# DRAGANFLYER X6

USERS MANUAL

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 TABLE OF CONTENTS

OPERATOR NOTICE ..................................................................................................... 5

WARNINGS ...................................................................................................................... 6

X6 OVERVIEW AND SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................... 7

F EATURES ........................................................................................................................ 7

T ECHNICAL S PECIFICATIONS ............................................................................................ 8

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ............................................................................................. 12

MAINTENANCE ............................................................................................................ 12

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS ..................................................................................... 13

Side Arms .................................................................................................................. 14 Landing Gear ............................................................................................................ 14

Rotors ........................................................................................................................ 15 Canopy ...................................................................................................................... 16 Battery ....................................................................................................................... 17

OPERATOR INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................................... 20

W IND

. ............................................................................................................................ 21

D RAGANFLYER X6 H ELICOPTER /C ONTROLLER R ANGE T EST ........................................ 22

R ECOMMENDED O PERATIONAL G UIDELINES ................................................................. 22

General ..................................................................................................................... 22 Flight Operations Checklists .................................................................................... 22

P REFLIGHT P REPARATION .............................................................................................. 22 Control Systems Check ............................................................................................. 24 Before Takeoff ........................................................................................................... 24 Launch Helicopter .................................................................................................... 24 Landing ..................................................................................................................... 24 Post Flight ................................................................................................................. 25 Maintenance and Logbooks ...................................................................................... 25 Spotters ..................................................................................................................... 25

T ELEMETRY AND C ALIBRATION ..................................................................................... 25 Telemetry Program ................................................................................................... 25 Heading Calibration Test ......................................................................................... 27

H ANDHELD C ONTROLLER .............................................................................................. 28 Battery: ..................................................................................................................... 28

Control Sticks: .......................................................................................................... 29

Switches: ................................................................................................................... 29

Trims: ........................................................................................................................ 29

Trainer Switch: ......................................................................................................... 30

Camera Controls ....................................................................................................... 30 Dual Video Output Jacks .......................................................................................... 30 Data log Micro-SD Port ........................................................................................... 30 Draganflyer X6 Touch Screen .................................................................................. 31

W ARNINGS AND C ONFIRMATIONS .................................................................................. 43

Visual ........................................................................................................................ 43

Audible ...................................................................................................................... 43

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 A CTIVATING THE D RAGANFLYER X6 ............................................................................. 44 Arming Procedure ..................................................................................................... 44

T AKEOFF ........................................................................................................................ 45

D ISARMING THE D RAGANFLYER X6 .............................................................................. 45

DRAGANFLYER X6 GPS SYSTEM ........................................................................... 45

GPS L OCK Q UALITY ...................................................................................................... 46

P OSITION H OLD A CCURACY .......................................................................................... 46

F LIGHT M ODES .............................................................................................................. 47 Manual Flight Mode ................................................................................................. 47 Altitude-Hold Flight Mode ........................................................................................ 47

GPS Position Hold Mode .......................................................................................... 48

M AGNETOMETER H EADING ........................................................................................... 48

CALIBRATIONS: .......................................................................................................... 49

M AGNETIC D ECLINATION .............................................................................................. 50 Magnetic Declination Calibration Using Draganflyer X6 Handheld Controller .... 50 Calibration Steps Using Computer and Draganfly USB Telemetry Transceiver ..... 52

V ERTICAL M AGNETIC F IELD : ......................................................................................... 53 Vertical Magnetic Field Calibration (M agnetic Inclination C alibration Using Draganflyer X6 Handheld Controller ....................................................................... 53 Vertical Magnetic Field Calibration st eps using Computer and Draganfly USB Telemetry T ransceiver .............................................................................................. 55

H ARD I RON C ALIBRATION ............................................................................................. 56

T RANSMITTER RF P OWER .............................................................................................. 56

CAMERA POWER ........................................................................................................ 57

BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM .............................................................................. 57

S ET U P AND O PERATION ................................................................................................ 58 Camera Systems ........................................................................................................ 59 Quick Release Camera Mount Installation ............................................................... 60

S TILL D IGITAL C AMERA ................................................................................................ 61

H IGH D EFINITION V IDEO ............................................................................................... 63

L OW L IGHT B LACK AND W HITE V IDEO ......................................................................... 64

T HERMAL I NFRA -R ED V IDEO ......................................................................................... 65

GROUND CONTROL BASE STATION ..................................................................... 66

VIDEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 69

PRE-TRAINING FOR DRAGANFLYER X6 ............................................................. 70

Flight Simulator ........................................................................................................ 70 Blade MCX Training ................................................................................................. 70

FLIGHT TRAINING ...................................................................................................... 73

TRAINER FLIGHT ...................................................................................................... 73 Master Controller Setup ........................................................................................... 73 Slave Controller Setup .............................................................................................. 74

FLIGHT LESSONS ...................................................................................................... 76 Lesson 1: Familiarization and Trimming: ................................................................ 76

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 Lesson 2: Basic Hovering ......................................................................................... 76

Lesson 3: Movements ................................................................................................ 77

Lesson 4: Orientation ............................................................................................... 78

Lesson 5: Climbs and Descents ................................................................................ 78 Lesson 6: Introduction to Forward Flight ................................................................ 79 Lesson 7: Advanced Forward Flight ........................................................................ 79

FLIGHT TROUBLESHOOTING ................................................................................. 80

GLOSSARY OF TERMS ............................................................................................... 83

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 

## Operator Notice

The responsibility falls upon owne rs operating or authorizing the operation and pilots operating th e Draganflyer X6 helicopter for operation of the helicopter in a safe manner that ensures no injury to persons or damage to property occurs by taking unnecessary risk in its operation.

Further more the onus is upon each owner authorizing the operation of the Draganflyer X6 helicopter, and each pilot operating the Draganflyer X6 he licopter, to comply with all regulations pertinent to the use of the Draganflyer X6 helicopter and associated components, at the location of operation with regards to the use of airspace as well as radio communications.

Draganfly Innovations Inc. does not accept any responsibility for the damages or financial compen sations which may arise there of as the result of an owner opera ting or authorizing a pilot to operate and failing to comply with any of the respective regulations and which leads to a claim of a third party against
the user.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 

## Warnings

The Draganflyer X6 helicopter is a precision ma chine that is vulnerable to misuse and can prove to be dangerous if not properly maintain ed or used in an inappropriate manor.

Throughout this manual, look for this symbol, which will be used to remind you about safe operating procedures

.

Helicopters by their natu re are not positivel y stable. Although the Draganflyer X6 will maintain an attitude and a position relative to wind movement wit hout constant control input , operators should always be aware of its position and be able to take immediate control of the helicopter to recover from an unwanted position and avoid any mishaps. Please completely read and understand all Dr aganflyer X6 instructional information before attempting to fly the Draganflyer X6.

To provide optimum performance, a Lithiu m Polymer battery powers your Draganflyer X6. The same properties that make these ba tteries extremely powerful and lightweight also make them dangerous if handled incorrectly. Please r ead and understand all information pertaining to the battery be fore attempting to use or charge it.

IF MISUSED THIS AIRCRAFT IS CAPABLE OF CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY HARM

TO THE OPERATOR AND SPECTATORS AS WELL AS PROPERTY DAMAGE. ANY

DAMAGE OR INJURY OCCURRING DUE TO MISUSE OF THIS PRODUCT IS

SOLELY THE OPERATOR’S RESPONSIBILITY.

DO NOT PLACE YOUR HANDS OR ARMS IN CLOSE PROXIMATY TO THE

ROTORS OR ATTEMPT TO STOP SPINNI NG ROTORS WITH YOUR HANDS AS

SERIOUS INJURY COULD RESULT FROM CONTACT.

THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS CHEMICALS WHICH ARE KNOWN BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER, BIRTH DEFECTS AND/OR OTHER

REPRODUCTIVE HARM. Many common materials such as metals, plastics, glues, lubricants and other coatings contain chemicals in varying amount and concentrations which will cause harm if introduced into the human body. For further information on toxic or dangerous chemicals please refer to California’s Health and Safety Codes

Sections 25249.5-13

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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## X6 Overview and Specifications

With experience gained through the production of the Draganflyer V series helicopters as well as feedback from customers, Draganfly In novations has utilized the talents of skilled engineers, designers and techni cians to bring you the Dragan flyer X6. This collaboration has resulted in a more powerful, highly stab le flying platform that requires minimal training to effectively fly. The Draganflyer X6 can be equipped with a variety of cameras allowing for video or still pi ctures to be taken with live feed to enable one-person operation.



### Features

 Six High Efficiency Carbon Fiber Rotors:

 direct drive

 custom designed

 optimized for maximum efficiency

 Six Brushless Motors:

 high performance, high efficiency

 Auto stabilization with 11 Se nsors and Onboard Processor:

 3 Gyros: Monitor the rate of rotation around the x, y, and z axis.

 3 Accelerometers: Monitor the rate of acceleration in the x, y, and z

directions.

 3 Magnetometers: Allow the helicopter to orient itself relative to the Earth’s magnetic field.

 1 Barometric pressure sensor: Measures Altitude.

 1 GPS Receiver: Measures absolute position with a resolution of under

one meter.

 Advanced Stabilization Softwa re: over 10000 lines of programming

instruction achieve full stabilizati on and allow the helicopter to be flown in an intuitive manner, by anyone even w ithout training.

 Collapsible carbon fiber frame

 Antenna for GPS Position Hold

 Rechargeable lithium polymer battery

 Easily removable carbon fiber landing gear

 Will fit into a 26” long 6” diameter tube when collapsed

 Revolutionary software and sensor p ackage combine to produce an aerial flying platform that is easier to fly than any previous model.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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### Technical Specifications Helicopter Size

 Dimensions

o Width: 91cm (36in)

o Length: 85cm (33in)

o Top Diameter: 99cm (39in)

o Height: 25.4cm (10in)

 Dimensions (Without Rotors)

o Width: 55cm (22in)

o Length: 49cm (19in)

o Top Diameter: 63cm (25in)

o Height: 25.4cm (10in)

 Folded Dimensions

o Width: 30cm (12in)

o Length: 68cm (27in)

o Front Diameter: 35cm (14in)

o Height: 25.4cm (10in)

 Folded Dimensions (Without Landing Gear)

o Width: 13cm (5in)

o Length: 66cm (26in)

o Front Diameter: 14cm (5.5in)

o Height: 13cm (5in)

 Folded Dimensions (Without Rotors or Landing Gear)

o Width: 13cm (5in)

o Length: 51cm (20in)

o Front Diameter: 14cm (5.5in)

o Height: 13cm (5in)

RF Communications

 2.4GHz Data Link

o Link Type: Helicopter to Ground & Ground to Helicopter (Two-Way)

o Helicopter Antenna: Wired Whip Antenna

o Controller Antenna: Omni-Directional

o Transmission Power (North America): 50mW (+17dBm)

o Transmission Power (Internat ional): 10mW (+10dBm)

o RF Data Rate: 250kbps

o Receiver sensitivity: -100dBm

o Transmission Technique: DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum)

o Frequency band: 2.4000 - 2.4835 GHz

o Certifications: CE, FCC, IC, ETSI

o Data Link Channel Selection: Automatic (13 Channels)

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09  5.8GHz Video Link

o Link Type: Helicopter to Ground (One-Way)

o Transmitter Antenna: Omni-Directional

o Receiver Antennas: Omni-Directional & Flat Patch

o Transmission Power: 12dBm

o Transmitter Power Consumption: 500mW

o NTSC and PAL Compatible

o 7 Selectable Channels: 5740MHz, 5760MHz, 5780MHz, 5800MHz, 5820MHz, 5840MHz, 5860MHz

11 Onboard Sensors

 3 Solid State MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) Gyros

 3 Solid State MEMS (Micro-Electro-M echanical Systems) Accelerometers

 3 Magnetometers (Magnetoresistive Sensors)

 1 Barometric Pressure Sensor

 1 GPS Receiver

o GPS Battery Backup: 75mAh Lithium Polymer

GPS

 GPS Used For: Position Hold, Location & Velocity Data

 Maximum Satellites Tracked Simultaneously: 16

 Position Update Rate: 4 Hz

 GPS Antenna: Ceramic Patch

 Battery Backup: Lithium Polymer

Black Box Data Recorder

 Flight Data Recording: On-Board

 Stored To: Removable 1Gb MicroSD

 Memory Card

 Data Recorded: Onboard Sensor Flight Data

 (Link quality, Orientation, Altitude, Speed, Direction)

Weight & Payload

 Helicopter Weight: 1,000g (35oz)

 Payload Capability: 500g (18oz)

 Maximum Gross Take-Off Weight: 1,500g (53oz)

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 Flight Characteristics :

 Climb Rate: 7m/s (23ft/s)

 Descent Rate: 4m/s (13ft/s)

 Turn Rate: 90°/second

 Maximum Speed: 50km/h (30mph)

 Minimum Speed: 0km/h (0mph)

 Launch Type: VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing)

 Maximum Flight Time: appr ox 20 minutes (no payload)

 Sound at 1m (3.28ft):65dB

 Sound at 3m (9.84ft):60dB

Rotor Blades

 Three Counter-Rotating Pair s (Six Rotors Total)

 Rotor Blade Material: Molded Carbon Fiber

 Upper Rotor Diameter: 40cm (16in)

 Lower Rotor Diameter: 38cm (15in)

 Upper Rotor Weight: 12g (0.42oz)

 Lower Rotor Weight: 11g (0.38oz)

Electric Motors

 Brushless Motors: 6

 Configuration: Direct Drive (One Motor per Rotor)

 Safety Features: Stall Protection

 Ball Bearing: 2 per Motor

 Rotor Mounting Points: Integrated

Camera Attachments

 10MP (Mega-Pixel) Digital Still Camera with Remote Controlled Tilt, Zoom &
Shutter

 1080p HD (High Definition) Video Camera with Remote Controlled Tilt

 Thermal FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) Camera with Remote Controlled Tilt

 Low Light (0.001lux) Dusk/Dawn Black & White Video Camera with Remote

Controlled Tilt

Position Navigation Lights

 Type: 1 Watt LED Variable Brightness Emitters

 Luminous Flux at Full Brightness: 40lm

 Purpose: Helicopter Or ientation Confirmation

 Visible Condition Range: Full Darkness to Direct Sunlight

 Standard Aircraft Colors

o Red: Left - Green: Right -White: Tail/Rear

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 Rechargeable Helicopter Battery

 Cell Chemistry: Lithium Polymer

 Voltage: 14.8V nominal

 Capacity: 2700mAh

 Cell Configuration 4s2p (4-series 2-parallel)

 Max Discharge:20C. Cont / 40C Burst

 Max Current: 54A Cont. / 108A Burst

 Connectors: Integrated Balance and Power

 Recharge Time: 30 minutes (after typical flight)

Landing Gear

 Installed Height: 18cm (7in)

 Stance Width: 30cm (12in)

 Skid Length: 30cm (12in)

 Landing Gear Material: Molded Carbon Fiber

Materials

 Carbon Fiber

 Glass Filled Injected Nylon

 Aluminum & Stainless Steel Fasteners

 RoHS Compliant

Operating Requirements

 Recommended Pre-Use Temperature: 10° to 35°C (50° to 95°F)

 Maximum Environmental Operating Temperat ure: -25° to 38°C (-13° to 100°F)

 Relative Humidity: 0% to 90% Noncondensing

 Maximum Wind speed: Varies based on payload and mission

Draganflyer X6 Handheld Computerized Controller

 Width: 22cm (8.7in)

 Height: 12cm (4.7in)

 Depth: 8cm (3.1in)

 Weight: 790g (28.0oz)

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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## Safety Precautions

 Always wear protective eyewear.

 Do not use batteries other than those specifically designed for the Draganflyer X6, doing so will interf ere with Magnetometer settings.

 Do not fly the Draganflyer X6 in excessive winds - GPS hold mode limited to 10 km/h (6mph) winds – Manual flight mode limited to 16 km/h (10 mph)

winds.

 Do not fly near people on the ground or objects in the air.

 Do not fly near high-tension lines, electr ical substations, high structures or

communication facilities.

 Be careful where you place the controll er during flight preparations, be sure that it will not be dropped or suffer a fall as this may cause serious damage.

 Never fly this aircraft where damage to property or injury to persons may

result if loss of control occurs.

 Never leave the Draganflyer X6 unattended with the battery connected to it. Always disconnect the battery when not flying.



## Maintenance

Maintaining the Draganflyer X6 is very easy since there are so few moving parts, however there are basic care steps that you should be aware of.



##  Clean off any dirt build up using only a soft damp cloth; do not use any chemical cleaners as they may cause de terioration of some of the Draganflyer X6’s components.



##  Do not attempt to lubricate the moto r bearings. Using the wrong type of lubricant or improper lubrication meth ods can result in permanent damage to Draganflyer X6 motors.



##  Do not interchange motors or swap moto r positions. Each of the motors is specifically coded for operation at their specific location. Installing motors with out the proper coding will result in a crash of the Draganflyer X6.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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## Assembly Instructions

Bac k Ri g ht Left Front

Up/Down/Fore/Rear /Lef t /Right Conventions:

 The helicopter’s back is identified by th e m otor pod located straight back from center of canopy, with a WHITE LED.

 The deck and canopy extending beyond cen ter identify the he licopter’s front.

 Up is identified by the deck and canopy mounted on top of the frame’s hub.

 Down is identified by the landing gear.

 Left is identified by the left motor pod and with a RED LED.

 Right is identified by the right motor pod a nd with a GREEN LED.

Draganflyer Parts Required (included): 

##  Draganflyer X6 

##  3pcs Top (“T”) clockwise rotor 

##  3pcs Bottom (“B”)counter

clockwise rotor 

##  2pcs landing gear halves 

##  Lithium-polymer battery 

##  12pcs black o-rings Tools Required: for normal operation

 3/16” Hex Driver

 3/32” Hex Driver

 1/16” Allen wrench

 .050” Hex driver

 5/64 ” Hex driver

 2.5 mm Hex driver

 1⁄4” Nut driver

 3/16” Nut driver



###  Hook tool

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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### Assembly Steps :

Side Arms

The Draganflyer X6’s fram e features a unique ability to collapse and expand quickly and easily.

Begin by removing the Velcro strap holding the

arm s together. The rear arm is stationary and does not move. Swing each of the left and right arms forward and into their clamps. Ensure the booms are snug in their clamps.

Landing Gear

The landing gear features the best comprom ise between weight, stabil ity, ease of assembly, camera viewing angle, and absorption.

Your Draganflyer X6 comes with its landing gear attached, for installation of the spare air frame the following directions are provided.

Quick Release Landing Gear Installation Insert landing gear by slightly lifting the H Plate arm and sliding the struts between the H-plate and Boom Assembly. Slide stru t into position until the centre seats onto the mounting washer and it snaps into place. Releas e H-Plate arm. You should not be able to remove the strut without lifting the H-Plate arm. Repeat for remaining strut legs.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 Rotors

The Draganflyer X6 uses two types of rotors : top - 16 inch long, and bottom 15 inch long. The calibration markings are written on the bottom of each rotor. The other way to tell is their direction of spin. Looking at them from the top (convex side of the blades facing you), top blades spin clockwise a nd bottom blades counterclockwise.

Installation for all six rotors is identical:

 Position rotor on rotor-mount, with shaft sticking thr ough rotor’s central hole.

Ensure the concave side of each blade is pointing downward

. Install one oring. Hook the o-ring under one narrow edge of the mounting bracket, stretch it over top of the blade’s hub, and then hook it under the other narrow edge of

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 the mounting bracket. Stretching the o -ring around the second narrow edge is a challenge. Use the small hook tool provided, but be careful to avoid damaging the motor’s exposed wires.

 Install a second o-ring on the other side of the rotor using the sam e procedure

as the first.

Ensure both o-rings are properly secu red; failure to secure O-rings could result in loss of a rotor and subsequent crash of the h elicopter

Canopy

How to Remove the canopy

1. Hold the rear arm to stabilize the helicopter.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 2. With your thumb and finger on the front canopy carbon fiber tabs, apply slight pressure toward the center of th e canopy while lifting upward. This will unlatch the canopy and allow you to remove it.

How to Install the Canopy

1. Line up the slot in the back of the canopy with the tab protruding from the back of the helicopter deck (above where the r ear arm meets the body of the helicopter).

2. Slide the canopy slot forward over this ta b until the front of the upper and lower canopy align.

3. Starting at the back of the canopy, apply a slight forward and downward pressure to slowly wrap the canopy over the circuit board deck.

4. Gently squeeze the down on the nose to secure the canopy in place ensuring pin is lined up

. Ensure the top canopy overlaps the bottom canopy on all sides.

In its normal position the top canopy w ill slightly overlap the bottom canopy, be sure that the bottom canopy edge is no t over the upper canopy otherwise the canopy may fall off.

Battery

The Draganflyer X6’s m ain power source is a removable, re chargeable lithiumpolymer battery (4 Cell 2700mAh). It has been carefully selected and custommade to ensure maximum helicopter performance. The Draganflyer X6 has been precisely tuned for this battery.

Use of batteries other than the Draganflyer X6 4 Cell 2700mAh battery will void the Draganflyer X6 warranty



### . Alternative batteries will severely degrade performance and will interfere with the operation of the magnetometer.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 The battery sits on the top plate its position and orientation are important. Duplicate the described batte ry installation carefully. Velcro loop pads are found on the bottom of the battery and are se t on the Velcro hook pads on the circuit board plate.

Installing the Draganflyer X6 helicopter battery

1. Remove the canopy.

2. Position the battery so the red connector on the battery is aligned with the red connector on the Draganflyer X6 helicopter. If the connector is facing forward it may cause interference with th e magnetometer and GPS system

3. Center the battery on the Velcro strips between the GPS antenna and the arming

circuit located at the back of the circuit board deck.

4. Adjust the battery so it sits against th e edge of the circuit board but does not overlap on to it.

5. Connect the red male battery connector fr om the circuit board to the red female connector on the battery.

.

Only mate this connector if you pl an on flying immediately. Even while the board is turned off, itwill slowly dr ain the battery. Don’t leave this connection mated for more than 10 minutes without flying.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 The six-pin balance connector socket on the battery is only used during charging,

6. Finally, install the canopy. Check that the canopy is s ecurely latched and sitting well on the deck. The canopy should have equa l deck overhang at its rear left and right sides. You should not be able to pop it off unless pressure is applied to the

front carbon fiber tabs.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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## Operator Instructions

T

y

n
t

c

p he Draganflyer X6 already knows ho w to fly itself, but it needs

our help to get in the air. Li ke any aircraft preflight checks eed to be performed. Failure to carry out preflight checks and o rectify any identified problems may result in disastrous onsequences that could injure someone, damage or destroy roperty including your helicopter.

This aircra ft is not designed for aerobatic manoeuvres or high speed flight. Do not perform aggressive or erratic manoeuvres at high speeds or fly in wind conditions above 16 kmh (10 mph). Failing to abide by this warning and performing such manoeuvres may cause damage to your helicopter.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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### Wind. Although the Draganflyer X6 is designed for both indoor and outdoor flight, care must be taken to ensure you are able to maintain control of the helicopter in various wind co nditions. The Beaufort Scale shown below indicates wind speeds and visual references which may be observed around your environment. Also be aware that wind speeds generally increase with altitude gained. Therefore what you ma y believe is a light br eeze at ground level may be a gentle breeze at 10-20 meters (32- 64 ft) and a moderate breeze or stronger at altitudes higher than 20 meters (32 ft) .

Recommended flight wind conditions: Inexperienced operators and flight for video purposes using GPS Position Hold, should be limited to calm conditions, ground winds not exceeding 10 kmh (6 mph). For Manual Flight winds should not exceed 16 kmh (10 mph). As you obtain expe rience flying the Draganflyer X6 you may want to fly in slightly increased winds, however even e xperienced operators should not fly in wind
conditions more than a moderate breeze. The Beaufort Scale below provides for an estimation of wind speeds based on environmental clues

BEAUFORT SCALE: Specifications a nd equivalent speeds f or use on land

FORCE EQUIVALENT SPEED 10 m above ground DESCRIPTION SPECI FICATIONS FOR

USE ON LAND

miles/hour knots

0 0-1 0-1 Calm Calm; smoke rises vertically

1 1-3 1-3 Light air Direction of wind shown by smoke drift, but not by wind

vanes.

2 4-7 4-6 Light Breeze Wind felt on face; leaves rustle; ordinary vanes moved by wind.

3 8-12 7-10 Gentle Breeze Leaves and small twigs in constant motion; wind extends light flag

4 13-18 11-16 Moderate Breeze Breeze Raises dust and loose paper; small branches

are moved.

5 19-24 17-21 Fresh Breeze Small trees in leaf begin to sway; crested wavelets form

on inland waters.

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### Draganflyer X6 Helicopter/Controller Range Test

The simple method of testing the controller and helicopter for range is to turn on the handheld controller and power up the helicopter but do not ar m it. Observe the blink rate of the LEDs on the helicopter. Now increase the throttle, the LEDs should blink at a quicker rate, throttle down the controller. Walk approximately 60 paces away from the helicopter and then incr ease the throttle again, th e blink rate should increase as before. If

the blink rate does not increas e proportionately with the th rottle increase, you are not getting the correct response and you shoul d not attempt to fly the helicopter.

Antenna orientation ; for best reception it is best if the ends of antennas on the Draganflyer X6 transmitter are not pointed dire ctly at the helicopter as you are flying it. The antennas are hinged to allow them to be adjusted off of a direct line.



### Recommended Operational Guidelines

General

1. Be aware of and abide by rem ote controlled aircraft regulations applicable to the airspace used.

2. Manned aircraft have the right-of- way.

3. Avoid flight over persons or property which could be damaged by a crash..

4. Do not fly under the influen ce of alcohol or drugs.

5. Helicopter shall remain in line of sight at all times.

6. If optical systems such as video goggles are used by the pilot, have a designated
spotter.
7. Do not undertake a flight operation un less the helicopter is airworthy.

Flight Operations Checklists There are six phases to f light operations; Pr e-Flight, Control Systems Check, Before Take Off, In-flight Operations, Landi ng, and Post Flight Operations.



### Preflight Preparation



##  Calibration If your location has changed more than 320 kilometers (200 miles or) since your last flight or if you are using your Draganflyer X6 for the first time, you will need to calibrate the Magnetic D eclination and Vertical Magnetic Field settings. Please refer to the Draganfl yer X6 user manual section on Magnetic

Declination and Vertical Magnetic Field calibration. Does not apply to units

without GPS modules.

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##  Environment For manual flight ensure wind speed is below 16 km/hr (10 mph). Manually controlled flights in gusty or turbulent conditions can result in shorter flight

duration due to increased power consumption.

For GPS position hold use, ensure wind sp eed is below 10 km/hr (6 mph). If the wind is too strong the Draganflyer X6 will not be able to hold its position in GPS flight mode. Under strong or gusty conditions the position may vary up to 5 to 10m (16 - 33ft).



##  Side Arms Unfold arms; press firmly until they click into place. Test that the arms do not unclip easily. Check the arms and clamps for weakness. Replace any worn or damaged parts.



##  Landing Gear Inspect the landing gear for cracks or damage. Ensure the landing gear is not deformed and the Draganflyer X6 helicopter sits

level. Ensure screws and nuts are pr esent and secured in place.



##  Rotors Check that all three top rotors (clockwise) are correctly installed on top motors. Check that all three bottom rotors (count erclockwise) are correctly installed on

bottom motors. Inspect rotors for chips or cracks; Replace any damaged rotors. Check that each rotor blade is secured with two 2 o-rings; replace any missing o-rings. Inspect condition of all o-rings; replace any that are cracked or worn.



##  Battery Always fully charge battery before each use. Ensure battery is placed in the corr ect position, and securely connected.



##  Canopy Inspect canopy for cracks; replace if damaged. Ensure canopy is correctly pl aced and securely latched.



##  Handheld Controller Always fully charge controller battery before each use.

Ensure controller is communi cating with the helicopter.

Ensure the Micro-SD card is in serted in the Micro-SD port.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 

##  Camera /Video System Always fully charge camera batteries before each use. Always fully charge receiver batteries before each use. Ensure camera is mounted securely. Test camera system for proper operation before each use. Ensure only payloads approved by Draganfly Innovations are used.

Control Systems Check

1. Make sure that all of your body parts, cl othing, other obstructi ons and bystanders are well away from any rotors and th eir arc before turning power on to any systems. Make sure the helicopter is s ecure and will not move if the motors suddenly power up.

2. Announce out loud “CLEAR ROTORS”.

3. Turn on the handheld controller. Ensure the telemetry information is displayed.

4. Make sure that the throttle stick on th e handheld controller is lowest position.

5. Connect the battery and/or turn on the power button to the helicopter, located at the back of the canopy.

6. Follow recommended range test procedures.

7. Check motors and rotors for proper operat ion. Firmly secure the helicopter and gradually increase the throttle to full power and back down to off- checking for lack of thrust, vibration, or other possible anomalies.

8. Check that the motors stop completely wh en the throttle is at the off position.

9. If a camera is installed, check that the camera equipment power is on. Check to make sure the shutter trigger is working properly.

Before Takeoff

1. Confir m that the handheld cont roller antennas are installed.

2. Check that the flight area is clear of people and obstructions.

3. Double check weather and environmenta l conditions and review potential emergency landing areas.

4. Announce out loud “TAKE OFF”.

Launch Helicopter

1. Point front of the helicopter so it is facing into the wind.

2. Slowly increase the throttle to ensure all rotors are sp inning, then increase to take

off.

3. Clim b to a safe altitude away from pote ntial hazards and check control systems. Adjust trims if necessary.

4. Keep helicopter at a safe operating distance from people and buildings.

5. Continually scan the flight and gr ound areas for potential hazards.

Landing

1. Scan landin g area for potential obstructions and hazards.

2. Announce out loud “LANDING”.

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05/28/09 3. Carefully land the helicopter away from obstructions and people.

Post Flight

1. Wait for the rotors to stop turning.

2. Disarm the helicopter.

3. Turn off the power to the camera.

4. Turn the power off to the helicopter (the throttle must be set at the lowest position possible) and disconnect the battery.

5. Turn off the handheld controller.

6. Check the helicopter for signs of damage or excessive wear.

7. Secure the helicopter.

Maintenance and Logbooks Any da mage or worn out parts need to be repl aced or repaired before the next flight. Log books are not only used to record flight times with a running total, bu t also to record all maintenance items as well. Each helicopter should have its own identifying number and a corresponding log book. The log book should be kept with the helicopter and entries made including flight times, conditions, parts that are replaced airworthiness testing and any other notes of interest related to performance.

Information in the log books is valuable to assess any problems and can assist in preventative solutions for future flight to avoid similar issues.

Spotters The use of a Spotter is highly recom mended at all times. A spotter can alleviate much of the burden to the pilot of scanning for possi ble hazards in the air and on the ground. An experienced Spotter can be invaluable in help ing to line up pictures. In addition they can deal with bystanders who may want to get a closer look and want to talk with you as you are concentrating on flying.



### Telemetry and Calibration

The telemetry program allows you to see real ti me data and to record instrumentation and sensor measurements of the helicopter. Some of the information provided includes battery voltage, headings, altitude and GPS coordinates.

Calibration of magnetic declina tion and vertical magnetic fiel d ensures the helicopter has the proper information for the heading hol d and GPS system to work correctly. (This does not apply to units without the GPS Module.)

Telemetry Program

 Install Drag anflyerX6 Interface and USB Telemetry Transceiver driver from provided Micro-SD card

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05/28/09 

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09  Plug the included Draganfly USB Telemetry Transceiver (this allows the Draganflyer X6 to communicate with the computer) into your Windows computer. Let Windows in stall it automatically.

 Turn on your Draganflyer X6.

 Launch the Draganflyer X6 Interface program

.

 Connect to your Draganflyer X6 by se lecting the Draganfly USB Telemetry Transceiver COM port from the list.

 Select “Connect to Drag an flyer X6.” When the Interface program has established a communications link with the Draganflyer X6, it will display “Found.”

 You can now turn on telemetry streaming. Click on the Telemetry tab, and then click the Enable Telemetry button. It should be streaming data from the Draganflyer X6.

Calibration There are calibrations you need to perform when you first receive your helicopter. The Draganflyer X6 needs to know the strength of the magnetic field in th e vertical direction at your location, and it needs to know your ma gnetic declination. In -depth instructions for Magnetic Declination and Ve rtical Magnetic Field (Magnetic Inclination) are listed in their respective sections in the Table of Contents. 

### Repeat these calibrations if your flying location changes by more than 200 miles (320 km).

For units without the GPS mo dule these calibrations are not required and cannot be made. The warning screen indicating the magnetometer has not been set will appear. Please disregard it.

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05/28/09 Heading Calibration Test For this test you will need the helicopter turned on (it does not need to be flying) and the telemetry activated on your handheld controller or PC. NOTE: make sure you are not in close proxi mity to large metal objects or a magnetic source. In addition you should avoid storing or transporting the helicopter close to any
strong magnets. Mark on the ground or floor a large perpendicular cross, (approximately twice as long as the helicopter) as a reference point. Mark each point as thought it were a compass, with north, east, south, and west as shown. Orient the cross to point north as close as possible.

For the purpose of this test th e h elicopter is represented by

Place the helicopter on the center of the axis facing front in the North position. Record the directional reading as shown on the handhe ld controller telemetry screen. The reading shou ld be close to 0o

Repeat the p rocess for each direction, recording the readings.

E ast should read - 90o South shoul d read 180o West should read 90o

the Hard Iron Calibration as descri bed under the “Calibrati ons” section of this

manual. If there is an overall deviation of more th an 10 o on the quadrant readings, you will need to perform

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 

### Handheld Controller

The Draganflyer X6 comes with a unique advanced handheld controller. The controller has been designed specifically for the Draganflyer X6 for ease of use.

To begin using the handheld controller, turn it on by momentarily pressing the red Power Button. However, finish reading this s ection before you attempt to fly, or make adjustment on the controller. This portion of the manual explains everything relevant

about the handheld controller.

Battery:
Your handheld controller uses a lithium -polymer battery to make it lighter and last longer on a charge. Expect about three hours of use for each charge. To charge this battery, connect the charging harness charge and bala nce connector to the charge and balance ports on the back of the c ontroller. Connect your lithium-polymer charger to the

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 controller charging harne ss, and charge it as a “3s” lith ium-polymer (3-cell, 12.6V max) at 2.10 Amps.

A full-charged battery will display around 12.4V on the handheld controller’s screen. Never let the voltage go below 11.0V. Cons ider charging once you see 11.3V. Never leave the handheld controller charging unattend ed. Never leave the controller turned on

when not in use.

Control Sticks: The two large joysticks are your primary helicopter controls.

The Left jo ystick controls the throttle by moving it fo rwards; all the way down is off, all the way up is full throttle. The left stick al so controls heading. Sideways deflection of the left joystick stick rotate s (yaw) the helicopter left (counter-clockwise when looking at the helicopter from above), and vice versa.

The Right joystick is for controlling helicopter moveme nt forward or backward (pitch) and left or right movement (roll). M oving the joystick forward gives you forward movement and moving the joystick back gi ves backward movement on the pitch axis. Moving the same joystick to the left gives le ft movement and to the right gives right

movement on the roll axis.

More information about the joysticks is found in the Flight Modes sections.

Do not under any circumstances fully reduce th e throttle during flight, this will cause a drastic decrease in altitude and may resu lt in an uncoverable attitude and crash.

Switches: Above the left joystick (throt tle) there are two switches, the switch on the right is the

GPS Hold switch. Up position is on GPS Hold mode on

. Middle position is Altitude

Hold. Down is GPS Hold off, (Manual control on)

.

The switch to the left of the GPS Hold switch is the Motor Engage/Disengage switch.

The Motor Engage/Disengage switch is spring loaded a nd will default to the middle position unless held in the up or down position. The Motor Engage/Disengage acts as a hover point trim for the throttle.

Flight/Motor Termination - Ho lding the Motor Engage/Disengage switch in the down position and bringing the throttle to the lowe st position for 4 seconds will immediately cause the helicopte r rotors to stop.

Trims: The three slide switches surrounding the j oysticks are trim levers. You can push them to program a permanent stick input in that direction. Note that

the handheld controller’s di splay screen shows the trim positions in a pop up screen when adjusting.

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05/28/09 You should not use much trim. By default, se t the trims to zero. Only add trim if you are flying in very calm weather and the helicopter is consistently drifti ng to one side. Trim can disrupt the Hold Flight Modes, so if your Draganflyer X6 requires lots of trim, you should inspect it for problems and contact Draganfly Innovations.

Trainer Switch: A push button on the top left side of the handheld controller is a trainer switch. A wireless link incorporated into the Dragan flyer X6 controller allo ws your controller to link to another Draganflyer X6 controller a nd control one helicopter . Controllers are designated and programmed as either master or slave. Once linked, the slave controller will only communicate with that Draganflye r X6 helicopter while the button on the master controller is pressed. To link to anot her Draganflyer X6 controller, see the section titled Flight Training in this manual.

Camera Controls On the top right side of the controller, two contro ls activate camera functions of shutter

control and camera tilt. The camera tilt knob remotely adjust s the angle of the camera mount. The camera shutter switch allows you to remotely trigger the camera shutter. The

camera zoom control tab is located immediat ely below the roll trim tab, this allows

remote access to zoom in or out.

Dual Video Output Jacks The dual jacks video out put jacks found on the bottom of the handheld controller allows for video goggles and a recording device to be plugged in simultaneously. This allows the operator to see what the cameras are seeing and record at the same time.

The Draganflyer X6 transmitter has the capability of logging data acquired during each flight. This information is important to be able to diagnose problems that may arise during flights. In addition the data can be us ed to track movements of the helicopter and

times and locations pictures were taken.

Data log Micro-SD Port

To get a data log of a flight a micro-SD card must be installed in the transmitter. The micro –SD card is installed in the SD slot on the top of the transmitter. When the transmitter is on and paired with an X6 helicopter which is turned on a data log will

record all interactions between the transmitte r and the helicopter. To retrieve the data, turn off the transmitter and the Draganflyer X6. Remove the micro-SD card from the transmitter and place it in the micro-SD adap ter. Place the adapter with the micro-SD card in it into an SD card slot on your computer. Upon opening the drive which shows you the files the data log will be listed as a log.txt file. You can read these files in Microsoft Excel, Notebook, Word or any other soft ware that accepts .txt files. Like any other file you may save these files to your computer and rename them if you wish.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 If you are experiencing issues w ith the Draganflyer X6 these data log files are valuable to help diagnose problems.

The Micro-SD card must be installed in th e tran smitter in order to log any flight information. For warranty purposes the Micro- SD is required to be installed in the transmitter for each flight

The micro-SD card must not be taken out of the transmitter while it is turned on. Doing this will erase or corrupt the files on the micro-SD card

Draganflyer X6 Touch Screen

To turn on the Draganflyer X6 Handheld Controller press the Red power
button as lo cated in the picture at the beginning of this section.

Power up screen (1 of 2 possible);

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 Config button, used to access programming and operating screens

.

Battery TX, a bar indicator of controller battery status

.

No helicopter is paired with this handheld controller yet , or Looking for Draganflyer X6 SN XXXXXXXX , indicates it is searching for the last Draganflyer X6 helicopter it was connect ed to. If it acquires a helicopter it will immediately display the Basic screen.

Acquire New button, used to access a new helicopter.

Note: The Views button on the upper left and the Config button on the upper right are visible on Views or Config screens after the Power up screen.

Basic Screen ;

Views button, gives access to Basic, Inertial and GPS Screens, the active screen is highlighted in green. By default, pr essing the Views button will always bring you to the Basic Screen.

Config button gives access to helicopter set up and calibration functions.

Time displays current time as provided by G PS.( Time zone is set using Config screen/ Time Zone)

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05/28/09 Flight displays length of flight, (calculate d by the length of time the throttle is up and rotors are moving to cause flight). Flight time is accumulated as long as

the handheld controller and helicopter are powered up (flight time will reset to zero upon change of battery).

Heading is the direction the front of the heli copter is pointing, indicated by the numerical value in white and the helicopt er canopy symbol in the center of the

screen.

Bearing is the direction which the helicop ter is moving, indicated by the numerical value in yellow and the yello w arrow superimposed on the helicopter cone symbol in the center of the screen. Note: when in a hover it is common for the bearing value to change frequently.

Altitude determ ined by barometric pressure, value displayed in meters

.

Climb Rate displayed in meters per second.

Speed horizontal speed in meters per second.

TX Battery the live color graph indicates handheld contro ller battery strength, green, yellow, and red scale, green st rong, yellow warning, and red inadequate.

Heli Battery the live color graph indicates helicopter battery strength, green, yellow, and red scale green strong, yellow warning, red inadequate. In addition when helicopter battery levels reach the warning and critical stages the following popup screens are displayed.

Link the live color graph, indicates helicopter contro ller link strength, green, yellow, and red scale gree n good, yellow fair, red poor.

GPS SVS indicates the number of satellites acquired green, yellow, and red scale green indicates stro ng, yellow indicates warning, red indicates inadequate. Refer to the section on Draganflyer X6 GPS System for further information.

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05/28/09 GPS PDOP indicates GPS constellation streng th with a green, yellow, and red scale, green being strong, yellow for warn ing, red indicates inadequate. Refer to the section on Draganflyer X6 G PS System for further information.

Note: Text where the time and flight time are displayed is also used to momentarily display messages such as Trim adjustment and Flight Mode

Inertial Screen

Views button: gives access to Basic, Inerti al and GPS Screens, the active screen is highlighte d in green. By default pr essing the Views button will always bring you to the Basic Screen.

Config button: pressing gives access to se t up and configuration functions.

Time: displays the current time as provide d by GPS.( Time zone is set using Config screen/ Time Zone.)

Flight displays length of flight, (calculate d by length of time throttle is up and rotors moving to cause flight). Flight time is accumulated as long as the

handheld controller and helicopter are powered up (flight time will reset to zero up change of battery).

Attitude: values for Roll, Pitch and Yaw, angles displayed in degrees

Magnetometer: values for Right, Forward and Down.

Velocity: values for North, East and Down.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 Temperature: atmospheric temperature in degrees Celsius.

Throttle: position in percentage

TX Battery live color graph indicates handheld controller battery strength, green, yellow, and red scale green str ong, yellow warning, red inadequate.

Heli Battery live color graph indicates helicopter batter y strength, green, yellow, and red scale green strong, ye llow warning, red inadequate.

Link live color graph, indicates controller to helic opter link strength, green, yellow, and red scale green str ong, yellow warning, red inadequate.

GPS Screen

Views button, gives access to Basic, Inertial and GPS Screens, the active screen is highlighte d in green. By default pr essing the Views button will always bring you to the Basic Screen.

Config button: pressing it gives access to set up and configuration functions.

Time: displays the current time as provide d by GPS. (Time zone is set using Config screen/ Time Zone)

Flight displays length of flight, (calculate d by length of time throttle is up and rotors moving to cause flight). Flight time is accumulative as long as the

handheld controller and helicopter are powered up (flight time will reset to zero up change of battery).

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05/28/09 Latitude: elevation angle of the helicopters position above or below the equator as provided by GPS.

GPS Altitude: provided by GPS (Altitude above sea level)

Longitude; angular m easurement from the prime meridian value provided by

GPS.

Barometric Altitude, value provided by barometric pressure.

GPS Accuracy , displays radius of accuracy within the horizontal and vertical

values.

GPS Quality, displays S atellites and PDOP (Positional of Dilution of Precision) values.

Config Screen

Basic Config – gives access to menus for Basic configuration, Flight timer,Find New Helicopter, Video Se tup, Trainer Setup and Helicopter

Calibration.

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05/28/09 Flight Timer – allows adjustment to give a warning when a flight time of

a set duration is reached.

Find Ne w Helicopter – gives the transmitter a command to pair with another available helicopter.

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05/28/09 V ideo Set Up – allows for the adjustm ent of channels, sound and power.

channel to

ceive the video transmission from the camera.

udio Settings – allows you to turn audio transmission on or off.

r

eo glasses or a recording device is plugged into the transmitter.

must also change the video transmitter to the corresponding channel.

or Slave. See FLIGHT TRAINING sec tion in this manual for more detail Receiver C hannel – allows you to select the best

re

A

Power Settings – allows you to choose to have the diversity receivers in the transmitter always turned on, always turned off o in automatically detects if vid

NOTE: When changing the receiver channel you

Trainer Setup - Conf igures the transmitters for training set up as a Master

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 Helicopter Calibration - Detailed instruc tions for Helicopter Calibration are

found under the “Calibrations” section of the manual.



### Basic Configuration Screen This screen gives access to Helicopte r LED brightness, Time Zone Set Up, Camera Tilt, Display Units, Transmitter Sounds and Altitude Limit.

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05/28/09 Heli LED Brightness – adjust helicopter LED lights from 0% (off) to 100% (Extremely Bright)

Time Zone Set Up – allows for an adjustment of the time setting to reflect your local time based on the differe nce from Greenwich Mean Time.

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05/28/09 . Camera Tilt Setup – The tilt m echanism on the Draganflyer x6 camera mount allows for adjustment from approximately 0 to 90 degrees of range (zero being vertical and 90 being horizont al). The tilt set up allows you to set the maximum movement as you desire with the lo wer limit maximum being -511 and the upper limit being 510. There is also a tilt ra te adjustment with the fastest being 10 and the slowest being 1. You are also able to reverse th e movement of the

tilt knob.

Display Units – m easurements can be selected for metric or imperial display.

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05/28/09 Transmitter Sounds – provides an opportunity to hear and learn the sounds made by the transmitter.

.

Altitude Limit – allows you to set the maximum height above ground level the helicopter will fly while in Position Hold modes. While in Position Hold modes the helicopter will not exceed this set altitude. While in Manual Flight mode you will receive a message indicating the altitude limit has been reached.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 

### Warnings and Confirmations

Visual The following displays will appear on the Dr aganflyer X6 touch screen to draw your attention to critical operations of the helicopter.

Audible The Draganflyer X6 also has audible warni ngs. T here is a sound device in your handheld controller that will convey important Draganflyer X6 status information to you. Each beep pattern has a unique meaning, and you should know them all.

You can learn the different warning sounds by accessing them through the Basic Config menu - Transmitter Sounds .

Triple-beep : 1. When you turn the handheld controlle r on, its 2.4GHz two-way radio system searches for a Draganflyer X6 to communicate with.

2. If it finds one (i.e. if your Draganflye r X6 is powered up), you will hear three long beeps.

3. Your handheld controller is now controlling the Draganflyer X6.

Alarm

1. Approximately three minutes before your Draganflyer X6 runs out of battery power, your handheld controller will begin emitting an alarm.

2. Shortly after the alarm begins , the helicopter will start descending if it is in a Hold mode. This slow descent is another method of informing you that the Draganflyer X6 is running out of battery. At th is time you should take control of the Draganflyer X6.

3. Return to Manual Flight Mode.

4. Land the helicopter.

Rising tones

1. The handheld controller will emit rising in pitch-tones when your Draganflyer X6 acquires a GPS satellite lock sufficient to perform GPS Position Hold flight.

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05/28/09 Falling tones

1. The handheld controller will emit falling in pitch tones when the GPS loses a

lock. ( Loss of GPS lock is usually caused by objects or people obstructing the helicopter’s view of the sky. )

2. Return to Manual Flight Mode immediately.



### Activating the Draganflyer X6

Once you press the power button on the back of the top canopy the LED on the canopy and navigation lights on the motor pods will light and start blinking.

Your Draganflyer X6 is now on and will comm unicate with the handheld controller, the interface program, and will begin acquiring a GPS satellite lock if the GPS module is included in your configuration. However, it is not armed and will not engage the motors.

To activate the motors you have to arm the he licopter. This feature ensures that a powerup will be safe, regardless of controller inputs.

Arming Procedure

1. Set the Draganflyer X6 helicopter on a flat surface away from obstacles. E nsure blades do not touch nearby objects.

2. Turn ON the handheld controller.

3. Turn ON the helicopter by pressing the power button on the back of the canopy.

4. Make sure GPS position hold switch is turned off, in manual flight mode.

5. The handheld controller will emit a Triple-Beep that c onfirms it is communicating with the Draganflyer X6 helicopter.

6. Increase the throttle to about 75%, you should see an increase in the white LED

blink rate.

7. Move the left stick (throttle -yaw) to its lowest position.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 8. Next move the left stick to the lowe r-right corner and HOLD it there for 5

seconds.

9. After 5 seconds you will see the LED light s on the helicopter's motor pods display a rotating pattern for a few seconds and you will hear a beep indicating it is armed. The LEDs remain on continuously and do not blink.

10. The Draganflyer X6 helicopter is now armed.



### Takeoff An armed Draganflyer X6 can be dangerous, so maintain control over the handheld controller. We recommend holding the left stick in its lowest position when you are not flying.

Take off is only possible in Manual flight mode. Switch the rotor engage/disengage switch up and release, this will cause the rotors to start moving. Ensure all rotors are sp inning before applying more throttle. Repeat switching engage/disengage switc h up about three times until the rotors reach sufficient speed to just take off . On ce take off is achieved, constant input is required until a hover point is established . Once you have taken off and are approximately 2 meters (6ft) off the ground established a hover point by adjusting the rotor enga ge/disengage switch up or down until you achieve a satisfactory hover point for the throttle.

You may notice the helicopter shaking on its landing gear be fore it lifts off. This is normal until it achieves sufficient speed to lift off.

Landing and disengaging the rotors Once you have landed disengage the motors by holding the throttle at the lowest position and switch and hold the rotor e ngage/disengage switch down for 4 seconds. This disengages the motors.



### Disarming the Draganflyer X6

After landing, disarming the Draganflyer X6 is a very simple process. Ensure left joystick is at its lowest pos ition and move it to the lower left corner

and hold for 5 seconds or until the LED li ghts start flashing. The rotors may speed up briefly before shutting down.



## Draganflyer X6 GPS System

The Draganflyer X6 is equipped with st ate of the art GPS technology. This GPS technology allows the Draganflyer X6 to hol d its position, for up to the run time of the battery, without pilot intervention. There are some c onditions beyond the control of the Draganflyer X6 that affect GPS performance. It is important the user understand these conditions for safe and successful operat ion of the Draganflyer X6 helicopter.

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05/28/09 It is the responsibility of the pilot to observe the Draganflyer X6 in position hold and, if necessary, take control manually for continued safe flight. If at any time the GPS hold function appears to be not functioning properl yor the helicopter is flying in circular oscillations immediately switch to Manual Flight mode.

Under ideal conditions the Draganflyer X6 s hould acquire a GPS lock in 2 to 3 minute. There is a backup battery to power the G PS module during battery changes between flights, this will allow the he licopter to have a GPS lock as soon as it is turned on. The backup battery will run the GPS for approximate ly 45 minutes. After not being used for a few days the backup battery will be fully depl eted and will need to charge before the GPS module will start operating, this is called a “cold start” and may take between 5 and 15 minutes to acquire a GPS lock. 

### GPS Lock Quality The quality of the position information provi ded by a GPS module is subject to a number of conditions. Most significant among th ese are the number of satellites and the geometry of the satellite constellation.

To provide a 3D position a minimum of 4 sate llites must be tracked by the GPS module. In practice this value is insufficient for an accurate position hold, so the Draganflyer X6 will not allow a position hold to be attempted while tracking less than 6 satellites.

Equally important is the shape of the satellite constellation, th at is, where the satellites are

located relative to the GPS module. The best constellation shapes are well spread out

with satellites near the horizon. Constellat ions that are clumped together or in-line provide poor information. These factors are used by the GPS module to calculate a term called PDOP (Positional Dilution of Precision) . PDOP has an ideal value of 1 with higher values being considered worse. Generally speaking a PDOP of less than 3 is sufficient for position hold. As noted in the section Warnings and Confirmations, the Draganflyer X6

Handheld Controller will make an risi ng in pitch tone when PDOP falls below 2.5, and a falling pitch tone when PDOP goes above 3.5. If PDOP goes above 3.5 it is recommend that the pilot take over control of the Draganflyer X6.

Another phenom enon that can affect the GPS lo ck is multi-pathing. This occurs when a GPS signal first bounces off a surface (build ings, ground, etc) before reaching the GPS module. This effect is especially significan t when flying at low a ltitude and when flying

in urban environments.



### Position Hold Accuracy

There are number of conditions that affect the accuracy (how close the Draganflyer X6 stay to its reference position) of the position hold of the Drag anflyer X6 helicopter. Most significant among these are the wind conditions and GPS lock. The following describes the effect these conditions have on the GPS performance.

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05/28/09 As the Draganflyer X6 flies the GPS module will gain and lose satellites randomly. Usually these effects are unnoticed by the user. In some instances the gain or loss of a satellite can change the position estimated by the GPS significantly. When this occurs the Draganflyer X6 may move a few meters to a new position, sometimes it will return to the old position, other times not. Multi-pathing effects as previously described above can also cause this behaviour. Generally speaking the quality of the GPS lock improves as the flight goes on, and when the Draganfl yer X6 is at higher altitudes.

If the wind is too strong the Draganflyer X6 will not be able to hold its position. A ccuracy of the position hold degrades as the wind increases. Especially gusty or turbulent wind conditions, such as those in close proximity to buildings, can cause the perfor mance to suffer more than a stronger steady wind. Under calm conditions and ideal GPS satellite coverage, position hold
can hover the Draganflyer X6 within 1-2m (3-6 ft) of its reference position. Under strong or gusty wind conditions the position may vary as much as 5-10m (16 – 32 ft.)

For these reasons it is not recommended to at tempt a position hold in close proximity to obstacles or the ground. The intended application for the Draganflyer X6 position hold capability is to assist pilots flyi ng at high altitudes in open areas. Under these conditions the Draganflyer X6 can usually provide a more stable hover than an experienced pilot.



### Flight Modes

Manual Flight Mode Entered by putting GPS Hold switch in th e down position, this Flight Mode is

sim ilar to that of a standard R/C heli copter. However, the Draganflyer X6’s

advanced electronics still make it significantly easier to fly.

The left joystick has direct control over thrott le and yaw. The right joystick commands helicopter tilt angles. The right joystick in the neutral position will cause the helicopter to stay level indefinitely, while moving it off neutral will cause the helicopter to hold that much tilt as long as that joystick input is

maintained. Maximum stick deflection causes about 30  ̊ of tilt.

Take-offs and landings should be performed in this flight mode. Once you have

established a stable hover and have a GPS lock, you can switch to a Hold Mode.

Altitude-Hold Flight Mode Once you have estab lished a steady hover at an altitude, you desire. By putting the GPS Hold switch in the middle position, you are telling the Draganflyer X6 to control altitude. By releasing the throttl e and allowing it to move to it’s central spring load position you can now move anyw here in the horizontal plane and the Draganflyer X6 will maintain its altitude. Remember, the Throttle joystick still commands it to climb, stay, or descend.

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05/28/09 You still control yaw and tilt. You also have some control over throttle, but the helicopter is relying on you to maintain the throttle position. Changing throttle position once in this mode will temporarily degrade the altitude-hold. However, you still have enough control to get out of a bad situation if needed. In this position the helicopter tracks it s position but does not compensate for return to it.

If you enter GPS hold mode from Altitu de Hold mode the Draganflyer X6 will return to the position where altitude hold was entered. This may result in a severe movement of the helicopter as it tries to regain its position.

GPS Position Hold Mode
GPS Position Hold Mode is th e easiest ma nner of R/C helicopter flying possible. Once you have a GPS lock, establish a steady hover, and then put GPS Hold switch in the up position. The Throttle switch controls altitude. The Throttle joystick is still in effect and overrides other controls.

Take your hands off the joysticks. The helicopter will hold its position, heading, and altitude spring release throttle in central position). You can input yaw to change its heading, and the helicopter will follow your command, and then hold that heading until you give it more yaw input. You can fly the Draganflyer X6 around using the right stick. Forward on th e right stick commands the helicopter to fly forward. The right stick controls the helicopter’s speed in the left-right, forward-backward directions. When you re lease the right stick, the helicopter will hold its current position.

Until the GPS Position Hold locks ont o its position it is common for the Draganflyer X6 to initially rise up to 3 meters (10 f)t and fall. This adjusting process is especially preva lent when the conditions are windy.



### Magnetometer Heading Any helicopter must know its h eading (which way it is pointi ng) in order to do a position hold. The Draganflyer X6 uses a magnetometer (electronic compass) to sense the earth’s magnetic field.

Earth’s magnetic field varies th roughout the world. Therefore it is necessary to calibrate the Draganflyer X6’s magnetometer for your location. If you are traveling significant distances (100s of kilometers) with the Draganflyer X6, it may be necessary to recalibrate the Draganflyer X6’s magnetometer. All cal ibrations can be conducted using the hand held controller. If the Draganflyer X6 is not calibrated for your geographic location the GPS position feature will (probably) not work properly.

A heading error of only a few degrees can de grade GPS position hold pe rformance. If a significant heading error is present the Draganfl yer X6 will begin to fly in circles when in position hold. If the headi ng error is gr eater than 45  ̊ these circles will grow bigger until

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

05/28/ 09 the Draganflyer X6 eventually crashes. If you notice the Draganflye r X6 flying in large circles when in position hold mode , abort the hold and fly manually.

Local interference is another source of head ing error. Local interference refers to magnetic fields that are generated by object s in your immediate environment. Possible sources include electrical pow er lines, steel structures, and even anomalies in local geology.

One simple way to detect if the magnetometer is out of calibration is to fly the helicopter manually at several different headings. If you notice the heading dr ifts by large amounts (15 degrees or more) or the Draganflyer X6 wants to spin in circles do not attempt a position hold. You can try a different location to eliminate possible local interference or try recalibrating the magnetometer.



## Calibrations:

There are a number of calibrations the Draganfl yer X6 uses to maintain its stability and its position.

The first screen that you m ay see rega rding calibration is a warning, saying ”Magnetometer not Calibrated” this is due to the Draganflyer factory being located in all likelihood more that 320 kilometers (200 mile s) from you location. Therefore there is a need to recalibrate the magnetometer by calibrating the Magnetic Declination and the Magnetic Inclination.

49

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 

### Magnetic Declination

The Draganflyer X6 uses a compass to know which direction it is facing. However, the Earth’s magnetic field rarely points straight north. Instead, it points slightly east or west, and this varies with your location on the plan et. Magnetic declination is the number of degrees that separate True North from Magnetic North. Improper settings of Magnetic Declina tion will cause erratic flight. It is therefore vital that you perform this calibration prior flying the Draganflyer X6 for the first time or any time your flying location changes by more than 320 kilometers or 200 miles.

This calibration may be performed using the following instructions with the Hand Held Controller or by using the Computer and Draganfly USB Telemetry Transceiver.



### Finding Your Magnetic Declination

1. If you do not know your Magnetic declination : you may obtain declination information on topographical maps or through the Internet.

Using the web site http://www.magnetic-declination.com/# you simple click on the map area of your location and a pop up bubble gives you the magnetic

declination of the ar ea you have indicated.



### Magnetic Declination Calibration Using Draganflyer X6 Handheld

Controller Note: The Draganflyer X6 Handheld Contro ller used for calibration must have the Trainer setup switched to “Off” pr ior to starting the calibration. To use this method you must know your ma gnetic declination. If you do not know the magnetic declination for your lo cation, use the instru ctions listed above starting at Step 8. If your declination is in de grees and minutes, the minutes must be converted to a decimal

value. To convert the minute value to a decima l value, simply divide the minute value by

60. Eg. Your Magnetic Declin ation is listed as 11° (degrees ) 25' (minutes) East you will

need to convert 25' (degrees) into a decimal value. Si mply divide 25 by 60 =.416, so the

value for calibration will be seen as 25.42.

Having your magnetic declina tion in degrees and decimal value proceed using your

handheld controller as follows.

 Turn the Draganflyer X6 Handheld Controller on.

 Turn the Draganflyer X6 Helicopter on.

 In the Config screen sele ct Helicopter Calibration.

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05/28/09  Next choose OK. When calibrating the Draganflyer X6 using the handheld controller you will be required to tap the OK button (Config - Warning Screen) 3 times to proceed with the calibration process.

 The last Magnetic Declination value se t in the handheld controller will be displayed in green text. If th e value is correct select OK , your setting will then be

saved. If the value is not correct select the Set button, this will then give you a keypad to enter your correct value. Note: West declinations are entered as negative values and East declinatio ns are entered as positive value.

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05/28/09 Once you have entered the a ppropriate value select Done . The setting will be saved and the screen will return to the Magnetic Declination screen, press OK . The screen will

return to the Calibration scree n. You can now select and calib rate Magnetic Inclination or return to the Config menu or Views screen.

Calibration Steps Using Computer and Draganfly USB Telemetry Transceiver

1. Install DraganflyerX6 Interface a nd USB Telemetry Transceiver driver from provided Micro-SD card using the Micro-SD card adapter

2. Plug the included Draganfly USB Telemetry Transceiver (this a llows the Draganflyer X6 to communicate with the computer) into your Windows computer. Let Windows install it automatically.

3. Launch the Draganflyer X6 Interface program.

4. Turn on the Draganflyer X6.

5. In the Interface program, select th e correct COM port, and then click

“Connect to X6.”

6. Once the Draganflyer X6 has been “fo und,” click onto the Configuration

tab.

7. If you know the magnetic declination of the area in which you are flying, input into the Interface program, as pi ctured, in the Magnetic Declination

section

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05/28/09 8. With all three values (degrees, minu tes, East/West) in the Interface program, click the “Set Magnet ic Declination” button.

9. A box will popup confirming a succe ssful calibration, or a failed

calibration.

10. If the calibration was successful, you are done!

11. If calibration was unsuccessful, click th e “Set Magnetic Declination” button again and try again.



### Vertical Magnetic Field:

Vertical magnetic field or magnetic inclinat ion. The angle at which the Draganfly X6 GPS system reads the earth’s magnetic field varies from location to location. The angle obtained by the Draganflyer X6 sensors is used to determine the correct calculations for stable flight. Improper s ettings of Vertical Magnetic Field will cause erratic flight. It is therefore vital that you perform this calibration prior flying the Draganflyer X6 for the first time or any time your flying location changes

by more than 320 kilometers or 200 miles.

This calibration m ay be performed using the following instructions or by using a Computer and Draganfly USB Telemetry Transceiver

Vertical Magnetic Field Calib ration (Magnetic Inclination

Calibration Using Draganflyer X6 Handheld Controller

 Turn the Draganflyer X6 Handheld Controller on.

 Turn the Draganflyer X6 Helicopter on. Stand the Draganflyer X6 on it’s two

front arms on a flat level surface.

 In the Config screen select Helicopter Calibration

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05/28/09 

 Next choose OK .



### IMPORTANT NOTE :

When calibrating the Draganflyer X6 usin g the handheld controller you will be required to tap the OK button in (Config Warning Screen) 3 times to proceed with the calibration process

The last Magnetic Inclination value set in th e handheld controller will be displayed in green text. Even if your Magnetic Declina tion was correct it is still necessary to recalibrated the Magnetic Inclination. Press Set, the value may change as it is adjusting, once it has stopped changing select OK, you will then be returned to the Config Screen.

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05/28/09 Vertical Magnetic Field Calibration steps using Computer and Draganfly USB Telemetry Transceiver

1. If not already installed, instal l Draganflyer X6 Interface and USB Telemetry Transceiver driver fro m provided Micro-SD card.


### 2. Plug the included Draganfly USB Teleme try Transceiver (this allows the Draganflyer X6 to communicate with the computer) into your Windows computer. Let Windows install it automatically

. 

### 3. Launch Draganflyer X6 Interface program.


### 4. Turn on Draganflyer X6.

5. Remove any payload (camera). Put the Draganflyer X6 into an ‘arm-stand,’ as pictured. Ensure it is on a flat and level surface, and that there are no metal objects

within 6 feet.

6. In the Interface progr am, select the correct COM port, then click “Connect to X6.”

7. Once the Draganflyer X6 has been “found,” click onto the Configuration tab.

8. Under the Vertical Magnetic Field section,

click the “Enable Calibration” checkbox.

9. Click the “Calibrate Magnetometer” button.

10. A box w ill popup confirming successful calibration, or failed calibration.

11. If calibration was su ccessful, you are done!

12. If calibration was unsuccessful, c lick the “Calibrate Magnetometer” button again.

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05/28/09 

### Hard Iron Calibration This calibration makes adjustments regardi ng magnetized metals that are in a fixed position within the Draganflyer X6 helicopter.



### This calibration cannot be performed unless you have been in contact with Draganfly Innovati ons Inc. and have been provided with instructions to perform th e calibration! Performing the calibration inappropriately can have detrimental effects on the performance of the helicopter!

Note: This c alibration only is required if the results of the Heading Calibration Test have a deviation of more than 10 ۫

.



### Transmitter RF Power You can set the Draganflyer X6 Transmitte r power to conform with your locations regulatory standards. For North America the St andard is +18dBm, fo r International areas it is +10dBm. Although the calibration allows fo r an adjustment within that range those are the standards and they must be adhered to for regulatory reasons. Adjusting this level will not increase or decrease the performance of the transmitter or helicopter.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 

## Camera Power

The amount of power supplied to the camera from the Draganflyer X6 Battery can be adjusted as required. A setting of 9.3 will norma lly work for all of the available cameras.

If required, make adjustments using the set button. A number pad will appear. Select the value required then press Done. If an error message appears press Done and retry your entry again.



## Battery Charging System

Your Draganflyer X6 com es equipped with a complete charging unit for the batteries used by the Draganflyer X6 system. It has been designed for ease of use, portability, safety and convenience so down time due to depleted batteries is minimal.

Included with the Draganflyer X6 charging system is;
 1 - XP Power - regulated AC power source

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05/28/09  2 - Thunder Power 610 C, Digital Balancer & Charger/Discharger (User’s Manual included)
 2 - 6 wire balancer to battery cables
 2 - Battery to Charger cables
 1 - Controller to Charger cable
 1 - 6' DC Power source to Charger cable
 2 - 4 Cell 2700mAh Lithium Polymer Rechargeable Batteries
 1 - Lipo Sack
 1 - Carrying Case



### Set Up and Operation Use only provided batteries that are designed exclusively for use with the Draganflyer X6 helicopter. 

### Never leave batteries charging while unattended.

The Draganflyer X6 Charging System is capable of:

 Charging the Draganflyer X6 battery

 Charging the Draganflyer X6 handheld controller

 Charging 2 Draganflyer X6 battery packs simultaneously

 Charging one battery pack and the DraganflyerX6 controller Connecting Charger to Power Source

1. If using the included AC power supply, re move the supply from the case, connect it to the power input of charger, and plug supply into AC outlet

2. If using 12V battery (car ba ttery), connect the provided cable to the charger and connect the clips to the terminals of your 12V battery (red clip to positive, black clip to negative) Charging the Helicopter Batteries

1. Use the control buttons to ensure the Thunder Power 610C is set as follows: LiPo Charge (battery type), 4s Pack (cell count), C= 4.50 A (charge rate); (consult Thunder Power 610C charger ma nual for instructions on changing settings)

2. Connect battery pack to charger w ith both the 6-wire balance cable and the 2-wire main cable (observe polarity and do not force connectors)

3. Place battery into Lipo Sack Ensure Battery Type (L iPO Charge) an d Cell Count (4S Pack) selected are correct! Failure to do so may result in fire or damage to battery and or charger. It is required that both th e charger leads and the balance leads are connected for effective and safe char ging. Always use the LipoSack when charging helicopter batteries.

4. Press and hold Red ‘ENT/STOP’ ( ► ) button for 2 seconds to start the charging

process

Charging the Handheld Controller Battery

1. Ensure controller is turned off.

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05/28/09 2. Connect controller to charger using both the 6-wire balance cable and the 2-wire main cable (observe polarity and do not force connectors)

3. Use control buttons on the Thunder Power 610C to ensure the charger is set as

follows: LiPo Charge (battery type), 3 s Pack (cell count), C= 2.10 A (charge rate); (consult Thunder Power 610C charge r manual for instructions on changing settings) Ensure Battery Type (LiPO Charge) and Cell Count (3S Pack)
selected are correct! Failure to do so may result in fire or damage to battery and or charger.

4. Press and hold Red ‘ENT/STOP’ ( ► ) button f or 2 seconds to start the charging

process For more detailed in formation on use of th e TP- 610C Balancer and Charger/Discharger consult the included Thunder Power 610C Charger User’s ManualCamera Systems



### Camera Systems

The Draganflyer X6 comes equipped with your choice of four camera systems. Still Digital Camera, High Definition Video, Low Light (1lux) Black and White Video, and

Thermal Infra-red video are the choices however all of these systems are compatible with your Draganflyer X6. Any camera system that you did not select, can be purchased as an accessory and is easily interchangeable for use.

Use of payloads/cameras or mounts ot her than those approved by Draganfly Innovations Inc. will void the Draganflyer X6 warranty



### . Alternative payloads and mounts will severely degrade performance and will interfere with the operation of the helicopter.

Video Transmission Channel Selections To change v ideo channels for the camera system, the both the transmitter and the receiver

must be matched. For the transmitter mounted on the bottom of the camera mount there are three dip switches.

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05/28/09 Switch 1 Switch 2 Switch 3

Ch. 1 On On On

Ch. 2 Off On On

Ch. 3 On Off On

Ch. 4 Off Off On

Ch. 5 On On Off

Ch 6 Off On Off

Ch. 7 On Off Off

Video channel selection on the Handheld Contro ller is accessed usi ng the Video Set Up menu in the Config Screen. Video channel sele ction on the Base Stati on is available using

the arrow button on the Base Station menu.

Quick Release Camera Mount Installation

Note: All ca mera mounts in stall in the same manner.
Position camera mount over camera mount st uds and press it into place exposing the camera mounting studs. Using the hook tool pull the O-Ring over the camera mount stud. Repeat for all four stud positions.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 Connect camera mount wiring to matching frame wiring sockets.



### Still Digital Camera

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05/28/09 Camera Installation

o Setup- connect the camera to the mo unt using the single mounting bolt. Connect the 3 wiring harness connectors from camera to the three corresponding connectors on underside of Draganflyer X6 (servo connector, camera controls, transmitter connector). Connect the camera controls

connector from the camera to the wi ring harness. Connect the Video Out

Connector and Power connectors to the camera.

o Operation – consult the camera user’s manual. Remote tilt, zoom and shutter

control are available from ha ndheld controller as required.

To remove the camera and mount follow above process in reverse.

Camera Receiver

o Setup – plug the video glasses or ot her recording device into the handheld controller video output jacks, loca ted on the bottom of the hand held

controller.

o Operation - power up your video glasses or other recording device. Live feed from the camera allows for viewing what the camera is seeing.

o NOTE: When in video record mode if the Aspect Ratio setting (found on top of lens ring) is set to 16:9 the display screen will black out. Set it to 4:3 to allow for viewing. It is also a good idea to set the Auto Focus set to AF setting found on side of lens ring.

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05/28/09 

### High Definition Video

NOTE :

 Remote control of shutter and z oom is not available with the HD

Camera.

 The camera tilt control is reversed, when mounted to the HD Camera . This can be adjusted using the video setup menu on the configuration

screen of the handheld controller.

 The Helicopter Camera Voltage set ting in the Hand Held Controller

needs to be set to 9.3 volts.

Camera Installation

o Setup- connect the camera to the mo unt using the single mounting bolt. Connect the wiring harness connectors from the camera to the corresponding connectors on the underside of Draganflyer X6.

o The camera door must be open with the video screen displayed to make the

live video connection.

o Operation – consult camera user’s manual.

Camera Receiver

o Setup - plug your video glasses or ot her recording device into the handheld controller output jacks.

o Operation- power up your video glasses or recording device. Live feed from the camera allows for viewing what the camera is seeing.

To remove the camera and the mount follow above process in reverse.

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05/28/09 

### Low Light Black and White Video

NOTE :

 The remote control of shutter and zo om is not available with the Low Light Camera.

 The camera tilt control is reversed, when mounted to the Low Light Camera. This can be adjusted using the video setup menu on the configuration screen of the handheld controller.

 The Helicopter Camera Voltage set ting in the Hand Held Controller

needs to be set to 9.3 volts.

Camera Installation

o Setup- connect the camera to mount using four mounting bolts. Connect wiring harness connectors from came ra to corresponding connectors on underside of Draganflyer X6.

o Operation – consult camera user’s manual.

Camera Receiver

o Setup- plug video glasses or other recording device into handheld controller output jacks.

o Operation -power up video glasses or recording device. Live feed from camera allows for viewing what camera is seeing.

To remove the camera and the mount follow the above process in reverse.

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05/28/09 

### Thermal Infra-Red Video

NOTE :

 Remote control of shutter and zoom is not available with the Thermal
Infra-Red Camera.

 The Helicopter Camera Voltage set ting in the Hand Held Controller

needs to be set to 9.3 volts.

Camera Installation

o Setup- connect your camera to the mount using two mounting bolts. Connect wiring harness connectors from came ra to corresponding connectors on underside of Draganflyer X6

o Operation – consult camera user’s manual

Camera Receiver

o Setup- plug video glasses or other recording device into handheld controller output jacks.

o Operation -power up video glasses or recording device. Live feed from camera allows for viewing what camera is seeing.

To remove the camera and mount fo llow above process in reverse.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 

## GROUND CONTROL BASE STATION

The Draganflyer X6 Ground Control Base Stat ions is an advanced tool for flight operations. That connects to your computer to view in real ti me all flight telemetry and live video from the Draganflyer X6.



### Minimum Computer System Requirements:

 Operating System:

o Microsoft Windows XP, or

o Microsoft Windows Vista

 CPU:

o Intel Core2, 1.8GHz, or

o AMD Athlon 64, 2.4GHz

 Ram:

o 1GB (Windows XP)

o 1.5GB (Windows Vista)

 Free Hard Drive Space:

o 1GB for the base install including prerequisites. * Saving video, data logs, and flight databases will require additional

space.

 Video Card:

o Intel 945G >= 128MB VRAM, or

o NVidia Geforce 6xxx >= 128MB VRAM, or

o ATI Radeon 9550 >= 128MB VRAM

 Video Capture Device:

o Included with Wireless Video Base Station

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09  DirectX Version:

o 9.0 or higher

 .NET Framework:

o Version 3.5 or higher * Downloads automatically with our installer

 Microsoft SQLServer:

o MS SQLServer CE or higher * Downloads automatically with our installer

 Internet Connection:

o Required for software installation and updates.

o Not required for normal use



### Software Installation: For software installation your computer must have a working internet connection. Insert the “Draganflyer X6 Helicopter Base Sta tion Software” CD included with your Base

Station.

If your computer has auto-run enabled the installation menu should open automatically. If this does not occur go to “My Computer” and select the appropriate CD drive, and run “Setup.exe” which is found in th e main directory of the CD.

If running from a limited account, or on Vista, the installer will request the necessary privileges to install the drivers and software; in the event that this fails you may need to run the installer when logged in to an administrator account.

Once the installation menu has been started it will present you with 4 options, including a “read me” guide. Please open and fully r ead this guide before continuing with

installation.

After software installation is completed please refer to the user’s manual within the ground station software. This manual can be accessed under the “help” menu and then “Options” entry.



### Set up
For your convenience extendable legs which scr ew into the bottom of the base station case are

stored in the lid of the base station.

Ensure that the locking collars for the adjustments are locked as failing to ensure this could result in the table leg collapsing.

Remove the white antenna from the lid storage ar ea and thread it onto the N-Female connector. Straighten the Telemetry Antenna.

Positioning Flat Patch Antennas Unfold the arms on the dual flat patch an tenna, and point the face with the bump on it directly at the area in which the Draganflyer X6 helicopter will be flying. If the area is

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05/28/ large, use one patch antenna to cover half of it, and the seco nd patch antenna to cover the

second half.



### Connecting to Computer:

The Base Station connects to your computer through a US B cable, connected to the “USB” plug on the main control panel and an open USB port on your computer. Once the ground station software is r unning and your base station a nd helicopter are turned on click the antenna icon in the top left corn er of the screen, it will turn green when

connected to the base stati on and red when disconnected.



### Powering the Ground Control Base Station: The Base Station is powered by a 4 cell 14.8 volt 2700mAh lithium-polymer battery, this is the same battery pack used in the Drag anflyer X6 airframe. On a full charge this battery should power the base station fo r up to 6 hours. For charging and safety instructions please refer to the “Battery Charging System” section of your Draganflyer

X6 Users Manual.

To connect the battery, lift the storage panel. In the bottom right corner is the base station battery area.

To turn on the base station connect the batt ery and press and hold the “Power – Select” button on the main control panel until the display illuminates. To turn off the base station press and hold the “Power-Select” button, th e screen will display “Hold Longer to Shutdown” continue holding unt il it displays “Release Now to Shutdown” then release

the button and it will turn off. Always be sure to disconnect the battery when the base station is not in use.



### Low Voltage Auto-Shutoff:

09 When the battery becomes fully discharged, a warning message will be displayed, followed by shutdown of the base station video receiver. If the Beep Sound is enabled, an audible beep will be heard. To prevent Auto-Shutoff from occurring, monitor the remaining battery life, and replace the battery before it becomes too low, the Auto-Shutoff occurs when the battery voltage level reaches 13.2 Volts or 0%.



### Navigating Menus:

When the base station is initia lly turned on it will display the battery voltage and approximate battery capacity remaining. On

this default screen the “Select” button has no function, to navigate through different menus press the le ft or right arrow buttons. When you wish to change a setting pre ss the “select button”, arrows will appear on the bottom line of the di splay press the left or right arrow button to change scroll th rough different setting options, press the “select” button to change the setting.

Channel:

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05/28/09 This menu will display the current channel the video receiver is operating on and will allow you to change between 1 of the 7 available channels. To change the channel press

“select” then choose the desired channel with the left and right arrow buttons and press “select”. When changing this operating channel be sure to adjust the channel on the video transmitter located on your camera mount.

Audio Out: This menu will display whether the audio out put will send a signal to the computer or display monitor. When set to enabled the base station will send an audio signal to the computer or display. Beep Sound: When enabled the base station will emit a beep each time a button is pushed and for any errors or warnings that may occur, when disabled the base station will not provide a beep tone however error messages and warni ng will still be displayed visually.

Connecting Analog Video Recorders, Monitors, & Glasses The Draganflyer X6 Base station provides standard composite analog output through RCA connectors on the top panel. Simply plug the composite video cable from your device to the yellow RCA video output.



## VIDEOGRAPHY

Creating great video with the Draganflyer X6 is much like creating great video with any other tool. Every type of shot , be it a boom shot or dolly shot, requires skill and practice.

So, the first step to good video is to become an experienced pilot. The fastest way to do this is to start by using a computer based flight simulator. A couple of hours practice using the simulator will make you comfortabl e with the controls. Next move to the Draganflyer X6 with the camera system removed.

After you are confident flying the Draganflyer X6 without the camera system, add it back to the assembly.

 Plan your shots carefully, taking into consideration the locale and current conditions. Wind is not your friend. You can fly if there is light wind but it will add a significant level of difficulty.

 Consider lighting as you would any ot her shot. Shoot with the sun behind you unless you are trying to develop a dramatic backlit scene.

 While you can fly and shoot alone, it is better to have someone watching the incoming video and giving you directions. Flying is hard enough without trying

to watch a monitor at the same time.

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05/28/09  The Draganflyer should be moving before the action starts you want to use in your shot. This will allow you to stab ilize the helicopter and achieve a smooth

motion.

 Film 5 to 10 seconds before and after capturing the footage to leave room for editing later.

 Plan several takes varying your speed and other movements. This will give you more choices when you edit.

 Try different motion approaches. Remember that rising vertically is more easily controlled than descending.

 In stable hover, use the yaw control (left stick) to create a slow circular pan.

 Combine movements like lifting off while using yaw to create interesting new perspectives.

Once you are confident in your ability to make the Draganflyer X6 go where you want it to go the sky is no longer the limit. Be safe, have fun and create awesome video.



## PRE-TRAINING FOR DRAGANFLYER X6

Flight Simulator Even if you are an experienced remote controll ed helicopter pilot we strongly suggest that you first train with a flight simu lator. You can use any flight simulator that provides for a two joystick configuration, with the left joystick providing th rottle and yaw and the right joystick providing pitch and roll. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with the control concepts which are used by the ha ndheld controller of the Draganflyer X6 helicopter.

Another good flight simulation training method is to use any small indoor helicopter that flies well, and has the same two joystick configuration as noted above. This will give you

the added benefit of actual fli ght in all three dimensions.

In addition to allow you to become more fa miliar with the contro l configuration, it will save you money by avoiding costly crashes due to being unfamiliar with the Draganflyer

X6.



### Blade MCX Training In this section, you will learn how to fly a helicopter with sim ilar control concepts as the Draganflyer X6. As most customers of the Draganflyer X6 UAV are new to RC flying, we have sent you a training helicopter, the Blade MCX. The Blade MCX is a standard, hobby grade RC helicopter whose basic flight ch aracteristics closely match those of the X6. Using the Blade MCX as a training helicopter means that the small mishaps that

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05/28/09 happen to everyone while learning how to fl y are inexpensive. We recommend that you practice the following flight ex ercises with your Blade MCX be fore attempting to fly the Draganflyer X6. If you have not acquired a Blade MCX for training purposes please refer

to www.rctoys.com

.

Setting Up the Practice Flight Area: Find a indoor area free of obstructions (an average living room will do), and set up a practice area resembling the figure 1 below. You can use any easy to see objects as

markers.

Pilot

Figure 1 – How To Set Up The Practice Flight Area

Flight Exercises

Exercise #1-Hoover: The first exercise is relatively simple. Ge t your Blade MCX ready for flight by following

the instructions that came with it. Set the helicopter on the floor in the center of the markers that you set up earlier, and slowly increase the throttle to around 50%. The helicopter should take off and start rising. Back off on the throttle a small amount and try to maintain a hover. If required use the trim ta bs for roll, pitch and ya w to try to keep the

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05/28/09 helicopter hovering in one spot. When setting trims make only small adjustments then see how the helicopter reacts to the adjustment. Don't use any of the other flight controls unless the helicopter starts to drift. Hold the helicopter in a steady hover for a few minutes, then slowly decrease the throttle and allow it to settle to the ground. Ideally, the helicopter should stay at exact ly the same spot over the ground while hovering. To help you keep track of it's position above th e ground, use the markers set up earlier.

Exercise #2- Roll: Once you are confident hovering in one place, you can try moving the helicopter around. Begin by hovering above a marker, and then gen tly push the right tran smitter stick to the left. Don't push it too far, just enough to make it start to move to the left. This will cause the helicopter to tilt over slightly and begin moving to th e left. As long as you apply inputs the helicopter will continue moving in the direction you are applying direction to. As you near the next marker move the joysti ck back to center th is should cause the helicopter to again be verti cal and directional movement should discontinue after any speed has been depleted. Hoover momentarily at that marker then move the joystick to the right to move the helicopter back to the center marker and then onto the right marker. Practice moving it left and ri ght until you are conf ident, then move on to the next exercise. You will find the more input you provi de the steeper the angle of the helicopter

is which causes an increase in the speed of the flight.

Exercise #3 - Pitch: Start in a hover like before, and push the right transmitter stick forward slightly. This will cause the helicopter's nose to drop, and the helic opter will start to trav el forward. As with the roll inputs the same type or reaction applies to pitch. To eliminate forward movement re-centre the right joystick, this will ca use forward motion to cease once any momentum is depleted. If you move the joystick back pa st centre it will cause the helicopter to fly backward. Practices moving from marker to marker to become familiar with the pitch

control.

Exercise #4 - Yaw: The Blade MCX can rotate, pointing the nose in a new direction. C ontrol yaw (rotational motion) by nudging the left transmitter stick left or right. Cancel out any spin you cause by nudging the stick in the opposite direction to re-centre it.

Practice flying the Blade MCX around the perime ter of the rectangle of markers set up earlier, keeping the nose poi nting in these positions:

1) Left 2) Right 3) Towards you 4) In the direction the Blade MCX is traveling.

Exercise #5:

Once you become confident holding the nose in these positions, try flying a square figure 8 while holding the nose in a given position. The figure 8 should be flat, with the

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05/28/09 helicopter maintaining the same altitude th roughout the maneuver. You can also try flying in diagonal movements by incorporating both pitch and roll.

When you feel confident flying the Blade MCX using all the controls, you should be able to fly it to any desired location and land. B ecoming proficient at flying the Blade MCX will prepare you to pilot the Draganflyer X6, and should reduce mishaps when flying.



## FLIGHT TRAINING

TRAINER FLIGHT

There isn’t an easier way to learn to fly the Draganflyer X6 than using the “buddy” system and using an additional second handhe ld controller for training. The Draganflyer X6 trainer setup allows an instructor to give or limit the amount and type of control to the student. In order to set up th e Draganflyer X6 for this method there are a number of steps that need to be followed so unexpected res ponses do not occur. The system is setup by programming the Master/Instructor Controller first then programming the Slave/Student

Controller.

Warning Ensure you have two handheld controlle rs and only one Draganflyer X6 helicopter prepared. Prior to the Buddy System being impl emented the instructor should fly the Draganflyer X6 using each of the handheld controllers separately to ensure the controllers and the Draganfly X6 are working properly.

Master Controller Setup

1. Turn on Draganflyer X6 helicopter

2. Turn on Master Controller to connect to he licopter and ensure it is synched to the Draganfly X6

3. Using Touch Screen tap “Config” once

4. Select “Trainer Setup” b y tapping “Trainer Setup” once

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05/28/09 5. Trainer Mode button should disp lay “Off”, select ”Master”

6. Select channel options you wish to a llow student to m anipulate by selecting

”Master” to retain control and “Slave” to give control to the student. Select this

for each of the controls.

The Master Controller can now turn ove r control to the s tudent once the Slave Controller has been set up and the Tr ainer button on the Ma ster Controller is depressed and held.

Slave Controller Setup Ensure no other Draganflyer X6 helicopter is turned on.

1. Turn on Slave Controller

2. Using Touch Screen tap “Config”

once 3. Select “Trainer Setup by tapping “Trainer Setup” once

4. Trainer Mode button should display “Off”, select ”Slave”

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05/28/09 5. Select “Acquire”. The controllers wi ll now communicate and acknowledge when they find each other by indi cating on the touch screen the status. For the Slave Controller a message box w ill show “Transmitte r correctly paired with Master” After pressing “Done” the Slave Contro ller will show” Master Found”. On the

Master Controller it will show “Slave Present”

In addition to the Touch Screen indication of statu s an audible set of tones will

dicate a change of stat us. A rising tone indicates control to the Slave. A

now obtain control of th e Draganflyer X6 for the options which

e instructor has allowed when the inst ructor depresses and holds the trainer

both hand held controllers are equal if control of rottle has been given, othe rwise the helicopter may sudde nly ascend or descend once

t is generally a good idea for th e instructor to start the flig ht by lifting off and placing

nce Trainer setup is selected no other telemetry information from the helicopter is f either controller.

ystem Off

. Tap “Off ” button once on touch screen.

o return to default touch screen.

1. Tap “Off ” button on touch screen.

Slave are retained on the Master Controller until changed. However, if the power has been cycled on either controller the setup as Master or Slave must be reset. in lowering of tones indicates control to the Master.

The student can

th

button down.

Ensure the throttle positions on

th
the traine r button is depressed.

I the helicopter in a stable hover before turning over control.

O displayed on the touch screen o

Turning Trainer S

Sl ave Controller

1

2. Tap “Done” t

Ma ster Con troller

2. Tap “Done” to return to default touch screen

Channel options settings for Master contro l to

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### FLIGHT LESSONS Lesson 1: Familiarization and Trimming: Start with the DraganflyX6 on a smooth, flat surface such as a paved driveway, patio or linoleum floor. The motors will begin spinning when you increase the throttle. Leave the throttle stick in a low position to give the mo tors a chance to spin up. Once they are all spinning (usually two seconds), you can add more throttle. Around half throttle the helicopter will take off.

You may notice the helicopter shak ing on its landing gear before it lifts off. This is normal. Add more throttle and the helicopte r will safely takeoff. A quick throttle increase from spin-up to takeoff will reduce the shaking. Slowly increase the throttle until the Draganflyer X6 is hovering two feet off the ground, do not incr ease the th rottle any further at this point. Slowly move the pitch (right stick, up/down motion) to observe its effect on the helicopter.

Repeat this with the roll (ri ght stick, left/right motion), and yaw (left stick, left/right motion) controls one at a time. By using th ese controls try your best to keep the Draganflyer X6 stationary. The Draganflyer X6 may drift in one or more directions. This

is what the trim tabs on the handheld controlle r are for. These trim tabs should be moved in the opposite direction that your helicopter is drifting.

For example, if the Draganflyer X6 wants to drift to the right you would need to apply left roll trim. When inputting trim correcti ons only use very small amounts and observe the effect. In some cases the Draganflyer X6 may drift in more than one direction. Start by correcting for the largest noticeable movement, then move on to the next one. You should become comfortable with trimming the he licopter, as it may need to be done after a crash or rough landing. Once all of the trim s are adjusted correctly you can move on to

the next lesson

NOTE: When landing there should be no forward speed, the Draganflyer X6 is designed for vert ical takeoff and landing. Allowing forward speed on landing may result in the helicopter tipping forward and damage to the rotors may result if they come into contact with the landing surface.

Do not under any circu mstances fu lly reduce the throttle during flight, this will cause a drastic dec rease in altitude and may result in

an uncoverable attitude and crash.

Lesson 2: Basic Hovering
In this lesso n, we will lift the Draganflyer X6 off of the ground a small distance and practice hovering in one spot. Fo r this lesson it is best to fl y over a flat, smooth surface

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05/28/09 again. Stay less than one foot above the gr ound, this will greatly lessen the chances of a crash. Remember that if you get disoriented or lose control simply re duce the throttle to minimum immediately. Trimming the Dragan flyer X6 is important and should be checked each flight so that it does not wander off on it’s own. For safety, stand about 15- 20 feet away from the Draganflyer X6, slowly increase the throttle unt il it begins to lift off from the ground.

Use gentle, smooth movements of the pitch, roll , and yaw controls to keep the helicopter on a stable, level position. It is important that you use the yaw control (left stick: left and right) to keep the front of the Draganflyer X6 pointed away from yourself. At this point do not worry about maintaining a perfect hover, just concentr ate on keeping the Draganflyer X6 level and within an imaginar y 10 foot by 10 foot square. If the helicopter

starts to oscillate back an d forth simply reduce the power to land and start again.

Learning to hover is the most di fficult part of flying a radio c ontrol helicopter so it is ok

if it takes a while.

Remember to take a break every 5-10 minutes to give yourself a rest. Once you are able to comfortably maintain a steady hover for 1–2 minutes you can increase the throttle to allow the Draganflyer X6 to climb up to waist or stomach height (For safety reasons, you should never fly at or near eye level). At this altitude, control will ac tually be easier, and you can practice tightening up that imaginar y square until you can maintain a steady

hover.

To descend for landing, decrease the throttle a small amount and allow the Draganflyer X6 to gently settle to th e ground. Keep practicing hovering as it is a requirement before being able to take off and land, as well as perform many other maneuvers. Most people will take 1-2 hours of practice to be able to hover steadily, so don’t get discouraged if you do not pick up the skill immediately.

Lesson 3: Movements
This tim e, we will learn to move the Drag anflyer X6 around in a hover. This will teach you how to transition from a hover to movi ng flight and back again. Prepare the Draganflyer using the same checklist and trim ming technique we have used in previous lessons. For this lesson you should also sele ct a location where you can take off and land on a smooth surface and fly over a grassy area. The edge of your driveway or patio would

be well suited for this if th e area is free of obstructions. If you are comfortable enough, you can begin this lesson by taking off closer to yourself (5 feet would be a minimum safe distance). This will allow you to keep the Draganflyer X6 over the grassy area for the duration of the flight. Lift 2-3 feet off the ground a nd gently push forward on the pitch control momentarily to move a safe distance away from yourself. Retu rn the pitch control to neutral once forward movement has begun. Pull back gently to cause the Draganflyer X6 to decelerate and then attempt to establish a hover at the waist/stomach level. Any time you give a control input to the Draganflyer X6 you will have to give the opposite control input to level out the helicopter. So if you input forward pitch the helicopter will continue flying forwards until

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05/28/09 you give it an equal backwards pitch input. Now, imagine a large square drawn on the ground in front of you. Using very gentle movements at first, and k eeping the front of the Draganflyer X6 away from yourself at all times, try to fly from one corner of the square to another along the edges. Allow a slight dela y after your control input for the Draganflyer X6 to accelerate/decelerate. As you make changes to the pitch and roll controls you may need to adjust the throttle to ma intain a steady altitude.

It is better to lose a small amount of altitude than to apply too much throttle and have the Draganflyer X6 climb out of your control, so be gentle on any throttle adjustments. Use appropriate pitch/roll control inputs to d ecelerate as you approach the corners of the imaginary square. Once you are comfortable flying front, back, left, or right, try combining the pitch and roll to fly dia gonally across the imaginary square. As you practice, slowly start adding more control i nputs to increase the speed of the movements until you can fly around that imaginary squa re at a comfortable walking pace. As always, remember to take a break ever y 5-10 minutes. If you choose to land in the grass ensure that the throttle is reduced to the lowest possible setting once on the ground to avoid stalling a motor. Takeoffs from grass are not recommended, as the blades of grass can be hard on the rotors and motors.

Lesson 4: Orientation The object o f this lesson will be to teach you to control the Draganflyer X6 in

orientations other than “nose- out” (front of the helicopter po inting away). Take off with the Draganflyer X6 and establish a stable hove r. Keep the helicopter fairly low to the ground as it is likely that you will lose c ontrol at least once during this lesson. Start by using the yaw co ntrol to slowly rotate the Dragan flyer X6 from left to right and back again (do not rotate fu rther than 10-15 degrees initia lly). Once you are comfortable spinning the Draganflyer X6, start rotating further until you have spun it 90 degrees from the starting position and maintain a hover with this orientation. It will help if you turn so you are facing in the same direction as the fr ont of the Draganflyer X6 and watching it over your shoulder. Remember to ta ke a break every 5-10 minutes. Once you master hovering the Draganflyer X6 with it turned 90 degrees, you can think about beginning to practice “nose-in” flight. To do this, you will be bestserved to repeat lessons 1, 2, and 3, but complete all these w ith the front of the Draganflyer X6 turned towards yourself. The roll and p itch controls will be reversed in this orientation, so don’t rush! Learning to fly “nose-in” will be just like learning to fly all over again, but don’t get discouraged! Try to practice a few minutes of nose-in each time you fly the Draganflyer X6, and continue throug h the rest of the flying lessons.

Lesson 5: Climbs and Descents Now you are ready to begin flying the Draganflye r X6 at higher altit udes. The helicopter does not know it has gone any higher, so the onl y real factor here is your own nerves.

Clim bing is easy; just add power and it wi ll smoothly climb up. Reduce the throttle setting to hover, and the climb will stop naturally (remember, small movements are essential). Descending is more difficult, because the Draganflyer X6 forces air downwards to generate the lift it needs to fly (this is called downwash), as you descend vertically, you will pass into air that is moving downwards, causing the helicopter to accelerate as it descends. To counter this, you can either begin the descent and then add

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05/28/09 small amounts of power as necessary to offset the downwards acceleration, or you can descend while moving the Draganflyer X6 forwards, backwards, left, or right. Descending in this manner will allow you to fly outside of the downwash the helicopter generates. Set up for this lesson by first ma king sure your batteries are fully charged. Stand well away, as you will be passing through your eye level, and make sure any spectators are also a safe distance away. Star t by establishing a hover, then add power to climb to just above your head. Reduce power to stop the climb, settle back into a hover, then slowly descend. Keep the front of the Dr aganflyer X6 away from you at all times. Repeat this process until you can climb and descend comfortably. Now you can begin climbing higher and faster. However keep in mind that the higher you fly, the greater the risk of causing damage in a crash. As well, you should keep the remaining power in the battery in mind, as you will be drawing more power from the flight battery by climbing repeatedly.

Lesson 6: Introduction to Forward Flight Anytim e the Draganflyer X6 is moving horiz ontally through the air, it is considered forward flight; this could be forwards, backwards, left or right. This is an advanced topic, so this lesson will be fairly brief. Select a large, open area, away from anything or anybody that the Draganflyer X6 might cause da mage to. Prepare for flight and trim the helicopter. Begin by establishing a hover just above your head and at least 25-30 feet away from yourself.

Turn 90 degrees and start moving forwards. Continue the forward motion, and turn to begin flying in a circle around yourself. Do not fly around yourself continuously, as you may get dizzy; instead, fly a few circles to th e left and then to the right, taking breaks often. Try to maintain a consta nt altitude and to keep the front of the Draganflyer X6 continuously pointed in the direction of motion. Once you can fly circles around yourself, try reversing direction as you complete each circle and climbing/descending as you fly.

Lesson 7: Advanced Forward Flight If you have m astered basic forward flight and nose-in flight, you are tr uly a master of the Draganflyer X6. Flying figure- 8s will be the last test. Once you can fly the figure-8 consistently and repeatedly, you are ready to perform any other advanced maneuvers such as pirouettes, fast forward (and backward !) flight, rapid climbs and descents, and anything else you can think of. Please remember however, to keep safety first. It’s no fun when somebody gets hurt.

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05/28/09 

## Flight Troubleshooting

PROBLEM POSSIBLE

CAUSES SOLUTION

Handheld controller

not connected to Draganflyer X6 Turn on Draganflyer X6, and then turn on controller. The controller should emit a triple-beep, indicating it has connected. Also when connected you will see telemetry on the controllers screen The Draganflyer X6 is not armed yet Ensure you are holding the left controller stick in its lower right corner for at least five seconds. You will hear a beeping tone and the LED lights will stop flashing once armed Draganflyer X6 won’t

start the motors at all

The GPS Position

Hold Switch is not in

Manual Mode Ensure the GPS switch is dow n in Manual Flight mode, you will receive and audible and visual warning when trying to take off in GPS or Altitude hold. Draganflyer X6 will

not turn on Fuse may be blown Check the fuse on the bott om of the helicopter to ensure it is not blown replace if necessary. Shut the motors off by going to the lowest throttle setting on the handheld controller’s left stick. Slowly advance the throttle stick until motors begin to power up. Leave the throttle stick at a low setting until all motors are spinning slowly and smoothly. It is now OK to throttle up more If one motor always fails to start, despite repeated attempts on your part, it may be damaged or disconnected. Open the motor pod for inspection, and ensure both motors are connected properly. Swap connectors between upper and lower motors One motor doesn’t start properly Poor signal, damaged

or disconnected

Launch Draganflyer X6 Interface program



### . Utilize single motor utility to help trouble shoot the problem Check for this behavior indoors, to rule out the effects

of wind Inspect each motor to ensure it spins freely, and each rotor by looking for cracks and missing sections. Inspect the Draganflyer X6 ci rcuit board. Ensure it is solidly mounted to the ca rbon fiber plate via the insulating soft-mounts Draganflyer X6 requires a lot of stick input or trim to hold

level. Wind, damaged rotors, insecure

circuit board

If the problem hasn’t been spotted, contact Draganfly Innovations. You may need to send in the Draganflyer X6 circuit board for repair

Out of calibration Conduct the Ca libration Test, and set Magnetic

Declination Calibration and the Vertical Direction

Calibration Draganflyer X6 spins in circles despite yaw input.

Yaw control trim is Center the yaw trim

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05/28/09 not centered If the problem persis ts, contact Draganfly Innovations. Your Draganflyer X6 circuit board may require repair Conduct the Calibration Test, and set Magnetic

Declination Calibration and the Vertical Direction

Calibration Draganflyer X6 flies in very large circles while in GPS Flight Mode Out of calibration

If the problem persists, c ontact Draganfly Innovations. You probably need to send in your X6 circuit board for repair Degraded batteries, Normal flight times are 18-20 minutes without a payload, and 7-15 minutes with a payload. If yours are significantly shorter, you pr obably need to replace your Draganflyer X6 lithium batteries.

Overheated motors After a flight, f eel the six motors to gauge their temperatures. If one or two are especially hot, the motors may need replacing Flight times are very

short.

Damaged rotor blades Inspect rotor bl ades for damage including chips and crack, replace all damaged rotors before flying.

Poor satellite

conditions The ideal conditions for acqui ring a satellite lock are: outside, clear sky, and no n earby buildings, trees, or

hills.

GPS may be “cold starting” After not being used for several days the GPS system may take 5 to 15 minutes to acquire a lock.

The GPS module may need to be reset Disconnect the battery from the helicopter, move the GPS power switch, located on the lower GPS board toward the front of the helicopter for 5 seconds then return to the on position to ward the back of the helicopter. The GPS will “cold start” after this. GPS refuses to acquire

a satellite lock.

damaged GPS

antenna GPS antennas are sensitive to impact, and may be ruined in a crash despite appearing fine. A motor arm is wobbly Damaged frame Your Dr aganflyer X6 may have a damaged frame. Inspect it carefully for cracks and missing pieces, and

also for the source of the extra arm movement. Purchase replacement parts to solve this problem. If a top motor is loose, either the motor’s bolts are loose, or its motor mount is broken. A bottom motor may be loose for the same reasons, or because the lower section of the pod is loose. A motor is loose in its pod Loose bolts, broken

motor mounts

Remove the bottom motor from the pod to gain access

to the motor mounts a nd internal bolts. The Draganflyer X6 will not properly hold

in GPS mode. Poor GPS conditions. Entering a Hold M ode before the Draganflyer X6 has acquired a sufficient satellite lock is impossible. You can flip the switch, but the Draganflyer X6 will remain under your control. Use the Interface program to

determine the status of th e GPS, and try entering a Hold Mode again once the Draganflyer X6 is ready.

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05/28/09 Trim tabs not

centered The trim tabs will effect the flight during GPS position hold, ensure the trim tabs are at the center position

Wind conditions are too high The GPS Position Hold will only reliably work in windspeeds up to 6 mph (10km/h) Magnetometer out of

calibration Ensure Magnetic Declination and Inclination

calibrations have been performed. Conduct Heading

Test If this problem persists contact Draganfly Innovations.

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05/28/09 

## Glossary of Terms

If you find a term in the manual that you don’t understand, look here for its definition.

 Accelerometer – An accelerometer measures acceler ation (change in velocity) in

3 dimensions.

 Altitude – A measure of how high something is. Altitude can be measured above ground level, or above sea level.

 Altitude Hold Flight Mode – The helicopter will maintain altitude with this flight mode turned on.

 Attitude – Attitude is a term for the orientat ion of an aircraft, in other words, which way it’s pointing.

 Barometric Pressure Sensor – A barometer senses atmospheric pressure. The Draganflyer X6 comes equipped with a small electric barometer, which is used to

sense and hold altitude.

 Bearing – The direction that the helicopter is moving.

 Brushless Motor – A type of electric motor powered by DC (direct current) electricity. They provide superior performance to brushed motor designs.

 Celsius – The metric measure of temperature. In America, temperature is usually measured in degrees Fahrenheit. Switch between metric and imperial units by selecting config > basic config > di splay units in the transmitter menu.

 Climb Rate – The rate of change of an aircrafts altitude.

 dBm – Short for Decibel Milliwatt, this is another measure of power, but

referenced to one Milliwatt.

 Direct Drive – Each motor shaft is directly attached to a rotor blade, without using gears.

 DSSS – Short for Direct Sequence Spread Sp ectrum, this is a type of spread spectrum technology. Spread spectrum radi os “spread” their frequencies across different wavelengths, which reduces radio interference.

 Gb – A gigabyte is a measure of data capacity.

 Ghz – Short for Giga Hertz, this unit is used to measure frequency in billions of cycles per second.

 GPS – Short for Global Positioning System, a GPS receiver locks on to radio signals from several satellites and us es them to determine its location.

 GPS Hold Flight Mode – This flight mode holds both altitude and position without pilot input.

 Gyro – A Gyro (short for gyroscope) is a device which m easures or maintains orientation based on the principles of a ngular momentum. In the simplest case, a gyroscope contains a disc which spins extremely fast. The spinning disc has

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05/28/09 angular momentum, so it will tend to main tain its position. The helicopter senses its rotation relative to the gyro, a nd the computer nulls out any motion.

 Hard Iron Calibration – Do NOT do this calibration unless you are specifically instructed to by Draganfly Innovations Inc

. This calibration corrects for any magnetic interference by the heli copters internal components.

 Heading – The direction that the helicopter nose is pointing.

 Kbps – Short for kilo bytes pe r second, this unit is used to describe the rate at which data is transmitted. One byte is 8 bits , with each bit being either a 1 or a 0, so 1 kilo byte means that 8000 bits are being transmitted every second.

 Latitude - The elevation angle of the helic opter above or be low the equator.

 LED – Light emitting diode. A light emitting diode is a highly efficient and very bright light source.

 Lithium Polymer Battery – Lithium polymer batteri es technologically evolved from lithium ion batteries, and use a lithium salt electrolyte held in a polymer composite to achieve superior capacity and performance.

 Lm – Lumen, or unit of luminous flux. This measures how bright something is, or the perceived power of light.

 Magnetic Declination – Magnetic declination measures how much difference there is between magnetic north and tr ue north at your location. The Earths magnetic field does not align w ith the north pole, so the Draganflyer X6 has to be

calibrated to correct for this differenc e. See page 49 of the manual for more

information.

 Magnetometers – A sophisticated electronic compass, which allows the Draganflyer X6 to sense it’s orientati on relative to the Earth’s magnetic field.

 mAh – Short for Milli Amp Hour, this unit measures the capacity of a battery, or the total charge that it can provide.

 Manual Flight Mode – When flying the Draganflyer X6 manually, the altitude and GPS hold features are off, giving you complete control of the UAVs position.

 mW – Short for Milliwatt, this is a measure of power, or the rate at which energy is emitted. One watt corresponds to one Joule of energy per second, and milli means “thousandth”, so one Milliwatt is a thousandth of a Joule per second.

 Omni Directional – Omni Directional is a term us ually used to describe a radio transmitter that emits a signal evenly in all directions.

 Pitch – How far an aircrafts nose is tilted up or down.

 Radio Waves / Radio Signal – A radio is a device which emits electromagnetic waves with a long wavelength, on the order of 1 meter in length. These waves are transmitted and received by the helicopter and transmitter, allowing

communication between them.

 RoHS - Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in

electrical an d elec tronic equipment.

 Roll – How much an aircraft is rotated side to side.

 Servo – A servo is a digital device which changes the orientation of a mechanical component. Servos are used to control the camera tilt on the Draganflyer X6 Helicopter.

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05/28/09  Spotter – A spotter is a person designated to look for hazards in the air or on the ground, so that the pilot can concentrate on flying.

 Stall – For a helicopter type aircraft like th e Draganflyer X6, a st all (loss of lift) occurs when the angle of attack (amount of tilt relative to th e ground) is too steep. Recover from a stall by pitching forward.

 Telemetry – Refers to all the sensor measurements and flight data.

 Throttle – The throttle is the flight contro l which corresponds to how fast the motors and rotor blades are spinning. The throttle directly co ntrols the thrust produced by the rotor blades, and thus the altitude of the helicopter.

 Trim – Adding trim to the helicopter co mpensates for unwanted drift in any

direction.

 Vertical Magnetic Field – A measure of how tilted the Earths magnetic field lines are at your location. See page 52 of the manual for calibration instructions.

 VTOL – Abbreviated form of “Vertical Ta keoff and Landing”. A VTOL aircraft can take off and land vertically, with out needing a runway to accelerate.

 Watt - The SI unit of power, one Watt is one Joule of energy per second.

 Wired Whip Antenna – A type of radio antenna, used to transmit radio waves.

 Yaw – How much an aircraft is rotated left or right.



## Transmitter Abbreviations and Terms

Some of the terms used in the transmitter menus and displays might not be familiar to new operators. The following is a list of all the non obvious menu entries and display terms found in the Draganflyer X6 transmitter.

 Barometric Altitude – This is the altitude a bove ground level as determined by the onboard barometer.

 GPS Altitude – This is the altitude as determined by the GPS.

 GPS PDOP – Stands for Positional Dilution of Precision. This bar indicates GPS signal quality. A value of 1 is cons idered ideal, with larger values indicating lower signal stre ngth. A PDOP of less than 3 is sufficient for GPS position hold.

 GPS Svs – This bar indicates the number of satellites that the Draganflyer X6 is currently communicating with. 6 satell ites are required for the position hold

feature to work.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09 

## Glossary of Terms

If you find a term in the manual that you don’t understand, look here for its definition.

 Accelerometer – An accelerometer is an electromechanical device that will measure acceleration (change in speed and di rection) forces. These forces may be static, like the constant force of gravit y pulling at your feet, or they could be dynamic - caused by moving or vibrating the accelerometer.

 Altitude – A measure of how high something is. Altitude can be measured above ground level, or above sea level.

 Altitude Hold Flight Mode – The helicopter will maintain altitude with this flight mode turned on howeve r it will not hold its position.

 Attitude – Attitude is a term for the angle the ai rcraft is tilted in reference to the

horizon.

 Barometric Pressure Sensor – A barometer senses atmospheric pressure. The Draganflyer X6 comes equipped with a small electric barometer, which is used to

sense and hold altitude.

 Bearing – The direction that the helicopter is moving.

 Brushless Motor – A type of electric motor powered by DC (direct current) electricity. They provide superior performance to brushed motor designs.

 Celsius – The metric measure of temperature. In America, temperature is usually measured in degrees Fahrenheit. Switch between metric and imperial units by selecting config > basic config > di splay units in the transmitter menu.

 Climb Rate – The speed with which the airc raft is increasing its altitude.

 dBm – Short for Decibel Milliwatt, this is another measure of power, but

referenced to one Milliwatt.

 Direct Drive – Each motor shaft is directly attached to a rotor blade, without using gears.

 DSSS – Short for Direct Sequence Spread Sp ectrum, this is a type of spread spectrum technology. Spread spectrum radi os “spread” their frequencies across different wavelengths, which reduce radio interference.

 Gb – A gigabyte is a measure of data capacity.

 Ghz – Short for Giga Hertz, this unit is used to measure frequency in billions of cycles per second.

 GPS – Short for Global Positioning System, a GPS receiver locks on to radio signals from several satellites and us es them to determine its location.

 GPS Hold Flight Mod e – This flight mode holds both altitude and position without pilot input.

 Gyro – A Gyro (short for gyroscope) is an electronic device which measures or maintains orientation based on the principles of angular momentum. In the simplest case, a gyroscope detects the a ngle the aircraft is at. The helicopter

senses its rotation relative to the gyro, and the comput er cancels out any motion.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

87
05/28/09  Hard Iron Calibration – Do NOT do this calibration unless you are specifically instructed to by Draganfly Innovations Inc

. This calibration corrects for any magnetic interference by the heli copters internal components.

 Heading – The direction that the helicopter nose is pointing.

 Kbps – Short for kilo bytes pe r second, this unit is used to describe the rate at

which data is transmitted.

 Latitude - The elevation angle of the helic opter above or be low the equator.

 LED – Light emitting diode. A light emitting diode is a highly efficient and very bright light source.

 Lithium Polymer Battery – Lithium polymer batteri es technologically evolved from lithium ion batteries, and use a lithium salt electrolyte held in a polymer composite to achieve superior capacity and performance.

 Lm – Lumen, or unit of luminous flux. This measures how bright something is, or the perceived power of light.

 Magnetic Declination – Magnetic declination measures how much difference there is between magnetic north and tr ue north at your location. The Earths magnetic field does not align w ith the north pole, so the Draganflyer X6 has to be

calibrated to correct for this differenc e. See page 49 of the manual for more

information.

 Magnetometers – A sophisticated electronic compass, which allows the Draganflyer X6 to sense it’s orientati on relative to the Earth’s magnetic field.

 mAh – Short for Milli Amp Hour, this unit measures the capacity of a battery, or the total charge that it can provide.

 Manual Flight Mode – When flying the Draganflyer X6 manually, the altitude and GPS hold features are off, giving you complete control of the UAVs position.

 mW – Short for Milliwatt, this is a measure of power, or the rate at which energy is emitted. One watt corresponds to one Joule of energy per second, and milli means “thousandth”, so one Milliwatt is a thousandth of a Joule per second.

 Omni Directional – Omni Directional is a term us ually used to describe a radio transmitter that emits a signal evenly in all directions.

 Pitch – A flight control used to describe if the nose is tilting up or down. The pitch of the aircraft is what makes it move forward or back.

 Radio Waves / Radio Signal – A radio is a device which emits electromagnetic waves with a long wavelength, on the order of 1 meter in length. These waves are transmitted and received by the helicopter and transmitter, allowing

communication between them.

 RoHS - Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in

electrical an d elec tronic equipment.

 Roll – A flight control used to describe if th e aircraft is tilting left or right. Tilting the aircraft left or right will cau se it to go in that direction.

 Servo – A servo is a device which change s the orientation of a mechanical component. Servos are used to control the camera tilt on the Draganflyer X6 Helicopter.

 Spotter – A spotter is a person designated to look for hazards in the air or on the ground, so that the pilot can concentrate on flying.

## Draganflyer X6 – Users Manual

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05/28/09  Stall – A stall is a loss of lift. This occurs when a wing or rotor of an aircraft is tilted to steep rela tive to the ground.

 Telemetry – Refers to all the sensor measurements and flight data transmitted during flight.

 Throttle – The throttle is the flight contro l which corresponds to how fast the motors and rotor blades are spinning. The throttle directly co ntrols the thrust produced by the rotor blades, and thus the altitude of the helicopter.

 Trim – Adding trim to the helicopter co mpensates for unwanted drift in any

direction.

 Vertical Magnetic Field – A measure of how the Earths magnetic field differs from true North at your location. See page 52 of the manual for calibration

instructions.

 VTOL – Abbreviated form of “Vertical Ta keoff and Landing”. A VTOL aircraft can take off and land vertically, with out needing a runway to accelerate.

 Watt - The SI unit of power, one Watt is one Joule of energy per second.

 Wired Whip Antenna – A type of radio antenna, used to transmit radio waves.

 Yaw – How much an aircraft is rotate d left or right on a horizontal axis.



## Transmitter Abbreviations and Terms

Some of the terms used in the transmitter menus and displays might not be familiar to new operators. The following is a list of all the non obvious menu entries and display terms found in the Draganflyer X6 transmitter.

 Barometric Altitude – This is the altitude a bove ground level as determined by the onboard barometer.

 GPS Altitude – This is the altitude as determined by the GPS.

 GPS PDOP – Stands for Positional Dilution of Precision. This bar indicates GPS signal quality. A value of 1 is cons idered ideal, with larger values indicating lower signal stre ngth. A PDOP of less than 3 is sufficient for GPS position hold.

 GPS Svs – This bar indicates the number of satellites that th e GPS receiver is currently communicating wit h. For the position hold f eature to work the GPS receiver in the aircraft requires communication with 6 or more satellites.