RC Airplane to fly across the United States

This June Trent from MyGeekShow will fly his RC airplane across the united states. After 4 years of preparation MyGeekShow's handmade RC airplane will begin its 2,600 mile trek from California to Georgia.  The flight will not be a continuous flight, but rather multiple flights that last about 90 minutes. The lengthy flight times will allow the airplane to fly approximately 90 miles, then they will need to land and replace the batteries; repeating the process until reaching the east coast.

Back up airplanes will be traveling with them, but they hope to not need them; even boasting that a crash hasn't occurred in over a year. Waypoints will also be utilized and a once launched the plane will be set on course of the waypoint locations, over 800 to be exact, until time to land. The team, consisting of a pilot, a driver, a navigator and an engineer, will be following a route that avoids airports and cities from the California coast to the Georgia coast, in about a weeks time.

For more information check out MyGeekShow's website Here, or to help him fund his trip use this link.

UAV Footage Of Tornado Damage

A tornado wreaked havoc in Arkansas this past week, leaving significant damage to most areas affected. After the tornado passed a UAV pilot was able to fly up to get some of the first aerial shots of the destruction. The video shows what some of the affected area looks like after.

3D Printed UAV That Can Fly Within 24 Hours

Engineers at the University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Center (AMRC), have created a 3D printed UAV that minimizes the material needed for construction, and once printed can be in the air within a day! The UAV is made from ABS plastic using a FDM (fused deposition modeling) machine. When assembled the wingspan is 4.9 meters and weighs under 5 pounds, not including motor or electronics which users would add. The engineers are now working on a second version, that will have an increased wing span, flight time, and larger payload capacity.

Live UAV Band

USA Science and Engineering Festival has brought in a new band, a UAV band! Thanks to KMel robotics flying UAV's are creating some tunes for this year's festival. The UAV's will create music in ways never seen before; like making music by hitting drums that use a deconstructed piano action, by playing a custom single string guitar hooked up to an electric guitar amp and using lots of bells.

First Formation Flight With Combat Drone And Manned Aircraft

Dassault Aviation has conducted a formation flight of the nEUROn unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) with a Rafale Fighter and a Falcon 7x business jet.  According to Dassault Aviation the flight that took place near France on March 20 was the first time an unmanned combat aircraft had achieved formation flight.

The carefully planned demonstration involved the nEUROn, the Rafale, the Falcon X and two camera chase planes, all of which flew in a planned sequence while keeping station in relation to one another. Engineers were faced with the challenge of making sure nEUROn could detect other planes an stay out of their way, and also be capable of handling variables like turbulence and any electromagnetic interference that could pose a risk of communication interference. The flight lasted nearly 2 hours and flew over several hundred kilometers out above the mediterranean.

Flytrex Core 2

The new Flytrex Core 2 is smaller, lighter and smarter! What makes the Core 2 different than the Core 1?

Version 2 Highlights:

1. Smaller and Lightweight - The new Core 2 is much smaller than the first generation. The Core 2 weighs 3.5 gram and measures 20mm x 26mm.
2. Internal Memory – Using new internal memory pilots can fly with or without a microSD. Your flight data is stored to your microSD (when available) and to the internal memory at all times. This ensures that even if you forgot the microSD at home, or flying in extreme conditions, your flight data will always be available. The Core 2 offers an easy way to copy the last 8 hours of flight data from the internal memory.
3. APM Support – New support for APM 2.5/2.6 flight controllers. Extending Flytrex support to new flight controllers is one more step in our ongoing efforts making Flytrex a great place to exchange data and learn more about our hobby.
4. One System Fits All – The Core 2 can be used with multiple flight controllers. The Core 2 supports the DJI Naza/Phantom family, Blade 350 QX and APM 2.5/2.6 flight controllers. You'll need to get the proper cable to fit your flight controller and you're good to go.
5. New Connector Design – Now using a smaller connector, Phantom owners can route the Flytrex installation cable through the built-in Phantom wiring holes, without having to drill the Phantom Shell.

Flytrex also plans to have a update for the core 1 users available, but not ETA for when this might be at this time. The New Version 2 Flytrex System will be arriving soon at Red Rocket Hobbies!

188 MPH R/C Car

At 188 MPH a R/C car has set a new world record as the fastest R/C car.  The 1/10th scare car was built by Nic Case and his team with the intention to break records. The car was built with mostly custom designed and fabricated parts to keep the car light and sturdy. The car is sleek, aerodynamic and reaches a top speed that most full size cars could not achieve. Even with the world record attained, the team still hopes to reach over 200 MPH with some modifications.

First Commercial Drone Test Site Now Open

The first, of at least six, commercial drone testing site has opened today in North Dakota. The North Dakota site will be spread between North Dakota State University and the Sullys Hill National Game preserve. The North Dakota Department of Commerce is the first team planned to fly at the location, with the team having a first flight set for May 5th. The North Dakota test sites goal is to be able to use a UAS to check soil and crop status.

The plan of these test sites is for anyone to be able to test drones at the sites, although it is still unclear on how much testing would be needed to earn a certificate to fly the drone from the FAA. The test sites should offer insight on how the FAA plans to regulate the usage in the future.

DRONExpert Brushless Gimbal

 The DRONExpert brushless gimbal allows Phantom 2 Vision users to upgrade to a 2 axis gimbal for super stable video capture.  The gimbal is lightweight (140 grams), easy to install, tilt functions, 7th channel feature included, and can still be controlled with the Vision app.

Everything you need is included in the box;connectors, gimbal/mount, 7th channel components and a manual. Installing the gimbal is very easy, no need to solder anything, the phantom shell will not even need to be opened unless you would like to use the 7th channel. The DRONExpert gimbal is a simple solution to adding a gimbal to your existing Phantom 2 Vision.

Meet Kuratas.. A Rideable Robot

Meet Kurata, a rideable user operated robot from the Japanese company Suidobashi Heavy Industry. Kuratas allows a user to operate from a seat and controls the body or externally from a remote control. Kuratas can not walk, but does have 4 wheels that allow it to be driven around. The thirty joint exoskeleton uses a 3g touch screen phone for its primary remote controlled capabilities. Additional functionalities such as weapons, shields, tires and even cup holders are available; though each of these upgrades comes with a hefty price tag. With Kurata currently having a starting price tag of $1.4 million, not including any of the available upgrades, you probably won't be seeing one in your local neighborhood anytime soon.

Dubai Document Delivery

Dubai has begun using UAV's to deliver documents from one government branch to another. By using the UAV the delivery times have been decreased from 1-3 hours, to as quickly as 2 minutes. It hasn't been easy, and Dubai has faced some difficulties, like concerns with the UAV not being waterproof and the need to cross a creek, to the daily temperature that can reach over 104 degrees. Even with the difficulties and concerns, the UAV delivery has still managed to successfully take flight. Dubai has hopes to be able to use this technology to deliver important documents to customers in the future.

R.C. Dog Used For Geese Control

The city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa has hired F.I.D.O. a remote controlled dog to help keep geese away at local parks. F.I.D.O, standing for fowl intercept and dispersal officer, can to be used on on, water, snow, ice, grass or cement. The city officials hope that by using F.I.D.O. the geese will keep their distance from people and keep the parks cleaner.

Fast & Furious: With RC Cars!

The creative minds at Vax Studios have made a Fast & Furious parody video, using only RC cars! In the video the Vaterra Camaro RS is paired against the Vaterra Nissan GTR; add in some police chases, unbelievable crashes and you have the RC version of the Fast & Furious. Enjoy!

RC Plane Uses Seawater For Fuel

The US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scientists successfully flew a remote controlled airplane that used fuel derived from seawater. The seawater was ran through a E-CEM (electrolytic cation exchange module) Carbon Capture skid, that removes carbon dioxide from the water while simultaneously producing hydrogen during the process. Using this system the CO2 and hydrogen gases are then converted into liquid hydrocarbon fuel.

Last September the seawater fuel was used in a gas powered RC P-51 Mustang. It is the first time that the fuel has been used in a conventional combustion engine. With the first flight a success, the researchers are now working on a commercial scale system.

Head Tracking Motion Controller With AR Drone

Oculus VR recently paired one of their oculus rift headsets with the video feed from an AR drone to create a new flying experience. By pairing the oculus rift headset and AR drone, the pilot is able to use head tracking motion control. Check out the recent video of them testing the unit.

Check out the variety of quadcopters Red Rocket Hobbies offers by clicking here!

Drone aids shipping company navigate dangerous waters.

A shipping company, Fednav, based out of Montreal has become the first in the world to use drones to see hazards lurking in the Arctic Ocean. The drones are able to relay crucial information back to the ships captain; allowing them to dodge icebergs and navigate through the frozen waters.

The company recently released this video which shows the drone used taking off and reporting back about the path ahead!

UAV Gets Video Of 2,500 Year Old Petroglyphs

A UAV was able to get some amazing video of  2,500 year old petroglyphs in the Utah desert. A collection of 20 different petroglyphs was revealed from the drone's recent flight. Its believed that the petroglyphs are the work of basketmakers who lived 2,500 years ago and had been known to make similar rock etchings to the ones found. It's possible that these petroglyphs are unseen and not formally documented by archeologists. 

New! Super Cub S!

The new Super Cub S  will be available soon! Available as a RTF or BNF model the Super Cub S has SAFE technology and a panic button! With 3 flight modes to choose from; beginning pilots can choose beginner or intermediate modes that limits the pitch and roll of the airplane.

Constructed of durable Z-foam, any damage that may occur can be repaired with foam safe glue and you can be back in the air in now time! Available late April, the new Super Cub S will be a great plane to add to anyones collection, from novice to expert. Click HERE to place a preorder for this plane!

Two Helicopters lift a woman!

HeliGraphix recently was able to demonstrate a human flight that used 2 RC helicopters, claimed to be the first RC human flight. The two 700 size helicopters used Scorpion/Powercroco that was powered with 4000mAH LiPo batteries. 

The project called H.U.L.C.(heavy ultra lifter crane) took 4 months of preparation that included test flights, safety precautions and a lot of logistics. The months of preparation produced a ending result of a flight time around 50 seconds at full power and the ability to lift a 124 pound woman!

It's a bird! It's a plane! No.. It's a flying dragon?

With a renewed popularity for dragons it was only a matter of time before someone could develop a flying, fire breathing remote controlled dragon. With a 9' wing span this remote controlled dragon can reach speeds up to 70MPH, and while on the ground it is able to use red LED's to illuminate the dragons eye's and breathe fire. The flight disable propane tank and ignitor are concealed in the dragons mouth and able to emit 3' flames that can be displayed at the users command. Using jet fuel to power the miniature turbine engine hidden in the dragons chest, the dragon can reach flight times of 10 minutes. But with a price tag of $60,000 I don't think we will be seeing flying dragons on a daily basis any time soon.

Vaterra Curiosity Rover!

Have you seen the new Vaterra Curiosity Rover? With NEW Spektrum DSM-OW(DSM Outer-World) Technology and AVC technology the Curiosity rover has been designed to handle almost any planets rough terrain. Unlike current Vaterra cars, the Curiosity rover is designed to handle the outer worlds varying climate and can go to currently unreachable places, like mars. Besides from being one of a kind, this machine also carries: an X-band transmitter/receiver combo, scientific instruments; that include a rock vaporizing laser, and rocker-bogie suspension! 

The Curiosity Rover was launched in 2011 from Cape Cavareral and is currently located near Aeolis Palus in the Gale Crater on Mars, and will require local pick up.

Happy APRIL Fools Day!