By Terry Dunnon Nov. 4, 2015 at 2:35 p.m.How To Get Into Hobby RC: Real Flight Drone Simulator

I focus a lot of my writing on the techniques and tools that can help you become a better multi-rotor pilot. There's good reason for my fixation on training. No matter how fancy and advanced your model may be, the skill with which you operate it is the greatest single factor in determining your success and safety. When things go south, competency trumps hope every time.

RealFlight Drone includes 14 different multi-rotor models to fly. Each has unique capabilities and performance.

I've mentioned the RealFlight RC flight simulator in a previous article. RealFlight has historically been a tool for pilots of RC helicopters and fixed wing airplanes. Multi-rotor models were introduced only in the most recent versions of the program. Real Flight's latest release is a simulator package that is intended specifically for multi-rotor pilots, Real Flight Drone ($130).

What You Get

RealFlight Drone (RFD) comes bundled with a Futaba InterLink Elite controller. This is a USB device with the same look and feel as a standard RC transmitter. If you have a particular attachment to your actual RC transmitter, the InterLink Elite includes patch cords that allow you to use a Futaba, JR, or Spektrum brand transmitter to operate the simulator.

The InterLink Elite device is a USB controller with the look and feel of a standard RC transmitter.

The actual software is on a single DVD. It is compatible with Vista or later versions of Windows. The program will not work on Macs…even when using a Windows emulator. The system requirements are pretty low. So you shouldn't have any problems if you're machine is relatively new. I've been using RFD on an aging Sony Vaio laptop (1.6GHz CPU, 6GB RAM, GeForce GT330M video) and it runs just fine.

RFD appears to be a subset of RealFlight v7.5 at a lower price. It includes most of the multi-rotor models and many of the flying sites found in v7.5, but it does not have any helicopter or airplane models. On the flip side, there are a few multi-rotor models that are currently only found in RFD. If you're only interested in multi-rotors, going with RFD rather than v7.5 will save you about $40. Should you subsequently decide that you want the full-blown software, upgrading from RFD to v7.5 will cost you $50.

There are 14 multi-rotor models to choose from with a wide variety of performance capabilities. If you're a beginner pilot, you'll probably want to start with a docile ship like the simply-named "Quadcopter". As you progress, you can tackle models with more power and additional features such as gimbal-mounted cameras. You may even want to try the insanely aerobatic model of the HeliMax Voltage 500.

As with most actual multi-rotors, the emulated models have multiple modes to define their flight characteristics. Each model has up to three predefined flight modes to choose from. Some flight modes will hold the aircraft in position without any control inputs, while others demand you to manage altitude and compensate for wind. Still others give you complete freedom for aerobatics. Choosing the correct flight mode for a given situation is every bit as important as your control stick inputs. The simulator provides a useful path to understand the attributes and limitations of each flight mode.

The controller also allows you to select between two control sensitivity options (aka "dual rates"). The rate settings are predefined for every model, but I didn't find much that I would adjust if given the option. For the models that are equipped with camera gimbals, a knob on the controller allows you to adjust the pitch angle of the gimbal.

You can choose from 20 flying locations. Some offer obstacles, while others are just pretty views. This Japanese garden offers a little of both.

You can choose to fly at any of 20 different "airports". Some have obstacles to test your skills, while others are more scenic. Two of the airports even allow you to fly at night with onboard lights illuminating your model.

Using Real Flight Drone

Using RFD does not have to be a complex affair. It can be as simple as choosing a model and a location to fly before taking off. The simulator offers many different viewing perspectives, but only two of them accurately emulate the actual experience of flying a model. Whenever you're really flying, you will either be looking at your model from where you stand, or you will be looking through the onboard camera via goggles or a monitor. Those two perspectives are represented by the "Fixed Position- Flight Instructor" and "FPV View" (or "Gimbal" on some models). The other perspectives are fun to play with on occasion, but I try to focus on the realistic viewing options.

There are several "gadgets" that can be overlaid on the screen. Most are specific to the simulation and do not reflect actual flying. One example is the binocular function, which gives you a close-up view of your model's orientation no matter how far away it is. A more realistic gadget is the Head-Up Display, which provides an array of flight data much like an instrument panel would. It functions similarly to many of the On-Screen displays used by FPV modelers.

I set the video quality to Medium when using the simulator on my laptop. More powerful machines can take advantage of higher-quality graphics.

Since I'm not using much computing horsepower to run this program, I have the video quality set to medium. Although you would never mistake the graphics for a photo, I think it looks good. Most importantly, the simulator runs smoothly. When I tried running with higher video quality, things got jumpy. My guess is that you could run without compromise if you have a decent gaming machine.

If you have a particular skill that you are trying to improve, the simulator lets you do that with much less stress and risk than actual flying. You can practice for as long as it takes to get it right. The only consequence of a crash is that you have to press the reset button and start over. Actually, you don't even have to start from the beginning. You can hold down the reset button and your current session will rewind. Just release the button at the point where you goofed and try again.

As you gain more confidence, you can gradually make your training more realistic by adding factors such as wind or poor sun angles. You'll rarely find perfect flying conditions in the real world, so it makes sense to practice with the same types of hindrances.

The simulator's Heads-Up Display works like an FPV On-Screen Display to provide real-time flight data to the pilot.

In addition to self-guided training, RFD provides two challenge features. "Quadcopter Trials" is meant test your precision flying abilities. You must fly through, around, and onto a variety of increasingly challenging obstacles…all while the clock is ticking. I found that these courses are very helpful for getting comfortable flying a multi-rotor in any orientation.

The other challenge is called 'Scavenger Hunt". All of the courses here are FPV-based and are meant to help you improve your piloting when using the limited situational-awareness that FPV provides. The final course has you seek out and photograph various zombies in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Although the scenario is pure fantasy, the skills required to carry out the tasks certainly apply to real life. Although, at times, I found myself taking shortcuts to beat the clock rather than focusing on smooth and precise flying.

The Scavenger Hunt challenge adds a little sci-fi fun to flight training as you seek out zombies with your airborne camera.

Performing well on the challenges will earn you medals that unlock additional models to fly. So far, I've added the "Dead Cat Quadcopter" to my training fleet. It looks just like the same suggests and it is fun to fly. I can't wait to see what other unique models are locked in the vault.

Many people believe that simulators are only helpful for rookie pilots, but that is definitely not the case. They are good practice tools for pilots of any skills level. In the time that I've been using RFD, I've committed a lot of effort to improving my airborne camera panning skills. I've also seen a tremendous improvement in my confidence and ability to fly inverted with the Voltage 500. All stick time is beneficial and simulators like RFD significantly broaden the window where it's practical to fly.

Closing Thoughts

My recommended path for beginning multi-rotor pilots is to start out with a mini-quad or a simulator…preferably both. Mini-quads are cheap and great for providing practical, hands-on flight experience with very little risk. While more costly, simulators drop the risk factor to zero and also provide access to more powerful and complex models. You're not likely to ever outgrow either option.

For those who choose to utilize a simulator, RealFlight has always been the gold standard. RealFlight Drone gets you the multi-rotor functions of the software at a lower price point than the full blown version. It only takes one or two avoided crashes for a simulator to pay for itself, so it's definitely something to consider.

Terry spent 15 years as an engineer at the Johnson Space Center. He is now a freelance writer living in Lubbock, Texas. Visit his website at TerryDunn.org and follow Terry on Twitter: @weirdflight

如何操作業餘RC：RealFlight無人機飛行模擬器

how進入愛好RC：飛行無人機模擬器
我集中我的很多寫作的技巧和工具，可以幫助你成為一個更好的多轉子試驗。我在訓練上有很好的理由。無論你的模型是多麼的華麗和先進，你的操作技巧是決定你成功和安全的最重要的因素。當一切順利，能力勝過希望每次。

realflight無人機包括14種不同的多轉子模型飛。每個人都有獨特的功能和性能。
我在前麵的文章中提到的realflight RC飛行模擬器。realflight曆來是一個工具，RC直升機和固定翼飛機的飛行員。多轉子模型進行了介紹，隻有在最新版本的程序。實際飛行的最新版本是一個模擬器包是專門為多旋翼無人機飛行員、飛行（130美元）。

你

realflight雄蜂（RFD）捆綁一個雙葉互聯精英控製器。這是一個用相同的外觀和感覺為標準USB設備RC發射機。如果你有一個特別的依戀你的實際RC發射機，互聯精英包括跳線，允許你使用雙葉，JR，或等候品牌變送器操作模擬器。

the互聯精英裝置是以看USB控製器和一個標準的RC發射機的感覺。
實際的軟件是在一個單獨的DVD。它是兼容的境界或更晚版本的窗口。該程序將無法在Mac…即使使用Windows模擬器時。係統要求很低。如果你的機器是相對較新的，你不應該有任何問題。我已經使用和對衰老的索尼VAIO筆記本電腦（1.6GHz CPU，6GB內存，GeForce gt330m視頻），它運行得很好。

RFD似乎是一個子集的realflight V7.5在一個較低的價格。它包括了大部分的多轉子模型和許多的飛行場地發現V7.5，但它冇有任何直升機或飛機模型。另一方麵，也有一些多轉子模型，目前隻發現RFD。如果你在多轉子隻感興趣，而不是去與RFD V7.5將節省你40美元。如果你隨後決定你想要的成熟軟件，升級和RFD V7.5將花費你50美元。

有14多旋翼模型選擇與各種各樣的錶現能力。如果你是一個新手飛行員，你可能想從一個溫順的像隻船命名為“直升機”。隨著你的進步，你可以有更多的力量和額外的功能，如萬嚮節安裝攝像機處理模型。你可能會想嘗試的helimax電壓500的瘋狂特技模型。

作為最實際的多轉子，仿真模型有多種方式來定義他們的飛行特性。每個模型有多達三個預定義的飛行模式選擇。有些飛行模式將在冇有任何控製輸入的位置保持飛機的位置，而另一些人則要求你管理高度和風力的補償。還有人給你完整的自由飛行。選擇正確的飛行模式對於一個給定的情況是每一個有點像你的控製棒輸入的重要。該模擬器提供了一個有用的路徑，以了解每個飛行模式的屬性和局限性，“/”，該控製器還允許您選擇2個控製靈敏度選項（即“雙率”）。速率設置為每個模型都是預先設定的，但我冇有發現我會調整，如果給定的選項。對於配備相機框架模型，控製器上的旋鈕可以調整框架的俯仰角。

you可以選擇從20個飛行位置。有些人提供障礙，而另一些則是美麗的看法。這家日本花園提供了一點點的，你可以選擇在任何20個不同的“機場”飛行。有些人會有障礙來測試你的技能，而另一些人則更風景。兩機場甚至允許你在夜間飛行船上的燈光照亮你的模型。

使用真實的飛行無人機
用RFD並不一定是一個複雜的事情。它可以是簡單的選擇一個模型和一個位置，以飛行起飛前。模擬器提供了許多不同的視角，但隻有2個準確地模擬飛行模型的實際經驗。無論何時你真正的飛行，你要麼是從你的立場看你的模式，或者你會通過闆上的攝像頭通過眼鏡或監視器。這兩個觀點是“固定位置的飛行指導員”和“FPV觀代錶”（或“框架”在某些型號）。另一方麵是好玩的場合，但我盡力去關註現實的觀看選擇。

有一些“小工具”，可以在屏幕上覆蓋。最具體的仿真和不反映實際飛行。一個例子是雙眼功能，這讓你有一個特寫鏡頭的方嚮看你的模型的方嚮，無論多麼遙遠的距離。一個更現實的小工具是頭上顯示，它提供了一個數組的飛行數據很像一個儀錶盤將。它的功能同樣多的在屏幕上顯示由FPV的建模使用。

i設置視頻質量中使用我的筆記本電腦當模擬器。更強大的機器可以利用高質量的圖形，因為我冇有用太多的計算能力來運行這個程序，我的視頻質量設置為中等。雖然你永遠不會錯的照片的照片，我認為它看起來不錯。最重要的是，模擬器運行平穩。當我試著用更高的視頻質量，事情變得神經兮兮的。我的猜測是，如果你有一個像樣的遊戲機，你可以毫無妥協地運行，如果你有一個特別的技能，你是在嘗試改進，模擬器讓你做的是，比實際飛行的壓力和風險。隻要你能把它拿給你，你就可以練習。唯一的結果是，你必須按重置按鈕，並開始。其實，你甚至不必從一開始就開始。你可以按住複位按鈕和你的當前會話將倒帶。隻是釋放按鈕在你搞砸了，再試一次。

你獲得更多的信心，你可以逐漸增加諸如風能和太陽的角度差等因素，使你的訓練更現實。你很少會發現飛在現實世界中完美的條件，所以與障礙相同類型的實踐很有意義。

the模擬器的擡頭顯示器就像屏幕上顯示一個FPV為飛行員提供實時飛行數據。

除了自我指導訓練，RFD提供兩挑戰的特徵。”四旋翼試驗”指的是測試你的精確飛行能力。你必須飛到周圍，並在各種日益挑戰的障礙……所有的時鍾滴答作響。我發現，這些課程是非常有幫助的，獲得舒適的飛行一個多轉子在任何方嚮上。這裏所有的課程都是基礎和FPV是為了幫助你提高駕駛時使用有限的情景意識，FPV提供。最後的課程你尋求在世界末日後的廢墟照片各種僵屍。盡管場景是純粹的幻想，所需的技能來執行任務，肯定適用於現實生活。雖然，有時，我發現自己走捷徑的時鍾節拍而不是專註於平穩和精確飛行。

the尋寶挑戰增添了些許科幻有趣的飛行訓練為你尋找你的機載攝像機的僵屍。
在挑戰你就能解鎖額外的模型飛行勳章。到目前為止，我已經添加了“死貓直升機“我訓練艦隊。它看起來就像是一樣的建議，它是有趣的飛行。我迫不及待地想看看其他獨特的模式是什麼鎖在金庫裏的，很多人認為模擬器隻對菜鳥飛行員很有幫助，但這絕對不是這樣的。他們是一個很好的練習工具，對任何技能水平的飛行員。的時候，我一直在使用Internet，我犯了一個很大的努力去提高自己的機載攝像機鏡頭的技巧。我也看到了一個巨大的進步，我的信心和能力，與電壓倒倒的電壓500。所有的堅持的時間是有益的，模擬器如RFD顯著擴大的窗口，它的實際飛行。

關閉的想法
我推薦的路徑開始多轉子的飛行員是開始與一個小型四或模擬器…最好。迷你四提供實用的是廉價的，偉大的，動手的飛行經驗，風險很小。雖然更昂貴，模擬器下降的風險因素為零，也提供了更強大的和複雜的模型。你不可能在任何選擇。

那些選擇利用模擬器，realflight一直是黃金標準。realflight雄蜂讓你軟件的多轉子的功能在一個較低的價格點比完整版。它隻需要一個或兩個避免崩潰的模擬器來支付本身，所以它肯定是值得考慮的。

特裏做了15年的工程師在約翰遜航天中心。他現在是一名自由撰稿人，住在德克薩斯的時候。訪問他的網站在terrydunn.org跟特裏推特：@ weirdflight