Radio Control Blimps Info

Radio Control Blimps Explained
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Radio control blimps

are a unique item in the RC world. Even if you are an experienced pilot who is fairly well versed in the workings of radio control airplanes or helicopters, how a blimp operates may still seem like somewhat of a mystery.RC blimps dont work exactly like their life sized counterparts, but they have many of the same components and concepts. The first of the similarities is the presence of helium in the blimp envelope, the large balloon portion of the blimp. A question that often comes to mind when discussing radio control blimps is how safe helium is to handle and use. Helium is a safe, non-flammable gas and is ideal for use in a radio control blimp. When some people think of blimps, they think back to the Hindenburg disaster. Hydrogen is also lighter than air creating about the same buoyancy as helium, and because of its slightly stronger lift was used in early life-sized blimps such as the Hindenburg. Hydrogen, however, burns very easily, and after the international tragedy of the Hindenburg helium became the only gas used in any blimps no matter the size.The science behind blimps comes from the very nature of the helium gas. Helium is less dense than the air around us, and therefore rises. We learn this at an early age with helium balloons. Most of us have tried at one time or another to tie helium balloons to an object to see how much a balloon will lift. This personal experiment may not have given the most precise results, but helium can actually lift 1.02 kilograms for every square meter of the gas. This lift capacity can be important information in some blimp applications. One of the fascinating aspects of RC blimps is that if the blimp has a large enough lifting capacity, a small camera can be attached to it during flight. This camera in the sky can obtain some great overhead views. Camera equipped radio control blimps are used in some arenas during sporting events to get spectacular camera angles.Now we know that helium is the lifting agent in an RC blimp, so the next question surrounds how a blimp goes up and down at the pilots command. In a life-sized blimp, there are balloons (called ballonets) that are contained within the envelope and hold air. When the ballonets are empty, the helium has full effect and causes the blimp to rise. When the ballonets are filled with air, the dense air contained within different balloons but the same envelope as the helium has an effect on the buoyancy. As more air is added, the heavier air will eventually level out the blimps rise. As air is increased from this neutral point, the density of the air will overcome the effects of the helium and the blimp will descend.In RC blimps, the helium is also used to create buoyancy the rise and descent of the blimp is controlled by servos attached to propellers or fins. These controls cause the blimp to angle its nose upwards or downwards depending on the desired motion. For small scale blimps such as the radio control models this method is far less complex and equally successful.Now that the mystery of how radio control blimps work is solved, youre probably ready to head out and try it for yourself. Be safe and happy flying!