HobbyKing HK401B Digital Head Lock Gyro

There comes a time, in every RC Helicopter pilot’s lives, where the inevitable question of what Gyro to get pops up. Up until recently your choices were limited to some big name and hence expensive brands. The Futaba GY401 usually comes to mind but at over $100, it costs more than most helicopter kits. Luckily the Chinese with their vast manufacturing network and work ethic have come to the rescue with some very cheap clones.

A good Gyro is essential when it comes to flying RC Helicopters, but what exactly does a Gyro do? The simplest way to explain it, is to say that it stops the tail from drifting in the wind. But what it actually does is much more complex, it compensates for the torque of the engine/motor by increasing and decreasing the pitch of the tail rotor blades. If you suddenly increase or decrease power, the tail rotor has to work much harder, without a Gyro your helicopter would spin around.

The 401B has been around for a while now and is marketed under various brands. HobbyKing has just released their own version at the unbeatable price of only $15.99. Luckily I was quick to purchase a few as they are selling fast.

First Impressions

When I opened the package I was amazed at how similar the HobbyKing 401B is to the Futaba GY401. The switches, POTs and even the LED is the same as the GY401. Only the case and layout are different. It came with a small instruction pamphlet which was very easy to follow.

Functions

• Compatible with both Digital and Analog systems
• Minimizes rudder trim changes caused by wind, other meteorological changes, and varieties of helicopter attitude changes are automatically cancelled.
• Sensor vibration proofing
• Simple sensitivity adjustment

Specifications

• Digital proportional RIC system
• Operating voltage: 4.8V ~6V( common for receiver)
• Operating temperature: -10 – 45C
• Dimensions: 28x28x20 mm
• Operating current: 80mA

Flight Testing

I mounted the HobbyKing 401B on my HobbyKing HK-450 Electric Helicopter for flight testing. The setup is completely stock with a Turnigy Typhoon 2215H motor and HXT900 servos throughout. I prefer mounting my Gyro on the Tail Boom mount, so I connected the servo leads and secured it with 2-Way tape. The setup was extremely simple; I set the DS switch to off, the DR switch to reverse, the Delay POT to 0 and the Limit POT down to 60.

There was a very light breeze blowing across my flying field as I powered up for the first time. The tail was wagging a bit so I adjusted the gain on my remote to 60%. I powered up again and the helicopter was smooth as silk. The tail held well, even through full pitch pumps, piro stall turns and rolls.

Conclusion

The HobbyKing 401B is a great Gyro at an incredible price. It definitely performs as well as my Futaba GY401 and I won’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone who asks. After more than 100 flights the Gyro is still going strong. Overall I am extremely satisfied with it and will be buying a few more in the future.

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