Verticopter version 1.5 Release - New Features

[ForethoughtPro]

You guys are like my heros. This is the kinda thing I dream about doing when I get done with school, thanks for the excellent plane, and I'm looking forward to seeing these in the skies some day near our local airport...

[planelander]

loooooks AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TiagoTiagoT]

Could the rim around the propelers/rotors space have openings to capture some of the propwash to be redirected for maneuvering while on hover instead of using regular puffers?

[MrGames64]

how to download it? link or help plase

[jamCastillo1]

Will this ever be sold as an rc model?

[CockatooDude]

I'm thinking about building a bit simpler 1-seater for a high school project.

[MultiPdaddy]

where were you flying at 3:40?

[MultiPdaddy]

@MultiPdaddy my bad i meant 4:40

[danklaue]

@MultiPdaddy

I think that was Whistler.  Part of the "Inside Passage" scenery by Tom Curtis.

[LelaheCho]

We love Mediaoutletonline for getting f~ree s0ngs like this... You can search it using Google.

[AlishiaiHatley]

We recommend using Media Outlet Online for getting f*r ee tuunes such as this. You all should try and search it on Yahoo.

[lexdevilcry]

This is really a great discovery, if they make it too production I would invest all my time learning how too fly

[iBridger]

Suppose u guys go commercial how much would u b charging?

[calebp9503]

Do the separate sets of props push the plane in the same direction? Because the blades rotate in opposite directions.

[danklaue]

@calebp9503 Yes.

[soundslave]

So all this is made for a flight sim? Will these full size aircraft ever appear in real life?

[danklaue]

@soundslave

Every plane that has been designed in the past decade has gone through a virtual sim phase. We are just happening to make this sim model available to the public. As with any other prototype, investors are needed to make a real prototype and eventually a full-scale commercial production run.

The plan is to scale it up in phases. Every scale size has a market, and can prove the concept to an increasing audience, while generating seed money for the next steps along the way.

[xenothius]

Hi, just got the 1.5 pack... man they are fun to fly and very simple as well

did find the stability systems a little intrusive but apart from that they are well worth the money, only problem is now i want a real one :(

keep up the good work

[danklaue]

@xenothius Awesome! Thanks for the comment!

You can disable the artificial stability system with the flip of a switch. A plane like this NEEDS artificial stability, but if you wanna try your skills without it, the manual includes some worthwhile knowledge on this stuff.

[Artelian1]

@xenothius Hi, But did You buy only 4 pc simulator, or a Rc scale ?

[xenothius]

@Artelian1 I brought it for computer but after flying it I want a real (full scale) one I can actually fly (ie the two seater), but a scale rc would also be fun

[Stickman698]

Dan, you are right, but there is one thing you forgot-X-Plane determines how the aircraft will behave for you pretty realistically, while in FSX you have to determine for the sim how the craft will behave :P

[pipercubu571]

hey man ive been in rc for about ten years and i saw the laser-cut version that you had made. i was wondering if you could post a link to a site that has more info abt it. im extreamly excited about the design. but i was wondering about why you haven't explored EDFs for the main power in the rc versions?

[elvispresleylover123]

is it possible that it will come for fsx?

[danklaue]

No. FSX is on its way out. FSX does not use "Blade Element Theory" like X-Plane does. X-Plane was used as a tool to predict the flight behavior of this design. Something FSX can't do. X-Plane is not that expensive, and it's getting better by the day.

You can download X-Plane for free and try it out. I'm sure you'll like it. It's DIFFERENT than FSX, but the only reason why it might be still be inferior is, because there's less hi-end planes. The Verticopter is high end.

[danklaue]

There's news! We just updated our Verticopter (dot) com website, and have new videos and pictures of the real prototypes on there.

[pix506e]

Hey Dan, just want to say thanks for your brilliant work on this design and your video tutorials. I came across Verticopter several weeks ago and have watched all video material you put online. I think this is a brilliant design with a lot of potential. It's just eye candy to watch it. I am very anxious to also see videos of the real world prototype flying. In the mean time having great fun with the simulator models. Keep up the good work!

[danklaue]

Thank you! I am getting close to publishing the ERJ-140 featured in the tutorials. After the first version of the ERJ is out, I hope to be able to continue with the tutorials.

[nausher81]

Why not use a NOTAR for cyclic control, instead of thrust jets, that ways you don't have to carry tanks which need refilling.

Plus with such huge propellors this would be a good use for the downwash.

[danklaue]

I know what you're trying to say... but NOTAR is a system that eliminates the TAil Rotor in a helicopter, and "cyclic control" is roll and pitch, while NOTAR would take care of yaw only. However, I do understand what you mean.

We have looked into using the exhaust of the turboshaft engines for pitch and roll control, and it certainly is an option. There are some problems with that method, though, so we'll have to see which sets of problems would be easier to overcome.

[folypers]

i'm trying to apply the same motor to my quadrocopter, but all the time i was thinking of using gyroscopes and such. this is the future man! the fuselage could turn all 360 degrees if i used the same gyroscopic effect on the cockpit.. project for life, i guess

[daveproductions63]

one thing i dont understand is how can the plane lift off the ground vertically with those small propellers? is it because there are two sets? and also, do the 100% and 200% scale versions use two turboshaft engines?

[danklaue]

Propeller diameter is one factor that makes vertical lift-off challenging, yes. Certainly larger props or rotors make this task more efficient. But with our scale models, liftoff was achieved with this scale-size of propellers at 50% throttle for the 10th scale RC and at 65% power for the 20% scale. The two sets of props DO aid in their efficiency, as the second prop is accelerating moving air, so it's not static thrust.

Planes that can accelerate upward with prop power aren't that rare.

[daveproductions63]

kind of like stunt planes that can go vertical and hover, right? the propeller diameter on stunt planes doesnt seem to be that much different in size compared to that of the verticopter

[danklaue]

@daveproductions63

Yes. What's interesting about this configuration, though, is that one prop is in the other one's propwash.

What we've discovered is, that there seems to be a synergy in this setup (thrust is greater than the sum of its parts). In the models, the thrust of one motor at 100% throttle was nowhere near enough to lift up the plane. But with both motors running, it took only about 35% - 40% of the throttle setting to achieve the same lift as that of one motor at 100%.

[daveproductions63]

By the way, i read that originally the verticopter was going to use Wankel rotary engines. there is an existing craft call the Cypher from Sikorsky. it is pretty much a verticopter without the airframe, meaning there are still 2 opposing rotors enclosed in a circular chroud, and this craft is powered by Wankel engines. you should check it out if you havnt already.

[danklaue]

@daveproductions63

Regarding the 2 turboshaft engines: yes, these engines would be the same engines used in twin-turboshaft helicopters of comparable size.

[breg77]

So it seems the whole project is about flying _simulator_ models not real flying machines?!

[danklaue]

The project is multi-tiered. You can already get the simulator models, while the RC models are still being prototyped, and the full-scale planes are under development.

I thought this video made that plenty clear.

[breg77]

The video does not mention the plan to build real planes with one word, nor does the text.

[danklaue]

This video shows the parts of the RC prototype being laser-cut, and shows the skeleton of one of the prototypes. It also mentions people wanting to build 33% scale RC planes. It talks about what real, full-scale planes WOULD feature, once we're in that stage of development. Other Verticopter videos reveal the plans for real plane development. I can't pack ALL the info about this project into one 10-minute video, and as the title suggests, this video dives into the NEW FEATURES for v1.5.

[breg77]

Ok, I am mostly considered not dumb and I tell you about my (mis-) understanding, not only about this video but the website as well.

It's up to you to consider this as a hint for improvement or not.

[danklaue]

Yes, often times the web & vid updates lag behind a bit. I admit the website isn't 100% up to date with what we're doing; but some of the information about the development is also sensitive in nature, so we can't put all our cards on the table right when we're still in the middle of prototyping. If you want more insight, you can sign up to the Verticopter (dot) net CMS site, where we have videos of the prototype flights, the stuff we're working on in other areas, and things not mentioned here.

[ARMOROID5000]

I noticed you mentioned somthing about design cost being excesive to produce the true design of the landing gear assembly.

You stated that you may have to make a simpler version or modification.

I asume that your using conventional gas compresion cylinders to absorbe shock over a long travel?

I was reminded of how a dentists surgical light travels up and down using counter oposing spring tension.

Could this be aplied to the landing gear modification for simplicity? Just wondering.

[danklaue]

@ARMOROID5000

I referred to design cost in the RC prototypes. You can purchase ready-made retractable landing gear but it looks nothing like what I've conceptualized in the 3D model of the plane. Making those custom would be quite a bit more expensive and cumbersome.

Sure, it could be spring loaded... but it'd also have to be dampened. Best is, to put both systems (spring and dampening) in one.

[ARMOROID5000]

I really like how you have achieved better balance longetudinaly by moving the engines back and incorporating them into the tail structure.

I was kind of thinking on your earlyier model how being centraly located with a heavy nose cockpit might make the craft tend to nose dangle.

Is this the reason for the two forward kanards to produce a lift pattern for the nose section?

[danklaue]

@ARMOROID5000

That, and for added lift and control as well.

[TheStarDustGroup]

needs a RealFlight version (free hpoefully)

[TheStarDustGroup]

niiccee

[Diff4us]

Bought it. Love it. Moves like a bat out of hell. Glides forever. Turns on a dime and you can land it in your backyard. (poor neighbours:) Seriously this thing would be an absolute riot to fly. I could easily see rich executive commuters forking out big bucks for something like this to hop around the country in. Screw the neigh-sayers this thing has potential.

[nxtbuilderman]

I got it it is amazin! Totly satisfied. :-)

[nmangnus82]

And now it more or less time for some some testing of real-live models of these. Nevertheless it is a good thing to first simulate one and another extensively before going into the real deal.

[danklaue]

And real-live testing IS going on right now. You'll see vids of test flights soon enough.

[Nefariusi]

I must say I´m more than amazed by your work with Blender and Plane-Maker, I was making my first steps in this when I tripped with your Verticopter model and your teaching videos which I found amazingly helpful since they go just to the point. I´m in the design process of an aircraft too (for my thesis to get the engineers degree) but got stuck in the 3D with Blender which I found really unintuitive and Mac far application (I would say closer to linux). I´m subscribe and devouring your vids

[epitaphofnow]

I love this plane!!! I've been flying it since I downloaded it and it's by far the coolest thing in the flight sim world. I"m very interested in flying one of these in real life =)

[Darklotus390]

Once you get to the 100% I'll volunteer to test fly!

[trodat07]

I WANT THOSE PUFFERS' PLUG-IN!

[danklaue]

It's not a plug-in. It's a simple .obj with datarefs linked to controls. HOW I did it, well, that's my little secret! :)

[trodat07]

Would you be so kind as to leave a little sample at the X-Plane org community ?

[danklaue]

I might get to something like this in my tutorial series. I'll see. I definitely won't spoonfeed the answer to this one.

[sheldonholy]

After i saw theese vids, i have been at my dad even more to get x-plane! I fly rc models, and would certainly get a kit when they are avaliable. How much, roughly, do you think the basic kit would go for?

Sheldon

[danklaue]

We're still in the prototyping phase... we can't give accurate pricing on the kit version yet.

[sheldonholy]

Ok. Maybe a bery rough price... as in +$300, tat sorta thing.

[wehrlipub]

What a surprise in update 1.5! Two new models for free and many updates to the existing models. In flying these variants from smallest to largest, one really gets a sense of the size and weight difference between them. Great flight modeling, stellar 3D work, innovative design and now with 7 variants make this one of the best values in retail aircraft for X-Plane. They're just fun to fly. If you don't have X-Plane and the latest Verticopters, you don't know what you're missing.

[danklaue]

Thanks for the comment, Wehrlipub! Tremendously encouraging!

[megancooper1]

hay make a reconisince and light attack version for military applications and ill buy it

[danklaue]

A recon-UAV version will probably be developed next (after the RCs)... depending on funding. Wanna contribute? :)

[Tanissah]

Amazing!

[91502001]

nice

[TheCosmicFrog]

I'm actually thinking about buying this plane.

[danklaue]

Do it! Man, for $20! You can't go wrong!

[TheCosmicFrog]

Haha, of course you're going to say that Dan!

But seriously, I use X-Plane now for simulating the way a plane "could fly". I have been using your Plane-Maker tutorials and have now almost completed (albeit the fact that I'll be forever tweaking it) a regional jet which I'm very happy with. It's things like Verticopter that showcase how unique X-Plane is. I'll drop you a message when I buy it, Dan. Question: does the org store convert currencies? As in, will $20 be approx. €14?

[danklaue]

See, by buying it, you're also thanking me for the free tutorials you've been (apparently) enjoying. I spend tons of time on those tutorials, and I don't charge for them. There's a lot of very valuable information I divulge in them. If I don't sell airplanes, I can't continue justifying spending so much time on the tutorials.

Yes, the org store takes Euros... it all happens online. PayPal (or your credit card company) is the one that does the conversions... not the store.

[TheCosmicFrog]

Great. I was just worried it might cost me €20 (that would be ripping me off by several dollars). Many websites just throw a Euro symbol in front of the dollar price-tag!

[flyboy1420]

Brilliant Aircraft, Have flown the earlier version on the X-plane sim. Have just downloaded the 1.5 version.

Can't wait to give it a go!

[Billy982810]

Genius

[tiemji]

Great video for introducing new verticopters. Great job on the vid and the plane

[SVnerd]

Nice progress and good luck with the actual prototype!

[madjason12]

Great!