UAV for video?

[jcbrandon]

Anyone have any experience with mounting a camera in a radio-controlled aircraft and using it for expedition photography?

I think one of the things that makes great off-road video is helicopter shots. The Dakar does that really well. But not very practical for us.

Radio control pilots sometimes mount cameras on their model aircraft. How 'bout using a small radio controlled helicopter to shoot overland video? Anyone tried it? Got any links to share?

[Tucson T4R]

Could be a fun project. :-)

Here's a link that discusses an RC plane based system with links to other RC hobby sites.

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=163880

[Expedition Pictures]

What's the matter? You can't afford $3000 an hour for a helicopter, pilot, camera operator, FAA permits, remote fueling (if necessary), travel expenses for crew?

I play with the big boys. An experienced crew will get you shots that you've only dreamed of. They're not shooting aerials for Planet Earth, Dakar, WRC, Baja with RC toys.

Yes, I'm being sarcastic.

Welcome to my office below.

[Tucson T4R]

What's the matter? You can't afford $3000 an hour for a helicopter, pilot, camera operator, FAA permits, remote fueling (if necessary), travel expenses for crew?

I play with the big boys. An experienced crew will get you shots that you've only dreamed of. They're not shooting aerials for Planet Earth, Dakar, WRC, Baja with RC toys.

Yes, I'm being sarcastic.

Welcome to my office below.

You dog! Some guys just get to have all the fun.

[DLippke]

A couple years ago I had good luck with live video feed from a DraganFly four-bladed helicopter. Since then they've got fancy and offer everything from hobby grade to police grade systems. Here's a couple links:

http://www.draganfly.com/

http://www.rctoys.com/rc-products-ca...EQUIPMENT.html

I'm not sure what the relationship is between rctoys.com and Draganfly but there seems to be one.

Good luck, David

[ThomD]

A couple years ago I had good luck with live video feed from a DraganFly four-bladed helicopter. Since then they've got fancy and offer everything from hobby grade to police grade systems. Here's a couple links:

http://www.draganfly.com/

http://www.rctoys.com/rc-products-ca...EQUIPMENT.html

I'm not sure what the relationship is between rctoys.com and Draganfly but there seems to be one.

Good luck, David

When we got married, we agreed on 2 rules - no aquariums and no RC toys. That was more than 20 years ago and it has served us well.. A couple of years ago she bought me an ecosphere. Now you are threatening the other pillar of our marriage. Very interesting.

[Herbie]

Anyone have any experience with mounting a camera in a radio-controlled aircraft and using it for expedition photography?

Here are some things I know, slightly related to this context:

I know several movies (big hollywood stuff) have fallen back to using what are basically souped-up RC Helicopters w/ good cameras mounted to them as a low-budget alternative to full-blown aerial photography. The results are good, and its way cheaper than a manned helicopter.

I know that flying even unmodified RC Helicopters is really friggin hard. You will crash and destroy a lot of equipment learning the basics. Also, this is not a hobby for people who work with their hands. You will cut up your hands at some point. Surgeons, pianists, etc. need not apply.

I know that flying RC planes is much easier, but it'll be harder to get nice slow overflights, etc. unless you've built something really special.

I know that Make Magazine has done a couple of editions that covered various "remote photography" projects. There were cameras in rockets, cameras on extreme-high-altitude balloons (like edge of space stuff), cameras on easier just-high-altitude balloons, and cameras on RC cars. Always amazing results.

I've got a friend that just completed a sailing expedition up the inside coast of Baja and across to Bahia de Kino, and then back. They brought along a single line foil kite with a small lightweight frame to hold one of those Olympus waterproof cameras.

That is pretty damned cool. The great thing about this is that just about anyone can fly a kite. Dragging behind a boat makes it almost idiot proof.

We have one of the Canon Powershot cameras (SD600, IIRC), and one of the nice extras is that there's a hacker project that allows you to "take over" the camera in a non-invasive way (a new OS runs on the SD flash card), and allows stuff like automatic Time Lapse, motion detection, etc. I had planned on mounting it on my dash for my next outing to shoot a time-lapse movie, but it might also be cool to do something aerial.

[Bighead]

I work for this company and this is one of the UAVs I teach our customers how to fly...

AeroVironment Puma AE UAS

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

J-

Check out this guy's gear... it looks like it may be the kind of setup you're searching for.

[R_Lefebvre]

Here are some things I know, slightly related to this context:

I know several movies (big hollywood stuff) have fallen back to using what are basically souped-up RC Helicopters w/ good cameras mounted to them as a low-budget alternative to full-blown aerial photography. The results are good, and its way cheaper than a manned helicopter.

I know that flying even unmodified RC Helicopters is really friggin hard. You will crash and destroy a lot of equipment learning the basics. Also, this is not a hobby for people who work with their hands. You will cut up your hands at some point. Surgeons, pianists, etc. need not apply.

I know that flying RC planes is much easier, but it'll be harder to get nice slow overflights, etc. unless you've built something really special.

Some really good stuff here.

I do (or did) fly RC Airplanes, and dabled in small RC Helicopters. Actually, I got into the helicopters with the exact idea that this thread is about. Using them as a platform for photography of outdoor sports.

The reality is, exactly as posted here. They're really friggen hard. First of all, as you can see, those small lightweight easy to fly setups are way too unstable, shaky, and poor quality cameras. The other thing they're not really saying is, you probably can't fly them if there's any kind of wind. I know with the small electric helicopters, unless it's dead calm, forget about it. They just get blown away. I know, I've tried.

To get good results, this really needs to be done with a larger RC helicopter, probably gas powered. A 60 or 90 size. So what you're looking at is upwards of $2000 for the airframe and radio, not including the camera. Then, you have to know, that learning, flying, and maintaining something like this is a full time hobby in itself. You can't do this, while *also* doing overland travel. It's just not something you dable in.

Airplanes are easier to fly, but you generally need an improved airstrip. Typically, about 200 feet of grass. There are some STOL airplanes... really any airplane can be STOL. With a big enough engine, they can take off vertical out of your hand. The problem is the landings. A really skilled pilot could probably stick a landing on 50 feet of runway, reliably. The problem with airplanes, is they have to keep moving forward. You'd have to take a series of swooping shots. Maybe it could work for stills, but forget video. You could probably build a large, slow flying plane, and aim the camera sideways, and hover around the site. But you won't find anything suitable pre-built. So now you're designing and building from scratch. Full-time hobby again.

Also note that, it's extremely easy to crash these things. A gust of wind on landing, radio glitch, or a dead engine, could take out the aircraft, and the camera. So significant financial risk as well.

There are a number of ready-made systems available. But notice... "surveillance" is one thing. Actually getting high-quality images, is a whole other matter.