GRAUPNER Micro Star 1000 User Manual
Micro Star
Order No. 4487
1000
Electric Model Helicopter
Order No. 4487 Kit-form model including
brushless electric motor
Warning!
The contents of this kit can be assembled to produce a working helicopter, but the model
is by no means a harmless plaything. If assembled incorrectly or handled incompetently
or carelessly it can cause serious injury to persons and damage to property.
You alone are responsible for completing the model correctly and operating it safely.
Please be sure to read any information sheets containing safety notes included in the kit,
as they are an essential part of these instructions
GRAUPNER GmbH & Co. KG D-73230 KIRCHHEIM/TECK GERMANY
Modifications, errors and printing errors reserved ID# 61792 06/10
Micro Star 1000
Foreword
The “Micro Star 1000” is a fully aerobatic electric-powered model helicopter with a high excess
of performance. It is suitable for beginners, more advanced pilots and experts alike, and offers
the following outstanding features:
• Partly pre-assembled
• Powered by brushless electric motor
• Motor included
• Right-hand rotation main rotor
• Toothed belt tail rotor drive system
• Auto-rotation freewheel
• Designed for three-cell LiPo flight battery
The potential flight time per battery charge naturally varies according to the model’s set-up and
the pilot’s flying style; our experience shows that a duration of around eleven minutes is possible
under normal conditions if the recommended LiPo battery is used.
The control functions roll, pitch (elevator) and collective pitch are mixed electronically, which
means that the model can only be flown with a suitably featured radio control system which has
special helicopter options.
The model’s strong, lightweight chassis consists of a combination of carbon fibre sheet parts,
machined aluminium components and some plastic items. The motor drives the main rotor by
means of a single-stage gearbox, which also features an integral auto-rotation freewheel as
standard.
Specification
Length excl. rotor approx. 880 mm
Height approx. 295 mm
Width excl. rotor approx. 150 mm
Main rotor Ø 960 mm
All-up weight min. approx. 1700 g
Main rotor reduction ratio 6.1 : 1
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Micro Star 1000
Warning notes
• The contents of this kit can be assembled to produce a working helicopter, but the
model is by no means a harmless plaything. If assembled incorrectly or handled in-
competently or carelessly it can cause serious personal injury and property damage.
• When the model helicopter’s motor is running, the two rotors spin at high speed and
contain an enormous quantity of rotational energy. Anything that gets into the rota-
tional plane of the rotors is either destroyed or seriously damaged - and that includes
parts of your body. Please take extreme care at all times with this machine.
• If any object impedes the rotational plane of the revolving rotors, severe damage will
probably be caused to the rotor blades as well as to the object. Broken parts may fly
off and cause enormous imbalance; the whole helicopter then falls into sympathetic
vibration, you lose control and have no way of predicting what the model will do next.
• You may also lose control if a problem arises in the radio control system, perhaps as a
result of outside interference, component failure or flat or faulty batteries, but in any
case the result is the same: the model helicopter’s response is entirely unpredictable.
Without prior warning it may move off in any direction.
• Helicopters contain many parts which are by their nature subject to wear, including
the gearbox, motor, ball-links etc., and as a result it is essential to check and maintain
the model regularly. It is standard practice with full-size aircraft to give the machine a
thorough “pre-flight check” before every flight, and this is equally important with your
model helicopter. Constant checking gives you the opportunity to detect and correct
any faults which may develop before they become serious enough to cause a crash.
• The kit may also include additional information sheets which contain safety notes and
warnings. Please be sure to read them and keep to our recommendations; these
sheets are an essential part of the instructions.
• This helicopter is designed to be assembled and operated by adults, although young
people of sixteen years and over may do so under the instruction and supervision of a
competent adult.
• The model features sharp points and edges which are capable of causing injury.
• The flying of model aircraft is subject to certain legal restrictions, and these must be
observed at all times. For example, it is essential to obtain permission to use your
chosen flying site, and you may have to obtain a licence to use your radio control
system (regulations vary from country to country). It is now a legal requirement to take
out third party insurance to cover the risks inherent in model flying.
• It is important to transport your model helicopter (e.g. to the flying site) in such a way
that there is no danger of damaging the machine. Particularly vulnerable areas are the
rotor head linkages and the tail rotor generally.
• Controlling a model helicopter successfully is not a simple skill; you will need persis-
tence to learn the art, and good hand - eye co-ordination is a basic requirement.
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• Before you attempt to fly the model we recommend that you study the subject of heli-
copters in depth, so that you have a basic understanding of how the machines work.
Read everything you can on the theory of rotary-wing aircraft, and spend as much
time as possible watching other model helicopter pilots flying. Talk to chopper pilots,
ask their advice, and enrol at a specialist model flying school if you need to. Many
model shops will also be prepared to help you.
• Please be sure to read right through these instructions before you start work on the
model. It is important that you clearly understand each individual stage of assembly
and the correct sequence of events before you begin building.
• Don’t make modifications to the model’s construction by using parts other than those
specifically recommended, unless you are certain of the quality and suitability of these
alternative parts for the task.
• We have made every effort to point out the dangers inherent in operating this model
helicopter. Since neither we, the manufacturer, nor the model shop that sold you the
kit have any means of ensuring that you build and operate your model correctly and
Micro Star 1000
competently, we are obliged to disclaim any liability in connection with it.
Liability exclusion / Compensation
As manufacturers, we at GRAUPNER are not in a position to influence the way you build
and set up the model, nor how you install, operate and maintain the radio control system
components. For this reason we are obliged to deny all liability for loss, damage or costs
which are incurred due to the incompetent or incorrect use and operation of our prod-
ucts, or which are connected with such operation in any way.
Unless otherwise prescribed by binding law, the obligation of the GRAUPNER company
to pay compensation, regardless of the legal argument employed, is limited to the invoice
value of that quantity of GRAUPNER products which was immediately and directly in-
volved in the event in which the damage occurred. This does not apply if GRAUPNER is
deemed to be subject to unlimited liability according to binding legal regulation on ac-
count of deliberate or gross negligence.
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Micro Star 1000
Instructions and warnings relating to the use of LiPo batteries
General information
Lithium-Polymer batteries (generally abbreviated to ‘LiPo batteries’) must be handled with particular care and
attention. This applies both to charging / discharging, and to storage and handling generally. It is important to
observe the following points at all times:
Mishandling these batteries incurs a risk of explosion, fire, smoke and poisoning. Ignoring or neglecting the instructions
and warning information can also cause loss of performance and other forms of defect.
The capacity of all LiPo batteries diminishes with every charge / discharge cycle. If they are stored at excessively high
or low temperatures they may also suffer a gradual loss of capacity. In modelling applications the batteries are subjected to motor induction currents as well as high discharge rates, with the result that you can expect their performance
to decline to around 50% to 80% of the capacity of a new pack after fifty charge / discharge cycles even if you observe
all the instructions regarding charge and discharge procedures.
Except in exceptional circumstances, LiPo packs must not be wired in series or parallel, as the packs may have different cell capacities and be at different states of charge. For this reason battery packs supplied by us are carefully selected before sale.
Please store these instructions in a safe place, and pass them on to the new owner if you ever sell the product
Special notes regarding the charging of Graupner LiPo batteries
Since we at Graupner GmbH & Co. KG are not in a position to ensure that you charge and discharge the cells correctly,
we cannot provide any guarantee on the cells if you fail to charge or discharge them using the proper procedures.
When charging LiPo batteries it is essential to use approved battery chargers and the associated charge leads. Any
modification to the charger or charge leads may result in serious damage to the battery or the charger.
The maximum charge capacity must be limited to 1.05 times the battery capacity.
Example: 700 mAh battery = 735 mAh max. charge capacity
LiPo batteries must never be charged or discharged using equipment other than Graupner chargers / dischargers designed specifically for the purpose. These include the LiPo Charger 4, Order No. 6437, LiPomat 4
Plus, Order No. 6438, Ultramat 10, Order No. 6410, Ultramat 12, Order No. 6412, ULTRA DUO PLUS 30, Order
No. 6416 (in LiIon, LiMn or LiPo mode (late versions only)), or GMVIS-Commander, Order No. 94401 - software
version V2003 or later.
You may need an adapter lead (available separately) for connecting the pack to the charger.
Ensure that the number of cells, the final charge voltage and the final discharge voltage are set correctly on the
charger. If you are unsure of this, refer to the operating instructions supplied with your charger / discharger.
The intended purpose of the white multi-pin plug (cell-count + 1 terminal) attached to each LiPo pack is for
connecting the battery to the battery charger, Order No. 6438, or the LiPo Balancer, Order No. 6491; it can also
be useful for charging individual cells manually in order to balance a pack. Once again it may be necessary to
obtain an adapter lead (available separately) to connect the battery.
Supplementary notes on battery handling
The pack to be charged must be placed on a heat-resistant, non-flammable, non-conductive surface for charging. Remove inflammable or volatile materials from the area around the charging station. LiPo batteries must
always be supervised when charging is in progress.
As a basic rule LiPo batteries consisting of series-wired cells may only be charged if the voltage of the individual cells
does not differ by more than 0.05 V. If the voltage of individual cells varies by more than 0.05 V, it will be necessary to
charge or discharge individual cells in order to balance the cell voltages as accurately as possible.
Provided that these conditions are satisfied, Graupner LiPo batteries can be charged at a maximum rate of 2C (the
value of 1C corresponds to the cell capacity). Once the cells reach a maximum voltage of 4.2 V, the charge process
must continue at a constant voltage of 4.2 V per cell until the charge current falls below 0.1 to 0.2 A.
It is essential at all times to avoid cell voltages of more than 4.25 V, otherwise the cells concerned will be permanently damaged, and may even burst into flames. To avoid overcharging individual cells in the pack we recommend that you set the cut-off voltage on the charger at 4.1 V to 4.15 V per cell, as this ensures a longer useful life for the batteries.
After each charge process it is important to check whether any individual cell in the pack exhibits a voltage of more
than 4.2 V. All the cells in the battery must be at the same voltage. If the voltage of the individual cells varies by more
than 0.05 V, the cell voltage must be matched by charging or discharging individual cells. We recommend that you
charge cells individually at regular intervals in order to avoid overcharging them after protracted use in pack form.
Never charge battery cells with reversed polarity. If you connect and charge a LiPo pack with reversed polarity, abnormal chemical reactions take place which will render the battery unusable; at the same time it may burst or split, develop
smoke and even go up in flames. The permissible temperature range when charging and storing LiPo batteries is 0°C
to 50°C.
: LiPo cells should be stored with a residual charged-in capacity of 10 to 20%. If the voltage of the cells falls
Storage
below 3 V during storage, it is absolutely essential to top them up again to the 10 - 20% point. Deep-discharging LiPo
batteries, and storing them in the discharged state (cell voltage < 3 V), invariably renders them unusable.
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Special notes regarding the discharging of Graupner LiPo batteries:
A continuous current of around 6C represents no major problem for any Graupner LiPo battery. If you wish to use
higher discharge currents, please refer to the specifications printed in the catalogue.
Discharging LiPo packs to a point below 2.5 V per cell causes permanent damage to the cells, and must therefore be avoided at all costs. This means that you must switch the motor off the moment you detect a significant
decline in motor power. If the individual cells are at different voltages when discharged, the speed controller’s
low-voltage cut-off could be triggered too late, with the result that individual cells might be discharged to an
excessively low level.
Short-circuits must always be avoided. Permanent short-circuits will inevitably wreck the battery, and may also
cause high temperatures and a fire.
The temperature of the battery during the discharge process must never exceed 70°C. If you find that the pack
gets too hot in use, it is imperative that you improve the battery cooling measures, or reduce the rate of discharge. The pack’s temperature can easily be checked using the Infra-Red Thermometer, Order No. 1963.
Supplementary handling notes
Avoid short-circuits:
Never short-out a LiPo battery. ‘Shorts’ allow very high currents to flow, which in turn cause the cells to heat up. This
will lead to loss of electrolyte, gassing or possibly even an explosion. When handling Graupner LiPo batteries you can
avoid the risk of short-circuits by keeping the packs well away from any conductive surface or component.
Mechanical strength of the foil casing:
The laminated aluminium foil enclosing each cell can easily be damaged by any sharp object, such as a needle, pin,
knife, nail, motor terminal or similar object. Foil damage renders the battery unusable. For this reason the battery must
be installed in the model in such a way that the pack cannot be distorted or damaged even if the model crashes. Remember that the battery could burst into flames if short-circuited.
The foil casing can also be damaged by temperatures above 70°C, causing the cell to leak. This may result in loss of
electrolyte, rendering the battery unusable. If this should occur, be sure to dispose of the battery in the proper manner.
Mechanical shock:
In mechanical terms LiPo batteries are not as robust as batteries consisting of metal-cased cells. Always avoid subjecting these packs to mechanical shock such as dropping, striking, bending, cutting, tearing, deforming or drilling into the
laminated film foil. Never bend or twist a LiPo battery, and do not exert pressure on the battery or its connections.
Handling the cell terminals:
Please note that the battery terminals are not as robust as those of other battery types. This applies in particular to the
aluminium tags, which can easily break off. Never solder directly to the contact tags, as the conducted heat may damage the cells.
Cell connections:
It is not permissible to solder directly to the battery cells.
Direct soldering may cause heat-induced damage to the battery components such as the separator or isolator.
The only approved method of making connections to the battery terminals is industrial spot-welding. If a wire is missing
or torn off, a professional repair by the manufacturer or distributor of the cells is the only possible recourse.
Replacing individual battery cells:
Individual LiPo cells may only be replaced by the manufacturer or distributor. This intervention must not be attempted
by the user.
Do not re-use damaged cells:
Damaged cells must not be re-used under any circumstances.
Typical signs of damaged cells are: damage to the foil case, cell distortion, a smell of electrolyte or actual escaping
electrolyte. If you detect any of these indications, you must not re-use the battery.
Damaged or otherwise unusable cells constitute toxic waste. It is essential to dispose of them in the proper manner
General warnings
These batteries must not come into contact with fire or ashes. The cells must not be allowed to contact fluids such as
fresh water, salt water or drinks. Avoid contact with liquids of all types. Individual cells and batteries are by no means
toys, and must never be allowed to get into the hands of youngsters. Store cells and batteries well out of the reach of
children. Batteries must not be left within reach or in the vicinity of babies or toddlers. If a child should swallow a battery, call for a doctor or emergency medical assistance without delay. Batteries must not be placed in a microwave
oven, nor subjected to pressure: the results may be smoke and fire or worse.
Never attempt to dismantle Li-Po cells. Taking a battery apart can cause internal short-circuits, which could result in
gassing, fire, explosion and other problems.
The electrolyte and electrolytic fumes are injurious to health. Avoid direct contact with the electrolyte at all costs. If the
material gets in your eyes, on your skin or other part of your body, it is essential to wash the affected area immediately
with copious amounts of clean water. Consult a doctor as soon as possible thereafter.
Batteries installed in a device should always be removed from the apparatus if it is not to be used again in the immediate future. Always switch off such devices after use to avoid discharging the cells to a dangerous level. Recharge the
batteries in good time. Store batteries on a non-flammable, heat-resistant and non-conductive surface. If you allow a LiPo battery to become deep-discharged, it will inevitably be ruined, and must not be used again.
Micro Star 1000
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Micro Star 1000
Contents
• Foreword........................................... P.2
• Warnings ........... ................................ P.3
• Accessories, additional items required...................... P.8
• 1. Assembling the model................................ P.9
• 2. The set-up procedure................................. P.23
• 3. Final checks before the first flight........................ P.25
• 4. Adjustments during the first flight, blade tracking............. P.25
• 5. Maintenance....................................... P.26
• 6. General safety measures ............................. P.26
• 7. Basic helicopter terminology ........................... P.27
Notes on the instructions
We have invested considerable effort in producing these instructions, with the aim of ensuring
that your model helicopter will fly reliably and safely. Please take the trouble to follow the instructions step by step, exactly as described, as this guarantees a successful outcome. This applies
to you whether you are a relative beginner or an experienced expert.
• The comprehensive illustrations show how the model is assembled; be sure to read the in-
structions which accompany the drawings.
• All gears, bearings and moving joints must be greased or oiled carefully.
• You will find a list of replacement parts at the end of these instructions.
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Accessories
Recommended items for the Micro Star 1000
Radio control system: see the main Graupner catalogue
You will need a radio control system equipped with special helicopter options, or a microcomputer radio control system.
Servos: four digital servos
Gyro system: preferably a gyro system with heading-lock function
Speed controller: brushless controller, 40 ... 80 A
Flight battery: LiPo 3/2100 ... LiPo 3/3200 (25 C)
Set contents:
Micro Star 1000
Bag A: Main rotor head, collective pitch compensator, swash-
plate, main rotor shaft, screw set
Bag B: (unmarked) chassis side frames, carbon stabiliser pan-
els and carbon speed controller mount
Bag C: Chassis components, main gear, toothed belt pulley
Bag D: Servo installation components
Bag E: Tail boom with toothed belt and tail rotor gearbox
Bag F: Tail rotor head, tail rotor blades, pushrod guide
Bag G: Flybar, tail boom braces, tail rotor pushrod, small items
Bag H: Landing gear
Bag I: Pushrods
Bag K: Main rotor blades
(packed separately): Z-Power Z20A 1230 kV electric motor
Rotor blade support
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Micro Star 1000
1. Assembling the model
Remove the factory-assembled rotor head from bag “A”, together with the control bridge, which
consists of two halves; open the bag of screws at the same time.
Remove the flybar from bag “G”; it is 2 mm in diameter and around 29 cm long.
Insert the flybar through the halves of the control bridge and the rotor head rocker, as shown in
Fig. 1.
Connect the halves of the control bridge to each other using the two 2.5 x 8 mm self-tapping
screws, then position the flybar so that the two machined flats coincide with the threaded holes
in the annular clamps of the control bridge; tighten the two M3 x 4 grubscrews in this position,
checking that the grubscrews engage squarely on the flats.
Fig. 1 Installing the control bridge and flybar
Fix the rotor brake dish to the rotor head hub using the M3 x 12 round-head allen-head screw.
Fig. 2 shows how the blade holders are fitted, in case a repair ever becomes necessary; when
initially building the model you will find that these parts are factory-assembled:
Fig. 2 Main rotor blade holder and bearing assembly
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Screw the two Hiller paddles onto the ends of the flybar as far as they will go. Check that both
paddles are exactly the same distance from the centre of the rotor head.
Micro Star 1000
Fig. 3 Securing the flybar paddles
Align the flybar paddles parallel with each other and with the control bridge, as shown in the
drawing (right-hand main rotor rotation, i.e. clockwise), then tighten the two M3 x 3 grubscrews
to prevent the paddles rotating on the flybar.
Fig. 4 Centring the auxiliary rotor
Temporarily attach the factory-assembled swashplate driver to the main rotor head using an M3
x 15 socket-head cap screw and self-locking nut, as shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 5 Attaching the main rotor head and swashplate driver
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Micro Star 1000
In the kit, the sub-assemblies shown below are supplied in pre-assembled form; the exploded
drawings are only required for repair and maintenance purposes:
Fig. 6: Collective pitch compensator
Fig. 7: Swashplate
Fig. 8: Swashplate -> rotor head pushrod
Fig. 9: Main gear with freewheel and toothed belt pulley
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