Since 2008, Thunder Power RC Race Series LiPo batteries have set never-before-seen industry-leading standards in performance, reliability and longevity for electric-powered vehicles. They continue to be the batteries to have or be beat by at tracks world-wide while racking up long lists of local, regional and world championship wins and records in all forms and classes of racing. In last 2010, we expanded upon those successes by adding the 1/10th Scale Z3R 540 Brushless motor series to our product line up. In six short months, the Z3R motors have won Snowbirds, ROAR National Title, The Reedy Race of Champions, Tour Oval and NAMBA National races. Continuing to expand upon these successes, Thunder Power RC is proud to introduce the all-new Z3R-8 Sensored Brushless Motors for the RC surface market. Designed, developed and tested at the hands of top racers world-wide, Z3R-8 Sensored Brushless Motors are built to deliver maximum performance and reliability.

Thunder Power RC’s Z3R-8 Sensored Brushless motor series is designed for use in 1/8th scale, off-road vehicle applications. Z3R-8 motors are high-powered for pro-level performance and are available in 1400Kv, 1900Kv, 2100Kv and 2400Kv for any buggy. Each motor is constructed from high-quality materials including a balanced, high-strength 4-pole neodymium rotor, high-temperature coated copper wire and plated copper solder tabs, while features including easy-to-set adjustable timing from 0—25 degrees and fast-switching, high-temp sensors make it easy to maximize performance. The Z3R-8 motors are compatible with brushless sensored and sensorless electronic speed controls for flexibility in power system optimization. All Z3R motors are designed and developed from the ground-up, tested rigorously and race-proven in the hands of top racers world-wide including Paul Lemieux and others, Z3R brushless motors are built to deliver maximum performance and reliability.

Best of all, Z3R Brushless Motors are backed by Thunder Power RC’s industry-leading warranty and damaged replacement program coverage. The Z3R-8 Brushless Motors are now available for purchase by contacting your Thunder Power RC retailer.

Features: Ribbed, aluminum heat sink can with built-in cooling fins Balanced, high-strength 4-Pole neodymium rotor Easy-to-set, 0–25 degree adjustable timing High-temp coated pure copper wire Plated copper solder tabs Fast-switching, high-temp sensors Dual screw hole mounting pattern
Z3R-8 Brushless Motor Specifications: Timing: Adjustable (0–25 degrees) Motor Length: 2.72 in (69.2mm) Motor Diameter: 1.65 in (42.1mm) Shaft Diameter: 0.20in (5.0mm) Weight: 11.4 oz (323g)

Download Press Release
All New Z3R 8 Brushless Motors for 1/8th Scale Press Release

——
Do you need chargers, balancers, connectors and other accessories for your lithium polymer rechargeable RC batteries? We carry a huge selection available for purchase online or over the phone.
——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com

Since 2008, Thunder Power RC Race Series LiPo batteries have set never-before-seen industry-leading standards in performance, reliability and longevity for electric-powered vehicles. They continue to be the batteries to have or be beat by at tracks world-wide while racking up long lists of local, regional and world championship wins and records in all forms and classes of racing. In late 2010, we expanded upon those successes by adding the 1/10th Scale Z3R 540 Brushless motor series to our product line up. In just six short months, the Z3R motors have won Snowbirds, ROAR National Titles, The Reedy Race of Champions, Tour Oval and NAMBA National races. Continuing to expand upon these successes, Thunder Power RC is proud to introduce the all-new Z3R-8 Sensored Brushless Motors for the RC surface market. Designed, developed and tested at the hands of top racers world-wide, Z3R-8 Sensored Brushless Motors are built to deliver maximum performance and reliability.

Available late Summer 2011, Thunder Power RC’s Z3R-8 Sensored Brushless motor series is designed for use in 1/8th scale, off-road vehicle applications. Z3R-8 motors are high-powered for pro-level performance and are available in 1400Kv, 1900Kv, 2100Kv and 2400Kv for any buggy. Each motor is constructed from high-quality materials including a balanced, high-strength 4-pole neodymium rotor, high-temperature coated copper wire and plated copper solder tabs, while features including easy-to-set adjustable timing from 0—25 degrees and fast-switching, high-temp sensors make it easy to maximize performance. The Z3R-8 motors are compatible with brushless sensored and sensorless electronic speed controls for flexibility in power system optimization. All Z3R motors are designed and developed from the ground-up, tested rigorously and race-proven in the hands of top racers world-wide including Paul Lemieux and others, Z3R brushless motors are built to deliver maximum performance and reliability.

Download
All-New Z3R-8 Brushless Motors for RC Surface Vehicles Press Release

——
Do you need chargers, balancers, connectors and other accessories for your lithium polymer rechargeable RC batteries? We carry a huge selection available for purchase online or over the phone.
——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com

Do you have a need for speed? The Multiplex Funjet is the ultimate electric speed demon, even flown stock without any modifications. Flying at speeds in excess of 100 MPH requires high discharge batteries, and we’ve tested several new Generation 6 Thunder Power Lipo battery packs in the Funjet to determine the best setups for economical flying, mid range speed runs, or all out blazing fast power. Here’s a list of several tried and true setups that you can use with your Multiplex Funjet kit or receiver ready model.

Stock Motor, ESC and a G6 Pro Power 3s 2250 mAh Lipo

The stock 2700 Kv brushless motor and 37 Amp ESC in the Multiplex Funjet (Receiver Ready version) can push it to speeds of over 100 miles per hour with no modifications using a suitably high discharge lipo battery. We recommend a Thunder Power G6 Pro Power 65C 3s 2250 mAh lipo battery for this setup, not only because of the high power provided, but because this battery will fit neatly in the Funjet’s equipment bay. This battery has the capacity to provide flight times up to 10 minutes and has no problem providing the current that the stock setup requires. After soldering on some Deans connectors and plugging in the receiver of your choice, you will be ready to go flying.

Items Required to Complete this Setup (Including Receiver Ready Funjet):

• TP2250-3SPP65 Lipo Battery
• 3 channel (minimum) receiver + transmitter capable of elevon mixing
• Deans Ultra connector pair (for connecting battery to ESC)

Stock Motor, ESC and a Discount G4 Pro Power 30C 2 or 3 cell 2250 Lipo

While supplies last we are selling the last of the Generation 4 batteries by Thunder Power RC. For a relatively minimal decrease in performance, you can use a TP-2250-2SP30 (2 cell setup) or TP-2250-3SP30 (3 cell setup) with the stock equipment that the Multiplex Funjet RR comes with.

Items Required to Complete this Setup (Including Receiver Ready Funjet):

• TP-2250-2SP30 or TP-2250-3SP30 Lipo Battery
• 3 channel (minimum) receiver + transmitter capable of elevon mixing
• Deans Ultra connector pair (for connecting battery to ESC)

Upgraded ESC and 4 Cell 2250 Lipo Battery

This setup will provide you with a very, very fast RC airplane. Use the stock motor and propeller, but upgrade to a 4 cell battery and ESC.

Items Required to Complete This Setup (Including Receiver Ready Funjet):

• TP2250-4SPP65 Lipo Battery
• CC-PH60 60 amp brushless ESC
• 3 channel (minimum) receiver + transmitter capable of elevon mixing
• Deans Ultra connector pair (for connecting battery to ESC)

© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com

Hacker Brushless Motors has released a new upgrade for their popular A50-16S, updating the motor to version 2. This new brushless motor features the same performance specifications as its predecessor, but with several design improvements:

• A shorter can design, allowing the use of shorter standoffs for mounting which allows for more flexibility in choosing cowlings and mounting positions
• An integrated cooling fan, which replaces the removable on found in V1 series motors. This modification has reduced the weight of the motor by 50 grams.
• The front bearing has been removed, which reduces weight and increases the overall mechanical efficiency of the motor.
• Backwards compatibility with the V1 motors. With the exception of the shorter standoffs, the A50-14S-V2 is a drop-in replacement for its predecessor. Electrical specifications remain the same, only the physical characteristics of the motor have changed.

Specifications for the new V2 motor are:

• Motor Type: Brushless, Outrunner
• Weight: 345g (12.16 oz)
• Power: 1700 Watts
• RPM/Volt (KV): 378
• Continuous Current: 45A
• Burst Current: 70A

You can learn more about the new Hacker A50-16S-V2 brushless motor by visiting its product page. Upgrade your models to the newer, more efficient version today!
–

© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com

Hacker Brushless Motors has recently upgraded their popular A50-14S to version 2. This new brushless motor features the same performance specifications as its predecessor, but with several design improvements:

• A shorter can design, allowing the use of shorter standoffs for mounting
• An integrated cooling fan, replacing the removable on found in V1 motors. Integrating the fan ensures that the motor always gets proper cooling, without an added weight penalty.
• The front bearing has been removed, which reduces weight and increases the overall efficiency of the motor.
• Backwards compatibility with the V1 motors. With the exception of the shorter standoffs, the A50-14S-V2 is a drop-in replacement for its predecessor. Performance specifications remain the same, so the new V2 A50-14S brushless motor is suitable for use in the same models as the V1.

Specifications for the new V2 motor are:

• Motor Type: Brushless, Outrunner
• Weight: 345g (12.16 oz)
• Power: 1600 Watts
• RPM/Volt (KV): 425
• Continuous Current: 40A
• Burst Current: 55A

You can learn more about the new Hacker A50-14S-V2 brushless motor by visiting its product page. Upgrade your models to the newer, more efficient version today!
–
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.

Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907

Email: info@rctoys.com

Web: www.rctoys.com

#1 in LiPo Battery Performance and Reliability Introduces Z3R™ Brushless Motors for Cars, Trucks and More

Since 2008 Thunder Power RC Race Series LiPo batteries have set never-before-seen industry-leading standards in performance, reliability and longevity for electric-powered surface vehicles. They continue to be the batteries to have or be beat by at tracks world-wide while racking up long lists of local, regional and world championship wins and records in all forms and classes of racing. And now Thunder Power RC is excited to expand on this success, backed by a development team with a combined 20 years of brushless motor experience, and is proud to introduce the all-new Z3R-S Stock Spec and Z3R-M Modified 540-Class Sensored Brushless Motors for cars, trucks, buggies and more.

Z3R 540 Brushless Motor Specifications:
Timing: Adjustable (0—50 degrees)
Motor Length: 2.07 in (52.5mm)
Motor Diameter: 1.41 in (35.7mm)
Shaft Diameter: 0.125 in (3.18mm)
Weight: 6.2 oz (176g

- Download Z3R Motor Press Release -

——
Do you need chargers, balancers, connectors and other accessories for your lithium polymer rechargeable RC batteries? We carry a huge selection available for purchase online or over the phone.
——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com

Hacker has upgraded all their A30 and A40 brushless motors for RC airplanes and helicopters to version 2. The new version 2 motors have many new features, which are all available to customers at no extra cost. The latest revisions were made to improve the already top-of the line flight characteristics customers have come to expect from Hacker products. Improvements to each motor’s design were made that improve efficiency, weight, lifetime and other characteristics. At the time of writing rctoys.com has all the most recent motors in stock and ready to ship, so if you’re building an electric model it’s a great time to get a high performance brushless motor.

New features of the V2 motors include:

• A new stator lamination material which improves the efficiency of the motors. This allows you to fly longer, higher and faster than before with the same battery, speed controller, and other hardware.
• A revolutionary new bearing design reduces the weight of A40 series motors by approximately 20%. This has immediate performance benefits that you will notice right away when flying. Your airplane will handle better, turn more sharply and be less tail heavy and more stable.
• A new integrated cooling system for all motors. Hacker motors are the highest performance and most efficient on the market, so they generate a lot of heat when pushed to the extreme. The new cooling system is factory mounted at each motors end bell and comes included in each motor. A cooling system was previously something that customers had to order separately at a cost of about $10.00 USD. The new integrated cooling system is included at no extra charge. The integrated cooling system prevents problems such as thermal expansion and will increase the lifespan and performance of your brushless motors.

The V2 motors we carry are:

• 

  The Hacker A30 10L V2 (HA-A30-10L-V2), replacing the HA-A30-10L

• 

  The Hacker A30 10XL V2 (HA-A30-10XL-V2), replacing the HA-A30-10XL

• 

  The Hacker A30 12XL V2 (HA-A30-12XL-V2), replacing the HA-A30-12XL

• 

  The Hacker A30 28S V2 (HA-A30-28S-V2), replacing the HA-A30-28S

• 

  The Hacker A30 14L V2 (HA-A30-14L-V2), replacing the HA-A30-14L

Need help choosing a brushless motor for your airplane, helicopter, or RC car / truck? We’ve got helpful articles which explain everything from how motors work to which one you should use. New to electric RC? We’ve also got helpful articles about lithium polymer batteries, speed controllers and BEC’s, servos and how to use them in your RC vehicles.

If you need Brushless Motors for your RC aircraft, we have a huge selection on our website.
——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

What You Need

To do this project, you’re going to need a few materials:

• An RC helicopter, or RC airplane with 3 channel control or better – You’re going to need a stable platform to take pictures from. Helicopters are useful because you can hover in one position, but airplanes are cheaper. You might already have an airplane or helicopter around, but if you don’t, the Multiplex Easystar works well for this project. Note that to make a remote shutter function, more than 3 channels are needed.
• A lightweight camera, with remote shutter operation – You need to be able to remotely trigger the camera. This can be done a number of ways, but the simplest and most economical is to attach a servo to the top of your camera with rubber bands. Make it so that when you throw a spare channel switch on your transmitter, the servo arm will move and press down the shutter switch. As with any mod, feel free to create your own solution.
• A large protractor
• Some string and a weight – Clay works well as a weight, I’ll explain why you need it shortly.
• A drinking straw – You’re going to need this to build a sight for the protractor.
• Measuring Tape – You need to know the altitude of your aircraft, and to do this, you need to measure it’s distance from you. Landmarks with a known distance can also be used – consult any street map with a scale for these.
• A notebook / paper / pencil
• A friend to help – You can’t fly your aircraft and make measurements at the same time. Take a friend along to help you, and ask them to record the measurements.

The Math Involved

Now we come to the hard part – a little bit of math. You don’t really need to understand all these derivations, feel free to simply use the formula that I’ll give you. The problem is this: given an aerial picture, how can we figure out the scale?

We need the altitude of the airplane to figure out the image scale. This can’t be done directly, so we measure the angle (a), the distance (d), and use them to compute the height (h). This is a right triangle, and there are some handy trig functions that apply. In this case, we use the tangent function, which gives the ratio of the opposite and adjacent sides.  This is expressed as follows:

By taking the tangent of the angle a, and multiplying by the distance (d), we get the height (h). Here’s the formula that you would use:

So how do you get the angle? It’s simple: take the protractor and tape a piece of drinking straw to the flat bottom. Then attach a piece of sting to the bottom center of the protractor, so that it dangles straight down the 90 degree mark. Use the ball of clay to make a weight at the bottom of the string. Now, when you tilt the  protractor, the string will measure the angle. Be careful though: the angle with respect to the ground is not what’s read directly off the protractor scale. Reading the difference between the indicated angle and 90 degrees will give you the angle you need.

So why do we care about the altitude? Well, it turns out that the ratio of the altitude and the focal length of the camera is the image scale! You can find out the focal length of your camera by reading it’s manual. This is usually expressed in millimetres, so convert it to whatever  unit you have used to measured the distance, and thus the altitude in. Let’s put that all in a convenient formula:

And that’s the only formula you need. Just measure the distance, and the angle, know the focal length, and you’re done.

How to Do the Measurements

All that math was fun, but how do you actually measure distances using this method? I’ll illustrate with an example:

Suppose that you’ve just gone out to a field, and want to measure the distance between a tree and a building. The first step is to find a landmark you can fly over with a known distance. Using a measuring tape or map, you find that a nearby hill is 50 feet from where you’re standing. With a friend ready to measure and write down the angle, you launch your airplane and fly over the nearby hill, taking several pictures. Your friend sights the model aircraft through the protractor – straw device built earlier, and finds the angle to be 75 degrees.

Using a calculator, you find the altitude to be:

After landing, you download the pictures and print them full size, with no scaling. Your camera’s user manual reports that the focal length is 152 mm (millimeters). Converting this to feet is easy, just type it in Google or multiply by the number of feet per millimetre. 152 mm is 0.48 feet, so you plug that into the formula we derived earlier and obtain the following:

This means that distance measured on the picture is 0.000257 times as big as the real distance. You’re almost done: using a ruler, you measure the distance between the tree and building on the image to be 1 inch. Converting this to feet (because we want the distance between the building and tree in feet), gives a distance of 0.0833 feet. Now, multiplying this by 1 divided by the picture scale gives a final answer of 324 feet.

And that’s it – you’ve just measured the distance between two objects using nothing more than a RC aircraft, camera, and a little trigonometry. Just keep in mind that you have to know the distance between the airplane and you accurately for this to work – always take pictures right on top of the marker with a known distance.

© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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Brushless Motor Benefits

Before going into how brushless motors work, here’s why they’re useful:

• More Efficient – Brushless motors are much more efficient than conventional brushed motors. This efficiency has been measured to be between 85% to 95% better than brushed motors.
• Less electrical energy is wasted as heat,and more is used to do useful work.
• Reduced Noise – Brushless motors have fewer mechanical parts than brushed motors, so they emit less sound.
• Longer Lifetime – Fewer moving parts are in mechanical contact than in brushed motors, reducing wear.
• Reduced EM Interference – Brushless motors emit less energy as electromagnetic (EM) waves than brushed motors do. This contributes to their efficiency, and helps reduce radio interference.
• Torque, Voltage, And RPM Linearly Related – This means that the amount of torque or RPM produced by the motor divided by the voltage put in is a constant, making it easy to predict how much power you’re going to get.

How Brushless Motors Work

On a fundamental level, an electric motor’s only job is to convert electrical energy (like that provided by a battery) into mechanical energy, like the turning of a propeller or rotor blade. There are two basic facts that allow electric motors to work:

1. Electric and Magnetic Fields are Related - That is, every moving charge produces a magnetic field, and magnetic fields can produce electric charge.
2. Magnets Interact – Magnets will align when placed near to each other. All electric motors basically consist of two magnets. One of them is permanent, the other is a coil of wire that, when charged, becomes a magnet.

The motor is designed such that the magnetic fields produced by each of the magnets are always out of alignment, causing the motor axil to rotate. This is similar to what happens when you hold a permanent magnet to a compass – the compass swings position so that it lines up with the magnets field.

With the brushed motor design, the magnetic fields are kept out of alignment by turning on the different coils of wire that surround the motor axil in succession. Metal brushes make mechanical contact with the rotating axil and the contacts with each metal coil. As the axil rotates, the brushes contact different coils. The end result is that current flows through different coils at different times, constantly changing the magnetic field and rotating the motor shaft.

It’s here that we see the main problem with the brushed design: the contact between the motor coils and the brushes causes friction, which increases with speed. The metal coils wear out over time, and are prone to sparking. They can also ionize surrounding air, creating ozone. So how can we get around these issues? The answer lies in the brushless motor design. Instead of using mechanical brushes to turn on the various wire coils, an ESC (electronic speed controller) is used instead. The ESC switches the motor coils on or off rapidly, and is synchronized to the motor axil position.

Always look for an ESC with a capacity (measured in amps) greater than that of the motor you’re pairing it with.

Some Common Terms Explained

There are a number of special terms associated with brushless motors. Here are explanations for some of the most common:

• RPM – This is a measure of angular speed, or how fast something is rotating. A motor’s RPM is simply how fast it can rotate.
• KV Rating - Remember how we said that the relationship between voltage, torque, and RPM was linear for a brushless motor? It turns out that the number of RPM provided by each volt is the same, called  the KV number. The KV number’s useful because it let’s you figure  out how many volts you need to achieve a certain RPM, or vice versa.  For an example, a 980 KV motor powered by an 11.1 volt battery would  spin at 980 x 11.1 = 10878 RPM with no load. The KV rating always  assumes no load on the motor, so the actual RPM that your achieve  will be less than the one you calculate.
• Continuous / Burst Current – Continuous current measures how much current a motor can handle continuously, for an extended period of  time. Burst current measures how much current a motor can handle for a short amount of time, about a few seconds.
• Current Rating – This is the maximum current that a given motor can handle, measured in amps.
• Inrunner / Outrunner – These are the two major brushless motor  designs. An inrunner brushless motor has stationary coils, and a   rotating permanent magnet inside the coils on the motor shaft. An outrunner  brushless motor is the opposite, it has a rotating permanent   magnet, placed outside the stationary coils on the motor shaft . Outrunner motors have lower KV ratings, so they run at a lower speed with more torque. This could allow you to direct drive larger props without a gearbox. RC cars and boats tend to require inrunner brushless motors, rather than outrunners.
• Torque - Torque is a measure of angular force, or how much “push” a rotating shaft has.  Watt – This is a measure of power, or how fast energy is used.
• Volt – This measures electric potential, or how much “push” the electrons from a battery have. A greater voltage means that more   energy is being applied to a given amount of charge.

Choosing a Brushless Motor

Most airplane manufacturers will recommend certain brushless motors for different models. However, if this is not specified, a good starting point would be to check what other people are using locally,or search the web. We frequently visit RCGroups, RC Universe, and WattFlyer to see what the RC communities are using. If you have a brushed motor that you are replacing, choose a brushless motor that is the same physical size, and uses about the same wattage. To determine the wattage, multiply the current your old motor draws by the voltage it’s run at.

© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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• Revised Can Design – Hacker has revised the motor’s external case to allow for better airflow and cooling towards the back of the motor.
• New Stater and Magnet Material – Hacker has re formulated the material used for the stater and magnets in their brushless motors. The new material has a lower internal resistance, which gives the motors more power and efficiency.
• Collet Style Adapter – The new evo motors use a new style of prop adapter, which is more secure and easier to use than the previous versions. The new adapter also allows the motos to be more easily mounted either in front or behind an RC model airplane firewall.
• New Mount – All of the A20 series motors now feature a new type of mount which allows the new can design to work.

All of the Hacker A20 brushless motors except the A20XL incorporate this new design, including the A20, A20S, A20M, and A20L.

All of the A20 brushless motors we sell will be revised to this new design, so why not get one for your electric RC model airplane today?

——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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The RC Components You Will Need

We have put together a list of the best RC components to use for modifying the Minimag RC model airplane. You will need:

1. A Brushless Motor – A Himax 2815-2000 works well for this application.
2. A Speed Controller – Use a Castle Creations Thunderbird 36 amp ESC. It will provide plenty of power for the recommended motor, and will run off a variety of lithium polymer batteries.
3. A Lithium Polymer Battery – A Thunderpower 3 cell 2100 is a great battery to use. You can get up to a half an hour of flight time (depending on throttle management), and it fits neatly underneath the Minimag’s wing.
4. A Propeller – The brushless motor will need a different propeller. We recommend a 7 x 5 APC propeller.
5. A Charger – You can use either a Thunderpower 535C or a 610C charger. Each will allow you to quickly charge your battery at the flying field using a 12 volt power source.

Eventually we will sell all of these components in a kit. Until then, you can order them by clicking on the above links and pictures.

RC Components Installation Procedure

Many of these components will seamlessly drop in to the Minimag RC airplane where the original parts were. Follow this procedure when installing your improved power systems.

1. Remove the brushed motor, and install the brushless version. Be very careful not to damage the motor wires. All of the bolt holes from the old motor should match the new one perfectly, so just push in the brushless motor and bolt it on.
2. The 3 cell 2100 lithium polymer battery can be placed under the wing. Make sure that it doesn’t move in flight, and route its wires to where the electronic speed controller will be installed.
3. Connect the speed controller to the motor, battery, and receiver.

We hope that you enjoy the increase in power and flight time that this upgraded power system will give you. Feel free to post comments describing your own ideas, and let us know how this modification works for you.

——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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One of the coolest modifications involves replacing the included brushed motor with a brushless motor, and replacing the NiMh battery with a lithium polymer pack. Using a brushless motor will increase the speed of the Easystar, and let you carry payloads (such as cameras for aerial photography.) The lithium polymer battery will let you fly for up to a half an hour, or even longer if you can catch some thermals (warm, upward currents of air.)

Parts You Will Need to Modify the Easystar

There are several different combinations of brushless motors, ESCs, and lithium batteries that will work for this modification. Here is a list of the parts that we recommend. They have been chosen to minimize cost, and maximize performance. You will need:

1. A Himax 2815 2000 brushless inrunner electric motor
2. A 35 amp Castle Creations Thunderbird ESC
3. A 6 x 4 APC composite propeller
4. A Thunder Power G6 2100 mAh 3 cell lithium polymer battery
5. A Lithium polymer battery charger. We recommend either a Thunderpower 535C or a 610C. Both of these chargers can use a 12 volt battery, or a 12 volt AC adapter. Suitable AC adapters are available on our website.

We will eventually offer these components in a set, but for now you can order them individually by clicking the links or pictures above.

Procedure for Modifying the Easystar

One of the great features of the Easystar is that it is easy to modify. Every component that we mentioned should fit perfectly, and the foam the Easystar is made of is superglue safe.

Follow these guidelines when installing your new hardware in the Easystar.

Motor – Remove the brushed motor by carefully cutting the fuselage. Then gently remove the motor from the double sided tape. Be extremely careful to not damage the motor wires when doing this. Feed them through the fuselage to where they will connect to the ESC. Secure the new motor with double sided tape in the fuselage.

ESC – Place the ESC in the fuselage, and then connect it to the brushless motor using the wires. It’s always a good idea to tape over the connection, so that it won’t accidentally disconnect in flight. Also connect the ESC to the Easy star’s receiver.

Battery – Use Velcro to secure the battery in the fuselage. Then connect the battery leads to the ESC.

Rudder – Because of the huge increase in power that the brushless motor provides, you might want to increase the effectiveness of the rudder. You can do this by simply gluing a business card to the rudder, and then trimming it to shape. Here is a picture of one such modification:

Benefits of Using a Brushless Motor and Lipo Battery for the Easystar

• Using a lithium polymer battery will allow you to fly the Easy star for very long periods of time.
• Lithium polymer batteries can be charged quickly and easily at the flying field.
• The brushless motor will provide much more power than the regular speed 400, and will last longer too.
• The increase in power from the brushless motor will allow you to carry payloads, such as a digital camera for RC aerial photography.
• The aircraft will perform better in all aspects of flight, giving you a more enjoyable flying experience.

This article has barely scratched the surface of the possible modifications to the Easystar. If you would like to learn more about these modifications, or learn how to do others, we suggest you read the rcgroups.com forums.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

Hacker A20 Series Brushless Motors Feature

• Outrunner motor design uses no gearbox for lower weight
• Five to Seven times more torque than direct drive inrunners
• High torque means large propellers for greater thrust
• Rotating can/endbell provides excellent cooling
• Great cooling means very long flight times with Lithium Polymer cells
• Versatile mounting options for front or back mounting

Hacker A20-S Brushless Motors for RC Airplanes – Use With 2 Cell LiPo

Hacker A20-S brushless motors are developed for 4-8 oz. indoor slowflyers and indoor aerobatic r/c airplane models with 2 cell LiPoly batteries. The 12 pole “outrunner” type design creates a massive amount of torque, allowing larger direct drive propellers to be used without the need for a gearbox. Hacker A20-S motors feature oversize bearings, curved neo-magnets, and High efficiency stator design. These Hacker A-20-S motors produce the most power at lower current consumption than other popular outrunner designs! The Hacker A20-S brushless motors use a standard 3mm (0.118 in) output shaft.

Hacker A20-M Brushless Motors for RC Airplanes – Use With 3 Cell LiPo

Hacker A20-M series brushless motors are developed for 7-12 oz. slowflyers and aerobatic parkflyer model rc aircraft with 3 cell LiPoly batteries. The 12 pole “outrunner” type design creates a huge amount of torque, therefore larger direct drive props can be used without the need for a gearbox. These Hacker A20-M brushless motors features oversize bearings, curved neo-magnets, and high efficiency stator design. Hacker A20-M brushless motors produce the most power at lower current consumption than other popular outrunner designs. The Hacker A20-M brushless motors use a standard 3mm (0.118 in) output shaft.

Hacker A20-L Brushless Motors for RC Airplanes – Use With 3 Cell LiPo

Hacker A20-L brushless motors are developed for 12-18 oz. parkflyer rc aircraft models with 3 cell Lithium polymer batteries. The 12 pole “outrunner” type design creates a huge amount of torque, therefore larger direct drive props can be used without the need for a gearbox. This Hacker A20-L brushless motor features oversize bearings, curved Neo-magnets, and high efficiency stator design. Hacker A20-L brushless motors produce the most power at lower current consumption than other popular outrunner design. The Hacker A20-L brushless motors use a standard 3mm (0.118 in) output shaft.

Hacker A20-XL Brushless Motors for RC Helicopters – Use With 2 or 3 Cell LiPo

Hacker A20-XL brushless motors are developed for mini and micro sized electric rc helicopters. The 10 pole “outrunner” type design creates a massive amount of torque. This Hacker A20-XL brushless motor features a cooling fan, oversize bearings, curved neo-magnets, and high efficiency stator design. Hacker A20-XL brushless motors produce the most power at lower current consumption than other popular outrunner designs. The Hacker A20-L brushless motors use a standard 3mm (0.118 in) output shaft.

Hacker A20 Brushless Motor Applications

See our related article: Hacker A20 and A30 Electric Brushless Motor Applications

Where To Purchase Hacker A20 Brushless Motors

Draganfly Innovations Inc. sells a huge selection of Hacker brushless motors and Hacker brushles motor parts & accessories. They also sell Hacker brushless speed controllers, APC electric rc airplane propellers, Thunder Power RC Lithium Polymer Batteries, Voltage Regulators, Castle Creations Berg receivers, and RC Servos. Get all you need to power your electric RC airplane online or order by phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

The Opto Pro series of brushless speed controllers by Hacker Brushless are a little different because they not have a Battery Eliminator Circuit (BEC) built in. The two Hacker Opto Pro ESCs we sell are the Hacker X-40 Opto Pro and the Hacker X-70 Opto Pro. This means the Hacker Opto Pro ESCs will only provide power to the brushless motor and will also not provide power to your radio receiver and servos. To power your receiver and servos you will need a dedicated receiver & servo battery pack. We recommend a Thunder Power Receiver Pack LiPoly Battery coupled with a 5.1V Voltage Regulator. When you do not have a second battery for the receiver the Hacker Opto Pro speed control will not function, will not beep and you will not notice any lights.

Properly Connecting a Hacker Opto Pro ESC

To properly install and connect a Hacker Opto Pro brushless speed control first connect it to the brushless motor and then connect it to the main flight battery. We recommend Thunder Power LiPoly batteries. The receiver lead coming from the Hacker Opto Pro ESC will connect to the throttle channel on the receiver. The servos will also connect to the receiver as usual. To power the receiver and servos connect a receiver pack battery to either the battery terminal or any open terminal on your radio receiver (RX). Once the entire system is connected properly with one battery for the receiver & servos and the other battery for the ESC and brushless motor the Hacker Opto Pro speed control will function normally.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed

We feel this chart will be useful to you so you can easily find a new Hacker motor and ESC for your favorite plane.

This chart rendered from Hacker Brushless by Draganfly Innovations.

Draganfly Innovations Inc. carries a huge selection of Hacker A20 & A30 brushless motors and Hacker Brushless Motor Accessories & Replacement Parts. We ship world-wide and you can track your order online, via email or by phone. Order a new Hacker brushless motor or esc online at www.rctoys.com or call 1-800-979-9794. We’re waiting to take your order.

——
© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
RSS: www.rctoys.com/pr/feed