Anybody own/flown the Draganflyer Predator B UAV? I have the barebones ARF with Speed 400, no cameras. Just wondering about some issues with CG.
The plane manual specifies a 600mah 8.4v nicad. I'm using either a 600mah 7 cell 8.4v Nimh (3.2oz.) 750mah 7 cell 8.4(3.5oz.) or 1100mah 7 cell 8.4v Nimh(5.4oz.).
The manual states CG is to be measured with ventral fin attached, canopy on and wings off, using the aluminum spar as CG. It states the attitude should be slightly nose down. With any of those batteries, the nose is definitely more than slightly nose down. I'm using a micro receiver and 9 gram servos, 20a esc and 4 gram v-tail mixer.
Does anybody know if it is airworthy with the recommended smaller battery, even with nose heavy? I really don't want to make toothpicks the first time out, compounded by the fact it is hand launch only.
The only way I've found to get it to balance out nicely is by attaching wireless camera pod and 9v battery which adds another 4 oz. to the flying weight, somewhere along the bottom between the rails. This seems heavy.
I am late to this dance but I just bought the Art-Tech Predator and love it. The only changes I made to it was adding my 9Z radio and adding a servo to make the lower rudder functional. The plane flies super with the stock motor, matter of fact I had to keep it at 1/2 power the whole 20 minutes to make it fly a more scale speed. I am impressed for the $140 I paid for the plane, GWS clone 6 ch radio (its in one of my sail planes now) and power set.
kc135, are you still flying the pred.? I am considering getting this plane myself. can you get good glides? from the videos I've seen it looks like it has an almost floaty, graceful gliding style of flying about it. but it may just be my imagination... lol