Got my new camera tool ready to go for the spring.. Some cool POV's coming up ;)

Oh yeahhhhh!!!!




That's a quad rotor ship with a 5.8ghz video downlink to those goggles.. I can fly without ever leaving the ground :)

It has GPS and barometer for altitude/position hold. I'll be hanging a GoPro underneath and recording the HD video. I can stick it in a spot in the sky, and leave it there unattended and just let it record video. If the batteries get low it will auto-land itself nice and easy thanks to barometer for altitude reading. If I lose video or TX signal at any time, the ship will ascend to altitude and make a beeline back to wherever it took off and land un-attended..
It's pretty fuckin SICK. hahaaa

For size reference, the props in the picture are 10" each..


Will be practicing throughout the winter so I can get some good stuff this spring/summer. Planning on bringing it to our secret MX track in the woods, and also to some cliffs we ride out to and soar with the birds

That is the coolest effing thing I have ever seen.. what is it?? commercial or one off?

I guess you would call it hobby grade.. I dunno.. Pieced together, not a kit or anything. You buy the frame and whatever electronics you want and go nuts! I picked this up second hand with most of the electronics on it already. I put on my own control receiver, GPS module, and using my own control transmitter. I'm also going to add a small GPS/cell transmitter in case it goes down somewhere. Don't want to lose this one!

That is awesome. :eek1

I wonder if there's a way to have it "follow" a signal at a preset altitude, or using some form of terrain following technology? How bad ass would that be to have aerial footage as you ride along?

Based on what CousinLarry already said, I'm guessing it's not too much of a stretch to have an app on your smartphone send a realtime GPS position (of you) to the flyer (?) and then have it constantly navigate itself to be, say, 50 feet above that position....

I reckon, with the latencies involved, that would have the effect of having it follow along, always a little ways behind you. Or a long ways, if you ride faster than it can fly.

Hmmmm.. Now ya got me thinking!!!

Let me do some reading..

Can you give us the specs? Like was it a kit, is it Arduino based, what was the cost? I've been looking at these for a wihle now...

Specs :

HoverThings FPV Camo Frame
KDA 20-22L Outrunner Brushless Motors
Turnigy AE30a ESC's Flashed with BLHELI Multi code
APC 10.47 Props
3s LIPO, 2200 & 3000 for longer flights
DJI Naza for flight control board, not pictured is Naza GPS Module.
Fat Shark PredatorV2 FPV Headset System w/Camera and 5.8G TX/RX


That's about it really... I'm using my Spektrum DX8 to control it.

Awesome kit you've got there.

Make sure you don't annoy any shooters clubs haha

Thanks!

I was thinking about this while I was researching MWCs on RCGroups.com. Lots of good info on UAVs here. In the meantime, I'm going to use the MWC to make a gyrocam similar to the way this guy did with the APM.

Very cool.


I hope you will post up some video wants you get it going.

I have the AR Drone 2.0 but yours is cooler. COD Black Ops II drone would be cool also

Have you flown it yet? Your video performance will be subpar with the linear polarized antenna you have on your video tx/rx. Invest in a set of circular polarized antenna. It makes a massive different especially at 5.8 ghz frequency.

http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=11_45_49

Why? Mini-Hellfires are in the works for loadout on hardpoints.....

SkyNet Out.

Also spectrum is only good for close in flying. Don't stray to far away or you will get to test the return to home autopilot on your naza. :)

I personally fly with a Scherrer UHF system.

What stopped you from going with a DJI frame? I have been thinking of an FPV build using my 7HV but I kinda want the ease of a quad or hexa setup for the stability. The one thing that keeps me coming back to my 7HV is flying inverted!

falout man - I got this second hand, My primary use is FPV and this frame works well for that...

bracky - I know Spektrum is limited. But it'll go further than the 5.8ghz video so I should be OK for close-proximity stuff.. Once I get used to FPV flying I will look in to a UHF system like the Dragonlink. For now, I just need to get the fix and practice a bit..

I flew it this morning, flies real real nice.. NIce and stable, very authoritive! hahaaa

And who said you can't fly inverted with quads?! Here's a screengrab from this morning's flight!



Soon CP quads will be common, I will definitely try one of them when the time comes. For now if I want to go inverted I have my FBL Mikado Logo 400 for that

At least try a set of the circular antennas. It's a huge improvement for a relatively small investment.


Here is one of my more exciting flights. Hehe

http://vimeo.com/14565779

Any that you recommend?! I will get right away.

And damn!!! That was some flying!! hahaha... 11k and a few miles out.. Fantastic.. Was that the Dragonlink UHF and OSD? I think that will be next year's addition. :)