Can a joystick be converted into an R/C?

[jklv]

Can a joystick be converted into an R/C?
I say this because since my new project will be a helicopter, I refuse to use one of those crontrolls:

As far as I know, the helicopter is controlled by the following:
Tail rotor speed
Main rotor speed
X and Y hex main rotor pitch

What im looking for is this:
(note that the img doesnt belong to me but is a good expample)

The stick will be for moving the rotor pitch.
The twist(A letter) will be for the tail rotor
And D letter will be for throttle.

[KambeiX]

Both joystick and heli use variable resistors (pots) so get a transmitter, a joystick, and rewire the pots from the joystick to the RC transmitter circuit.

[jklv]

Both joystick and heli use variable resistors (pots) so get a transmitter, a joystick, and rewire the pots from the joystick to the RC transmitter circuit.

Thanks!
Isn't this a revolutionary idea?
x3 J/K

[jklv]

I just asked this in a R/C helicopters forum and got this reply.
So this guy knows how to! =D
Although I barely understand what he says :S

I modified a joystick to fly an IC rc helicopter for a guy who only had the full use of his right arm. The joystick was used to interface with a typical rc tx and the pots in the joystick were hardwired to the pc board where the original transmitter stick pots were wired. Pots must be the same values of course. Second problem is that the joystick doesnt turn the pot as far as a conventional rc transmitter stick so end point adjustments (travel adjust ) must be used so this means the use of a computer transmitter

[sotu]

Yeh it will have to operate on the same freequenze. Therefor it might be smart to have a RC controller with same freequenze as the reciever on the heli and then dismount it and use it in the joystick, the problem with this is that the joystick got more buttons then the RC controller. Anyway by doing this you might not get the feeling of doing it from scratch more like doing finish someone elses work. But offcourse u could also dismount the heli and make your own chassie and maybe change the motor or something.

You could do it from scratch by buying a Transmitter and reciever but this will be far more difficult for you

A question: Doesn't the joystick got more buttons then it can control on the heli? What will u use the buttons that you dont find a motor/servo to controll with it?

[jklv]

This is my idea.
The computer will process the joystick commands, than the computer will send the processed info to the Transmitter, wish will send the the signals to the receiver in the helicopter.
The rest of the buttons will be deactivated or something, but i will look for a joystick that doesn't have that much buttons x3, actually y onlyneed one button for the rotor speed, the rest is handled by stick.
Thanks

[hgordon]

This isn't a new idea, and there are several ways to do it:

1.  find an RC transmitter with a computer interface.  software on your computer will interface to your joystick and convert those signals in a format that can be sent to the RC transmitter

2.  use a wireless digital interface to your flyer (bluetooth, zigbee, wifi, etc), and have the controller on your flierr convert the incoming commands from the base computer with a joystick to servo control signals

Here's a picture of a bunch of quad rotor flyer transmitters under computer control at MIT Aerospace Controls Lab  -
http://vertol.mit.edu/images/five_vehicles_and_transmitters.jpg

[sotu]

You should use a laptop (so you could fly outside) and a bluetooth booster, allthough the laptop will just stand there while you controll the heli with ure joystick that the idea right?

[jklv]

This isn't a new idea, and there are several ways to do it:

1.  find an RC transmitter with a computer interface.  software on your computer will interface to your joystick and convert those signals in a format that can be sent to the RC transmitter

2.  use a wireless digital interface to your flyer (bluetooth, zigbee, wifi, etc), and have the controller on your flierr convert the incoming commands from the base computer with a joystick to servo control signals

Here's a picture of a bunch of quad rotor flyer transmitters under computer control at MIT Aerospace Controls Lab  -
http://vertol.mit.edu/images/five_vehicles_and_transmitters.jpg

Lol i know it is not a new Idea x3 that why i said JK!
Thanks for the help

[jklv]

You should use a laptop (so you could fly outside) and a bluetooth booster, allthough the laptop will just stand there while you controll the heli with ure joystick that the idea right?

Yep

[Admin]

find an RC transmitter with a computer interface.

Any RC controller that has a trainer connection on it can be hacked.

I have a link to how to do it somewhere in this forum posted last summer . . .

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

What about going back to the idea of just soldering the Joysticks pots to the xMitters inputs? Cant you just add some kind of thing that would make the joystick more sensitive thus getting the proper range of function?

Say you apply a numeric value to the pots.
The pots on the stock xMitter have a range from -10.000 to 10.000. 0.000 being stationary
The pots on the joystick have a range from lets say -5.000 to 5.000. 0.000 being stationary
Is there a way to maybe make it double the value its getting from the joystick? so half read on the joystick(2.500) would equal half read on the stock xMitters pots(5.000) and so forth? Im assuming that the joystick only has less range because it has a lower range of motion than the sticks? What if you did some kind of crazy overhaul on the joystick and increased its range of motion?...