Putting a network camera up in the sky

[VTX]

I am thinking of flying one of those IP cameras with a built-in web server on a UAV and have it talk to a wireless router on the ground. Pie in the sky?

[Tuner]

Great idea Most those cameras have just ok picture in low light but Im sure it will be done during daylight anyway.
Generally a CCD Based camear has better picture CMOS more features.

Good luck! you will want to work ona good antenna Omni for the plane and get a nice directional antenna for the ground.

Scott

[MattChave]

you should check out this one
http://www.lps-belfast.co.uk/IP_camera_PTZ_wireless.htm
its perfect for that sort of thing, it has a really nice web interface. and pans tilts and zooms

[bearcreek]

Yes, I have seen some small ip cameras that I have wanted to try, but I am not sure if the radio signal quality would be comparable to the analog video cameras. Might be worth a try. Another thing to consider is that you can get a GSM cellular phone modem that might be good for long range flights. The baud rates are like dialup, but some cameras output 320x240 jpegs at 1 fps at dialup rate.

[VTX]

D-Link has p&t model too. I guess the challenge is in the RF.

[lvspark]

VTX,

The IP cam in the sky will work. Standard consumer grade Wi-Fi will work for 500 feet or so. A sony M1W camera combined with a 250mw CPE with 15db patch will get you much further. I can get about 800' with my laptop integrated wireless to the M1W in adhoc mode. The sony M series is CCD.

edit: removed link

[VTX]

Didn't know Sony had a IP cam. A little on the large side. How do you power them? They area designed to work with ac adaptors. My real concern is if browser can display video at frame rate. Every webcam I have seen has been pretty choppy.

[lvspark]

The M series is 5vdc power. Fully assembled, the M1W fits in your palm pretty easy and might be 8-10oz ?? When taken apart, it is very light... Maybe 4-6oz???The internals consist of a remote mounted CCD and 2 boards about the size if a pcmcia card.
If you set the video to MPEG4, size to 320x240 and have decent bandwidth (2meg) you get around 15-20fps with about a 1/2 second delay. I would not recomend piloting the plane with it first person view, but it would work well for remote observers.

The snc-rz30n pictured has a pcmcia wireless card installed and has been riding in my vehicle for the last couple weeks. With 2 omni's plugged in, I can stream from my car 640x480 at 9fps...

[Unterhausen]

we have an Axis network camera. One time we had the door closed and the lights off in the lab. The light coming from the rather dim emergency exit sign in the hallway made the image from the Axis cam look like the lights were on. It's a very nice camera, I have thought of putting one like it in a plane. It doesn't have a ptz though.