC adaptor. .
You may of course exchange up with down side, by reversing transmitter
setting or slider mounting.
Slider more towards the center
reduces the sensor gain and slows
down the corrections.
Additionally, the auto pilot can be
overridden by smaller stick deections.
Indice
