Some questions

[Alexandre Cruz]

Hi,

I know these informations are trivial to you guys but here are some begginers questios:

I need to fly autonomus 200km and then go back, what kind of radio sistem can I use to cover this distance? How much do they cost/weight?
I will need an automatic pilot, right? Which is one light and reliable?
I need to transmit images from a micro-camera, is there an on-oard mini-transmiter to 200km?

Usually, I take pictures for some companies and farms, but sometimes they are far away and it is hard to get to there....

Thanks

P.S. Please post the links

[Myron]

Alexadre,

You have some pretty ambitious needs there. I think first you need to know how much you have in your budget before trying to go for that kind of range.. If you know what that # is and are willing to share you may get a better idea of how far you can go for your money.. because in the end, its all about the money!

Myron

[vespa]

General Atomics sells a nice kit that should be able to meet your needs. Pricing in small quantites is $15,000,000.00 each. They have lots of info on their web site but I don't think they have online ordering yet. Check them out: http://www.ga.com

[clolson]

General Atomics sells a nice kit that should be able to meet your needs. Pricing in small quantites is $15,000,000.00 each. They have lots of info on their web site but I don't think they have online ordering yet. Check them out: http://www.ga.com

I'll think I'll just wait until these start showing up on ebay.

[JettPilot]

Hi,

Usually, I take pictures for some companies and farms, but sometimes they are far away and it is hard to get to there....

Thanks

P.S. Please post the links

You will be better off with a short range UAV. If you think its hard to drive to some farms, its MUCH MUCH harder getting a UAV to fly that far. If you really need that kind of range, buy a Cessna 172, take a camera with you, and take pictures. It will be better and cheaper than a UAV.

With those kind of range requirements, a full scale small plane is much cheaper and better in every way.

JettPilot

[Alexandre Cruz]

I wanted to spend something near US$6000 but it looks it is not possible. Even if I controled the plane all the way would it be so expensive? But I will need a small transimiter to a camera

[Myron]

Alexandre,

It doesnt look like 6K is going to get you where you need to be.. Most autopilot systems come in around that price JUST for the hardware. You would still have to come up with alot of hight end communication gear to get the range you are looking for.. The airframe itself would be the easiest part.. That could probabaly be done for a couple grand..

Myron

[JettPilot]

For 6,000 dollars you will never do this. For that price you can build a nice plane that will do lots of pictures and great video, but you will NEVER get that kind of range with the radio gear for that price.

You can plan on about 5 - 10 Kilometros range for that price. And then you need to know alot about design, Radio, anttnas, and building to do it. From what you have told me, you are not even close to even knowing the problems you will face, not to mention how to solve them.

Its much harder than you think it will be, and in the end you will have to drive wherever you want to take pictures and video.

JettPilot

[Alexandre Cruz]

That was what I tought.... so I´m just curious how much will it cost to achieve a range like that?
I do believe there are many problems, most of them I can´t solve but, how can we have radio-fones/internet, virtually anywhere and nobody tryed to use this to fly at looong distances? Is not any altenative way? Can´t we use a computer with this sistem to try to comunicate?
I read about someguys how flew at 100,000ft using a baloon and they did not expend sooo much.

[JettPilot]

Going straight up does not require much radio power. Signals travel very well through the air going up to 100,000 feet, but having a radio signal travel 200 KM over the ground is MUCH HARDER.

It would take a huge amount of power to travel to a low flying airplane 200 kilometros away. Cell phone, etc. is only sporatic, you could not get a good CONTINUOUS link. So controlling it manually would not work, you would be guaranteed to crash.

Flying automatically is not good either, because engines, etc is not that reliable. If the engine quits, or something goes wrong, it will be impossible to find your plane over a path of 200 KM. Are you ready to spend a huge amount of money and lose it in the jungle ?

You just need to either drive to where you want to take your pictures, or get a Cessna or other normal airplane. Trying to do it with a UAV is not practical or cost effective for what you are wanting to do.

JettPilot