Flight Session 38 - Nova-1 Return to Flight

A little windy but a nice day to fly anyway. I ran 2 batteries through repaired Nova-1. After re-calibration, it still flies ok. Barometer/altimeter is still un-precise (floats within 1-meter span variance) so, nothing new there. For this flight, the only external payload is the HK Quanum Retracts.

Might post a short YouTube video later. I took it with my iPhone5, while holding Taranis in other hand (kinda scary for me). Nova was in Loiter mode (solid accept for altitude ... can't be helped).

Flew in most modes. Looks pretty cool flying fast and low with retracts-up. Practiced manual landings which went fine. The larger stance is nice.

 

The small prop-plane carrying the banner is a new thing. It circled a few times and his return leg was directly overhead field. I stayed alert to where he was and also didn't fly too high.

There was a whole flock of Scissor-Tail Fly-Catchers low patrolling and feeding from field. They were very interested in the new "large insect" on the field.

I tried a completely automatic landing but it flipped over. I knew better but thought maybe last week's rough-landing helped it somehow (knocked it into submission :-). As usual ... it lands softly, but doesn't know it. The motors are still spinning fast, blowing against ground, and it eventually tips itself over :( With flakey altimeter, only hope to prevent a prop-stike is to switch to Zero-Throttle Stabilize at last moment (as it first touches ground). Re-enforced puck held-up fine on tip-and-flip.