Thought experiment re photography

[mrodoc]

Don't tell them that

 

[Mark Wright]

I've got (or should I say my son has) a Phantom 11 Quadcopter fitted with a GoPro Hero 3+, mounted on a servo controlled 3D gimbal. The above ground images we have taken are fantastic. The Hero 3+ is an excellent low light camera and should provide considerably higher quality images than the camera which is built into the Parrot AR Drone. The problem is the weight. The Parrot would likely be struggling with a Hero 3+ attached. Adding a fixed cabling system, however lightweight, would cause all sorts of problems when trying to fly the thing.

Rather than a PPL, the best experience is probably at least 5 years playing computer games. My son is now shit hot with it.

We did have a slight mishap when flying near a telephone transmitters at the top of the Magna Tower in Rotherham. Buzzflyer were happy to replace the Hero3+ FOC. It did clearly say on the instructions not to fly near telephone transmitters, although we didn't tell Buzzflyer anything about telephone transmitters.

The Hero4 is supposed to be coming out next year which should have even better low light capability. There are all sorts of drones on the market, some in kit form, that will carry the heavier cameras and lighting systems and at reasonable prices. I'm sure it won't be long before Juan gets his hands on one and sends it up the Astradome.

Mark Wright     

 

[TheBitterEnd]

Mark - thanks for the really useful info. Been toying with the idea of getting one of these myself and it's good to hear someone else's experiences. I have the requisite XBox addicted 12 year old pilot, I'm just a bit shy of ponying up the cash...

What sort of wind speeds can it cope with? Do you need a completely still day? One use I have in mind is looking for holes in the snow.

 

[cavermark]

Moves are effort to do some work on Mendip with a quad copter. The pilot has a PPL so I think we can be assured he is competent.  The mission is not photography per se. We have to get the copter underground in one piece though.....

Not sure how a Phonographic Performance License is relevent?

 

[Liams Way]

Mark - thanks for the really useful info. Been toying with the idea of getting one of these myself and it's good to hear someone else's experiences. I have the requisite XBox addicted 12 year old pilot, I'm just a bit shy of ponying up the cash...

What sort of wind speeds can it cope with? Do you need a completely still day? One use I have in mind is looking for holes in the snow.

The Phantom 2 I have is quite expensive (?1200-?2000+ depending on the extra?s you get) which takes it out of the ?It?s just a toy? category, But it?s very capable and stable  even in light to moderate wind conditions as long as you have GPS locks. If you lose the GPS signals and things get a bit more complicated but if you?re outside at height with it would not be that much of a problem. Not had that much practice with it in confined spaces and indoors as its too expensive to crash with all the gimbals and camera on-board so I have been looking at getting another one for playing about with indoors that?s totally empty + blade guards to bring down the cost when it gets smashed into a wall or a tree or something as the base copter is quite cheap when you already have all the extra batteries and things.

 

[TheBitterEnd]

Thanks for the info

 

[mrodoc]

This was shot with a quadcopter and Gopro with relayed video: http://youtu.be/sphCwoy9br8

 

[Nigel]

Time to correct a few errors! The link to the above video was shot by me with a Sony NEX-5 on a large Hexacopter not a Gopro on a quad. In terms of experience I have been flying radio controlled helicopters for 35 years and Multi Rotors for 3. Although even the low end Phantoms are easy to fly out side because off their GPS stabilization you can forget that in a cave, so unless you can fly in full manual please do not attempt to use it underground. We are fairly well advanced with plans for some experimental filming in a very large chamber. If this proves to be practical it could be a good way to check high level leads.
I won?t ramble on anymore or I will be as bad as The Old Ruminator but anyone interested in the technical side I am happy to share the work I have done on LED lighting etc.
Nigel

 

[Roger W]

That looks a very stable camera platform.

'Scuse my ignorance here, but how does the "pilot" know where the thing is?  Does he stand where he can actually see it, or does he rely on the view obtained from the camera (as I presume the Yanks do when firing missiles from Predator drones)?

I'm trying to imagine flying one of these around in a cave, and not crashing it into the roof...

 

[Nigel]

Both. You usually have a spotter to watch the craft but there is a video link from the camera back to a monitor mounted above the transmitter.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Ooo. Nigel how can you be so unkind about me rambling on. --------------

Suffice it to say if the thing flies in a cave I will be there to photograph it.


Standing well back.

Better not drone on too much --

Oh dear.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Can it carry air to ground missiles ?

That ruddy dog up the road ---

 

[glyders]

Can it carry air to ground missiles ?

A new way of digging avens?

 

[TheBitterEnd]

How about a wrist mounted drone:

http://hothardware.com/News/Intel-EdisonPowered-Nixie-Wearable-Drone-Camera-Flies-Off-Your-Wrist-To-Capture-The-Moment/