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Failsafe settings
- Thread starter Wayne
- Start date
From the OTX way receiver failsafe was used once you select receiver failsafe option on the TX and then momentary click the FC button it would capture the current channel positions and use these as the failsafe value. Custom setting lets you manually set any value. However receiver option appears not to be operational on the X20S presently so have to revert to custom at the moment.
Flying Dutchman
Strong User
@Wayne How do you want to collect the responses: essay-style (like this), or maybe set up a separate polling form (if the forum software supports that)?
Anyway, my vote is CUSTOM, mostly in order to avoid terrible accidents as described above in the Pitts story. Anything powered should have the throttle cut in a failsafe condition.
This may depend on the brand, but as a FrSky and OTX user, setting up a custom failsafe is quite simple (except D8's that require pushing a button on the Rx). Every responsible RC pilot (regardless of aircraft type: powered, glider, drone, etc.) must anticipate a signal-loss or similar scenario.
Anyway, my vote is CUSTOM, mostly in order to avoid terrible accidents as described above in the Pitts story. Anything powered should have the throttle cut in a failsafe condition.
This may depend on the brand, but as a FrSky and OTX user, setting up a custom failsafe is quite simple (except D8's that require pushing a button on the Rx). Every responsible RC pilot (regardless of aircraft type: powered, glider, drone, etc.) must anticipate a signal-loss or similar scenario.
OK, I'll bite.
With the assumption that a failsafe situation occurs if the receiver is not receiving the RF transmit signal due to either an "RF antenna fade, multipath or RF interference".
I have my aileron, elevator and ruder set to hold and throttle set to custom 1/3rd. I am selecting these setting with the assumption that the whatever the issue that may be causing the fail-safe to kick in is most likely brief.
If I knew the receiver was going to be permanently in Fail-Safe I would certainly choose a different set-up of custom for all channels to have the plane gently spiral down.
In most crashes that occur when not dumb thumbs, the issue can be traced to a power issue for the receiver and servos, or poor placement of the antennas but not a radio issue.
The real question is what triggers Fail-Safe as that would determine what is the best settings.
My two cents.
With the assumption that a failsafe situation occurs if the receiver is not receiving the RF transmit signal due to either an "RF antenna fade, multipath or RF interference".
I have my aileron, elevator and ruder set to hold and throttle set to custom 1/3rd. I am selecting these setting with the assumption that the whatever the issue that may be causing the fail-safe to kick in is most likely brief.
If I knew the receiver was going to be permanently in Fail-Safe I would certainly choose a different set-up of custom for all channels to have the plane gently spiral down.
In most crashes that occur when not dumb thumbs, the issue can be traced to a power issue for the receiver and servos, or poor placement of the antennas but not a radio issue.
The real question is what triggers Fail-Safe as that would determine what is the best settings.
My two cents.
There is a pole at the top of this page.
Thanks for the great feedback guys! Henny, I think your club has a great idea there!
I remember long ago I had a flying buddy that would set his failsafe for partial throttle. One day while working on one of his planes he flipped off the transmitter and the thing powered up on his work table. Lets just say this was bad as he was on blood thinners. He repeated this sort of thing several times before he would listen to reason and correctly set his failsafe.
This is a good discussion to have, and hope you all might have the same discussion with your friends, especially those new to the hobby.
We have really amazing radios these days and we have really come to trust that they are always going to work for us. I think many pilots pay little attention to failsafe anymore. I like that FrSky radios will prompt you if you have not defined a failsafe condition for a model.
RCdiy
User
Motor off. I had a motor with prop spin up on the bench when I turned off the transmitter without thinking. Yes I usually take safety precautions.
Put the aircraft into a banked turn/circle to limit how far away goes especially is flying straight heads towards a population.
Chris, as i would say to our club members in gest like you. Man you need a good whipping and flogging!
rcsoar4fun
Very Strong User
Sadly, I have been flying long enough to remember people saying FM or AM(!) was safer than PCM because of the possible failsafe scenarios.
A setting should reduce change of damage to model, but part of that is ensuring control can be regained as soon and smoothly as possible.
I think it is important to apply the appropriate template to the type of model. An electric airplane, drone or helicopter should probably have a throttle to zero. A gas/nitro model would want to be to idle but not cutoff. Dual aileron servo airplanes generally would benefit from some reflex. Sailplanes probably benefit from crow. Helicopters should have controls centered.
A setting should reduce change of damage to model, but part of that is ensuring control can be regained as soon and smoothly as possible.
I think it is important to apply the appropriate template to the type of model. An electric airplane, drone or helicopter should probably have a throttle to zero. A gas/nitro model would want to be to idle but not cutoff. Dual aileron servo airplanes generally would benefit from some reflex. Sailplanes probably benefit from crow. Helicopters should have controls centered.
Flying Dutchman
Strong User
Why not cutoff?
Failsafe can occur while flying due to temporary loss of signal and 3 seconds later you are back with a connection so bringing the engine to idle maybe a good compromise for such conditions. I guess this is what Rcsoar4fun was suggesting?
rcsoar4fun
Very Strong User
Depending on the aircraft a deadstick landing could make things worse, an IC engine at idle would stop pretty quick if it contacted anything. Also an engine at idle speeds would slow the aircraft more than a stopped one.
You must also consider what happens if your TX dies! I had this happen to me with a big Moki 180 Powered model
on a low speed pass down the runway at about 10 ft. in the air. The engine went to full throttle and the airplane flew
straight and level until it ran in to some trees about 3 tenths of a mile away. On inspection of the model I found
that all of the servos went to the end of their travel momentarily then shut off. When this happens, the Air Loads on
the control surfaces quickly pushed the servos back to a stream position, thereby stabalizing the plane, but since the engine
did not have any active force to push back, it just stayed at full throttle. The Aircraft was extremly well balanced and trimmed.
I recommend that you take a look at what your servos due when they loose power or signal. I was Lucky, this could
have happened at any time during the flight and with that big Moki runing at full bore, someone or a lot of people
could have been seriously hurt or killed!
Tom Strom
on a low speed pass down the runway at about 10 ft. in the air. The engine went to full throttle and the airplane flew
straight and level until it ran in to some trees about 3 tenths of a mile away. On inspection of the model I found
that all of the servos went to the end of their travel momentarily then shut off. When this happens, the Air Loads on
the control surfaces quickly pushed the servos back to a stream position, thereby stabalizing the plane, but since the engine
did not have any active force to push back, it just stayed at full throttle. The Aircraft was extremly well balanced and trimmed.
I recommend that you take a look at what your servos due when they loose power or signal. I was Lucky, this could
have happened at any time during the flight and with that big Moki runing at full bore, someone or a lot of people
could have been seriously hurt or killed!
Tom Strom
