Posted: 8/1/2009 6:51:40 PM EDT
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Always thought it'd be awesome to get a RC chopper and mount a small camera on it.
Any enthusists here that could provide help/insight into such a project? |
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I know of off the shelf products, but they dont look cheap http://www.draganfly.com/uav-helicopter/draganflyer-x6/ Draganfly makes cameras and monitors for rc aerial vehices http://www.robotshop.us/draganfly-eyecam-video-system.html This is a cool example of such a system in use: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=7bf_1247248423 |
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I know of off the shelf products, but they dont look cheap http://www.draganfly.com/uav-helicopter/draganflyer-x6/ Draganfly makes cameras and monitors for rc aerial vehices http://www.robotshop.us/draganfly-eyecam-video-system.html This is a cool example of such a system in use: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=7bf_1247248423 Saw the liveleak video , thought it was the coolest thing i've ever seen, would love to do that. Edit : Draganfly base model starts at $15k , which seems a bit high for what I want it for (Harrassing neighborhood cats and the like). |
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Flying those ain't as easy as it looks. x100 I own two RC helis and its expensive for me to even keep them both up with the blades I go through, although the carbon blades hold up to small strikes a little better, but when they go its all over. If your getting into a full blown heli I would suggest a lot of hovering drills and spare blades :) Also get a spare battery pack so you can fly and charge. |
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I have a coaxial heli. It's a comparatively inexpensive import, and much easier to fly than a main + tail rotor aircraft. I just got 20 new blades in the mail, and will try flying again tomorrow when there's less wind.
I've crashed many, many helis on the Realflight G4 simulator. It still will be a while before I'm ready to subject my remote camera to my ham-fisted flying. 
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Flying those ain't as easy as it looks. True statement. Start with a Blade CX or Blade CX2, then move up to a Blade CP. The radio that comes with a Blade 400 is a very good one for the money, but what ever you get, work your way up. Oh, and make sure you set your servos correctly, when they are backwards to the radio bad things happen. Ask me how I know! |
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http://www.helifreak.com/
helis with cameras here: http://www.helifreak.com/forumdisplay.php?f=53 |
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Oh, and make sure you set your servos correctly, when they are backwards to the radio bad things happen. ...and the dipswitches on the back of the radio controller....ask me how I know. I have totally destroyed two helis and the third is repaired for the third time, but I have not flown it in a year for fear of crashing it. I have a sugar cube wireless cam that worked quite well when I was flying it (pre-crash). |
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Always thought it'd be awesome to get a RC chopper and mount a small camera on it. Any enthusists here that could provide help/insight into such a project? Google 'tricopter'. easier to fly, way cheaper to fix. Only 'catch' is YOU have to build it from scratch, but that's half the fun....... |
E-Flite Blade mSR will be available in early September. Can't wait to get one. Should be perfect for indoor flight this winter. http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLH3000 Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmoE8-3_yf8 |
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E-Flite Blade mSR will be available in early September. Can't wait to get one. Should be perfect for indoor flight this winter. http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r155/twlobb/BlademSR.jpg http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLH3000 Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmoE8-3_yf8 I have one similar to this and they are not easy to control. I can hover and go up and down fairly well. |
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Quoted: Quoted: E-Flite Blade mSR will be available in early September. Can't wait to get one. Should be perfect for indoor flight this winter. http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r155/twlobb/BlademSR.jpg http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=EFLH3000 Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmoE8-3_yf8 I have one similar to this and they are not easy to control. I can hover and go up and down fairly well. I'm looking for a little bit of a challenge. Right now I have an el-cheapo coaxial RC heli and it's too easy to fly. I got bored with it in a couple days. This new e-Flite coming out in September is a single rotor fixed pitch so it's kind of the next step up the ladder of learning how to fly a real collective pitch RC heli. |
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Quoted: Here's mine. It's four years old and never been flown or started. I'm skeered I'll crash it and then I would cry. http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq229/Sky_5/013-1.jpg Nice! I don't blame you for not wanting to crash it which is why I'm trying to learn on cheaper equipment. |
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Personally, I'd skip the Blade CP, I had one, it was more frustration than it was worth. The Blade CX (or similar) is great to get a feel for three dimensional flight with a heli and get used to orientation, but then move up to something like the Trex 450's. A good flight sim is essential, there's no substitute.
There are some great forums out there for help with the various helis to get things setup right, and that's vital. If it's not properly setup flying is 10x harder. My own current heli is a T-Rex 450SA that's been pretty heavily upgraded with additional metal. A JR 7202 radio with Futaba 401 gyro and DS128 (if I remember right) servos all around. I really need a better tail servo but I'm a very casual flier so no big deal if the tail sometimes isn't as solid as it could be. I stick to the wood Pro 325 or 335 blades. I use the regular old 430L align motor, outrage 3s packs and a castle creations esc. I started with a CX, then a CP, which was constantly driving me nuts by being inconsistent even inside out of any moving air currents. It just wasn't a well enough engineered product. Don't get me wrong, for the money it was great, but I think it's a wasted step if your goal is something better. The T-Rex is easier to fly and will actually cost you LESS in repairs if you're smart and also put in your time on the sim. The sim is where you learn and practice new stuff, then you try it out for real, screw up a few times and spend time and money fixing, but less than if you didn't do the sim first. |