how far away are we technologically from being able to build R/C aircraft with cameras in them small enough to send back moving pictures? I.e. so that one could pilot one's RC aircraft beyond visual range?
Obviously the Predator can do this but what if one wanted to build an R/C helicopter?
The technology is here.. now. The only limitation is going to be distance because unless your are a Ham, you cannot increase the output of your TX so even though you could fly it "from the cockpit", the aircraft is still going to have to stay in visual contact.
Sounds like fun. Do it.
MJC
I have three, the first one I built in 1995.......
Dan Thompson (AMA 32873, EAA 60974, WB4GUK, GROL) remove POST in address for email
Considering Predators' littlest brother has a scant 9 inch wingspan............ What do you think?
Screw the FCC. how can we make our transmitters get better and out of sight range?
Screw the FCC, AMA, BATF, Local Sheriff Dept, Your Neighbors, and Good Sense! I wanna build a remote piloted Cable Jamming, Noisy As F$%K, Oil Spewing, Endangered Species Annihilating, Vegetation Killing, Schoolyard Buzzing, PCB dropping, Flying Disaster Area, made completely from C4, Anthrax, and Heavy Water. It will also look like a Flying Semi-Automatic T-Bone Pro Choice Steak just to piss off whoever I else I missed. Gonna fly it from the freeway during rush hour while wearing a blindfold and talking on my Cellphone.
Have been doing it now for over a year with the present day 2.4 GHZ radio systems that do not require a license to operate.
The difficulty is in being to visualize the depth perception you need since you are flying from a single monitor screen.
James
Sounds like a darn good plan to me (;-)),
My vote for comeback of the year! LMAO!!
Now you're cooking Horrace! What a vote getter and campaign platform, "Screw the AMA". May have to relocate just so I can vote for you!
"James Holbrook" wrote
Now that is very interesting! How does it work? You have, what - a digital videocamera in the cockpit set up to send back to a PC, or what? Is it easier or more difficult to fly it this way? What's the furthest distance from you you've flown it?
LOL!!!
Yes! Send me your phone # and all your email addresses so my telemarketers and spammers can do their magic. Might as well send your address along also so my Jehova's Witness Candybar subscription selling collegetrip hopefulls can stop by. Does your windshield need washing?
There is a guy that visits this newsgroup that does aerial photography using an RC helicopter.
He has a website this might be it
i thought of building some meters like altimeter, maybe artificial horizon and so on in very small scale and have them sending their data through the audio channel of the cam. if the small thingy has, lets say 10khz audio bandwith this would be plenty of bandwith for remote measurement. and with todays microcontrollers (or even plaing analog electronics) it should be no problem to fit a series of values in the audio channel and filter them out at the receiver to be shown on some analog meters. you even can build a vario simply by differentiating the altimeter.....
the only bad thing is those gravity / magnetic sensors are expensive... thus a compass may be too expensive..
i'm sure i will try this. those cams got very cheap... i hope the range is suficcient (or i can build a suitable amp)
but first i have to complete this damn plane and give it a field test without cam...
st
Vector makes a mag compass using flux sensors on a small board that interfaces to a micro easily. I have one.
5 mile range OK?Dan
Dan Thompson (AMA 32873, EAA 60974, WB4GUK, GROL) remove POST in address for email
You are correct, I paid $1800 in 1996 for the system with the 5 mile range. I also bought a 1.5 mile range system for $500 in about the year 2000. This year I bought one of the 300 meter setups for $95. They all work and work well.
For piloting with the camera, an airspeed, compass and altimeter would be nice. You don't need any other instrumentation since you can navigate by VFR using the camera. I have the camera mounted such that I can pan and tilt it for viewing. On one plane I have the pan and tilt on the bottom of the plane. On top of the wing I have a fixed camera I can choose so that I can see when I turn base for the landing pattern.
FYI, one plane is a 9 foot Mud Duck, glow powered, ST 90. Another is a Senior Frontier with a Astroflight cobolt 40 geared electric motor powered with 21 cells. The small camera is in a Soarstar electric.
Dan Thompson (AMA 32873, EAA 60974, WB4GUK, GROL) remove POST in address for email
nice things you have there.... i don't want to spend that much money....
and the 300meter setup is ok?
do you think a 0.9 to 1.2 Ghz Cam is better or a 2.1Ghz.
I know the 2.1 is newer Version but i am not sure about range/quality.
You know most sellers at ebay state the range at 300m, but they want to get a good price and say everything that it needed to get it. I will only buy at a seller which has 100% good asessments of former buyers.... but this is no guarantee... only some provide sample pictures and nobody knows if they are really taken with that cam.
There are mainly 3 different Models regularly at ebay:
I think the first two models are identical because you too can get it in other cases... the tird one is the 2.1 ghz newer model.
Looks anyone like your 300m setup?
stefan
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