The next advancement in airsoft, air support

Ok, imagine your pinned down by an opposing team. You CANNOT locate their position. Then you hear a small buzzing sound overhead. Over your mic you hear "friendlys at your SW or whichever the direction maybe". Next a good number of opposing friendlys become out. At moment you can turn the tables and turn the match in your favor. This invention a medium-large rc plane carrying a bottom light camera with a small compartment for a grenade. Another camera allowing the operator to see where he is headed. This might seem impossible, A friend of mine has something similiar to this except without the grenade compartment. He operates the cameras from the laptop. Of course he spent a good amount of money on this system i think 170+ or something like that. What do think of this idea. Do you think it will benefit the mil-sim or airsoft skirmish. Or ruin the whole aspect.

I think it would totally bring something unique to the table and really enrich the experience. However, there might be a problem if it gets shot down........

There is one major flaw in this idea and that is weight. The grenade firing mechanism would cause it to weigh a ton, meaning that an operator has to carry something that is so heavy that he is forced to use only a pistol since even a carbine will be over the top weight wise.
Another problem is durability, most model planes sacrifice strength so when the plane gets shot your $300 camera goes plummeting to the ground. And I don't know about you but I don't want to bring a $1000 laptop into a combat scenario.

I personally may be biased because I believe that the more technology is involved in battle the more we begin to rely on it, and we all know that batteries don't last forever. With that said I believe that I could provide more support with a sniper rifle than with a uav.

The concept sounds fun, but like elemtfrvr stated,

Who would be willing to risk all the time and money in an UAV , only to have it shot down during an Event or Game?

Well as I agree with the statement by elemtfrvr, I do have to say that there are other low-cost ways of simulating airstrikes. One method I see deployed more and more now is mapped airstrikes. Where you tell a field-master where and when you want your "strike". Then, when that time happens, the referee walks to that section of the field and taps as many people as he can in that region out. This way, you have the same outcome that a multi-hundred dollar UAV would do cause. Just a thought.

well one option would be to keep it 100feet or higher in the air most airsoft rifles/guns can't make it that far acuratly and even if it does most of the inertia will be lost since your shooting straight up. I don't feel like doing the math but gravity acts at -9.81m/s^2=32.4ft/s^2 tops your shooting what 550fps? were the average AEG is 300-420 someone do the math I don't want to think lol. But I think it should work out. At that height your going to have to calculate the inertia of the grenade as it goes down to make sure you hit the target tho...sooo if you realy want to you can but I think mebe someone check math please. if no one else iwll ill do the math later

i've thought about that alot and wish they would come up with something like that even if one person has to sacrifice their gun and carry a plane with them using only their pistol. When it was needed it would be a lifesaver.

Well considering you can purchase a good, slow flying, heavy lift R/C for under $200 now-adays and a simple construction of a bomb-bay that is set to a seperate channel to release ordinance would cost somewhere in the $50 range...with a grand total of under $300. This would require alot of experience in this field of work...but that's why I'm here

Base plane: The Firebird XL Commander
linkage
The Firebird XL commander has a 2,500 foot range and a really powerful 380 motor.Includes 2-channel transmitter ,a high voltage,rechargeable 900 mAH NIMH battery pack,a 300 mAH wall charger,and an included video CD with assembly instructions and flying tips, which can help getting started easier. The lift capabilites of this plane are better than most planes twice it's price. I've had great experience flying these guys.

Bomb bay: Simple foam or aluminum design.
You would need a seperate motor (as light and small as you can find) to move the ordinance bay door. Keep it simple and remember to balance the plane out.
You would also need a receiver for this motor, or you could tie it into one of the plane's existing channels. Then use an un-used switch on your controller to activate it.

Camera/guidance: Raiden Tech Pinhole Cam
http://www.raidentech.com/mimiwipispyc.html
Thats the cheapest your gunna want to go as far as cameras. Notice that it only has a 300 radio range. Meaning, it's useless if you go any further. You can solve that by getting a more expensive camera I suppose, but I find this one to be fine for the job. You can even possibly moint the cam on a swivel base for maximum angles of view.

Control center: Computer and controller
You can use an old laptop or even an iPhone to tie into the camera's image feed.
I'll get more info on this shortly.

Total price: About $300 dollars (not counting computer or iPhone )

Hehe, well i've got something for use guys to look at right here...

That is actually the same plane I refered you guys to. They just painted their's Navy gray. I believe they were using the same camera that I refered you too also, but they are also using a remote swivel mount for it too. The military is working with the Firebird company to make lightweight easy-deploy recon vehicles. I have stock for them

This is actually an airsoft op Spl. it was called Adrenaline Rush held on april 18th i believe

I realize that Actually, after taking a close look, I don't believe they are using a swivel mount at all! Thats some darn good flying then. Looks like they had it as a left-facing static mounted system. Great work on their part. *Salutes*

I need to contact that guy and see what he thinks on the Firebird as a recon platform.
Very nice find Warsawwarrior.

Yup no problem, I actually found that yesterday from when some one on here was talking about evike lol

Something I thought of in this general area: Durkee, you mentioned installing a bomb bay on your UAV. In Airsoft though, you don't really have High Explosives or the like you can use for 'bombs.' (I sorta got this idea from a 'Futureweapons' episode, don't tell). But instead of a conventional gravity operated bomb system, you could mount M203 (or otherwise) grenade shells on the bottom of the plane, somehow rig these things to go off when you want them to, and use THOSE as a sort of cluster-bomb on your target.

Ideas?

its a really cool idea and everything, but like others are saying its could become pricey or too delicate.

Costly, only if you make it that way... delicate, not at all. The Firebird XL I have has taken some pretty serious blows in training flights and demoing. The biggest problem you could have with this one is on frontal impact, the engine has been known to shoot forward through the compartment, destroying other items If you go through and reinforce everything with a foam sealant, the G-forces wont effect any of the parts and that problem is no longer existent.

Back to the videos, I talked to the guy and here's his specs:

Quote :

The base airframe is a Multiplex Easy Star, modified to include ailerons and painted.
All the flight surfaces were squared off, also (makes it look better).
The motor is a Super Sonic V2 w/ 40amp ESC; it comes as a combo from Grayson Hobby
Battery is a 3S lipo, 2200mah. Berg 7 receiver (I'm switching to 2.4ghz soon).

I bought the video system from RangeVideo.com.
The camera is a KX191 coupled to a 900mhz 500mw transmitter.
Both are also powered by a 3S lipo, but this one is 730mah.
If I had to do it over, I would have bought a lighter camera.

You need to be a HAM operator to use that video equipment.
And no, no swivel... there will be on the next one though

oh, well i take back the delicate part

panic324 wrote:

Something I thought of in this general area: Durkee, you mentioned installing a bomb bay on your UAV. In Airsoft though, you don't really have High Explosives or the like you can use for 'bombs.' (I sorta got this idea from a 'Futureweapons' episode, don't tell). But instead of a conventional gravity operated bomb system, you could mount M203 (or otherwise) grenade shells on the bottom of the plane, somehow rig these things to go off when you want them to, and use THOSE as a sort of cluster-bomb on your target.

Ideas?

Nope. M203's would be WAAAAYYY too heavy for a 54" UAV to carry midflight.
My Idea was to use "streamer bombs". They are slow-fall weights with large streamers at the end to marke "hit-zones".

But I do believe I have given up on my "air support" design. I will leave it as it is...a dedicated recon UAV.

Buy a cheap airhog stealth plane?
Mount a crap camera?
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/air-hogs-dominator-radio-control-evader-plane-9

No no no no no!!! Airhogs are, without a doubt, the worst RC plane producers in the world!

Quote :

Features * Durable remote control stunt plane * Flies for 2 minutes on a single charge * All-in-one controller/charger is easy to use * Plane is built from a single piece of high-density EPP foam * No assembly required Product Description The Dominator is the best R/C plane with full function radio controlled performance! Fly this plane for 2 minutes on a single charge. Made of durable foam for increased performance and customer satisfaction. You can control your flight by using on board varying motor speeds. The all-in-one controller/charger is easy to use. Requires 6 AA batteries (not included).

Besides, it says that it only flys out to 300 feet. What good is that?

Stability, speed, and payload are also a huge problem. The engine is horrible compared to all other RC planes. It's like a lownmower motor compared to some sport tuned V8. The speed is WAAAY too high for any control, let alone with a camera onboard. You would'nt get a clear picture at all.

Yeah it'd pretty much end up like this =D

Your totally right, that would never work!

I know this topic is starting to die, but real quick:

Spl. Durkee wrote:

panic324 wrote:

Something I thought of in this general area: Durkee, you mentioned installing a bomb bay on your UAV. In Airsoft though, you don't really have High Explosives or the like you can use for 'bombs.' (I sorta got this idea from a 'Futureweapons' episode, don't tell). But instead of a conventional gravity operated bomb system, you could mount M203 (or otherwise) grenade shells on the bottom of the plane, somehow rig these things to go off when you want them to, and use THOSE as a sort of cluster-bomb on your target.

Ideas?

Nope. M203's would be WAAAAYYY too heavy for a 54" UAV to carry midflight.
My Idea was to use "streamer bombs". They are slow-fall weights with large streamers at the end to marke "hit-zones".

But I do believe I have given up on my "air support" design. I will leave it as it is...a dedicated recon UAV.

I didn't mean a full m203, just the grenade shells. Just the metal housing full up with gas and bb's and an improvised firing device. One would think that might be light enough.