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Motion Control Specialists
with special interest in R/C model helicopter control
PO Box 101, Glossop SK13 5ZW, England.
email: tech@csm-ltd.co.uk       Tel: +44 (0)1457 854680
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SL720 gyro
Specialist applications
The SL720 gyro is designed as a tail rotor gyro for model helicopters, but the remarkable flexibility that the PC interface of the SL720 gyro provides means it can be used for a variety of specialist applications, not only on radio control models, but for camera stabilisation, wheelchairs, lighting rigs etc. If you need help on setting up a SL720 for an unusual application, please contact us.

Use on other axes:
The SL720 can be used on cyclic axes on helicopters - to go flybarless, and on fixed wing aircraft for stability - including to prop hang.

Advantages of Flybarless:
  • it removes some of the drag associated with the flybar
  • more immune to turbulence
  • electronically adjustable handling characteristics, so more easily tuned compared to making mechanical changes
  • holds the models attitude more accurately in eg fast forward flight
  • no links to get tight or sloppy - less maintenance and more robust - no flybar to break in a crash!
  • for Scale - much more realistic visually
  • and flys more like the 'ideal' machine - one pilot was heard to say it 'flew just like a simulator'!
Suggested aileron gyro setup .......... Suggested elevator gyro setup 

On CCPM machines you will need to use a CycLock mixer
           
Flybarless heli Darryl Sprayberry, with his award winning Scale flybarless machine, using two SL720 gyros for cyclic stabilisation.
           
Camera stabilisation:
Geoff Bell of Flightcam has used CSM gyros for many years - not just on model helicopters carrying cameras, but on other innovative things - you might recall 'Dungcam' from a few years ago, and then when he needed to stabilise cameras attached to the tusks of elephants for the BBC's acclaimed "Tiger - Spy in the Jungle" series he again relied on SL720 gyros supplied by CSM.

Have a look at these Clip1 Clip2 Clip3 to see some of the excellent results he obtained. ( © BBC)
           
Tiger cub
A Tiger cub investigating
 its reflection in Trunkcam when it was left on the
 ground near their lair.


Trunkcam being carried
 by an elephant. Tuskcam
is held up higher and is
not designed to be left
on the floor - it does all
 its recording on the move.

trunkcam
           
Use for the profoundly disabled:
An Irish company called Unique Perspectives have used the SL720 gyro for a couple of applications: the first is directly as a heading hold gyro on a wheelchair - where the client has little control the slightest unevenness of the floor can send the wheelchair off-course and this is corrected by a gyro: www.click2go.ie		wheelchair gyro
But the latest idea, developed by a Dutch physiotherapist in conjunction with Unique Perspectives, is the Magic Flute - see a video of a young disabled lad playing this for the first time - sorry, its in Dutch! And then listen to what the inventor, Ruud, can do.
         
Lighting Stabilisation:
Studio lightsAnd when one of the World's premier theatre companies were developing a revolutionary stabilised lighting rig they turned to CSM to provide the gyro expertise they required. See a demonstration of LightLock in action, and a promotional piece by Patrick Stewart.
       
For further info on specialist applications, and for help in fine tuning your SL720 gyro, please contact CSM
 tech@csm-ltd.co.uk or phone (+44) 0 1457 854680
           

All our helicopter products are distributed worldwide through RC Models Distribution Ltd, and should be available from your local model shop or mail order company. To find your nearest stockist see the RC Models shops page
phone +44 (0)1457 860001 or email sales@rcmodels.org
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