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Fly an Aerobatic Quadcopter with Curtis Youngblood (Video)

Posted by Roblimo on from the up-up-and-away dept.

It goes up, it goes down, it goes upside down and keeps on flying. We're talking about Curtis Youngblood's latest quadcopter prototype, but as his website says, "Curtis has been flying and competing with RC Helicopters since the early 1980s and is a Multi-time World Champion and Multi-time 3D Champion." This lucky dog has managed to turn his hobby into a business; he makes and sells radio controlled helicopters -- not the $60 ones from Harbor Freight, but sophisticated aerial beasts that can carry still and video cameras and could easily be used as short-range drones, except that these are hobbyists' toys -- for hobbyists who can afford to spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars, anyway. There are plenty of quadcopter kits on the market for lots less than Youngblood's creations, along with build-it-yourself guides. But these won't fly upside down. For that, you need variable-pitch rotors and sophisticated control systems. "But what about 3-D printing?" you ask. Of *course* you can use a 3-D printer to make a quadcopter. That was an inevitable development. Here are open source instructions for building one. Enjoy the ride!

33 comments

  1. All fine until they crash on someone by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    Like the chopper that crashed on top of a truck and lit four cars on fire did today in Seattle at the Space Needle.

    Think of it dropping from the sky onto a small baby when it's high up.

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    1. Re:All fine until they crash on someone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or until they film somebody in the lawful business of hunting or fishing.

      Because that's a group who NEEDS protection from oppression.

    2. Re:All fine until they crash on someone by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

      Exactly.

      Your right to drones ends when it's in recording range of me or over my property.

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    3. Re:All fine until they crash on someone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or effective range of my 22 rifle - whichever is farther. I look forward to ubiquitous drone technology. You think rednecks liked to shoot stop signs and electrical insulators? Just wait until you give them moving targets.

    4. Re:All fine until they crash on someone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Error error, Will Robinson, as first you're assuming that it's over YOUR property (there is plenty of hunting on public lands, or lands owned by a third party), and that you have a right to prevent recording over it from outside of it.

      Since the last is actually untrue in my state because the police didn't want to get search warrants for plain sight, even with IR cameras, guess what?

      It's not. They also can't damage other people's property without being sued and made to pay compensation for it.

      Which is why the poor oppressed hunters went to their legislator to demand protection from the scary drones.

    5. Re:All fine until they crash on someone by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

      My dad lives on something like 46 acres. I grew up in places where we had anywhere from 10 to 50 acres.

      If I can see it, it's over my land.

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    6. Re:All fine until they crash on someone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think you'll find that's not necessarily true.

      Unless you're VERY myopic.

    7. Re:All fine until they crash on someone by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

      I think you'll find that's not necessarily true.

      Unless you're VERY myopic.

      I take it you've never lived in a 40+ acre tree farm.

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    8. Re:All fine until they crash on someone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I take it you've never been at the edge of one, or seen a plane up in the sky? Or taken a surveying course? Long-distance Aerial photography is a subject you don't know maybe?

      I can see stuff several miles away from where I am AND if they wanted to do so, they could fly a drone over their property and see into it. Or in my case, use a telescoping lens, due to the elevation they're on.

    9. Re:All fine until they crash on someone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or in a house with the shades drawn.

  2. Nice advertisement Slashdot... by Bartles · · Score: 1

    ...where can I buy one?

  3. 3D Printed Drones by sexconker · · Score: 1

    Slashdot finally crossed the streams.

    1. Re:3D Printed Drones by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Slashdot finally crossed the streams.

      Can I buy one with BitCoin?

    2. Re:3D Printed Drones by tompaulco · · Score: 1

      Wait, according to all the news and slashdot articles, the only thing that can be printed with a 3D printer is a gun.

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      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
  4. MOD PARENT DOWN by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You insensitive racist BIGOT. How dare you make such implications

  5. Flitetest show about quadcopter is far better by SuperBanana · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Try this youtube video of Curtis visting the guys at Flitetest for a really great look at how it works, flying it, etc. from some guys who really know their RC stuff:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    Flitetest is pretty awesome, by the way; I stumbled across their channel a couple of months ago and have been quite entertained. They're the closest thing I can think of to "Top Gear, only with remote control things that fly."

    And I do mean "things" that fly; they routinely have a "can we make ___ fly?" episodes. I think I recall one challenge involved getting a cinderblock into the air.

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    Please help metamoderate.
    1. Re:Flitetest show about quadcopter is far better by JStyle · · Score: 1

      Came here to post that. Curtis Youngblood is really quite amazing. Kinda surprised that the posted video is of what seems to be a prototype to the Stingray 500, which has been available for a little while now: http://curtisyoungblood.com/V2...

  6. 6o Minutes was by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    seen. No, there is not a 10% market for these. Not even 1%. Not even 1% of 1%. Not even if you sell it at 60 will there be (because there already are those at 60 and no one buys them).

    If I were to look at it I would proclaim it, Pie in the Sky!

  7. Re:MOD PARENT DOWN or Robots Are My Family by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    Drones aren't human.

    They are tools.

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  8. Don't need collective to fly quads upside down by Pinky's+Brain · · Score: 3, Informative

    At least not the smaller ones, people have built ones which brute force engine reversal and use symmetric propellers.

    http://hackaday.com/2013/11/26...

  9. yes, but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, but can it _carry_ a 3-D printer and reproduce itself while in the air?
    My plans for world domination require this capability.
    Please advise.

    1. Re:yes, but by Deadstick · · Score: 1

      No, but it runs...awww, I can't do it.

  10. This is not aerobatic at all... by reiserifick · · Score: 1

    Compared to Curtis's helicopter videos that are readily available on youtube... Interesting interview though.

  11. It's "or" not "and" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "who can afford to spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars"

    should be:
    "who can afford to spend hundreds OR even thousands of dollars"

    Typical Americans...

    1. Re:It's "or" not "and" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sadly, I can only afford to spend odd thousands of dollars.

  12. 3D printed a quadcopter? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You mean except all the parts that make a quadcopter, sure. Can we stop this mindless 3D hype now? We know the emperor has no clothes now, OK?

  13. Slow news day? by felixrising · · Score: 1

    This is old.. it's been around for a while, already in multiple shops.. not even innovative.. so why is this on Slashdot? Paid Advertisement?

  14. As a quadcopter owner... by fyngyrz · · Score: 1

    ...one with GPS, compass, tilt sensors, and altimeter, that can carry a gopro camera and flies ultra-ultra stable, will hover quite still with zero control input anywhere I put it, pointed in any direction I choose (or pan around), hundreds of dollars worth of hardware:

    Lemme just ask. Why the heck would I want a quadcopter to fly upside down?

    I never understood the urge to fly these things crazy/stunt/ridiculous. The beauty of them is that they are ultimately capable of *stable* flight.

    If someone asked me if they could put my quad in unlocked mode and try to fly stunts with it, I'd tell them to get off my GPS-stabilized, altimeter locked lawn. Cuz' that's how I roll. Fly. Whatever.

    I just don't get it. Perhaps a fan of upside down flying can enlighten me?

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    Also, watching my quad fly stable as a rock... where the heck is my flying car???????????

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    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    1. Re:As a quadcopter owner... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...one with GPS, compass, tilt sensors, and altimeter, that can carry a gopro camera and flies ultra-ultra stable, will hover quite still with zero control input anywhere I put it, pointed in any direction I choose (or pan around), hundreds of dollars worth of hardware:

      Lemme just ask. Why the heck would I want a quadcopter to fly upside down?

      I never understood the urge to fly these things crazy/stunt/ridiculous. The beauty of them is that they are ultimately capable of *stable* flight.

      If someone asked me if they could put my quad in unlocked mode and try to fly stunts with it, I'd tell them to get off my GPS-stabilized, altimeter locked lawn. Cuz' that's how I roll. Fly. Whatever.

      I just don't get it. Perhaps a fan of upside down flying can enlighten me?

      --

      Also, watching my quad fly stable as a rock... where the heck is my flying car???????????

      I have a relatively cheap one (turnigy v1 quad w/ multiwii, no GPS) and I'm still learning how to fly it but I don't see any way to make it stable enough for good GoPro recording - there's too much "R/C" and almost no "drone" to it. How can I get this thing to hover in one spot?

    2. Re:As a quadcopter owner... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lemme just ask. Why the heck would I want a quadcopter to fly upside down?

      I never understood the urge to fly these things crazy/stunt/ridiculous. The beauty of them is that they are ultimately capable of *stable* flight.

      Because it demonstrates a mastery of flying ability greater than that of the average "I'll just let the gyros stabilize this" flyer. Because some pilots are always looking to expand their horizon and try the 'next thing.' (And one might even expect a flyer almost 30 years experience to know how to do it - I wouldn't but a leg might.)

      That said, I too don't really want to try or master stunt flying, even with my cheap-ass $80 Blade Nano. Ain't my cup of tea. (Plus, the old saw about a truly superior pilot always uses his superior judgment to avoid the need to display his/her superior skills.) But no mystery why some people are drawn to it - especially those with a large spare parts budget.

  15. You don't need variable-pitch rotors... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just ESCs (electronic speed controllers) with SimonK or similar which can reverse the rotation direction.

  16. Ahead of the news. . . by lou10itd4n · · Score: 2

    This is new. This is the MantaRay Prototype. Much larger (1230mm). O.S.105 nitro motor and 325mm blades on each half of the rotor. The Stingray (smaller) proved we could maintain stable flight with collective pitch and a single motor. 3D is just an awesome bi-product and we can turn sharper in pylon racing and event courses. Now that we know we can use a single motor, we can scale up the machine to handle larger gasoline or possibly turbine drive-trains. Imagine search and rescue or surveying with camera on a platform that can stay in the air for hours. Folding blades cause less damage than props in the event of a crash, and this will have many options for recovery. So while the machine is only as safe as the pilot, this is still a much more stable platform than anything modelers and industries have had up to this point.