Traditional Helicopter - Pre-Flight Testing

Before your first flight, please follow these pre-flight checks:

Warning

The drive should be disconnected on electric helicopters when they are being handled. An accidental startup can cause serious injury.

  • Ensure the USB connector is disconnected from the Pixhawk
  • Connect the battery to power the Pixhawk and servos

Test leaning the helicopter in Stabilize mode

  • By hand, roll the helicopter to the left. The swash plate should lean to the right.
  • Roll the helicopter to the right. The swash plate should lean to the left.
  • Pitch the helicopter down (i.e. nose down). The swash plate should lean backwards.
  • Pitch the helicopter up (i.e. nose up). The swash plate should lean forwards.
  • Rotate the helicopter quickly clockwise - the tail servo should move as if you had pushed the rudder control left (i.e. it’s should try to fight against the rotation)
  • Rotate the helicopter quickly counter-clockwise - the tail servo should move as if you had pushed the rudder control right (i.e. it’s should try to fight against the rotation)
  • Next rotate the helicopter slowly. You should find that in a certain direction the rudder stays in the middle.

Test the transmitter in Stabilize mode

  • Using the transmitter, move the roll stick to the left. The swashplate should lean slightly to the left.
  • move the roll stick to the right. The swashplate should lean slightly to the right.
  • Move the pitch stick forward. The swashplate should lean slightly forward.
  • Move the pitch stick back. The swashplate should lean slightly backwards.
  • Move the yaw stick to the left or right. The tail should move in the same direction (and about the same amount) as when you are in manual mode.