This body is the second one for me. The first was broken due to some hard crashes. The original red propeller (cover) protection parts was also piesewisely teared in previous crashes. However, it is still used after rough repairs by brown tapes shown in above photo.

Photo: Improvements around motor

1: An additional protection bar (yellow) located front side of the control bar (black)

Basically, this plane is difficult to take off. When the paraplane crashed due to a failure of the taking off, the horizontal control bar (black) was seriously damaged. At the time, a servo motor was also damaged by the rigid linkage from the bar. In order to protect the bar and servo, I added a protection bar, which is a pole of hard wood, in front of the original control bar. This safety bar is also effective as a propeller protection.

2: Floating mount of motor

In most of hard crashes, this model's motor mount and gear case (a black case) are easily broken. In order to avoid the damages, I inserted a soft and thick sheet between the gear case and the body (white) around the root of propeller. This is an absorber of the crash damages. The sheet is made by a balsa sheet. I think that rubber sheet is more suitable.

3: Replacement to a high power motor

The original motor, which is made by Mabuchi company, is powerless. The powerless is responsible for failures of the takings off, especially for beginners. This paraplane's motor can be easily replaced by many 540 class motors used in usual rc-cars. 14-17turn single brushed motors is better for 7cells. The flight time is about 5 minutes by a Nicd battery 1700mAh SCR-RC.

If you like powerful flights, 8cells and 15-19turn may be better. ESC (electric speed controller ) must endure the 8cells. Don't use cheap ESC for powerful 8cells.

4: Check point before flights :

The canopy's strings, which clinged around the propeller at once, may be easily elongated. In this case the paraplane becomes un-balance in the flights and finally may swing itself in the sky. In the worst case it results in un-controlable situation. I recommend you to check if each string between the left and right side has the same lengths, before flights.

5: Techniques for a safety taking off :

Don't throw the paraplane 'upward' like usual airplanes in the taking off from your hand. Otherwise, the paraplane may immediately enter into a forward loop and then fall on the ground ! "Well-opened canopy" is important for the take off. For the purpose, throw the paraplane little downward rather than upward.

6: A dangerous problem in the flights :

Note that this paraplane cannot fly against the strong wind. In this respect, note that in this paraplane the open angle of the canopy cannot be controlled , resulting in a fixed cruising speed for the horizontal flight. The cruising speed is generally much slower than that of usual airplanes. Therefore, don't fly in strong wind.

< Hirobo Paraplane with a Camera System >

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Photo: Camera was set. On the first test flight's day.

1: Let's choise the camera !

Konika K mini (6000 yen). 135 size film + 28mmf6.7 lens fixed focus, three positions of F-stop, motor drive. The weight is about 145g

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Oh ! The Skyserfer with Konika K mini was also released.

Photo: Battery, charger, main body and controller (from left). A fixed camera can be seen at side of the body.

Skyserfer is an another famous RC model of paraplane in japan. The body size is smaller and the size of the motor is 380 (or 400) class. On the other hand, Horobo's paraplane shown above is 540 class. I think that the Skyserfer is weaker for strong winds than the Hirobo's one. The Skyserfer's adavantage is that its body will be not easily damaged at crashes because of a small size effect and the light body. In addition, the repairing costs will be cheaper.

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Photo: Easy conversion to camera system from a normal paraplane. This mount is very easy. Rubber bands and magic tapes are used to fix the camera (black) and servo (red; Union's 9g) on the body.

2: Operations of the camera:

A small servo (9g micro servo) is used for its operation in the sky, but the control system is still 2 channel. When the throttle stick in the controller is turned off, the camera is operated. As the plane descends, the cammera works.

3: For suppressions of the total weight:

The propeller cover (round, red and long parts) was removed. The total weight is decreased by about 80g. Instead of it, a horizontal long bar, which is almost massless, was added at the top of the body. The bar prevents the windings of the canopy string to the propeller.

4: Rigid mount of the camera:

The oscillations generated in the motor are no problem for operations of the camera, because in the operations the motor is always cut off. The electric powered motor has a large advantage for quiet camera operations.

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Take off ! Don't throw 'upward' You cannot see so ? The lifting power by canopy is so strong. The paraplane naturally turns upward even if I throw downward. So, don't throw upward !!! Otherwise, it crashes due to the UN-opened canopy.

However, powerless ! I wanted to lift up it moreover to take good photos.

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This was very powerless due to the heavy weight. To mount a camera, we may have to use more powerful drive unit. Or, can I reduce the total flight weight, moreover ?

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