Anyone do radio control (R/C) while camping?

[corn18]

I used to fly and drive all manner of stuff many years ago. My daughter got me an e-jet for Xmas (she thought it was cool), but I will need a few hours under my belt before I take it up. So I picked up a micro quad copter to chase the car around the house. I also picked up a full collective mini helo Blade Mcpx. Been getting back into flying a collective helo and it's all coming back. This got me thinking that this would be a way cool thing to take camping. It's pretty small, so might not be best for outdoor, so I may move up to a 150 or 200 size. I had a 450 back in the day but that thing scared the crap out of me.

Anyone else do R/C while camping?

[96Bounder1st]

Yes I do.
I have a wing, a Piñata made by Crash Test Hobbies. Modified to do 70 mph.
Also three different racing style quad copters. And a Mavic Mini for photography.

I find it hard to bring fixed wing aircraft but have them at my summer and normal winter destinations. Also belong to clubs at each destination.

Have fun and welcome back to a great hobby.

Terry

[Triangle Drifter]

It is not practical to carry around on the road but back aways I used to have an R/C sailboat. It was a one design, meaning that it was the same as every other in its class. It was a scale model America's Cup 12 meter Courageous boat. The one Ted Turner raced.

The boats were about 5' long & just over 6' keel to top of the mast.

At one point there were almost 24 identical boats in our club. We raced by big boat rules & the competition could be pretty fierce & the sailing close with the occasional collision.

Racing is much more fun than aimless sailing around.

[atreis]

I mostly fly moderately high speed EDFs with 6 to 8s power systems. Most are in the 110-150 mph range. Unfortunately, not while camping. I'm still a seasonal camper, between having kids in school and working, and parks tend to be too crowded on weekends and during the high season in the summer. I've also found it can be hard to get into local clubs wherever I'm at for some stick time if I'm not actually looking to join (because I'm just passing through). It doesn't help that my planes need paved runways. I do have a couple small, low speed planes that I got for the kids that I could probably fly in parks if they weren't crowded, but so far it's seemed so rare an opportunity that I don't bring them. It's likely easier for those that fly quads. I tried it, got okay at freestyle, but pretty quickly lost interest. There's just nothing like the grace and beauty of flying on a fixed wing to me.

[camper8251]

I do drone flying at all the campsites I go to. Its a lot of fun, but I am new to it so worried about losing it and people getting weird about it.

[gatorb8]

I never leave home without some form of r/c, always seem to find an enjoyable place to fly! I like the small UMX planes because they are quiet. Bart stows well and catches imaginary waves and folks eyes!

[TXiceman]

We he had a sticks and bricks, I had an EC12 and an AC class R/C boat. Sure enjoyed the competition with the AC boat. I sold the EC12 to a local club member in Houston. The AC went to Colorado.

As for flying an aircraft, you would do well to find an R/C field in your travels. Most state and all Federal lands prohibit flying R/C aircraft on or over their property. Many private parks also prohibit flying as well due to safety and privacy concerns.

Ken

[paddykern]

Originally Posted by Triangle Drifter

It is not practical to carry around on the road but back aways I used to have an R/C sailboat. It was a one design, meaning that it was the same as every other in its class. It was a scale model America's Cup 12 meter Courageous boat. The one Ted Turner raced.

The boats were about 5' long & just over 6' keel to top of the mast.

At one point there were almost 24 identical boats in our club. We raced by big boat rules & the competition could be pretty fierce & the sailing close with the occasional collision.

Racing is much more fun than aimless sailing around.

Used to have a one meter sailboat.
We had a group of six that would race regularly.
Gets pretty intense at times.
Nice thing about RC sailing is that you would get tired of running the boat around the pond before the batteries ran out.
Got into autocross racing my Miata so didn't have time for the RC sailboat.
Not my picture but it was close to this:

[astrnmrtom]

I brought a sport drone with me but haven't used it as much as I thought because a lot of campgrounds forbid them. Finally was able to fly while boondocking in the desert but it gets pretty windy during the day. A couple weeks ago I was zooming around on a beautiful morning, when for the first time ever, the drone lost power, flipped over, and crashed to into the desert rocks. The results weren't pretty. Never did find all the pieces. Fortunately, none of the running components were damaged so everything will get moved over to a new frame and body as soon as my daughter forwards the parts to me. A lot of places don't accept USPS mail and that's how the places I get parts from ship - so it goes to my mail forwarding service - my kid.

It could have been worse because I had just been doing some high speed passes at close to 60mph and I slowed way down to pass our motorhome. Still, plowing into the rock covered ground at 30+ is a lot of force - twice that speed might have destroyed the electronics too. Had to put on my fake FAA crash inspector hat to determine the best possible direction and extent of the debris field to look for all the plastic bits. You'd think bright red parts would be easy to see against dark brown rocks tan sand. Nope. Did determine the place of impact. The force dislodged a rock from the desert soil and flipped it over a couple feet away.

Turned the kitchen table into the reconstruction area to determine what was broken. Felt pretty good about being able to find 96% of the parts.

At first I wished the crash had happened 10 feet to the south where a large tree/shrub was growing thinking it might have saved the craft. Then I realized the tree is covered in thorns. Is there any plant in the Arizona desert that isn't covered in something sharp? Not sure which would be worse. A broken but repairable drone, or an intact one stick in the top of a thorn covered tree. I DO carry a chainsaw . . .

[Madwinger]

I have been flying for 5 years on a regular basis and getting ready to retire. I fly a variety of fixed wing and thinking of having some with me even to the point of pulling a hangar behind my 5er.



There is a retirement community in Quartzsite AZ that has an AMA sanctioned flying field but I have heard there is a place there where a people go and boon dock and fly off the desert floor. That sounds like fun hanging with a bunch of old farts and flying every day.



If anyone knows if this place actually exists and where in the Quartzsite area it would be please let me know.


Thanks


Archie

[Madwinger]

Kawabung dude? that looks like fun.

Originally Posted by gatorb8

I never leave home without some form of r/c, always seem to find an enjoyable place to fly! I like the small UMX planes because they are quiet. Bart stows well and catches imaginary waves and folks eyes!

[Flyer15015]

Never leave home without the Sig Kadet SR.
80" wing, 60" fues and a saito 91 up front.
Stores nicely in the long compartment on the driver's side, with a bit of foam wrapping.
Toad is a minivan, so no problems getting to a local airfield.
Great field in Apopka, Fla. with some really good flyers there.

Mike in Colorado

[gatorb8]

Originally Posted by Flyer15015

Never leave home without the Sig Kadet SR.
80" wing, 60" fues and a saito 91 up front.
Stores nicely in the long compartment on the driver's side, with a bit of foam wrapping.
Toad is a minivan, so no problems getting to a local airfield.
Great field in Apopka, Fla. with some really good flyers there.

Mike in Colorado

Mike
Check out the field in Buena Vista CO in your area, courageous place!

[GlampingZs]

I stay on terra firma with my home built 1:12 super scale R/C F450 and 42’ toyhauler
The trailer is - yes - 42” long
Quite a hit running it around the RV park