Hoverfly Something Big?

[Bartman]

since this is a Hoverfly thread I'd ask we discuss Hoverfly here and SuperX in the XA subforum (Bad thread-drift Sleepy, bad! he's new to forums folks, bear with us)

anyway, it was mentioned in another thread and it makes a lot of sense that if you have the GPS set up but the heli isn't trimmed out correctly, the GPS will be fighting the desire of the heli to drift when GPS is engaged. there's a procedure for trimming the heli in Auto-level mode and the point is that if this isn't done correctly, the GPS will appear to be the problem when it is in fact the GPS being overrun by drift. Mikrokopter has this same problem except it happens when the trims are not all centered. Hoverfly is exactly the opposite, you're supposed to use the trims and then record them into the PRO's memory by removing power with A/L selected and without disarming the motors (I think, check that if you're even still reading!)

straightening this out might improve your GPS performance by a lot. i also lift the GPS board a couple of inches above the PRO board with a kit i've made so that the magnetometers are away from the heli's wiring.

FYI, HF still flies great.

 

[DucktileMedia]

So where is Hoverfly? Are they still in business? I kinda get the feeling they are tackling different venues these days. Perhaps they gave up? Would be ice to hear something from them it would be even nicer to have a tidy hardware setup in an enclosure that functioned as one system. But yes, the hfp does still take the cake for smooth flight.

 

[Bartman]

So where is Hoverfly? ....................

here

 

[workshop]

This seems to be a redux of QuadPowered history for those that remember HoverFly's humble beginnings. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

 

[Bartman]

This seems to be a redux of QuadPowered history for those that remember HoverFly's humble beginnings. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

this is a reasonable discussion, don't let your personal matters with HF drag down a reasonable discussion. the person responsible for the QP board isn't there anymore. i think HF is trying to remain in business and to that end, selling PRO boards isn't going to pay the bills forever. they're doing other things, trying to make opportunities for themselves....i'm not happy they've so completely disappeared but i'm not offering to pay their bills for them either.

 

[Stacky]

This is a quite massively different situation to the quadpowered mess.

This seems to be a redux of QuadPowered history for those that remember HoverFly's humble beginnings. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

 

[workshop]

Fair enough... My negative personal interactions with Al Ducharme probably color the way I see this issue. Since I only have one board left and do not intend to patronize HoverFly Tech in the future, I'll refrain from future comment. No hard feelings... Just time to move on...

jeffparisse

 

[tahoelight]

Bart, my off centered quad, similar to xy, did not fly well and was my first attempt with SuperX. My basic quad is flying great though. As you may know, I've been flying HFP since day 1 and quadpowered before that. My main AV rigs still use HFP. Every time the GPS issue is discussed in detail, I get the hair to go out an try again. After all of these years, I still don't trust the HF GPS at all. I even made another attempt at it yesterday. Went through the whole calibration and AL trimming and everything. I still get strange yaw issues from a poor magnetometer calibration. I do use the external mag mod. I should have sent it in to be checked years ago, but HF nerve offered that service.

Now I have superX installed and I am really questioning HF. I am building a Y6 to try it on. If it flies well (ARE YOU LiSTENING HF?) I will buy into superX and maybe even dump my HF. I am not there yet though. There is the comfort factor that sleepy is talking about. It has me buying longer range FPV gear and I am super stoked! I still fly the aircraft, but I can push a bit more out of site and sound and flip GPS to regain orientation like I never could with HF.


Don't buy SuperX for XY8 or TBS disco quite yet. Also, the setup software is lacking some features. The price of the two units are comparable after you consider the pro version with OSD to a HFP/GPS which has OSD built in.

I'll keep you posted on the flight characteristics o the Y6 build. I am having to much fun with the quad, I don't want to take the superX off

 

[tahoelight]

This is a quite massively different situation to the quadpowered mess.

I am comparing the current Photohigher RSGS issue with the old Quadpowered fiasco. A least the HFP is a solid platform. Even if the GPS is not working out for me.

 

[DucktileMedia]

there is no question the build quality of the HFP is superior to anything that China will EVER be able to make. That does give me a comfort I would never have with a Chinese made piece of electronics (or cheaptronics as I call them). So far the HFP's simplicity is its strong point. The one thing I wish it had more than gps is a better AL algorithm. But as i am flying less and less these days it's not a priority to worry about little things like that. It's more important to me that I can let it sit in a corner and when a job comes around I can plug it in and go fly without having to remember 10 switch and light combinations and hope my calibrations were remembered. I can oddly see myself trying the superx in the not so distant future though. Also waiting to hear what people think of the Pixhawk FC in a few weeks. http://store.3drobotics.com/products/3dr-pixhawk

 

[hondajd7]

I was doing a little digging to see what I could find on Hoverfly since the crickets came around. It looks like they have been working on this:
http://www.makershed.com/ELEV_8_Quadcopter_p/mkpx23.htm
A Hoverfly Sport powered quad. Not sure how long its been out.


and a few other things judging from their VIMEO page. It appears they have tethered flight they announced last year at NAB2013 up and running.
http://vimeo.com/hoverfly/videos

Now if the Android based ground station would come about.

 

[Stacky]

Im looking at the Super X as well. Not for the GPS to be fair but because I want a decent FC that doesnt take up a ton of space in my waterproof experiments. Will be very interested in how you find it. I have an HFP in a small Y6 at present which is great fun. Im trying out a friends HF GPS board at present out of curiosity.

With respect to the so called big announcement it is pretty disappointing that they have gone silent after that announcement apart from posting a pic on FB of a client build in their new premises. So I can understand why so many are expressing frustration or cynicism.

Assumption is never a good idea but to me they are either struggling or swamped with some contract they have alluded to in the recent past.

Bart, my off centered quad, similar to xy, did not fly well and was my first attempt with SuperX. My basic quad is flying great though. As you may know, I've been flying HFP since day 1 and quadpowered before that. My main AV rigs still use HFP. Every time the GPS issue is discussed in detail, I get the hair to go out an try again. After all of these years, I still don't trust the HF GPS at all. I even made another attempt at it yesterday. Went through the whole calibration and AL trimming and everything. I still get strange yaw issues from a poor magnetometer calibration. I do use the external mag mod. I should have sent it in to be checked years ago, but HF nerve offered that service.

Now I have superX installed and I am really questioning HF. I am building a Y6 to try it on. If it flies well (ARE YOU LiSTENING HF?) I will buy into superX and maybe even dump my HF. I am not there yet though. There is the comfort factor that sleepy is talking about. It has me buying longer range FPV gear and I am super stoked! I still fly the aircraft, but I can push a bit more out of site and sound and flip GPS to regain orientation like I never could with HF.


Don't buy SuperX for XY8 or TBS disco quite yet. Also, the setup software is lacking some features. The price of the two units are comparable after you consider the pro version with OSD to a HFP/GPS which has OSD built in.

I'll keep you posted on the flight characteristics o the Y6 build. I am having to much fun with the quad, I don't want to take the superX off

 

[Stacky]

I was doing a little digging to see what I could find on Hoverfly since the crickets came around. It looks like they have been working on this:
http://www.makershed.com/ELEV_8_Quadcopter_p/mkpx23.htm
A Hoverfly Sport powered quad. Not sure how long its been out.


and a few other things judging from their VIMEO page. It appears they have tethered flight they announced last year at NAB2013 up and running.
http://vimeo.com/hoverfly/videos

Now if the Android based ground station would come about.

The first link is something quite old.
The vimeo video of the LiveSky gives us an idea of where their time has been spent, that looks like a product well down the development phase and could be a success for them in the right applications. I hadnt noticed that video before, thanks. Its also given me a thought on a solution for one of the little problems I have with my waterproof experiments...

Although the big announcement I thought was related to a brushless gimbal or brushless gimbal controller?

 

[DucktileMedia]

I was gonna say, trying to sell a hoversport in this day and age is like trying to promote a black and white Zenith television. That board has zero features other than smooth manual. It was a handful in FPV, I dont know how Juz does it! Of course not having OSD didnt help either.

 

[Aerovideo]

the person responsible for the QP board isn't there anymore. i think HF is trying to remain in business and to that end, selling PRO boards isn't going to pay the bills forever.

Bartman, I find this part of your post the most interesting... I was wondering if George was still there, apparently not. Also, selling boards is exactly how DJI is staying in business. Boards with features, enclosures, and the like. They've released several new hardware versions since first coming into the multi rotor scene. Hoverfly hasn't upgraded or released new hardware in quite some time. Their web site still shows "New" on their servo based gimbal controller, uhhhgg. I realize the HF gear is supposed to be future proof with all the processor power it's packing, but maybe loose the redundant processors and shrink that bad boy down a bit then make a case for it. I know I would buy a smaller HFPro in a case

I've been a huge supporter and promoter of Hoverfly in the past and still have pro boards on all my AV ships since I only fly in manual mode. Failsafes would be nice though. I have my auto level tuned perfectly and my gps works okay if there is no wind. But I tried return to home again just recently and it nearly made me mess my pants, reliable the GPS IS NOT!

While I understand these guys may have contract restrictions keeping them from telling us what's up but at least telling us that's the case and feeding us little tidbits now and then to keep "HOPE" alive would go a long way. Going completely silent for as long as they have is disturbing and makes it difficult to continue to use their products when by all appearances, the competition is leaving them in the dust and for all we know they're belly up?

You can't just say something big is coming and say more details in a week... then go silent!

Sorry... these are just the rantings of an old, frustrated Hoverfly customer

 

[Aerovideo]

I just saw their vimeo page with the two tethered flight videos. The claims of no FAA regulation are interesting! The quad looks pretty cool but it is tethered.

Given the earlier video shows the project is with reconrobotics I would say their new interests are military

Speculation can run wild without information... fun.

 

[Stacky]

Sorry... these are just the rantings of an old, frustrated Hoverfly customer

You arent the only one Paul. Love my HFP's, have still to find anything as good but would love to hear from them simply because i would like to hear they are having success somewhere.
Would also love a smaller HF FC. I am hoping when this HF brushless gimbal comes out they allow us to buy the board as a stand alone or a complete unit.

 

[Webheadfred]

Well, if George isn't there, it's not likely that much in the way of new features will be coming. He was the brains behind the Propeller chip and the HFP and the flight algorithm. Now that the more capable Propeller II is in the near future, I'm sure he's working behind the scenes on something else probably with some sort of a non-compete. It's just a matter of time before something more cool will be available. 3DRobotics Pixhawk here I come.

 

[Mactadpole]

Well, if George isn't there, it's not likely that much in the way of new features will be coming. He was the brains behind the Propeller chip and the HFP and the flight algorithm. Now that the more capable Propeller II is in the near future, I'm sure he's working behind the scenes on something else probably with some sort of a non-compete. It's just a matter of time before something more cool will be available. 3DRobotics Pixhawk here I come.

+1 to infinity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Av8Chuck]

Well, if George isn't there, it's not likely that much in the way of new features will be coming. He was the brains behind the Propeller chip and the HFP and the flight algorithm. Now that the more capable Propeller II is in the near future, I'm sure he's working behind the scenes on something else probably with some sort of a non-compete. It's just a matter of time before something more cool will be available. 3DRobotics Pixhawk here I come.

Has anyone flown a Pixhawk? I wonder how it compares to the Super-X?