The Silverlit Atlas
The Silverlit Atlas is the natural progression from the PicooZ. Extra buttons on the transmitter add forward motion control to the existing up/down and rotate left/right options. The box describes this as 3-channel control, but with no backwards option, it’s more like 2½.
The Atlas is also available as the Uranus which has led to much sniggering and many school boy jokes on various forums. The only difference between the Atlas and Uranus is a minor variation in the fuselage profile. For the rest of this article I will only refer to the Atlas.
Configuration
The size and configuration is very similar to the PicooZ. The fuselage is significantly narrower and the large gear wheel is absent. A two stage gearing is used instead which is compact enough to remain wholly within the fuselage.
The main selling point for the Atlas is the forward motion control. The mechanism to achieve this is connected below the main rotor. Two arms project down from the rotor to a circular ring surrounding the rotor shaft. Above the rotor is Silverlit’s now familiar propellor style stabilizer bar.
A copper coil sits in front of the rotor shaft. A current applied to the coil displaces the suspended ring, which combined with the action of the stabilizer, changes the flight geometry to generate the desired forward thrust.
The power switch and charging socket are on the starboard side of the fuselage.
Controller
The controller only differs from the PicooZ in two aspects: one functional and one cosmetic.
Functionally there are two buttons on the back that control forward flight. They are located where your index fingers naturally fall. Pressing the left button causes a small forward movement, the right a larger movement. For continuous forward flight press and hold them together.
Cosmetically, the controller has had a face-lift. It now has a 1950′s sci-fi feel with it’s triangular LED bulb and metallic silver panels.
As with all the other micro-helicopters smaller than the Gyrotor the flight battery on the Atlas is charged from the controller via an umbilical cord.
Airspace
Standard to this size of helicopter, the manual recommends a room of about 3m x 5m x 2.5m, free from drafts, bright lights and strong sunshine.
Flying
My first impression of the Atlas was that it did not handle as well as the PicooZ to the point that I got the PicooZ out to check. I’d been flying the Palm-Z a lot and wondered if my helicopter skills were rusty. The problem was definitely with the Atlas. It wasn’t that it was uncontrollable, just that it lacked precision. Where as I could land the PicooZ on coffee mat and fly it under a chair, the Atlas needed a dustbin lid and a table. I put this down to the extra mobility of the rotor head.
Halfway through the first flight I decided to test the forward flight controls. I pressing the left button for a short forward movement. There was a delay and then the Atlas tipped forward for a second, moved about 15cm (6 inches) and then swung backwards and forwards like a pendulum.
Pressing the right button was similar, just with a longer forward movement: about 40 cm. At the end of the movement it started descending sharply, dropping to the floor. Adding power to the main rotor had no effect. Following an immediate takeoff it was back in the air as normal.
For the final test both buttons were pressed together for continuous forward flight. The Atlas started speeding around in large circles. Control whilst holding the buttons down was difficult especially combined with the speed. After a short sprint the Atlas again dropped to the floor.
During the next eight to ten flights this dropping behavior diminished to nothing as the Li-Poly battery became conditioned. This behavior is typical and is seen in all of the micro helicopters as coarse speed changes during early flights. The effect was more pronounced on the Atlas due to the extra current draw of the rotor pitching coil. I had a four month period where I didn’t fly the Atlas and found that the dropping behavior had partly returned.
On some flights the motors unexpectedly cut out during the flight with a fall to earth. Once recovered and relaunched, flying continued as normal. According to the forums, the Atlas has a thermal cut-out to prevent damage to the electronics.
As direction control during forward flight was minimal, I followed the PicooZ’s example and added a little weight to the nose using Blue-Tak. This gave a slow but constant forward motion, to which the (semi)controllable forward flight could be added as wanted.
Modding
The only mod I have made to the Atlas setup is to remove the spring from the main rotor control. This was so I could explore the forward flight controls with the main rotor set for hover. Although only a minor change, it proved useful enough that I kept it.
To remove the main rotor spring remove the four screws from the back and gently separate the two halves. Make sure you keep all the buttons and switch covers that fall out.
Pulling the main rotor stick from its seating reveals an offset spring.
Removing the screw securing the spring allows it to be rotated out of the way.
After replacing the screw the sticks can be reseated before re-assembling the controller, ensuring all the small parts are replaced.
Conclusion
I find the Atlas difficult to recommend. It may look better, but the “third” channel, does not live up to it’s promise and the lack of precision compared to the PicooZ leaves you feeling unsatisfied.
If your flying space is limited and you want to progress beyond the PicooZ then you might consider the Atlas, however I would suggest spending a little extra and skipping to Silverlit’s newer TandemZ-1 twin rotor (to be reviewed soon).
Facts and Figures
What’s in the box
- Atlas helicopter
- Combined infra-red transmitter and charging station
- Multi-language manual
- Spare tail rotor
You have to supply
- 6 x AA batteries
- Cross-head screwdriver in order to fit them.
Dimensions
- Main rotor diameter: 132 mm
- Fuselage length: 170 mm
- Height: 63 mm
- Weight: 12 grammes
Manufacturers Website
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