Align APS

Looks like Align is jumping on the bandwagon with autopilots, appears to be GPS driven as well as working with flybarless heads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4yp37VvlcQ&hd=1

 

Just found a second video, WOW, the Align APS fully supports soda drinking and eating BBQ chicken with chop sticks while flying a large RC helicopter. And look at the formation FPV shots from about 2:00 on in the video. This will give Wookong some serious competition if the price is right.

It will really solve a lot of the issues I have with flying helicopters because I usually get so hungry and thirsty during my flights:  ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td5dVxTrygU&hd=1

 

I think the RC helicopter companies must be taking a beating with all the quads, hexacopters and octacopters on the market.  Even thought this Align system looks nice it is still a catch up product to what is already available for helicopters from DJI and others.

If the price is low enough it might cause other companies like DJI to go even lower so in that way the competition is good, but there is no way the RC helicopter companies are going to be taking away from the RC quad business.  The quads just have too may advantages.  They are easier to fly, have less moving parts and most of the tweaking is done on your computer instead of via a dozen little mechanical linkages and the radio/computer.  Arguably the quads also fly better and can do pretty decent acrobatics if you want.

I think GAUI was smart to get into the quad business a while back.  It will be interesting to see if Align comes out with a quad in the near future.

 

The Align APS system is now in pre-order status with delivery around the end of June. Of all the global sites I have looked at it ranges from $800 to $900. At this price this will be a game changer in the trad heli flight control world.

 

Does it do waypoints, or just return to home?

 

My understanding is that it does do waypoints.

 

But is is for helicopter, not for multirotors right?

 

Yes, regular helicopters. So it is competition for Wookong-H since it is half the price. Not sure what ground station it will hook up to yet.......

 

I still think Align needs to get into the quad/multirotor game.

 

Have you seen prices yet?

 

For their 'electronics' at teh least it's a given ALIGN is NOT a 'Tier One' manufacturer so I wonder who is doing the OEM work for them this time?
FYI: Yup it's typical for ANY of the electronics ALIGN's provided in the past, ½ the price thus ½ the quality
Disclaimer: I only like ALIGN for their Airframes and I've never been a "Fanboy" of their 'Electronic' packages, too many "stories"

 

They are $800 but you have to have the Align 3GX so it is $1000.00 total.

http://www.readyheli.com/PREORDER-HEGAPSO1-Align-APS-Gyro-PREORDER_p_40452.html

They come out next week, I don't know who makes it, and I don't know if it works on gassers. Align has been very quiet about it for some reason. But it is the only RTH failsafe helicopter unit out there that does not cost over $3000.00

DJI does not RTH until you hit the $3500 mark..... And I have been hearing bad things about thier firmware, if you lose GPS signal you lose cyclic control for 10 seconds!

 

Yeah, as to who is making the APS System for ALIGN I'm sure some smart'n sharp fella will figure it out soon enough 
... Yup Gassers w/ their excessive vibrations could be an issue but this (as you know) is always an issue for any Gyro System. But again (I suppose) we will know soon enough if this is also an issue w/ the APS

To clarify my point jus a little ... ALIGN's come along way from their earlier offerings, from a day when their ESC's would BURST into flames (literally). They have learned but as far as the community goes and from those who's been around long enough to really know ALIGN, ALIGN have always had an uphill battle w/ negative opinion going against them

[acronym=To be FAIR and in this case an effort to be fair to ALIGN's new APS (GPS) Gyro System]T.b.F[/acronym]: I believe ALIGN have improved upon their earlier reputation ...
... but TIME will TeLL soon enough if they have a WINNER (or not) w/  their new APS (GPS) Gyro system

And for what's it's worth if I was to put out anything like a recommendation, I would say "Best SIT-on-the-Fence w/ a Wait & See stance" I would wait to see what the first of the Reviewers (and possibly some of teh early users) have to say before I would send any cash their way ...
... even for ½ the money, for allot of people $800 is still allot of doe !?!

hehe, Time Will Tell ...
      [acronym=w00d AKA: pwoodyp - EYE See! VOICE of the O.pin.ion.at.ed ... And for anyone interested clicking the LINK here will take you to my PhotoBucket RSS page where you will see my most resent helicopter related uploads. Thanks for Looking][shadow=grey,left][size=0.9em]w[/size][size=1.2em]00[/size][size=0.9em]d[/size][/shadow][/acronym]




[hr]

 

First user info about the APS, he said that he spent two full days on the setup and made sure everything was perfect, did not skip any steps, this was the result of flipping the auto level switch ON:

 

Tell him I'll take the transmitter if he's done with it.

 

Wonder if this could have had anything to do with the mishap?

 

WOW! Thanks for finding this. I keep seeing this called the APS gyro and cant find good info on if it has accelerometers or not. This kinda confirms that. That is the the exact same thing that the Skookum 720 says in its manual. This just fell of my shopping list and into the trash can. For over $1000.00 what a POS.........

 

Just watched some of the 17 minute setup video. I see why it takes two days to get it working. Jeeeez. Once flying you have to use a toggle switch on your tx to talk to the APS by sending it Morse code! What?

 

Sounds to complicated for me.  ???