Gyro controlled canard on 1/8 scale hydros

[JOHN BOCCHER]

Has any one been experimenting with drift gyros to control the operation of the canards on your 1/8 scale unlimited hydro.

[Fluid]

Years ago several folks tried it, with varied success. If the boat was slow enough and the canards large enough it apparently worked okay, but the electronics of the day weren’t fast enough for the quicker boats. With modern gyros and servos it might work better.

I used a gyro to control the rudder on SAW boats where it worked quite well, but it is one more complication that can go wrong.




.

[JOHN BOCCHER]

[QUOTE=Fluid;761743]Years ago several folks tried it, with varied success. If the boat was slow enough and the canards large enough it apparently worked okay, but the electronics of the day weren?t fast enough for the quicker boats. With modern gyros and servos it might work better.

I used a gyro to control the rudder on SAW boats where it worked quite well, but it is one more complication that can go wrong.

[JOHN BOCCHER]

Hello Fluid, yes I knew the old gyros from years past were to slow being mechanical. But the new electronic gyros are very fast. Like the ones used in the RC drift cars. There was a guy out on the west coast in the Washington State Moat club known as R/CU . the entire club is dedicated to racing the scale unlimited hydros. I aw a video of him talking about it but some one started up a nitro boat and drowned out every thing he said. All I got was that he said it was to fast and the servo could not keep up.
I wanted to try it in a 1/6 th scale hydro and see if it would work there with a fast servo. The new drift gyros are cheap.
I thought about putting up this post to see if any one else played with the idea.

[Peter A]

Hello Fluid, yes I knew the old gyros from years past were to slow being mechanical. But the new electronic gyros are very fast. Like the ones used in the RC drift cars. There was a guy out on the west coast in the Washington State Moat club known as R/CU . the entire club is dedicated to racing the scale unlimited hydros. I aw a video of him talking about it but some one started up a nitro boat and drowned out every thing he said. All I got was that he said it was to fast and the servo could not keep up.
I wanted to try it in a 1/6 th scale hydro and see if it would work there with a fast servo. The new drift gyros are cheap.
I thought about putting up this post to see if any one else played with the idea.

Coreless servos are the ones to use. I understand that they were developed for helis which need the very fast response.

[JOHN BOCCHER]

Hello Peter A, thank you for your information. I will checkout the Coreless servo ,I would think that with all the modern day electronics, there would be some thing already out there to operate those canards. I use a pistol grip trans like most every body else and it is hard to get to a aux channel switch when both your hands are pretty much occupied controlling the boat. I have to slow down and take my hand off the wheel in order to get to the aux switch. But then the next time around the canard would need to be adjusted again. Well I'll leave this tread open and see what else any body has to say.
Thanks again and happy , safe boating.

[Fluid]

Hello Fluid, yes I knew the old gyros from years past were to slow being mechanical….

Actually the ones I was referring to were electronic, not mechanical (that would have been a loooong time ago). Still too slow with then-current servos, but today with gyros/servos designed for helis they should work. The challenge will be to limit servo movement to avoid over sensitivity and over-actuation while still allowing enough movement to have a pitch effect. Porpoising could also be an issue, but with tuning it should be able to be overcome. Good luck and keep us posted.


.

[JOHN BOCCHER]

Hello Fluid, I agree with you on every thing you just posted. My thought was to use a single axis drift gyro like the guys use in their RC drift cars to help control good steering in a drift. there are other types for helio and air craft. But I only need the single axis. Laying it flat would cause a left /right movement. But if I mount it on it's side right on the CG, it should then move the canard up and down. I would also need t use a core-less servo, like used in helos because they have a very fast responce tine. I think by adjusting the gyro sensitivity and then limit the servo's travel in the up movement and no down movement. Meaning canard level , no down and only limit the up movement to push the nose down to level, might be the answer. Right now I am waiting on a response on the use of a drift car gyro. They run about $60.00 and the high speed electronic helo core-less servo is about the same amount. I want to gather enough info from others before I dish out over $120.00 plus shipping to test an idea,
I look forward to talking with you again and I'll be happy to share any info I get.
Thanks John