- Joined
- Jul 29, 2014
- Messages
- 2,114
- Reaction score
- 715
Some background.
I have a lot of years flying and experimenting with RC models. Over time, I have rigged up lots of little devices to carry small RC gliders and RC rocket gliders on top of larger RC models, plus parachute drops, skydiver drops, candy drops, water balloon drops, bomb drops, etc. These drop units tended to be activated by servos releasing an elastic band. Simple and easy and it works at least 99.9% of the time.
One of these devices is shown below. I did this custom unit early this year year to test drop my RC A4b rocket glider from a large Carbon Cub model. You can see the servo and elastic band. The unit is rigged do that the servo rotates and releases the elastic band at the flip of a switch on the TX.
Have thought about making a similar self contained unit for large LP and MP and HP rockets since the mid 1990s. Servos and RX units and batteries were a little larger and heavier and more expensive then than now.
Took a rocketry break from about 1998 untill 2014. Started up rocketry again in 2014. In fall of 2014 I thought about the RC controlled chute deployment again. The state of the R/C art had improved a bunch, with good inexpensive micro servos, low cost and great performing 2.4Ghz RX units and tiny lightweight lithium batteries.
Built a little sled late last year with a small box to hold a 9 gr servo, a 2.7 gr 2.4 RX unit to match my Spektrum TX and a small one cell lipo battery. Did not like the mechanics of the release pin on this one. Put it on the shelf for a while.
Decided a couple of weeks ago to simplify and get the RC Chute Sled finished........
I have a lot of years flying and experimenting with RC models. Over time, I have rigged up lots of little devices to carry small RC gliders and RC rocket gliders on top of larger RC models, plus parachute drops, skydiver drops, candy drops, water balloon drops, bomb drops, etc. These drop units tended to be activated by servos releasing an elastic band. Simple and easy and it works at least 99.9% of the time.
One of these devices is shown below. I did this custom unit early this year year to test drop my RC A4b rocket glider from a large Carbon Cub model. You can see the servo and elastic band. The unit is rigged do that the servo rotates and releases the elastic band at the flip of a switch on the TX.
Have thought about making a similar self contained unit for large LP and MP and HP rockets since the mid 1990s. Servos and RX units and batteries were a little larger and heavier and more expensive then than now.
Took a rocketry break from about 1998 untill 2014. Started up rocketry again in 2014. In fall of 2014 I thought about the RC controlled chute deployment again. The state of the R/C art had improved a bunch, with good inexpensive micro servos, low cost and great performing 2.4Ghz RX units and tiny lightweight lithium batteries.
Built a little sled late last year with a small box to hold a 9 gr servo, a 2.7 gr 2.4 RX unit to match my Spektrum TX and a small one cell lipo battery. Did not like the mechanics of the release pin on this one. Put it on the shelf for a while.
Decided a couple of weeks ago to simplify and get the RC Chute Sled finished........
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