A quadcopter is a kind of mini helicopter with four rotating rotors, generally used in radio entertainment and hobbyist radio controlled aircraft. There are some models which are able to change from a plane to a helicopter, like most RC helicopters. The most advanced model is the DJI Phantom. The quadcopter is also referred to as a quadrot or hexapod.
The first quadcopter was a military helicopter, similar to an ultralight, and was used for surveillance. As radio controlled radio aircraft became more popular, hobbyists wanted one and so the first version of a commercially available quadcopter was made by the RC corporation in 1970. It has since become a very popular and common aircraft for indoor and outdoor remote controlled flying.
In addition to the single-rotor DJI Phantom, several different variations have been created. One such variation is the VTOL, which stands for “very small, light weight” or “lightweight, narrow transmission”. It is also known as the Narrow Bandwidth, or just Narrowband, and is not recommended for beginners. The VTOL can reach an altitude of above 80 feet in altitude, but typically this is reserved for RC flight only. The VTOL is especially good for indoor use because it is easy to control, and often can be flown in a variety of environments.
The VLOS, or Very Light Operating System, is the same as the VTOL, except it has no tail. This makes the VLOS perfect for a remote control hobbyist that wants to control a quadcopter from a distance. If you have never flown a quadcopter before, it may not be a good idea to fly one in a VLOS; it is not stable enough to hover over an actual building or road.
As with any RC vehicle, the next thing you should know about your quadcopter is its maximum speed. The UAV-3 Human Airworthiness System, or UAS, governs maximum speeds and payloads that can be achieved. As with the VLOS, the UAV-3 runs on a single-rotor pusher system. Although it is technically two rotors, the PC-1 forms the propeller hub. The PC-1 rotors are attached to a carrier, which is basically a remote control platform that holds the drone in place while it is being flown.
Another thing to consider with RC vehicles and flying crafts is noise. Although recreational drones can be flown at low levels, as in the case of a remote control hobbyist’s RC helicopter, there will usually be other aircraft in the area. It would be best to avoid these if at all possible, but if you must fly, make sure you are near a non-rocable radio link so that you can communicate with the other aircraft.
Another thing to keep in mind is the type of control system that you will be using. The most common method used for RC helicopters and quadcopters is a two-way radio remote control system, or transmitter/receiver. A transmitter will be placed somewhere on the aircraft and will emit radio signals that will control the overall movements of the RC vehicle. In order to successfully control the quadcopter, you must synchronize the controls with the transmitter.
The next thing to know is the way the helicopter will fly. When the quadcopter begins to move, it will turn its rotor blades in either forward or reverse direction, depending on its sensed direction of motion. The RC flight controller determines the orientation of the blades based on the transmitted radio signals. If a hobbyist wishes to control the direction of the quadcopter, he or she must use a transmitter with a directional input and an output that are able to discern the desired direction. To determine the direction of the rotor’s blades at any given time, the RC flight controller must have a constant mode output that can sense the changes in voltage that are associated with the rotation of the rotor blades.