How To Hover An RC Helicopter

by rchelisite.com

The main goal of hovering an RC helicopter is to keep it in one spot with as little moving or drifting as possible. Ultimately, you’d like it to remain absolutely motionless, but in a non perfect world, that’s nearly impossible as there are too many factors that will cause drift or motion.

For the beginner pilot hovering an RC helicopter can prove to be excessively difficult and many people give up on the hobby because they can’t master hovering.

While it is possible and people do fly RC helicopters without being able to hover properly, it’s not recommended. It’s like learning to run before you can walk and you’ll eventually run into a problem.

Being able to hover teaches control and fine motor skills that you’ll want to have to become a better overall pilot. Even top performers practice hovering to hone their skills.

Radio-controlled helicopter by Wikipedia

Radio-controlled helicopters (also RC helicopters) are model aircraft which are distinct from RC airplanes because of the differences in construction, aerodynamics, and flight training. Several basic designs of RC helicopters exist, of which some (such as those withcollective pitch, meaning blades which rotate on their longitudinal axis to vary or reverse lift) are more maneuverable than others. The more maneuverable designs are often harder to fly, but benefit from greater aerobatic capabilities.

Flight controls allow pilots to control the collective and throttle (usually linked together), the cyclic controls (pitch and roll), and the tail rotor (yaw). Controlling these in unison enables the helicopter to perform most^{[citation needed]} of the same maneuvres as full-sized helicopters, such as hovering and backwards flight, and many that full-sized helicopters cannot.

The various helicopter controls are effected by means of small servo motors, commonly known as servos. A piezoelectric gyroscope is typically used on the tail rotor (yaw) control to counter wind- and torque-reaction-induced tail movement. This "gyro" does not itself apply a mechanical force, but electronically adjusts the control signal to the tail rotor servo.

The engines typically used to be methanol-powered two-stroke motors, but electric brushless motors combined with a high-performance lithium polymer battery are now more common and provide improved efficiency, performance and lifespan compared to brushed motors, while decreasing prices bring them within reach of hobbyists. Gasoline and jet turbine engines are also used.