Competition Roofs
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Loutysh
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Competition Roofs
Roofs in helicopter competitions aren't really standard. Some are in buildings with short roofs and flat ceiling and some are in huge gyms with a lot of framing pointing out (for example one at my regionals, many helicopters got dqed for getting stuck in the ceiling). How would I prepare a helicopter for something like my regionals or other ceilings. My guess for regionals is to use a longer rubber band for that specific competition to have less power but also longer lasting so that it doesn't hit the roof for a long time and doesn't get stuck
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bjt4888
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Re: Competition Roofs
Start requesting details of the competition room well ahead of the competition date and get your team head coach involved if a gym with girders is selected. A gym with girders (or other highly obstructed ceilings) should never be allowed for any Heli competition. A typical school building hallway (8-10 ft tall and 20 ft wide) would be a better venue than a gym with girders.
It is really pretty impossible to get a Heli to hover and not ascend to a ceiling unless you have a very minimal number of turns on the motor.
Brian T
It is really pretty impossible to get a Heli to hover and not ascend to a ceiling unless you have a very minimal number of turns on the motor.
Brian T
Re: Competition Roofs
I can echo that.
A team from last year who advanced to the state competition told that they found before the competition they had to compete @ a super high ceiling gym with tons of girders.
They spent a whole year to optimize the helicopter and improve its stability, because they found once the blade loses its angular momentum due to bouncing around by girder or the side wall, that hurts its flight duration most.
Then in the end, @ this super high ceiling with tons of girders, they had to compete with luck by bouncing around, instead of demonstrating the beautiful art of helicopter hovering like a ceiling fan, I.e seemingly like a magical anti-gravity floating craft.
their whole year of efforts of logging wind torques, launch torques, turns, remaining turns, rubber properties, linear densities, etc. seemingly wasted because their unlucky helicopter parked @ the helicopter graveyard, I.e the girders up in the air. As a result, they were truly frustrated because of this setting.
Their state champion was a team who never flew over 2 minutes during practice as reported by their parents coach gambled and hit the jackpot by flying over 3:20 minutes without parking @ the girder.
A team from last year who advanced to the state competition told that they found before the competition they had to compete @ a super high ceiling gym with tons of girders.
They spent a whole year to optimize the helicopter and improve its stability, because they found once the blade loses its angular momentum due to bouncing around by girder or the side wall, that hurts its flight duration most.
Then in the end, @ this super high ceiling with tons of girders, they had to compete with luck by bouncing around, instead of demonstrating the beautiful art of helicopter hovering like a ceiling fan, I.e seemingly like a magical anti-gravity floating craft.
their whole year of efforts of logging wind torques, launch torques, turns, remaining turns, rubber properties, linear densities, etc. seemingly wasted because their unlucky helicopter parked @ the helicopter graveyard, I.e the girders up in the air. As a result, they were truly frustrated because of this setting.
Their state champion was a team who never flew over 2 minutes during practice as reported by their parents coach gambled and hit the jackpot by flying over 3:20 minutes without parking @ the girder.