Information Articles

The Multiplex Minimag is a durable foam RC model airplane. It has a 4 channel proportional radio system, and a brushed motor / NiMh battery power system. Many users of the Mulitplex Minimag add brushless motors and lithium polymer batteries for increased flight performance. This article will show you how to do these modifications yourself.

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.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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The Multiplex Easystar is a 3 channel, powered RC glider. The multiplex Easystar comes with a great set of equipment, including a 400 size motor, NiMh rechargeable battery and a proportional radio system. It has become very popular among RC aerial and UAV enthusiasts, because it is very easy to modify.

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 3 cell 2100 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 unbolting it. The bolt holes will match the new brushless motor, so simply insert it and bolt it in. 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.

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

You can modify the micro mosquito to increase speed, boost radio range, and improve appearance. :This article will show you how.

Give the Micro Mosquito a Speed Boost

You can increase the Micro Mosquito’s speed in these ways:

1. Move the center of gravity forward - Shifting the balance point forward will increase the Micro Mosquito’s speed in that direction. You can try using small weights, placed underneath the main motors.
2. Use a miniheli tail rotor - Mini heli tail rotors will fit the Micro Mosquito’s tail motor shaft.The mini heli tail rotors can move air more efficiently in one direction than another, unlike the normal micro mosquito tail rotor (which is symmetric). So if you use one of the mini heli tail rotors, then the Micro mosquito can be made to go in one direction faster than another. It is normally preferable to have the RC helicopter move faster forwards than backwards, but you can orient the propeller according to your own preference.

Make the Micro Mosquito Lighter

The lighter you make the Micro Mosquito, the better it will fly.

1. Remove part of the plastic outer shell - Unscrew and remove the bottom part of the Micro Mosquito’s body, which will dramatically reduce the weight of the Micro Mosquito.
2. Get rid of the rubber landing feet - You can trim more weight by pulling off the rubber landing feet.

Increase the Micro Mosquito’s Radio Range

I have not actually tried this, but this thread on RCGroups.com says it should work. Follow this procedure to increase the radio transmitter range:

1. Open the transmitter case - remove the 5 screws found on the back of the transmitter case.
2. Remove the circuit board - Remove the three screws holding the circuit board down, and gently pull it up.
3. Remove capacitor C15 - Flip the circuit board over, and look for a capacitor marked C15. Desolder it from the circuit board.
4. Re install the circuit board - Put the circuit board back in the transmitter case, and then attach it with the 3 screws that you removed earlier. Then re attach the back of the tramsmitter case using the three screws that you removed earlier.

We don’t really know how or why this works. Any comments on this mod would be greatly appreciated.

Get Rid of the Throttle Spring

Normal radio transmitters do not have a spring loaded throttle. You can remove the throttle spring by following this procedure:

1. Open the transmitter case - By removing the 5 screws on the back.
2. Remove one of the two screws the spring is attached to - You can leave the spring in the case, or remove it entirely.
3. Reassemble the transmitter case - Put the transmitter back together using the 5 screws that you removed earlier.

Now you can let go of the transmitter and the throttle spring will remain in position.

Better Flight Stability

Here are some tips to improve how the Micro Mosquito flies.

1. Bend the tail rotor - The Micro Mosquito tends to spin when the throttle is accelerated, sometimes leading to a hard landing. You can fix this problem by twisting the tail boom about 5 degrees to the left (when viewed from behind the Micro Mosquito). Heating the tail boom can make this easier.
2. Add weight to the main rotors - The inertia of the main rotors causes them to self stabilize when spinning. You can increase this tendency by coiling a small amount of very thin wire over the outer rotor wire. Do this twice on opposite sides of one rotor, and then repeat for the other rotor. As long as you don’t add too much weight this should improve the RC helicopter’s stability.

Change the Color

Personalize your Micro Mosquito using color and other addons.

• Spray paint the case - take all of the internal components out of the Micro Mosquito’s body and spray paint it any color you like.
• Fuel tubing light effects - Get a piece of clear fuel tubing from your local hobby store. Then push one end over one of the Micro Mosquito’s green LED eyes. Bend the piece of fuel tubing over, and push it on to the other LED. When the helicopter is turned on, the light should produce a really cool green neon tube effect. This is also a great way to move the center of gravity forward, so the helicopter goes faster.
• Insect antenna - Use stiff wire and make a pair of insect antenna. You can glue these to the Micro Mosquito’s body to create an insect appearance. Be sure to keep them away from the main rotors. This will move the center of gravity forward and cause the helicopter to move faster.

Experiment Pack

We sell an experiment pack containing parts you can use to build all sorts of RC creations.

The K-BR-ROTORSET-2 is a kit with two main rotor sets for the Bladerunner RC helicopters

This set includes four main rotors, two upper and two lower. This means that you can completely replace both rotors two times. We recommend that you get a set of main rotors when first learning to fly your RC helicopter so that you will have some replacements handy in case of a crash.

The Bladerunner replacement rotors are constructed out of durable plastic and carbon fiber to minimize damage in the event of a crash. If they do become damaged, it is generally better to replace them than to attempt a repair, but it still helps to know some basic repair tips:

• If the rotors are chipped, you can probably fix them by placing some clear tape over the chipped part. This can lead to an imbalance, so repeat this for the opposite side of the same rotor.
• A broken carbon fiber ring can sometimes be repaired with a small amount of strong glue.
• If a rotor blade is broken at the root, replacement of the damaged main rotor is the only option.

The Bladerunner replacement rotor set will fit the following RC helicopters:

• Bladerunner (original)
• Bladerunner II
• Spiderman

They will not fit the Search and Rescue version of the Bladerunner, the Firefly, or the Micro Mosquito.

Replace your Bladerunner helicopters rotor blades by following this procedure:

1. Remove the transparent tube found on top of the upper rotors (be careful not to lose it!).
2. Slide off the top rotors and the two plastic spacer tubes.
3. Slide off the bottom rotors.
4. Replace the bottom rotor and plastic spacers.
5. Align the upper rotor and push it on.
6. Push on the transparent tube that you removed in step 1.

Use the set of two main rotors to replace the main rotors on your bladerunner RC helicopter if they break, and to keep a stock of extras in case of crashes.

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© Draganfly Innovations Inc.
Phone: 1-800-979-9794 / 306-955-9907
Email: info@rctoys.com
Web: www.rctoys.com
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The K-DF-MINIHELI-TAILPROP-4 is a set of four tail propellers for your mini infrared RC helicopter.

These tail propellers can fit all of the popular indoor RC helicopter models, including the PicooZ and clones. They will also fit our popular Mini Bell RC helicopters.

This set includes 4 tail propellers, sold at a discount from the individual tail rotors. If you buy this set when you get your mini helicopter, you won’t have to worry about ordering replacements if the original tail rotor breaks.

Replace your old tail rotor by gently pulling it off the axle of the tail motor. After the original tail rotor is off, inspect the axle for any debris like hair or thread, which tends to wind around the motor in the event of a crash. If you find anything that hinders the motors movement, then you can remove it with a pair of tweezers. Once you’re sure that there is no debris preventing the motors movement, push the new tail rotors on to the motor axle, making sure that the protruding end is facing towards the tail motor.

Use the set of 4 mini heli tail props to replace the tail rotors of all your mini RC helicopters, and keep a stock of spares in case of crashes.

——
© 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 BladeRunner Micro Mosquito is an indoor electric RC helicopter designed to be easy to fly and fully maneuverable.

The Micro Mosquito uses a coaxial, dual rotor design to provide both stability and directional control. Two main rotors are mounted on the same axial and spin in opposite directions. This provides twice the lift of a conventional, single rotor design and also self stabilizes the RC helicopter. Each rotor is driven by a separate motor, so their speed can be varied individually. The Micro Mosquito uses this to control its yaw. The yaw can be controlled with the main rotors, so the tail rotor can be used to control the pitch. This lets the Micro Mosquito maneuver freely in three dimensions and even hover and fly backwards!

Due to its extremely small size, the Micro Mosquito can fly almost anywhere. The included green eyes glow very brightly and can even let you fly at night!

Replacement parts for the Micro Mosquito are available on our website, including rotors, tail rotors, and every other component of the Micro Mosquito. We recommend that you get some of the most frequently broken parts when you order the Micro Mosquito, so that you will have replacements ready when you need them.

The BladeRunner Micro Mosquito makes is a great way to have fun flying RC indoors. No previous flying experience is necessary so everyone can have fun flying this neat little RC helicopter.

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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 Deans Ultra Plug connector pair is a pair of industry standard electrical connectors for your RC vehicles. These solder on connectors are ideal for use with batteries which do not come with connectors, or the other electrical system components of RC vehicles.

The Deans Ultra Connectors have a very low internal resistance as compared to their competitors (see this post on RCGroups.com). Experiments have shown this internal resistance to be only 91 micro ohms, as compared with 360 micro ohms for a generic brand.

Soldering the Deans Ultra Connector Pair to a battery is easy. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Strip one wire from the battery. It is very important that only one wire is exposed at a time or you might risk a short circuit.
2. Tin the exposed wire. First apply a small amount of soldering flux then heat the wire with your soldering iron. Let a small amount of solder flow through the strands of wire. You may need to file down the tinned wire after this step so that it will fit in the female connector.
3. Tin the connector in the same way.
4. Slide the included piece of heat shrink tubing over the wire you have just prepared.
5. Solder the connector and wire together.
6. Using a small butane lighter, shrink the heat shrink tubing over the finished connection.
7. Repeat these steps for the other wire.

Use the Deans Ultra Plug Connector pair to connect the different electrical components of your RC model. You can order them in packs of two and four 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