SpaceX Grasshopper 744m test flight [video]

Re:SpaceX Grasshopper 744m test flight [video] by ivarvong on Saturday October 12, 2013 @06:02PM (#6540558)

I think this was shot with a DJI S800. The RC link to fly it is usually 2.4GHz. A separate link, often at 5.8GHz, is used to send the camera feed back to the ground to help the pilot or compose the shot, or both.

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Re:SpaceX Grasshopper 744m test flight [video] by stevenrace on Saturday October 12, 2013 @06:55PM (#6540741)

Good eye ID'ing the distinctive DJI arms on the hexacopter.

The convention seems to be 2.4Ghz for telemetry back the to base-station or radio display - and something lower in the UHF band like 433 or 900Mhz for actual control.

Mainly because Zigbee/802.15.4 radios are readily available in 2.4Ghz and 433Mhz goes a lot further (and through more things) by comparison at 1W.

[/sitting next to 3 hexacopters at the moment]

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Re:SpaceX Grasshopper 744m test flight [video] by NickNameNick on Sunday October 13, 2013 @12:08AM (#6541465)

What kind of transmitter are you using for manual control? I assume you aren't using a ground station all the time...

I only ask because most new 'brand name' (JR, Futaba, Airtronics, Robbe) tramsitters seem to be 2.4Ghz. I know FM radios are still available on 36 and 40 Mhz, among others, but I haven't seen many used for a while with new aircraft.

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Re:SpaceX Grasshopper 744m test flight [video] by ivarvong on Sunday October 13, 2013 @12:49AM (#6541533)

UHF transmitters can be rigged on a RC transmitter as a module or through the trainer port, depending on the radio. DragonLink and EZUHF appear to work this way. (I haven't used any of these.)

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Re:SpaceX Grasshopper 744m test flight [video] by stevenrace on Sunday October 13, 2013 @03:07PM (#6543726)

Correct. The EZUHF is my preferred transmitter.

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