Help tuning a 433mhz module

[raptor am2]

Hello, I'm new to this forum and looking for help to get any range out of my 433mhz pair, that i got **broken link removed**
The project I'm trying to use them in, should allow a Infra red S107 helicopter to work on RF, whilst having as low component count as possible, and be easy to reproduce by others.

The size of the antenna on the transmitter doesn't really matter, however the antenna on the receiver needs to be as light weight/small as it can be, but sill have a range of 10+ meters. Would this be possible?

As far as i can tell there is no suitable ground plate in the Heli or transmitter, could one be made with a rectangle of bare PCB/aluminum foil?

So far these are the sketches that I have
**broken link removed**
**broken link removed**
**broken link removed**

All suggestions are appreciated, thanks in advance

Edit: updated with smaller images

 

[JimB]

Wow those are big pictures!

I would connect the 0v/Gnd of the receiver to as much of the helicopter metalwork as possible,
the plate under the main rotor and the tail boom would be a good start.

Then the antenna its self, I guess the best that you can do is have it trailing away under the aircraft and as rigid as possible.

JimB

 

[raptor am2]

sorry about the size of the images, the BB code wouldn't let me re-size them

Thanks for the advice on grounding to the metal plate, I will try that out tonight.
and the antenna in the updated image is a solid piece of copper out of a TV coax cable, its a bit too heavy

Am i correct in thinking that the antennas i'm using polarize the frequency in such a way that optimum performance is obtained when they are parallel, and lowest when they are perpendicular. What is the performance of a helical coil 1/2 wavelength antenna like in relation to the 1/4 wavelength one I have now?

 

[raptor am2]

Thanks for the help JimB, I think all of the problems are solved now.
It flies beautifully, and with such a simple design too. Shame the tuning of the RF modules tripped me up, but at least i learned from my mistakes
All i need to do now is wait for the low voltage modules to arrive from America, and then the mod will be perfect.

Here is the further simplified circuit that I have used for the mod.

View attachment 64071

and a test flight for proof of concept.