Looking for a Flight Stabilization System for my new Heli

I'm pretty sure the FY-21AP is not for helicopters GC ...
... and absolutely I could or even need to be corrected on this point but I am sure I'm right

I pulled the following from the gadgets documentation. I think it should help in understanding
how this puppy works and who the system is for ... Nevertheless is very good reading ...

The info (reading in quotes) if not for you GC is probably useful for our serchers'n lurkers 
and there's the manufactures eMail Address at the end of my post 

... and [size=1.25em]YES[/size] I have [size=1.25em]WAY too much time[/size] on [size=1.25em]MY[/size] hands {LMAO}

FYI:
  [glow=maroon,2,300][size=1.25em]w00d[/size][/glow]

[hr]
[EDIT/] Helicopter Stabilisation and Positioning - HeliCommand is one out of a number to have
a look at. Also may want to look into 3 axis gyros for helicopters, better known has "Fly-barless".
Fly-barless w/ it's 3 axis Gyro is definitely NOT an Auto-Pilot nor Stabilisation and Positioning
system but will add flight stability to your bird by keeping [size=1.25em]YOU teh Pilot[/size] in the control loop.
I'll post more when I find them as we have many options all ranging in price and quality w/ "quality"
being the operative or most important word here [/EDIT]

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[size=1.25em]QUOTE:[/size] Documentation (*.PDF)
[size=1.25em]YETECH FY-21AP v[/size]ersion II Flight Stabilizer System
[size=1.25em]-- How It Works -- [/size]

"Attitude Flight Stabilization System (AFSS)

FY-21AP Version II is an advance Attitude Flight Stabilization System (AFSS) and Autopilot for RC
aircraft.

The FY-21AP utilizes a 3-axis gyroscope and tri-axial accelerometer to form an accurate drift
free attitude stabilization system. The unit also utilizes Global Positioning System (GPS)and a
barometric altitude sensing for accurate 3-dimensional positioning of the aircraft. By combining attitude
control and positioning, a comprehensive inertial navigation system and autopilot is provided to you in a
small compact light-weight package.

The AFSS achieves its attitude control via FeiYu Tech’s proprietary algorithm; the unit calculates the aircraft
attitude in 3-dimension and detects any changes to the model’s horizontal position. If attitude change
occurs, controlling signals will be sent out to the plane’s ailerons,elevator and rudder to counter the change.
By continuously doing this, the plane is kept in a state of stabilized equilibrium, resulting in a smooth level flight.

When activated, you only need to release the flight control sticks so that they return to the transmitter
neutral (middle) position. The model will immediately revert to level flight. The unit can be activated or
de-activated via a spare channel from your receiver

GPS, Barometric Sensing and Autopilot

Upon initial boot up, the FY-21AP will search for GPS positioning signals. When a minimum of 5 satellites
have been detected, a fixed position is established. The FY-21AP will record that position as the return to
launch (RTL) point.

The on-board barometric sensor and GPS altitude readings will be combined to establish an accurate
relative-altitude of the aircraft.

When the Autopilot Mode is activated via a spare channel, the aircraft will automatically turn and fly back
to the take off point (RTL). The aircraft altitude will be constantly maintained.After reaching the home position,
the plane will automatically circle with a radius of 120 meters. By using the same autopilot algorithm, you can
also activate an auto circling flying pattern at a fixed altitude anywhere you wish" ...


[hr]
As said "I could or even need to be corrected" as to the FY-21AP ability to work with helicopters. Maybe
the following eMail address will help as I'm reasonably sure they would know. This may even prove me right
even though I KNOW they won't prove me wrong {LOL} J/K  ;D

[size=1.25em]QUOTE:[/size] Same Documentation  (*.PDF)

"The FY-21AP has been proven to operate in the following:

• Normal / Traditional fixed-wing planes
• Delta-winged plane with rudder
• Delta-winged plane without rudder,
• Plane without aileron,
• V –tail plane with aileron
• V –tail plane without aileron
• Any other configuration, please e-mail us for enquiry: feiyudz@hotmail.com"

It looks like it is for planes only at this point? I didn't see anything obvious pop up on a search for use with helo's anyway. One thing to consider with Gyro based stabilization is that the Gyros need some reference to what is level and can loose position sometimes. With Co Pilot it looks at the ground and can see what level is. The problem is that you need temp. differential for it to work between the sky and ground. So no flying in overcast, cloudy days. They all have a downside and none of the cheap ones are perfect. DJI Wookong and heli command look good, but a lot of $$$$. Flymentor is a close one to FMA Co Pilot, but there seem to be a lot of issues with it over at Helifreak.com, people can't get it to always work right. But it will hover hold when it does work.

Both OpenPilot and HoverFly have firmware for helicopter operation.  Both boards have accelerometers in addition to the MEMS gyros so they are able to auto-level quite nicely.  Gyro only boards are not able to self level like PP said because they lose their earth reference very quickly.

...Tiger

I don't know much about open pilot, but interested, the website does not seem to be very good. Can it control a heli with GPS based RTH? If so does it have a magnetic compass to deal with fail safe during a motionless hover? I guess you could program a collective pitch fail safe position, but it would be hard to deal with ETL and head/tail wind so it would need altitude control as well? Just seems like too many variables?

Unlike a lot of systems, OpenPilot is under perpetual development.  This is an "open source" project so everyone has access to the firmware and is invited to make it do whatever they want.  There is a lot of interest and development going on, but I agree the website doesn't show it well and is a little hard to navigate.  I think this is part of what you get when something is not commercial.  I know it has GPS capability and I have seen an article on successful RTH testing.  They say it supports helicopters, but 99% of the guys are flying planes so you don't hear much about the heli's.  My interest in the board has been limited to quads so I have really never poked around for heli info.  I'm sure it's out there if you look.  I know it does not have a compass on the board, but it has available I/O that could be used for that.  There again, you'd have to poke around to see who is doing what. 

I have two of the boards and my next quad will have one.  When that happens, I'll be able to tell you a lot more about it.  For now I like what I'm reading and I like the idea that it's about $500 cheaper than the comparable HoverFly board. 

...Tiger

Don't be so quick to dismiss flybarless, modifying the head for this type of setup is the easy part. In most cases we are simply removing the fly-bar and replacing a few links and the washouts ... of course we need to buy the 3 axis gyro but the improvements far outreach any negatives.

Flybarless is a different animal of helicopter, there is no benefit to starting out and learning on or even sport flying/fpv with flybarless. It's for performance and 3D stuff. And it still has a "flybar" it's just in the form of more expensive electronics. If you look at the bottom of the page in the link you posted under "Important Declaration" in red they admit that FM is not designed to teach you flying or that it will even save your helicopter when you need it to.

http://www.helipal.com/kds-flymentor-3d-auto-stabilizer.html

Also here is a good topic reply at helifreak from someone who has flown both systems, I agree word for word about his comments on Co Pilot, and his comments about FM make perfect sense from everything I read about it when I was shopping.

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=352642

Mike - Don't rule out the OpenPilot board just because it mentions flybarless use.  For your purpose, it would actually be advantageous to put it on a flybar equipped heli.  The net effect would be a more stable platform.  You have really not explained the details of your specific application, but from what you've said, I don't see the CP or the FM system meeting your needs.  One needs a good visual horizon and the other needs high contrast close in visual definition at low altitude.  The high end HoverFly board would work well, but it's a big pill to swallow ($$$ ).  Sounds like you might have to compromise with something like the OpenPilot with just gyros and accelerometers.  If you require altitude hold, you'd at least need GPS.  For best altitude hold, you also need a pressure transducer (altimeter).  I see guys using GPS on the OpenPilot now, but I'm not sure how available the firmware is yet.  You should look into that if you need the altitude hold function.  Of course, having the GPS also brings along some other interesting possibilities.

Lastly, there is another reasonably priced board with MEMS gyros and accelerometers that will be announced in the next 60 days.  I just found out about it today, but I can't discuss it here prior to release.

...Tiger

The Vanguard Defense Shadowhawk UAS uses a Laser Range Finder for it's elevation hold, I bet the hobbiest boards will follow soon since it is a time tested adopted method for measuring distance. We use them in forestry applications all the time.

http://vanguarddefense.com/

Is there a laser rangefinder option for the OpenPilot board?

GPS - The OpenPilot board does not support a laser rangefinder as far as I know.  However... Since it's open source, you can implement anything you want with a little code writing.  I have two precision laser rangefinders and based on my experience with those I'd say it's not a great idea for aircraft use.  They tend to work very poorly on a moving target.  Maybe if you dumb them down in terms of resolution they might work better, but I suspect they would still have issues at distance in a critical application.

...Tiger

This is interesting:

http://forums.openpilot.org/blog/4/entry-12-gaui-330x-s-with-coptercontrol/

It looks like the programming is a XML type language.