Radio control nuts

[biggziff]

Originally Posted by Saget

I'm sorry.















OK, not really.

Anyone that knows me will tell you that I don't need much of a push when it comes to toys.

[BigEasy]

I need a little help from you guys with RC experience, I occasionally would like to take an aerial pic of a job site just for reference for folks in the office.

We have GIS types that can pull up and manipulate Sat images but right now pics are what I'm looking for. For example last weekend I was the environmental on scene leader at a pipeline break. The office guys had an aerial plotted with GPS locations of POI's relating to the site, but we had no way to get a sense of the size of the excavation around the break to the office rats.

I'm looking for something in the helicopter family that I can get high enough to get a pic of say a 3-5 acre excavation. Of course for starters I would like to keep my cost (since initially it will be out of my pocket) under $400-500.00. Video is not a real priority just stills to start.

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks

[biggziff]

Originally Posted by BigEasy

I need a little help from you guys with RC experience, I occasionally would like to take an aerial pic of a job site just for reference for folks in the office.

We have GIS types that can pull up and manipulate Sat images but right now pics are what I'm looking for. For example last weekend I was the environmental on scene leader at a pipeline break. The office guys had an aerial plotted with GPS locations of POI's relating to the site, but we had no way to get a sense of the size of the excavation around the break to the office rats.

I'm looking for something in the helicopter family that I can get high enough to get a pic of say a 3-5 acre excavation. Of course for starters I would like to keep my cost (since initially it will be out of my pocket) under $400-500.00. Video is not a real priority just stills to start.

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks

Who is going to fly it?

Balloons tethered work great.

[BigEasy]

Originally Posted by biggziff

Who is going to fly it?

Balloons tethered work great.

I was thinking me of course

Balloons? Tell me more please

[biggziff]

Originally Posted by BigEasy

I was thinking me of course

Balloons? Tell me more please

Have you flown anything RC before?



GoPro or cheap digital camera tied to however many balloons it takes to get it floating. Long string on balloons.

http://www.paulillsley.com/airphoto/...ons-kites.html

http://lindholm.jp/chpro_bal.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...d-balloon.html

And of course, someone is catering to the BMW crowd

http://www.aerialproducts.com/aerial...y-systems.html

[BigEasy]

No I've not flow RC before, and yes I know it isn't easy to pick up. I have a buddy that flies helos and it looks friggin scary. I was thinking that if I went that route I'd need a simulator to start and a cheap bird to thrash.

Thanks for the ballon links, found a few myself. The only problem I see there is availability of helium. We use it at work for vapor intrusion study's and it's getting hard to find the good stuff. Seems there is some type of "shortage" but I won't be using the photo ballon that often so it may be the way to go.

[biggziff]

Originally Posted by BigEasy

No I've not flow RC before, and yes I know it isn't easy to pick up. I have a buddy that flies helos and it looks friggin scary. I was thinking that if I went that route I'd need a simulator to start and a cheap bird to thrash.

Thanks for the ballon links, found a few myself. The only problem I see there is availability of helium. We use it at work for vapor intrusion study's and it's getting hard to find the good stuff. Seems there is some type of "shortage" but I won't be using the photo ballon that often so it may be the way to go.

There is a world-wide helium shortage...we will eventually run out of it, but it's the safest way to do what you want.

[DESERT SCORPION]

I got kind of bummed after the recent wet snowfall here. I lost a lot of tree limbs on my property. Now the weather has turned cold again, and the snow has a nice hard crust on it, so I decided to break out my trusty old ice racer.



I upgraded it for the occasion with the GoPro to record some of the fun. The results are a little shakey, due to the dynamics of this set-up, but it was still pretty entertaining.



I have to be very careful powering it up. If I bump the thottle servo while dropping the body on, it could get painful in a hurry. I haven't been bitten yet, and it goes like stink.

THE SCORPION

[biggziff]

That looks badass

[CousinLarry]

Sick buggy Scorpion!!!

BigEasy - you have a long way to go before you can take good aerial shots with a heli..

I wouldn't even consider it till next year if you get one and learn to fly this year. Just a bit dangerous especially on a job site if you don't know what you're doing.

For now, get a simulator, once you can fly on that, get a micro heli to try (MCPX or something). Then once you can fly that, get a bigger one, then once you can fly that in ALL orientations with no problems, then look in to a camera ship.

Or if you're close to CT, just hire me and I will take all the pics you want ;D

Good luck

[biggziff]

For those of you thinking of jumping in or upgrading your TX, here's a review on the Orange TX sold by HobbyKing. On my next order, I'm going to order one just for fun.

[Saget]

Originally Posted by biggziff

For those of you thinking of jumping in or upgrading your TX, here's a review on the Orange TX sold by HobbyKing. On my next order, I'm going to order one just for fun.

If I had a need for another transmitter right now I wouldn't hesitate to give one a try. I have a bunch of Orange receivers flying, and they've been far more reliable than the Spektrum stuff I have. And you can't beat the price.

[biggziff]

Done....

RTF at 89 grams

No, I did not fly it yet...

[Jimmy the Heater]

Does anyone know of any ground based RC forums that aren't overrun by kids?

I have been reading a lot over at Ultimate RC and watching Jang's video's but my brain is slowly rotting due to all the misspelled drivel.

Also I did a couple of reviews on my ECX Smash and HPI Mini Recon. Any interest on reading those here or is this mostly about RC airplanes now?

[FPGT72]

Originally Posted by Saget

If I had a need for another transmitter right now I wouldn't hesitate to give one a try. I have a bunch of Orange receivers flying, and they've been far more reliable than the Spektrum stuff I have. And you can't beat the price.

I have never been a big fan of Spektrum...got bit EARLY on by some of their teething problems and never went back. Guess that is why I still fly FM. As long as FM receivers are available I will likely stick with those, but the old Futaba radio only has a 10 model memory...may have to look to getting into this centruy.