SAB (Scorpion Antennas and Batteries) primarily focused on manufacturing and designing high-quality radio-controlled (RC) helicopters.

Here ’s a brief overview of some SAB RC helicopter models:

• Goblin Series
  • The Goblin series is one of SAB ’s flagship lines of helicopters.
  • Goblins are known for their high performance, precision engineering, and innovative design.
  • Different Goblin models cater to various skill levels and preferences, from beginners to advanced pilots.
• RAW
  • RAW is another series of helicopters from SAB.
  • These helicopters are designed for extreme 3D flying, agility, and aerobatics.
  • RAW helicopters typically feature a robust construction to withstand aggressive maneuvers and provide a thrilling flying experience.

Why are RC Helicopter so fun?

SAB Goblin RAW 580

The new RAW 580 use the same module from Kraken 580.

• Incredible strong Power train enclosed in aluminum case,
• Ultra light 7075 aluminum alloy highly adjustable rotor head with super simple Tail group,
• Aluminum Boom 30 mm
• Easy maintenance
• Main blades up to 600mm.

Technical specifications

• AIRFRAME weight: 1740gr ( with S580 blades, no battery, no electronics )
• Main blade length: 550mm to 600mm
• Tail blade length: 95 to 105 mm
• Main rotor diameter: 1290 mm (with 580 mm blades included)
• Tail rotor diameter: 260 mm (with 95 mm tail blades included)
• Cyclic Servos: mini cyclic servo (torque over 8 Kg* cm).
  • Kit includes servo mounts for mini servos.
  • Full size servo mounts available separately.
• Tail Servo: standard size 40mm.
• Main Rotor ratio : 11.5 to 8.6 :1 ( 22T included: 9.4:1)
• Tail Rotor ratio : 5.3* 4.9:1 ( 23T included: 4.9:1 )
• Typical motor : 4025 series, 6S 1000-1200 Kv, 12S 500-600 Kv. Minimum motor shaft length is 26mm (We recommend using a 6mm diameter motor shaft)
• Typical speed controller: 6S 120-140 A, 12S 100-130A
• Battery size: 6S 5000/5800 mAh, 12S 2600/3200 mAh.

Read more at https://goblin-helicopter.com/products/goblin-raw-580

SAB Goblin RAW 580 manuals

• 📔 Download SAB Goblin RAW 580 manual - PDF - 6.8MB
• 📗 Download SAB Goblin RAW 580 checklist - PDF - 11.5MB
• 📙 Download SAB Goblin RAW 580 safety warnings - PDF - 3.4MB

My SAB Raw 580

10 flights, bought on Ricardo.ch, for 915.- CHF a very good deal!

My first full size build since 2004, what a jump in size compare to my two Omphobby m2 😅

Buying a used RC (Radio-Controlled) helicopter carry some risks

Buying a used RC (Radio-Controlled) helicopter can be a great way to save money, but it also comes with certain risks. It’s essential to conduct a thorough inspection and ask pertinent questions before making a purchase. If you’re not familiar with RC helicopters, consider bringing along someone with experience or seeking the advice of a knowledgeable friend or expert in the hobby.

Here are some potential risks and considerations to keep in mind:

Condition of the Helicopter:

• Physical Damage: Check for any visible signs of damage such as broken or bent parts, cracks, or missing components.
• Wear and Tear: Assess the overall wear and tear on the helicopter. Overused components may be more prone to failure.

Mechanical Components:

• Motor and Servos: Check the motor and servos for proper function. Listen for any unusual noises during operation.
• Battery Health: Batteries degrade over time. Ensure that the battery is still holding a charge well and hasn’t swollen, as this can be a sign of damage or age.

Electronics and Wiring:

• Receiver and Transmitter: Verify that the RC transmitter and receiver are in good working condition. Check for any loose or damaged wiring.
• Electronic Speed Controller (ESC): Ensure that the ESC is functioning properly and not showing signs of overheating.

Flight History & Crash History: Inquire about any crashes the helicopter might have had. Frequent crashes can lead to hidden damage and affect the overall performance.

Availability of Spare Parts: Check if spare parts for the specific model are readily available in case you need to replace or repair components.

Upgrades and Modifications: Find out if the previous owner made any modifications or upgrades to the helicopter. While some upgrades can enhance performance, poorly executed modifications may lead to issues.

Documentation and Manuals: Ensure that the seller provides you with the user manual and any relevant documentation for the helicopter. This will be helpful for maintenance and troubleshooting.

Price Considerations: Research the market value of the specific model you are interested in. If the price seems too good to be true, it might be worth investigating further.

Test Flight: If possible, request a test flight to observe the helicopter in action. Pay attention to how it handles, any abnormal vibrations, or erratic behavior.

Trustworthiness of the Seller: Consider the reputation of the seller. If buying from an individual, ask questions about the helicopter’s history and maintenance.

Costs if it would be new:

I added the missing parts:

3D printing

• SAB Goblin RAW 580 3d print at MakerWorld (Bambu lab - Free)
• SAB Goblin RAW 580 3d print at Thingiverse (All - Free)
• SAB Goblin RAW 580 3d print at Printables (Prusa - Free)
• SAB Goblin RAW 580 3d print at Cults3D (All - Free & $$$)
• SAB Goblin RAW 580 3d print at Yeggi (All - Free & $$$)

Lipo choice

Servo choice

The X20 Combo set including three X20-2208 V2.0 Cyclic Servos and one X20-1035 V2.0 Tail Servo is now available. The X20 Servos feature brushless motors, full CNC aluminum cases, and a complete set of hardened steel High Life Span (HLS) gears throughout each servo. Each gearbox is equipped with 6 ball bearings to maintain a slop-free gear train. The cyclic servos boast an incredible 2.5N.m of torque at 8.4V, and a crisp 0.07 second speed. The tail servo offers 1.2N.m of torque at a blistering fast 0.03 second speed at 8.4V. Ideal for 500 to 800 Class EP/GP Helicopters.

• X20-2208 Technical Specification
• X20-1035 Technical Specification

Tools

• RETAINING COMPOUND High Strength Bon. Artikel-Nr. HA115-S
• THREADLOCKER Medium Strength Artikel-Nr. HA116-S

Crash costs

Prices in Switzerland of some parts, to get an idea of operating (crash) costs.

• More parts prices at Helikopter Baumann

Building the SAB Goblin RAW 580

WestHobbiesRC has some good video that you can use with the manual to enhance your build experience.

more videos at https://www.youtube.com/@westhobbiesrc8051

SAB Goblin RAW 580 Setup

Setup found on the web

EdgeTX files

In EdgeTX, the “input” (stick positions) from the sticks travels to the RF channel output (signal out the RF module) like this: Sticks (hardware) ⇒ Inputs (config) ⇒ Mixer (config) ⇒ Outputs (config) ⇒ RF module (hardware)

Features

• Deadband fix preapplied, expo ready (set expo in Mixes tab)
• Three flight modes with dedicated collective curves
• Custom rescue mode with flight mode dependent collective curves
• Zorro: RPM reduction switch intelligently combined with self level switch to enable additional headspeeds
• TX16S: 6-pos switch allows for 5 additional, lower RPMs in lowest headspeed setting
• Dual throttle hold switch for safety with timer reset function if both switches are pulled

Radiomaster Zorro Default switch assignments

• A: Rescue button
• B: Flight mode switch (3 fixed RPMs)
• C: 3D mode headspeed switch reduction, self leveling with headspeed reduction
• D: N/A
• E: Throttle hold switch 1
• F: Throttle hold switch 2
• G: N/A
• H: N/A

Downloads

Link available soon!

Setup details

Flight modes are used: RPM, Pitch and Rescue Pitch are different in the main 3 Flightmodes, the 6POS even lowers the low-RPM Flightmode’s RPM further.

Freely assignable switches through Logical Switches menu L04: Switch F -> throttle hold L04: Switch E -> throttle hold L08 : reset timer, throttle hold, SE & SF

Curves

• HLD
  • curve that maintain the throttle at 0
• CP1
  • collective pitch curve for normal mode with pitch -100 to 100
• CP3
  • collective pitch curve for idle-up 1 with pitch -95 to 95
• CP3
  • collective pitch curve for idle-up 2 with pitch -90 to 90
• CPL
  • collective pitch curve beginner friendly (no negative collective)
  • With self level mode
  • With reduced rates
• DBD: dead band curve
  • Deadband was adressed in a 5POS-Curve for aileron and elevator saying -100=-100, -1=-8, 0=0, 1=8, 100=100. Therefor -7 to 7 is skipped.
  • The deadband is achieved with the deadband by mixing “ail” and “ele” with the curve “dbd”

Rotorflight Flydragon F722

First step

1. Download latest rotorflight configuration for stable (Rotorflight RF1) or Beta (Rotorflight RF2)
2. Connect the Flight controller DragonFly to USB-C to your computer
3. Launch and do a backup in the CLI, by typing dump all and saving to a file, just for your reference.
4. Disconnect

Installing Rotorflight on the Flydragon F722

1. Connect the Flight controller DragonFly to USB-C to your computer
2. Click the button “Update Firmware”
3. Select “All release and snapshots”
4. Select the board “FLYDRAGONF722_V2”

4. Click “Load Firmware [Online]” button at the bottom of the screen
5. Click now “Flash Firmware” You’re done, safe default for the board have been applied.

Installing Rotorflight on the remote controller

Copy the LUA scripts on the SDCard https://github.com/rotorflight/rotorflight-lua-scripts

Wiring the controller

Following the official documentation

With my YGE Saphir 155 ESC, there is some stuff to do

• YGE Throttle -> ESC on FlyDragon
• YGE RPM -> RPM-E on FlyDragon
• YGE Telemetry -> SBUS on FlyDragon, set UART 2 to “ESC Telemetry in Rotorflight” and protocol to BLHeli32
• Flash the YGE with latest Beta firmware so it support BLHeli32

Installing the controller

Depending how you mount physically the controller on the heli, you may have to adjust the yaw of the sensors.

Heli Seen from the back, tail view

Default	Rotated
Under “Board and Sensor Alignment” keep Yaw = 0	Under “Board and Sensor Alignment” set Yaw = 180
Please level the helicopter and calibrate it once. Hit the button “Save and Reboot”	After setting 180 degrees, please level the helicopter and calibrate it once. Hit the button “Save and Reboot”

Use 3M gray tape tha has NO foam at all

Verify proper operations in the status widget, that the sensor properly tilt the helicopter in the preview windows

Installing FlyDragon ELRS antenna

I used with great success the mount at https://makerworld.com/en/models/88556 printed in PLA, put TPU, PETG is also OK

Check the swashplate compensation is in the right direction

if you move you heli, say left and right, the swash should move level itself to the horizon, as if it is trying to balance a cup of water in the middle and preventing it from spilling if the swash moves in the same direction as you are moving you heli and making the swash angle EVEN STEEPER, thats a wrong direction.

Check that the tail compensation is in the right direction

Check your tail to see such that if you put the heli to right side facing you, and that you are looking at the tail rotor head at the hub, when you move the tail towards you, the servo should compensate such that it makes the blades angles push air at you.

ELRS

ELRS Channel resolution setting

ELRS has different switch modes for different channel resolutions. We want to have at least 5 channels with full resolution. The Hybrid und Wide switch modes are not sufficient for Helicopter use as they offer only 4 channels with full resolution. We need to use the “8 channel full resolution mode“

ELRS Transmit power

It is important to not enable Dynamic TX power. This is because of a weird logic tied to channel 5. Please keep The TX Power set to fixed. 25mW should be more then sufficient for line of sight flying for model helicopters.

Telemetry

Adding sensors not supported by the CSRF protocol, see https://www.rotorflight.org/docs/Tutorial-Walkthroughs/ELRS-telemetry-reuse

Updating the ELRS internal module

Bind process

3 methods are available

ELRS Wifi access point

The Flydragon F722 disable wifi out of the box due to aluminium casing, you need to flash a custom firmware to enable it. From the ELRS web GUI, you can set your binding phrase. read more in ELRS manual

Boot button

Power the FlyDargon F722 and press the boot button once. The receiver LED would turn off and then turn back on. Continue pressing the button 2 more times. Make sure the receiver LED doing quick double-blink. Which indicates ELRS binding mode. In edgeTx select bind using ELRS Lua script.

Using betaflight passthrough

While the transmitter is disconnected, power the FC and hold the boot button until the receiver LED stays on. This enables the receiver firmware update mode.

read more in ELRS manual

ELRS companion

Not supported by the FlyDragon F722 :-(

FlyDragon F722 v2 Manuals

• FlyDragon F722 v2 ELRS Receiver Manual
• FlyDragon F722 v2 specifications

FlyLog

https://github.com/Jiki-Mo/FlyLog

Young Generation Electronic YGE Saphir 155 ESC

The YGE ESC because has a special feature called ampere limit. It can save your components from overheating or pulling too much amps.

Updating the firmware

Wiring the ESC

Installing the ESC

Features

• 155A continuous / 250A burst
• 4 to 8s LiPo, incl under voltage protection by power reduction
• BEC 5,0V – 8,4V
• BEC 12A continuous, 25A Peak
• 32-bit CPU
• Frequency: 16 to 32 kHz
• Speed limit: 240.000 rpm (2- Poles)
• Dimensions (mm): 82 x 43,5 x 26
• Weight without/with cables: 122g/178g

Security

• Temperature and overload warning
• Anti- flash: decreases the closing spark
• The specified current is the maximum continuous full power current
• Disconnectable under voltage detection

Computer

• Basic -Programming with mode programming
• Fine adjustment and selection of telemetry log with the PC Setup
• Update capable (optional USB-Adapter available)
• Suitable USB-adapter optionally available

Telemetry

“T” for Telemetry. following protocols are currently compatible:

• Mikado Vbar Control Classic/Touch/Evo,
• Graupner HoTT V4,
• Jeti ExBUS,
• Multiplex Sensor BUS V2,
• YGE-protocol
• BL Heli (BETA firmware as of today 19.01.2024) And via YGE TexY additionaly:
• Futaba
• Spektrum
• FrSky
• Core
• MSH Brain 2
• Spirit FBL

Soft start

• Super soft startup for scale-helicopters possible (60 sec.)
• Automatic or 6 step adjustable timing

Brake

Adjustable EMK brake When you reduce the throttle input to zero, the braking function can bring the motor to a stop quickly instead of allowing it to coast to a stop. Useful just before a crash :-)

EMK (Electromagnetic Kinetic) Brake: EMK brake is a term that can be associated with electromagnetic brakes, which are devices that use the magnetic force generated by the electromagnet to provide braking torque. Electromagnetic brakes are sometimes used in various applications to quickly and effectively stop or hold motion.

F3A (Acro brake (brake force control infinitely adjustable) Allow users to adjust the braking force according to their preferences or the specific requirements of their applications. This feature is often appreciated in precision flying, such as in aerobatic.

Active Freewheeling This technique involves controlling the freewheeling of the motor, which reduces the motor’s braking effect. Active freewheeling can be used to optimize efficiency and reduce heat generation.

Regler YGE Saphir 155 manuals

• YGE Saphir 155 manual

Resources

https://www.rotorflight.org/docs/Tutorial-Quickstart/Introduction