Multirotor BMFA A & B Certs

[debrooker]

can be found here...

RC Achievement Scheme Downloads

[Rotorwheels]

Great. I had a heads up it was coming, but not this soon. That's me grounded at my local club until further notice.

It's going to be interesting seeing all DJI lads come out of STABI mode, they rarely do. Be even more interesting to see how stabilisation will be policed.

[r4nd0m]

It's going to be interesting seeing all DJI lads come out of STABI mode, they rarely do. Be even more interesting to see how stabilisation will be policed.

do you really think that majority of them you call "DJI lads" actually do care about the bmfa achievement scheme? have you looked on youtube on the amount of people who buy this stuff who dont know anything about rc and dont belong to clubs? ... what wonders me more though is that the B requires a manoeuvre that a regular quadcopter shouldnt be performing from my perspective - a loop - simply due to non CP props its more luck rather than a controlled manoeuvre if the model doesnt fall to the floor as the model is pushed into a non controlled state ...

[Mark_T]

what wonders me more though is that the B requires a manoeuvre that a regular quadcopter shouldnt be performing from my perspective - a loop

I have to admit that I'm very disappointed with the general tone of both of these achievement schemes, the language used and the standards being set do not read as though anyone with a solid understanding of these models was involved in the process at all, or if they were then they were clearly being ignored during the drafting.

Requiring a loop in the 'B' is patently unsafe for any quad that is not equipped with collective pitch, so buy a Stingray or roll the dice and see what happens ...

Also pay attention to this part of the 'Safety' notes : "Currently 'Return to Home' may only be used as a flight mode while under control and not set as a failsafe option"

That's most quad pilots failed right there ...

[Rotorwheels]

do you really think that majority of them you call "DJI lads" actually do care about the bmfa achievement scheme? have you looked on youtube on the amount of people who buy this stuff who dont know anything about rc and dont belong to clubs? ... what wonders me more though is that the B requires a manoeuvre that a regular quadcopter shouldnt be performing from my perspective - a loop - simply due to non CP props its more luck rather than a controlled manoeuvre if the model doesnt fall to the floor ...

I totally agree, the majority of multirotors being flown today are outside of a club environment. They're very accessible and easy to fly - that's their appeal. The only people this achievement affects is club flyers, so useless in the grand scheme of things. A quick skim of the achievement scheme merely highlights the knee-jerk nature of it all, almost copy and paste from helis, almost laughable.

[r4nd0m]

I have to admit that I'm very disappointed with the general tone of both of these achievement schemes, the language used and the standards being set do not read as though anyone with a solid understanding of these models was involved in the process at all, or if they were then they were clearly being ignored during the drafting.

Requiring a loop in the 'B' is patently unsafe for any quad that is not equipped with collective pitch, so buy a Stingray or roll the dice and see what happens ...

Also pay attention to this part of the 'Safety' notes : "Currently 'Return to Home' may only be used as a flight mode while under control and not set as a failsafe option"

That's most quad pilots failed right there ...

I remember me stating this being part of the achievement scheme being an issue in the past when a "draft" was discussed on here .. but as you said ...

not exactly this but I am sure I have discussed it elsewhere ... anyways ...

here is the "old" thread http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/rcha/1...pters-etc.html

[Rotorwheels]

I have to admit that I'm very disappointed with the general tone of both of these achievement schemes, the language used and the standards being set do not read as though anyone with a solid understanding of these models was involved in the process at all, or if they were then they were clearly being ignored during the drafting.

And if the rule makers don't have a full grasp on multirotors, how are the examiners meant to? I was informed about this achievement scheme earlier in the week from one of the club examiners. When asked how they are going to enforce the use of stabilisation in the test with the vast array of control boards out there, their reply was: "not a clue, I'll have to rely on honesty". OK then, I honestly turned mine off, honest guv.

[atomiccomp]

And if the rule makers don't have a full grasp on multirotors, how are the examiners meant to? I was informed about this achievement scheme earlier in the week from one of the club examiners. When asked how they are going to enforce the use of stabilisation in the test with the vast array of control boards out there, their reply was: "not a clue, I'll have to rely on honesty". OK then, I honestly turned mine off, honest guv.

I'm a BMFA examiner and I would be confident to do the test and how to check the stabilisation. I'm no multirotor expert however I enjoy flying them and the stabilization check is pretty straight forward. I think the tests are a good idea with an achievement to aim for and a benchmark for competence at the club.

[Mark_T]

As an examiner how do you feel about a 'B' test that requires a loop?

[Rotorwheels]

I'm a BMFA examiner and I would be confident to do the test and how to check the stabilisation. I'm no multirotor expert however I enjoy flying them and the stabilization check is pretty straight forward. I think the tests are a good idea with an achievement to aim for and a benchmark for competence at the club.

Brilliant, but do you feel confident enough to tell when the person being tested has activated a form of stabilisation in flight - for example: Blend Mode on a Naze 32? Some boards can be set to activate Stab modes when certain scenarios are reached, you'd never see any switch flicking or mode lights.

I'm all for competence and safety. But I do question the 'safety' aspect behind the scheme when unsafe manoeuvres like a loop are being required on a fixed prop, non reversible motor set up.

[Rotorwheels]

I have to admit that I'm very disappointed with the general tone of both of these achievement schemes, the language used and the standards being set do not read as though anyone with a solid understanding of these models was involved in the process at all, or if they were then they were clearly being ignored during the drafting.
.

I think this answers it. Plagiarised from Uk Multirotor forum:


This has been requested by many clubs and many individuals. I work in the BMFA office and there are daily phone calls and emails requesting this so the Achievement Scheme Review Committee has responded and asked some very experienced multi fliers to look at the issue, they formulated the tests based closely on the helicopter tests, they have been tested by these people too, the results you can now see.

So not pointless as it's something that members and clubs have been requesting numerous times.

Not Nanny state as they are not compulsory and have no bearing on insurance.

Of course the achievement scheme tests as a point of principle are about the skills and competency of the pilot and not about the skills of the electronics, hence the tests are to be taken in manual mode.

[atomiccomp]

As an examiner how do you feel about a 'B' test that requires a loop?

Lol, I dont 'feel' anything about it. Its in there and is part of the test, although as many multirotors wont loop properly I think that will be removed at some point.