EasyStar for the road

Project: A simple FPV/AVP EasyStar to take on the road (keep checking back for updates)

Since I do a lot of camping in the US western desert with family and friends along with participating in off-road racing, I've been wanting an RC plane that can be easily transported and still carry some video equipment for AVP and FPV flights. We visit a lot of ghost towns and old mines from the late 1800s and not to mention the great scenery. So at first I went with a GWS Slow Stick and that was fine but the lack of belly landing ability and the front mounted prop left me bringing spare parts, etc... so I ditched the Slow Stick and replaced it with the Multiplex EasyStar. The EasyStar is a lot better suited for what I intend to do with it and the ability to carry a heavier payload without doing a lot of modifications to the plane also made it one of the better choices. I have a few other aircraft like a couple of TwinStars II but they require more attention and maintenance along with being bigger and heavier then there sister the EasyStar and I won't be needing there payload capacity either since there won't be any GPS, OSD, Pan n Tilt servos, etc.... The EasyStar will only carry what it needs: DVR, wireless transmitter and the planes gear like servos, RX, batteries etc... and I will keep it as simple as possible and a weight around 28-32oz.

Set up:

MPX EasyStar

Planes view of our Campsite

Spectrum DX7 TX/RX

E-Flite Brushless Out-runner Park 450

APC 8x8e prop

2100mha Lipo Battery 3cell 11.1volts

4-HS-55 servos 2 added for custom ailerons

Castle Creation 25 amp ESC

Samsung DVR

.9ghz wireless video TX

Thread on Old Gold Mines in the Mojave Desert: Gold Mine Hunting

I modified the EasyStar to have ailerons and moved the rudder and elevator servos to the rear of the fuselage to allow for better CG when adding DVR and video TX on the nose. The Samsung DVR has a built in camera and video in/out. I will hook the .9ghz TX to the DVR video out to get the video sent back to me on the ground. Using this DVR camcorder will allow me to record the flight in the plane so resolution and clarity will be of good quality. Also I won't have to take along all my recording gear as the DVR will be it. Just RC plane, DX7, video RX & goggles, glue and battery chargers. Most flying will be done without goggles but it will be nice to have them along and the ability to use them.

To allow the video signal to be transmitted using the Samsung Camcorder I had to make a custom wiring harness. I first did a continuity test of the factory supplied cable to find out which plug contact is video, audio and ground (usually wire colors are: yellow-video, red-right audio, white-left audio and shielded strand wire or black is ground). I made sure to use a new 4 contact 1/8" phono plug just like the Samsung supplied connector even though the #4 contact (audio right) will not be used. This way I'll be sure not to have a short like if I was to use a 1/8" 3 contact phono plug.

UPDATE: After flying the EasyStar with ailerons for awhile I switched back to rudder control. It seems to fly a lot better with just rudder and elevator.

I labeled the RCA connectors to match the 1/8" plug connector for future reference

I made I custom wire harness using servo connectors to match my video TX

I only need 3 pins (1-audio mono,2-video,&3 ground.

I use the same type of inline custom deans plug I use on my FPV heli to power the video TX from the main battery (it's recommended to use a separate battery to power wireless gear but for this set-up I will not.