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RC 4 Channel 90 gram - Nine Eagles Xtra 300 with 11 gram Camera project!RC 4 Channel 90 gram - Nine Eagles Xtra 300 with 11 gram Camera project!
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Published
Mar 25 2011
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The Nine Eagles Xtra 300 is not your average park flyer. This 50CM wingspan, 44CM fuselage aircraft is 4 channel, fully aerobatic capable and not too mention cheap!!!

You can see my video of it's maiden flight below and I think you'll agree it's pretty fast. I've seen some comments from others mention its twitchy and needs half throttle too stay in the air, however I had none of these issues!

My plan is very simple, using a small camera which was packaged in a lighter (See them here from e-spycams.com). I have stripped one down to bare essentials, read more below.
/theme/Xtra300/Nine Eagles Xtra 300
You can see what is left of the camera now, it has 4GB SD card with it's own LIPO power supply.
/theme/Xtra300/COG location
After stripping and using some scotch tape to insulate the board it weighs a mere 11 grams / 0.38 ounces!
The logic:

This aircraft is advertised as being 95 grams in weight, mine as seen above is 88 grams. The camera weighs 11 grams, so in total the combined weight is 99 grams / 3.49 ounces.

Just 4 grams over the original intended weight!

Here is my maiden flight of the Xtra300 as a review:
The plan was to not only record on-board video but 3 different angles using a Sony D50 10.1MP camera (used to record the video above), a Microsoft Life-cam which is 6.1MP using my EEE laptop and finally the planes on-board camera itself. The laptop web-cam didn't work out well at all so I've left it out, the camera mounted on the bottom didn't result in the best view but I did learn this plane will fly fine with a light camera!


I used scotch tape to hold the camera on the plane for sake of lightness and here's the result:
I've been asked some questions about the plane itself so I'll try cover some facts:

  • From research the stock N60 motor weighs about 14-16 grams. (not entirely sure)

  • The wing does have a slight dihedral too it of about 5 degrees.

  • 2.5GHZ - 4 channel radio: Throttle, Rudder, Elevator and Ailerons.

  • The N60 Motor has a slight right angle of approx 3-5 degrees. The horizontal position is totally straight.

  • The wing is held in by slotting in one end and using 1 screw on the other.

  • My longest flight time is 11 minutes!

  • The strongest wind has been 6MPH and handled fine.

  • The black canopy is a shell and is hollow inside for whatever mods.

  • Uses micro linear servos for all 3 control surfaces..

  • The front fuselage hole for motor is 22mm wide but could be increased safely to about 40mm, more if re-enforced.





Additional helpful information:

  • If you get the same lighter, pop the casing open with a screw driver.

  • This planes wing is removable, the wire for battery can catch the aileron servo, watch for snagging or glue too one side.

  • There is an on-board power warning system, at low battery throttle dies leaving rudder and elevator in operation to land.

  • The stock version you get is set too normal controls which gives very little movement, switch to advanced by pressing the right side control stick in (yes it's a switch!)

  • For even more throw (control surface movement) adjust the control horn position (where the control line attaches too the flap surface) too the most inner hole for maximum movement.

  • It has a worlds first transmitter which can be used both MODE 1 and MODE 2! (you simply turn the aerial around and it triggers the mode change!)





I originally bought the camera from thinkgeek for just $20 each and they often have many other excellent products:



thinkgeek.com



The Nine Eagles Xtra 300 I bought from Foxmodelbouw.nl

thinkgeek.com
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