For modelers who relish their modeling adventures at the smaller end of the scale, this sub-micro servo is a tour de force in miniaturization. We call it a sub-micro because it's frame is a bit less than 23mm long (micros are built on 29mm long frames). Equipped with two bearings where competitive units make do with one, this servo has exemplary centering due to the Japanese million-cycle Nobel potentiometer.
Many look at this servo and say it's overbuilt - and it is. It's been overbuilt mechanically in recognition of the aggressive use it's put to in 380-class helicopters and 48" fixed wing models from the likes of Extreme Flight, and especially due to how hard drivers of 1:24 crawlers are on their equipment. So where some say overbuilt, we say, guilty as charged, your honor! What constitutes overbuilt? Not just an aluminum center, but one that's been finned for cooling. Metal gears? Yes, of course, but made of steel. Added to which, we reinforced the case with bronze hard points - just like our larger standard-size servos - for where the gear shafts fit the support pockets.
With respect to the center case, note how we CNC-machine it from a solid billet of 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum. We even mill the cooling fins for when you really push it hard and have to shed a lot of heat. Also, just as with our larger servos, we reinforce the bores in the plastic case components (where the steel gear shafts concentrate stress). How? By using miniature Swiss-machined SAE65 bronze inserts. This added reinforcement is part of why ProModeler servos earn such a solid reputation for ruggedness and dependability.
So if you love small models and have become disenchanted by the typical
featherweight servo offerings due to issues with durability, then this example of our servo making skills
will make you happy because it'll fit wherever you've been using competitive servos in the 23mm long class. We're confident it'll find a happy home in a wide
range of models - in both sport and competition - and you'll be very pleased.
Note the tabs above.
- Specs - useful if you're curious about the raw numbers, dimensions, etc.
- Comparison - a guide regarding how it compares to other products.
- TL;DR - gets down into the weeds with the nitty gritty - it's for the detail-oriented.
- Reviews - short and sweet with real names and places - no BS.
SUMMARY:
Part of what makes the ProModeler DS65CLHV sub-micro better than competitors is that unlike hobby-grade
servos, it's built to meet military standards (and meets these requirements).
MIL-STD-810G-Part 16
- Shock - Test Method 516.6
- Vibration - Test Method 514.6
- Rain - Test Method 514.5
Note:
These are tiny servos with even tinier gears and operating them manually via the servo horn may damage them. This damage is not covered by warranty. Please do not treat these like a standard size servos. You've been warned. Also, operating voltage is 4.8-8.4V, but optimal performance is obtained with
a 2S LiPo instead of a BEC. This is because LiPos deliver the required
current without voltage spikes, noise, or otherwise adversely affecting
the delicate avionics (15C or better is recommended). After all,
synthetic orange colored Tang may have gone to the moon, but it doesn't
compare to freshly squeezed orange juice. Same thing when it comes to
feeding your avionics!
Ownership Considerations:
Competition pilots - especially those who fly precise maneuvers - prefer ProModeler servos
because we use MIL-SPEC components (plus a genuine Japanese Nobel-brand
potentiometer). Others? They're satisfied with a cheap clone, a magnetic/
inductive pickup, or some other cost saving variation of a potentiometer. Also, and especially important for IMAC and pattern competitors who fly a lot and thus, go through and R&R their servos each winter, we offer spares. And not just the case and gears like everybody else, but the spares that count - to include the potentiometer and the servo motor. Plus little things like o-rings, bolts, and even the label. So instead of being forced to return your servos for service, if you can DIY, you can save money!
Why the emphasis on competition pilots? It's because these folks fly 30 times a week (and do it week-in, and week-out), e.g. it's de rigueur
to practice 3X a week and twice on weekends. They work servos harder than mere mortals and it's because of them that we make the rugged foundation of this marvel a CNC-machined case. Beginning life as a solid billet of 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum, when we're done it's a work of art.
In fact, the DS85CLHV servo is
ideal for 48" 3D models, but because it outputs 5+ lbs of
force, then it means you could actually install it into a .40- .61 size model, maybe even larger depending on how you fly! At its heart is a incredible creation in miniaturization, a high performance coreless motor!
Basically, this servo has been expressly
crafted to meet your needs whether you're a beginner looking for your
first set of high quality submicro servos, or an experienced sportsman who attends
several fun flies each summer, or an
all out pro.
DETAILS:
If
you're an electrical engineer you'll immediately notice we protect the PCB
from vibration with a conformal
coating instead of a little square of foam rubber. Referred to as
potting compound on the civilian side, we call it monkey-snot because
it's such a sticky mess to apply. This stuff is applied to the PCB and
oozes between components and once it sets is what lets our servos thrive
in harsh high-vibration environments. This is an aerospace-grade
technique and it makes ProModeler servos more valuable.Anyway, this is without question the smallest motherboard we've ever created and it's so small it about the size of you pinkie's fingernail, maybe smaller!
Another area where a ProModeler servos stand out is protection from
environmental contaminants, typically dust,
water, and exhaust-oil. The assembly of the DS85CLHV is protected with
o-rings - basically at every opening - even beneath the screw heads! We
all know how pernicious water can be with respect to penetrating where
we don't want it so this detail helps make ProModeler servos better. It's a no brainer . . . and these o-rings are microscopic in size!
In learning how well the DS65CLHV servo is made you'll understand why it's the sub-micro servo that expert modelers select the most for a
wide variety of sport and scale models. For example, ever taken a servo apart? The metal gears rotate on steel shafts. The end of the shaft fits in a hole in the case, what's called a pocket. In cheapo servos, the steel fits into a plastic pocket but in a ProModeler servo, there's a brass insert reinforcing the plastic. Basically, we produce ProModeler servos with the expectation of a service life measured in decades!
USE CASES:
So
who
uses these servos? In light of the MIL-SPEC and MIL-STANDARD test
methods, you won't
be surprised to learn the government has driven a lot of our product
development. They're our biggest customer. So are universities, plus
commercial UAS operators in agricultural and pipeline inspection ops.
We've branched out to the civilian world, so our customers now include
hobbyists.
This customer is often a highly experienced modeler,
but also includes savvy beginners who realize just because the servo
will first be used in 40-size trainer doesn't mean you throw them away
when you transition to a higher performance model. Anyway, you may use
this servo in a wide array of sport
and scale models - with wingspans ranging from about 48" on up.
SUMMARY:
We believe finding another that
offer everything these do is impossible to the point we believe there
isn't a better servo available for any amount of money on the planet.
Period. No other servo offers
this level of power, precision, quality, plus tank-like durability (and
nobody else lets you completely
rebuild them yourself). So if you're
an experienced modeler, and if you are mechanically 'ept' this is yet
another consideration (if you can do
basic soldering but naturally, you can also send them to us for R&R
if
you aren't comfortable doing these things).
Better
components. Better servos. The formula is simple. Decisions regarding
what goes into ProModeler servos aren't made in accounting to optimize
price and profit, but in engineering. We feel this is the best
sub-micro servo available. Add a set to your cart -
you're going to love them!