A project article on this Aerial or FPV aircraft from Hobbyking.  Formerly known as the Volantex Ranger it has been updated and re-marketed by HK as Quanum Observer.  The popularity of models with the abilty to carry video cameras has increased dramatically especially if you include multicopters.  However this fixed wing model looks more of a Drone, with it's new grey colouring and rather dramatic looks giving it that menacing appearance.  The airframe is made from blow moulded plastic, slippery surface like nylon, a texture similar to supermarket milk bottles.  The fuselage at just over a meter has a wide body up front and the wing is EPO at nearly 2 meters span with curved down wing tips.  The electric aircraft is of the pusher prop variety.

The Ranger 1600 from Hobbyking is another plane from the milk bottle stables, ie; plastic fuselage and very similar stabiliser and tail fin to the Phoenix glider range.  The big difference though is the plug in wings so no screw driver required.  The Ranger is designed for much easier hand launching and virtually a mid-wing type plane.  This model is very similar to the Bixler series except it now has a virtually indestructable fuselage!  The front nose has a flat area with a small aperture for a camera if using it as FPV.  It is quite capable of powered flight or used for slope soaring, your choice.  The plane comes with  pre-wired servo connections, 30 amp ESC and a unbranded 2212 1400Kv brushless outrunner and designed to run on 3 cell Lipos in the 1600 to 2200 maH range. These batteries will balance the model perfectly.

What to do with a 1550mm EPP slope soaring wing? First a little history. I have had this wing for some years now purchased from Hobbyking. It's initial outings were purely as slop soarer and performed well although not a fast wing, more like a lumbering bomber. At least it was not bothered with the collisions from the more popular 46 inch Zagi, X-its and similar clones who just bounced of it and spun to earth. Flying it got boring so was stored away and forgotten. Some time later during an idle hands moment I spotted it laying around in the back of the workshop. After some measurements I decided to bring it back to life again as a slope soarer with a difference, it would have a fuselage and tail fin and hopefully look like a delta wing aircraft.

Introduction - Quite a few years ago we were all happy to recharge our power packs from the car battery, although some found that this was not a good idea after a days flying when the car refused to start - flat battery. As time went by our power packs got bigger and bigger and more powerful to go with our larger electric aircraft.  This is becoming a problem!  We then turned to leisure batteries which are by no means cheap, a 75 amp battery could easily set you back by £120 and upwards.  As my aero fleet increased and a sizeable number were electric requiring 6 cell packs at 5000 mah I was now going down the "adding more expense" route to my pastime.