FREEFLY ALTA 8 UAS with Futaba 14SGH Controller

Performance

Efficient Design

18-inch props, optimized propulsion system, and a lightweight carbon fiber frame together allow flight times comparable to quadcopters while being able to carry the weight of a cinema camera and gimbal.

Flight Time

The ALTA 8 supports flights of over 15 minutes when using two 16 Ah batteries with a payload of 15 lb.

SYNAPSE Intelligent Flight Control System

Precise Positioning

By fusing GPS data with the IMU and Barometer, the ALTA 8 is able to hold position even in difficult weather conditions. For industrial users, this gives the ability to execute complex flight paths while keeping pilot fatigue low.

Velocity Clamps

The SYNAPSE features velocity control with an adjustable real time speed limit. This means pilots can alter the vertical and ground velocities to ensure precise, repeatable camera moves.

Height Hold

The SYNAPSE flight controller takes readings from accelerometers, barometer, and GPS and fuses them together to create high-bandwidth height-control flight mode. This feature is designed to give filmmakers a "dolly in the sky."

Return to Home

Alta 8's return-home function features a "safe height" parameter. With this set, on return home the aircraft will fly at a fixed elevation to avoid collision with obstacles below the pre-defined limit.

Automatic Data Logging

The ALTA 8 allows you to monitor and analyze performance and health using Freefly's proprietary high-speed data logging via microSD card. Data can be inspected using Freefly's data viewer application.

ALTA App

Functions

Functions accessible through the app include:

• Flight Pack Voltage
• Satellite Count
• Flight Mode
• Attitude
• Pilot Checklists
• Vibration Levels
• Height
• Temperature

Works with MoVI Gimbals

Top Mount Camera Option

In addition to traditional bottom ("Ground View") mounting, the ALTA 8 supports mounting the gimbal on top of the aircraft ("Sky View"). This enables capturing distinct camera angles from beneath an elevated subject.

Quick Release Gimbal Attachment

The Alta 8 supports Freefly's Toad in the Hole (TITH) mounting system, the same mount found on MoVI gimbal. This reduces setup and breakdown time, and makes switching between "Ground View" and "Sky View" modes easy.

Note: MoVI gimbal available separately.

Air System Design

Folding Frame

The frame and propellers fold for a footprint that is 50% of the Alta 8's size in operational configuration. This makes it easy to pack up and carry along, even to remote locations.

Vibration Isolation System

A vibration-isolation system rejects high-frequency disturbances, adding further image stability on top of what the gimbal provides.

Weather Resistant

The ALTA 8 features a lightweight molded plastic enclosure to cover the flight control and power distribution board to protect them from the elements.

Receiver Mounting Bay

The ALTA 8 provides two fully enclosed receiver mounting bays to keep these sensitive components protected and dry.

Silent Drive

The ALTA 8 utilizes sinusoidal drive motor controls, and the motors are custom tuned to match the F45 flight controller, with optimizations for speed, reliability, and robustness. The motor drives are constantly monitoring a variety of parameters and reporting status to the SYNAPSE.

Required for Completion

The ALTA 8 comes as an ARF (almost ready-to-fly) bundle. It features a hard transit case, Quick-release top handle, and inverted landing gear for top-mounting the gimbal. In addition to these included items, typical use cases may require the following:

MoVI gimbal

Transmitter (radio controller) and compatible receiver

At least two flight batteries

Aero Landing Gear (lower landing gear for flying a MoVI in the bottom mount configuration)

An FPV system

Controls

Left and right assignable slider switches

Two assignable rotary knobs

Six assignable three-position switches

One assignable momentary two-position switch

One assignable two-position switch

Wide top switch spacing

Adjustable stick tension

Dual ball bearing gimbals

Four vibration warning types

Home/Exit; User Menu/Servo Monitor buttons

Audio earphone jack for telemetry alarms

User stick calibration

Trainer system

Computer

Servo speed adjust

Five programmable mixes

V-tail, Ailvator, winglet, motor mixing

Trim mix

Logic switch (condition switch only)

Internal programmer for S.Bus servos

Servo monitor (neutral and moving tests)

Integral timer with two count up/countdown timers

Quick model select function

Airplane Features

Flap setting menu

Differential ailerons

Five-point throttle and pitch curves

Idle down

Supports:

• Seven different wing types
• Three different tail types
• Two different rudder types

Supported Mixing:

• Aileron to camber flap mixing
• Aileron to brake flap mixing
• Aileron to rudder mixing
• Rudder to aileron mixing
• Rudder to elevator mixing
• Camber mixing
• Elevator to camber mixing
• Camber flap to elevator mixing
• Snap roll mixing
• Airbrake mixing
• V-Tail mixing
• Ailvator
• Winglet
• Motor mixing
• Fuel mixture mixing
• Gyro mixing

Helicopter Features

Six swash plate types

Five-point throttle and pitch curves

High/low pitch settings

Throttle hold

Swash AFR

Swash settings: mixing rate, linkage compensation, and speed compensation

Electronic swash ring

Throttle cut

Supported Mixing:

• Swash mix
• Throttle mix
• Pitch to rudder mixing
• Fuel mixture mixing
• Gyro mixing with Flybarless support
• Governor mixing (700 to 3500 rpm)

Glider Features

Flap setting menu

Differential ailerons

Supports:

• 11 different wing types
• Three different tail types
• Two different rudder types

Supported Mixing:

• Aileron to camber flap mixing
• Aileron to brake flap mixing
• Aileron to rudder mixing
• Rudder to aileron mixing
• Rudder to elevator mixing
• Camber mixing
• Elevator to camber mixing
• Camber flap to elevator mixing
• Butterfly mixing
• Butterfly to elevator mixing