As an RC aircraft hobbyist and software engineer, I've always integrated automation into flight controls. In recent years, I've flown various models, such as fixed-wing aircraft, multirotor drones, and FPV quadrotors, but have yet to fly a helicopter. Helicopters, compared to multirotors, have advantages in efficiency, payload capacity, and range, and compared to fixed-wing aircraft, they offer greater flight agility. However, third-person view flight is more challenging. FPV can compensate for this and also bring more enjoyment. Currently, there are few commercially available FPV helicopter models, and I believe that the FPV helicopter model showcased by OMPhobby at a certain expo was the closest to commercialization, but there have been no follow-up updates since the impact of COVID-19.
To add insult to injury, due to the conflict in Ukraine, the Chinese government decided to implement strict controls on unmanned aircraft, which has made it unlikely for me to realize my plans for FPV helicopters. Therefore, I decided to implement it in a game and incorporate automation into this aircraft. Coincidentally, a new heavy armed helicopter, possibly named "Z-21", emerged in China. I integrated the design concept of the new armed helicopter with my ideas for automated flight and wrote a new control program.
The WZ-1A is a helicopter controlled by angular rates. When the control stick is released, the helicopter locks onto the current attitude angle, similar to the SAS in Kerbal Space Program. But it only works in the facing-up direction. When the helicopter flips over, all controls become angular rate controls, requiring the pilot to adjust manually. The collective is controlled by VTOL and integrates altitude hold function, which will be enable by press "2". Within a certain angle range, the helicopter automatically compensates for changes in altitude caused by tilting and can still work when flipped over. These features make the flight easier. After pressing "1" to start the engine, the pilot can focus more on the mission.
Weapon system is also a highlight of this helicopter. I integrated the idea of an optical targeting pod, using the secondary camera to guide the missiles. In the cockpit, I wrote a perspective tracking program so that when the landing gears is retracted, the cannon can rotate with the perspective. The cockpit is also different from my previous work, with interactive components added.
Although the new helicopter doesn't perform well in some conditions, I believe it can handle most flight and combat missions. Automatic gunfire is difficult for me to implement due to my lack of expertise in linear algebra and angle conversion. These are some regrets about this helicopter. Additionally, I need to mention that the helicopter's HUD comes from some1else's 1partHUD. Because the HUD has been around for quite some time, if my memory serves me incorrectly, I apologize for any misunderstanding.