Circuit Lake

The Aircraft Visibility Remote (AViaRy) is a remote control lighting system for radio controlled model aircraft with an emphasis on scale realism during flight. The system consists of a remote keypad connected to the pilot’s transmitter and an on-board controller connected to the aircraft receiver. The receiver side module is based on the AtMega168 microcontroller, while the keypad is a simple design utilizing an AtTiny2313.

In the implementation (see photo), the system consists of the AviaRy keypad unit, a Futaba transmitter, a 7.4 Volt Lithium Polymer battery, the AviaRy Airborne circuit card, an airplane silhouette with LEDs in the appropriate positions, three servos, a stock Futaba compatible radio control receiver, and two Ethernet cables that connect the AviaRy to the LED wiring harness hidden in the box. A second unit will eventually be installed into a 1/5 scale Top Flight Cessna 182 to push the realism factor “over the top”. RC Lighting System For Model Aircraft Project is designed by Kevin Houser from U.S

Project Features:

• Individual On/Off control of navigation, landing, blinking beacon, wingtip strobes, courtesy, and interior instrument panel backlights.
• Glow Plug engine heat On/Off control via servo output allows connection to other manufacturer’s Glow Heat electronics. Alternatively the Glow Plug PWM voltage output can be connected directly to a plug.
• Glow Plug PWM voltage monitoring maintains 1.2v to the plug via feedback to the ADC.
• Landing gear up/down deployment servo output.
• Cowl Flaps open/close servo output allows for engine cooling or other auxiliary servo use..
• Receives remote commands using a simple “toggle switch protocol” that can be performed manually via a toggle switch on an unmodified transmitter, or via a keypad attached to the transmitter with a simple modification. The modification adds a stereo phone jack that connects to the channel 5 toggle switch signals.
• Requires only a single channel for remote operation.