3D Robotics RTF Aero User Manual

AERO

Congratulations on your purchase of an Aero!

Please read the following sections of this manual to get
started with your new autonomous aircraft.

1 Meet the Aero 7 Fly-by-wire mode
2 Safety 8 Command modes
3 Charge battery 9 Missions
4 Setup 10 Preflight steps
5 Manual mode 11 Takeo & landing
6 Stabilize mode 12 Postflight steps

Meet the Aero

left wing

nose

body

right wing

motor

tail boom

tail

1

airspeed sensor

battery compartment

electronics compartment
(under wings)

left aileron

rudder

elevator

If the terms above are unfamiliar to you, visit 3dr.com/learn,
and dive into the exciting world of planes with our
Introduction to Flying Fixed-Wing Aircraft.

RC transmitter

right aileron

Spektrum FlySky

If you did not order an RC transmitter with your
Aero, visit 3dr.com/learn for instructions.

2

!

visual line
of sight

400 ft

(120 m)

5 miles (8 km)

400 ft

(120 m)

Safety

Before you fly, always determine the boundaries of your safe flying area. If
the Aero moves outside the designated area or exhibits instability in flight,
switch to fly-by-wire mode and land the plane manually.

The Aero will not avoid obstacles on its own, including during missions. As
the operator, it’s your job to recognize and avoid obstructions while flying.
Always be ready to regain manual control of the plane in the event of an
unsafe situation.

Spinning propellers can cause serious injury. The safety button
indicates the status of the motor to help you prevent hazardous
contact with the Aero’s high-speed propeller. When the Aero is
powered on, the safety button will blink red; the motor is inactive
and the propeller is safe to handle. When you’re ready to fly, press
and hold the safety button until it shows solid red. This indicates
that the motor is active and the propeller can spin if armed. To
make the propeller safe to handle again, press and hold the safety
button until it blinks red.

Always fly below 400 ft (120 m) and within your
visual line of sight. Don’t let the Aero get too far

visual line
of sight

400 ft

(120 m)

away from you; make sure you can always see its
orientation. Don’t fly in low light, heavy wind, rain,
or other conditions that might impede visibility.

5 miles (8 km)

100 ft (30 m)

Always fly at least five miles (8 km) away from
airports and other areas where pilots operate
manned aircraft.

Always fly at least 100 feet (30 m) away from
people, vehicles, and buildings. Make the safety
of people and property your first priority!

If the Aero looses contact with the RC transmitter, it will
return to the launch point automatically and enter into a
circle pattern above the launch point, indicated by a
blinking yellow status LED.

If the battery reaches 33% of its remaining charge, the
Aero will return automatically to circle above the launch
point, indicated by a blinking yellow status LED and a
quick repeating tone.

3

Charge battery

The Aero is powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer
(LiPo) battery. Store the battery at half charge, then charge
fully before flying. Batteries must ship at half charge, so
please charge before your first flight. Each full battery
provides approximately 40 minutes of flight time.

battery charger

Connect the charger to the power adapter cable and a
wall outlet. Connect the red cable to the + port and the
black cable to the - port.

Set the charger to LiPo and 3A.

LiPo 3A

4

+

–

Connect the white connector to the 4S port. Join the two yellow
connectors together. Secure the battery inside the guard bag while
charging, and charge until the status indicator displays green.

4S

Charging Complete

guard bag

!

Battery safety

Protect the battery from extreme heat, extreme cold, puncturing,
and flammable surfaces. Always transport, charge, and store
the battery in the guard bag.

Charge the battery using a designated LiPo balance charger only.
Always monitor the battery while charging.

Flying with a low battery is a safety risk and can render the battery
permanently unusable. Always fly with a fully charged battery.

Inspect the battery for damage before takeo and after landing.
If you observe any swelling of the package or the battery ceases
to function, locate your local battery recycling center to dispose
of the battery. In the US and Canada, visit call2recycle.org to
find a location. Do not dispose of the battery in the trash.

5

Setup

Follow these instructions to take the Aero from
travel configuration to flight configuration.

Slide the horizontal stabilizer into the vertical stabilizer

1

along the orange groove. Make sure not to stress any
of the components on the tail.

horizontal stabilizer

vertical stabilizer

complete tail assembly

On the top of the horizontal stabilizer, open the
blue clasp at the end of the servo rod.

6

Insert the pegs on the clasp into the open space in
the servo horn, and close the clasp.

servo horn

Slide the blue rubber ring over the clasp to secure it in place.

Turn the plane over and insert the provided tail screw
into the horizontal and vertical stabilizers.

tail screw

Locate the wing spar (long rod) and the two wings.

2

Slide a wing onto the spar.

7

Slide the other wing onto the spar.
Do not twist the wing or the spar so as not to stress the foam.

complete wing assembly

Locate the two cables inside the electronics compartment marked
AILE. Connect these cables to the two cables on the wings marked
AILE. (Either of the wing cables can connect to either of the plane
cables; the order doesn’t matter.)

plane AILE cables wing AILE cables

Place the wings over the body of the Aero with the foam squares
fitted into the matching space in the electronics compartment.
Make sure not to pinch the AILE cables.

wings placed onto the body of the Aero

8

Locate the four large rubber bands. Use the bands to secure
the wings to the body of the Aero by the four orange knobs
on the body around the wings.

Attach two of the bands to the two knobs on one of the short
sides and opposite knobs on the opposing side.

add first band add second band

orange knobs

Repeat on the other short side with the remaining two rubber
bands, resulting in two pairs of opposing right triangles.

add third band add fourth band

complete band assembly

9

Locate the rings inside the propeller package. Remove

3

the ring with the second-largest internal diameter, and
insert it into the back of the propeller hub.

Remove the nut and the washer from the motor, add the
propeller with the writing on the propeller facing towards
the nose of the plane, add the washer and the nut over the
propeller, and tighten the nut.

10