Many people have been interested in using remote-controlled helicopters to do a range of activities from entertainment to training. In order to fly a remote-controlled helicopter, you will need to take the necessary steps to be sure that it is legal to fly within your region. You also need to be aware of how to know when the battery on the helicopter is running low.
Keep reading this article, Dream Cheeky will guide you on how to fly RC helicopters?
Information Overload For RC Helicopters
Information overload is the main reason people continue to avoid flying RC Helis. There are many options, especially for beginners. Although it is true that there are some dubious items out there, it’s difficult to identify. Quality is not determined by price alone. There are cheaper models that can provide great value, but there are also more expensive products that offer better value.
There are many RC copters that will suit every type of budget and skill level. These radio-controlled birds have seen a lot of progress in recent years. It is now accessible to everyone. You can see the different models available by looking at the examples.
Fun, Rewarding, and Addictive
Pilots choose to fly RC helicopters over all other craft. They offer an exciting experience that is far superior to other crafts. This hobby offers fans a lot of fun. The hobby is also very rewarding and addicting, but it’s done in a positive way. For those who wish to be skilled heli pilots, the downside is the steep learning curve. Learning is half of the fun for others. RC choppers are easy to use at the beginner level.
RC Helis do not look like popular drones that can be operated by anyone. They are for flying not filming enthusiasts. You can also get racing quadcopters. However, this is a completely different experience. Popular RC planes are still in use but lack the agility and short-range acrobatics of model copters.
The ‘Flying RC Helis’ guide
This guide is intended for novice or new RC heli pilots. Further down, you will find safe flying practices and steps. This brief introduction is a must-read for anyone who is new to flying. It’s easy to read, so don’t be alarmed. It doesn’t have any technical vocabulary or jargon that is too complicated.
To test your knowledge, you can use the examples I have provided. You will be able to make better decisions if you know what to look out for. However, flying blindly and buying things can lead to users fleeing before they take off.
Understating RC Heli Channels
This section covers the basics of flying an RC helicopter. Before anything else, it is important to know the CH or channels. What’s the difference between 3CH, 4CH, and 6CH? Well, RC helicopters move in multiple directions. This is called 3D flying or three-dimensional flying. These maneuvers require channels. The more channels there are, the greater the bird’s ability to do them.
Radio-controlled helicopters require four channels to fly in any direction. These channels include altitude up/down, nose turn left/right, go forward/backward, and slide left/right.
Benefits of 3 Channel RC Heli
The three channels are the most common for beginner helicopters. The 4th channel is for helis that can slide in either left or right directions. This makes them more stable for novice pilots. 3CH RC helicopters are so simple to fly that they quickly become tedious. A 3CH model helicopter is a great place to begin if you have no flying experience.
The following controls are available on a 3CH RC beginner helicopter:
- Throttle
- Turning (Yaw).
- Forward/backward movement (Elevator).
Benefits of 4 Channel RC Heli
From a 3CH model, a 4-channel helicopter is an obvious progression. This is when pilots first fly an RC helicopter like a pro. This extra channel allows the bird to fly more freely and makes the craft more agile.
These are the flight controls for a 4CH RC helicopter:
- Throttle
- Turning (Yaw).
- Forward/backward movement (Elevator).
- Left/right movement (Aileron Slide)
Benefits of 6 Channel RC Heli
A 6CH RC helicopter is a fully 4CH model with two additional channels. Collective pitch RC helicopters are the 6CH RC models. These two additional channels are located at the receiver’s (Rx) end and not the transmitter’s (Tx), also known as the remote controller. You should know that the 6CH collective-pitch RC helicopter can perform advanced aerobatics. This means that they are better suited for intermediate and advanced-level pilots.
These are the flight controls for a 6CH RC helicopter:
- Throttle
- Turning (Yaw).
- Forward/backward movement (Elevator).
- Left/right movement (Aileron).
- Collective pitch or CP (tilt to main rotor blades),
- Other adjustments and turning the gyro
The natural progression for beginners to RC Helis would be 3CH, 4CH, and then 6+ channels. This is a guide for novices to flying RC helicopters.
How To Fly RC Helicopters
Toy-grade vs. Hobby-grade
Hobbyists who are just starting out should be able to distinguish between hobby and toy-grade RC helicopters. Although toy helicopters are the most affordable, they are not worth the cost if you are serious about the hobby.
The channels of toy helicopters can range from 2 (throttle and steer) to 3 (throttle, steer, and elevator). The swash-plate is the part of the helicopter that directs a rotor blade. This severely limits directional control.
Toy helicopters are often thrown away if they are damaged or crash. This is because there are no spare parts. If you want a beginner RC helicopter to start and practice on before getting fancier ones, we would recommend that you stay away from Toy-grade helicopters.
Fly RC Relicopters With Coaxial Helicopters.
Coaxial helicopters are the best option for beginners. Coaxial helicopters have two rotors, one on top of another, and rotate in opposite directions. This cancels the torque reaction (or spinning effect) of each rotor on the main body. Coaxial helicopters don’t require a tail-rotor.
These are the most stable of all the flying copters. These copters are not as reactive or “snappy” to control inputs, making them ideal for novices. They are available in sizes ranging from small to medium, making them excellent indoor and outdoor flyers.
These helicopters are also very affordable compared to more expensive models. Spare parts are easily available and can be replaced at a fraction of the cost, making them ideal for beginners.
This helicopter does not have the ability to fly in windy conditions. Because they lack responsiveness, you cannot counteract wind while flying outdoors.
You cannot do advanced maneuvers with them. While this may not be a concern for novices, it may become a problem as you get more involved in the hobby.
Fixed Pitch RC Helicopters
The fixed pitch helicopters are next in the ladder in difficulty when learning to fly RC helicopters. Most coaxial helicopters can also be referred to as ‘fixed pitches’. This term refers to helicopters with a tail rotor (to balance the torque reaction), but the angle of the main rotors or pitch of these types of RC helicopters is ‘fixed’.
Similar to a Coaxial helicopter in that the lift produced by this type of helicopter depends on the throttle input and the rotation of its motors. The throttle is higher, so more lift is produced. These helicopters are also available in small and medium sizes. They can be flown indoors or outdoors.
They can perform basic aerobatic maneuvers and are more responsive than coaxial helicopters. They are also less stable and require steeper learning how to fly RC helicopters. These helicopters are very affordable and parts can be easily replaced, just like coaxial copters.
Fixed pitch helicopters are a great option for those who love challenges and are enthusiastic beginners. Although it may require patience at first, you will become a better pilot and be more prepared for collective pitch helicopters.
Learning How To Fly RC Helicopters In A Group Pitch Helicopter
Collective pitch helicopters can be the most advanced type and are only recommended after you have learned how to fly RC helicopters with fixed and coaxial pitch helicopters.
These helicopters don’t require you to increase the throttle. Instead, the pitch or angle of attack of the rotor blades can be adjusted to gain or lose altitude. However, the spinning speed of a rotor blade is constant.
This causes a “snappy reaction” to control inputs, which is necessary for advanced maneuvers such as inverted flying or ‘tic-tock. Have you ever seen a professional RC helicopter pilot perform crazy, insect-like maneuvers with an RC helicopter? They’re probably flying a collective pitch RC helicopter.
Collective pitch helicopters are generally of medium size and are intended for outdoor flying. In windy conditions, large collective pitch helicopters are more efficient than any other type of helicopter.
These helicopters can be quite expensive, and the cost of spare parts is not usually very cheap. Before you attempt advanced maneuvers, it is recommended to get familiar with the basics of RC helicopter flying.
Before learning how to fly RC helicopters, you need to understand the RC Helicopter.
Basics Of Helicopter Flight
How does your helicopter fly? Even though the details of aviation are beyond this post’s scope, it may be helpful to get a basic understanding of how the helicopter actually flies.
Bernoulli’s principle is one of the “forces” that generate lift in any flying machine, multirotor, and helicopter. I’ve covered the basics of quadcopter flying mechanics post, and many of the same principles apply.
This is because the wind blows low-pressure air at the top and the air below is of higher pressure. Bernoulli’s principle is in action. The higher pressure air will tend toward the lower pressure air, generating the “lift”.
Newton’s third law is also important in creating lift. Air is a fluid like water. The ‘action’ is created by the airflow generated by the rotors. The reaction is the lift.
This is an extremely simplistic explanation of how things work. This subject has been the topic of many books. You might be interested in learning more about helicopter aerodynamics.
Helicopter Control: Pitch And Rotors
Cyclic Pitch
Hobby helicopters with a swashplate determine the direction of flight. It can be forward, backward, left, right, or left. It is basically a pitch that results from the tilting of the swashplate of the helicopters, lifting individual blades, and giving it direction.
To pitch forward, for example, the swashplate must create a cyclic pitch that lifts the individual blade in a particular direction. You will likely intuitively know that to move forward, you need to raise the lift at the rear of the helicopter (if it is present) so that the helicopter points in the right direction.
But this is not true. The principle of rotor blades is gyroscopic Precession. This basically means that to move in any direction, you must lift the cyclic pitch at 90 degrees from the desired direction.
For example, imagine you are facing the direction of the RC helicopter and that the rotor spins clockwise. To pitch forward, the lift must be generated to the right.
This will result in the lift’s effect being at the backside. It is due to the phenomenon of gyroscopic Precession, which tilts the helicopter forward, allowing it to move forward.
Fixed Pitch And Collective Pitch
In more advanced helicopters, the collective pitch is a functionality. The collective pitch helicopters are named so because of this. This is the movement of the swashplate upwards and downwards, changing the pitch of all the main rotor blades at the same time. This is what gives the helicopter altitude control.
This is what you might be asking. You can keep the rotor speed constant. The cyclic pitch allows the helicopter to lift independently of its speed, unlike fixed pitch RC helicopters.
Why is it a big deal to keep the rotor speed constant? You will have a faster, more responsive helicopter. You can think about it: If you depended on increasing your throttle speed every single time you made a maneuver, it wouldn’t be prompt or ‘snappy.
To get that “snappy” response, you must be able to maintain a constant, high rotor speed at all times, regardless of altitude. Fixed pitch cannot allow you to have a maximum rotor speed at any time. This is because the lift depends on rotor speeds, which makes it gain altitude indefinitely until you lose transmitter range or run out of batteries.
Essential For any form of aerobatic flying (especially inverted flight, where Negative Blade pitch is essential), collective pitch control is vital. However, a fixed-pitch heli is extremely limited in aerobatic capabilities.
Transmitter
Control details might not match the image above. Please refer to the manual. It may differ, especially in the cases of numbers 2/3.
The transmitter must be powered in order to turn it on or off
This throttle stick can be used for Throttle and Aileron/Roll for fixed-pitch and coaxial helicopters. Throttle is the speed at which your RC helicopter can fly. It is basically the accelerator for your RC helicopter. The collective pitch RC helicopters replace throttle control with the ‘collective pitched’ control which controls the craft’s altitude. Aileron or Roll is used to sway an RC helicopter to one side or the other.
This stick can be used for Rudder and Elevator. The pitch of an RC helicopter is done by using the Elevator. This is to move the RC helicopter forward or backward. The rudder control the RC helicopter is used for. This is to turn it around its axis.
The power indicator indicates how much power you have left.
A bigger antenna is usually better.
6-9 Dual rate controls are available to adjust the sensitivity of each control. This is basically ‘tuning.
Things To Do Before You Fly RC Helicopters
Verify that the rotor blades can rotate freely without any friction. Foreign objects such as dust, hair, etc. This can impact the speed at which the rotor blades move, reducing flight time, lift, efficiency, and flight speed.
Verify for damage or bends in fly-bar, stabilizers, rotor blades, and skids. Make sure that all balls are properly fixed and that the blades’ heads are tight.
To ensure optimal flight time, make sure that your battery is fully charged and balanced.
You must ensure that the transmitter is properly attached to the helicopter. Flight aberrations due to trim settings are not desirable.
Ensure that you keep the RC helicopter away from other people, pets, and objects when it takes off.
To minimize damage, you can slow down the throttle if your helicopter seems to be about to crash.
Pre-flight Checks And Things To Do Before You Fly RC Helicopters
Verify that the rotor blades can rotate freely without any friction. Foreign objects such as dust, hair, etc. This can impact the speed at which the rotor blades move, causing flight delays and a decrease in the lift, flight speed, and efficiency.
Verify for damage or bends in fly-bar, stabilizers, main rotor blades, and skids. Make sure that all balls are properly fixed and that the blades’ heads are tight.
To ensure optimal flight time, make sure that your battery is fully charged and balanced.
You must ensure that the transmitter is properly attached to the helicopter. Flight aberrations due to trim settings are not desirable.
Ensure that the RC helicopter is kept at a safe distance from you and other people, pets, or objects while taking off.
To minimize damage, you can slow down the throttle if your helicopter seems to be about to crash.
Choosing The Right Flying Site For Learning How To Fly RC Helicopters
Many of the things I need to say about choosing the right place (which can be a very important step in learning how to fly RC helicopters) have been covered in my other how do you fly articles. For ease of access, however, I will reiterate it here.
Before you take off, the first thing you should do is check the weather. This is especially important for novices. If it is too breezy to fly, choose another day or spot. If it’s winter, choose another season. If you don’t have a companion who can watch over you and protect you in case things go wrong, winter is a terrible time to start RC flying.
If you don’t have the time or desire to take off, you can use a flight simulator instead. Your helicopter could crash down, I guarantee it. Winter’s eccentricities will only make it worse. Avoid disappointment and loss of cash.
If you have the right climate conditions, where can you fly your RC helicopter? Choose a spot that is open and where there are no pets, people, or objects.
You should pay particular attention to RC flying clubs within your locality. These clubs often have their own flight areas and are great for fledglings. These clubs can be very supportive and can provide valuable guidance.
Avoid areas where the RC helicopter could collide with people. This cannot be ignored. Propeller strikes, for example, can cause serious injury and even death. It would be a shame to cause inconvenience by your RC hobby.
Avoid flying too close to airports, development areas, and atomic plants. Avoiding airports can make you very unsafe. Your RC helicopter could collide with passenger craft of life-size size, causing catastrophic results. It would be a shame to be responsible for that!
