Prototype 1

[mhpilot]

Hello all,

so I've decided to make a build log of my project, first I thought I'd start with the camera pan and tilt control and go from there. So this is what I have so far.

[mhpilot]

and apparently none of the pics got attached! doh!

I'll try it again lol

[workshop]

Great start!

Jeff

[Airboatflyingshp]

Whats the scale of this set up? Front tracking ball neat gimbal is it poss save wt with a blue foam ball with just a center balsa slice to mount the horizontal axis of the gimbal to?
Is the ply structure going on the air frame, why not use a section pipe to form the main fuse round/rect or square...... just had a neat cheat idea for someone how about using a plastic ball float from a water cistern ball cock tough and light...big enough to put a small digi camera in, trigger servo and padding.
It will be interesting to see how you connect your eye panning servos.

Jeff has anyone used the small high torque geared motors they use on model boats for cranes, winches etc to swivel such a set up from within? It only needs plugable wires to connect it that way.

[workshop]

Check out the "mechanicals" at www.servocity.com

There are all sorts of gears, sprockets, u-joints, etc.. A great brainstorming site even if you don't buy. I'm setting up their medium duty pan/tilt kit right now...

Jeff

mhpilot knows his stuff... those photos look like Solidworks 3D models. I'm really looking forward to this... makes the hack I'm working on look like sh*t... :mad:

[mhpilot]

Whats the scale of this set up? Front tracking ball neat gimbal is it poss save wt with a blue foam ball with just a center balsa slice to mount the horizontal axis of the gimbal to?
Is the ply structure going on the air frame, why not use a section pipe to form the main fuse round/rect or square...... just had a neat cheat idea for someone how about using a plastic ball float from a water cistern ball cock tough and light...big enough to put a small digi camera in, trigger servo and padding.
It will be interesting to see how you connect your eye panning servos.

Jeff has anyone used the small high torque geared motors they use on model boats for cranes, winches etc to swivel such a set up from within? It only needs plugable wires to connect it that way.


I'll post some more pics with the scale soon. The "blue foam ball" is actually a styrene ball from the craft store, hallowed out with balsa insert to accommodate the camera then covered to give it some strength.

No the ply structure is only for testing, you will just have to wait and see the "how". I have considered many many many different types of pan/tilt setups and just don't like any of them out there, thus I decided to create my own. The servo setup is rather simple, once you see it in action you will say "why didn't I think of that"

Stay tuned for more

[Airboatflyingshp]

Cheers Mhp someone has, I it found by accident - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1048128 I know that exact feeling well LOL.

A long time back I doodled these :)

[Airboatflyingshp]

Found other types
http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/electric_motors.html

http://www.westbourne-models.com./electric-motors-drive-sets-1727-0.html and added

Check out the MFA site and stepper motors and education technology suppliers.

[mhpilot]

so I've finally been able to update on here ......... (damn computers) lol

so here are a few pics of the fuselage and a video of the pan portion of the camera gimbal in action.

I will be injection molding the fuselage, thus the pic you see is only the rough plug.

so apparently I can't upload the video (too big of a file) sorry

[mhpilot]

video (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1054545#post12311114)

well I managed to upload the video to the video gallery at the link above.

enjoy :)

[Medve]

I'm watching this to see how the AP4 works out for you. Is this the first time you're using it? Has to be one of the cheapest autopilots I've seen.

[mhpilot]

Hi Medve,

This is actually the second time I'm using the AP4. The first time was on a high wing trainer without the gyro stabilization, I thought this time I would use a heading-lock gyro so that it would stay on course in a more stable manner (high winds tend to make the model drift, instead of flying a straight line it would fly an arc)

I will keep you posted on the progress.

[mhpilot]

so here is a little update on my progress, a few pics of the mold and where the camera will be going.

[mhpilot]

so here is a little update on my project:

I've included some pics of the front section with the camera installed.
It will eventually have a clear bubble cover for the camera instead of what I have now, this section is removable from the main airframe so you can change the front camera setup (day to IR)
as soon as I get more time I will post more pics.