Gizmodo: rc planes

Video of Weaponized RC Plane Shooting Fireworks

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:40:00 EDT

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.To celebrate Independence Day, some guys thought that shooting fireworks from RC planes—using an electrical firing system—was a great safe idea. Judging by the music, however, it seems they were celebrating Hitler's invasion of Poland. [Hacked Gadgets]

R/C Gliders Cruise the Mountainside at 392MPH

Mark Wilson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EDT

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.An R/C glider with no engine can reach speeds of 392MPH in the right conditions by using a principle called dynamic soaring, as you can see in this clip.

Anyone who's ever rafted or kayaked will probably recognize the fundamentals at play. Air moving along a mountainside causes an eddy right below the ridge on the mountain's leeward side—a tumbling whirlpool of low pressure air. The glider precariously circles between the eddy and main air current before slingshotting out at speeds up to 8x the surrounding air. (There's a flash animation that explains it better.)

The feat requires both technique and a hearty glider constructed of strong materials...along with several broken planes during the learning process, too. But it sure looks fun. [DS Zone via Wired]

Real Eagle vs Robo-Eagle: DOGFIGHT!

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EDT

What do you get when you fly a remote controlled eagle made out of plastic on a real eagle's airspace? One big pissed off eagle chasing the fake one, that's what. The video is beautiful, though.

[Jalopnik]

Top Gun 2008, the Movie (Without Cruise, Fortunately)

Jesus Diaz — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EDT

Not everything was about the stunning A-10 Warthog at last week's Top Gun 2008 competition, the largest R/C event in the world. 10,000 people watched the 120 invitation-only R/C airplanes competition—which included everything from from World War I Fokker fighters to WW2's Mustangs and Lightnings to Vietnam War's Phantoms, and plenty of civil aviation models. Gigantic gallery of this year's edition after the jump.

[Video and images courtesy of Bob Parrish]

Top Gun 2008: Biggest RC Airplane Competition in the World

Jesus Diaz — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EDT

They may not be made of LEGO or Star Wars-related, but if you like amazingly detailed, huge aircraft models—like the SR-71 above—head to Lakeland, Florida, and Top Gun 2008: the 20th anniversary edition of the biggest RC model competition in the world. It starts tomorrow, five days of pure nerdgasm watching the most stunning remote control aircraft in the world. More details, plus a gigantic gallery from 2007 after the jump.

"This year we have 125 partipants," show organizer Frank Tiano told us, "with 40 hobby vendors and coverage from 35 magazined from all over the world." In a good weather day, Top Gun gets 10,000 drooling spectators.

Looking at the detail and size of these beasts, we can understand exactly why.

Frank also confirmed to us that the A-10 featured in Popsci.com was going to participate in the competition, as well as many other new entries. So if you are around, it's a complete must, Maverick's glasses not required (but recommended.) [Top Gun—photos by Palmer Johnson, DVD video available from Wildberry Productions]

NOTE: if you're planning on assisting the Top Gun 2008 event, contact us at tips@gizmodo.com if you want to collaborate with us.

Ghetto-Tech R/C Plane Tutorials: Cheap Aerial Video and Lego Autopilot

Brian Lam — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:46:21 EDT

Chris Anderson, EIC of Wired, has a geek weakspot: R/C Planes. Here's a guide he wrote to turn shitty digicams, old parts from tripods, some cardboard and rubber bands into a budget aerial video solution. (Plane not include, and best used on a stable plane like the EasyStar.) Then, he jury-rigs some mindstorm kit into a crude autopilot system that returns home via a compass heading 180 degrees from its original path. It could work, but only if the airplane's tail is pointing at you when you activate it. Anyhow, this is only a holdover until he gets the GPS worked into there.

Video of the aerial cam after the jump:

This info came to me by Wired's Geek Dad Blog, which is maybe their best blog yet. Maybe that's because more than a few editors there are entering parenthood right now. I can feel the excitement for both their kids and the granular tech coming through in each post; that's something you don't feel in every big-picture tech story.

P.S. I've done round ups of R/C Plane reviews for Wired, and I'd think many of those models I'd recommended then, are as good or better now.–Brian Lam

Geek Dad Blog [Wired]