Which FMA Co-Pilot could do this...

[danstrider]

Hi, I'm only sort of familiar with the FMA CoPilot system and so I can't figure out exactly which unit would help me do what I'd like it to do...

I have a 2-axis camera mount (roll & pitch) that I'd like to stabilize to look straight down. I figure I can hook up the roll and pitch servos directly to the CoPilot system with the gains turned up high so the mount is always level.

Looking at FMA's website, I'm not sure which unit to get. I figure a few of you here have played with the CoPilot and can recommend which one I need. I don't need an integrated receiver, so I'm pretty sure I don't need the FS8 version. Is the CPD4 my ticket? Is there an older version I can get 2nd hand that would work better for my application?

Thanks for the tips guys!
Dan

[danstrider]

Here is the camera mount....

[Tom Harper]

Dan,

You don't need the new features. Search the Aerial Photography board. There are some camera platforms there that use FMA.

[kd7ost]

I agree with Tom,

The CPD4 is all you need to stabilize tilt and roll on that. You do know that the CPD4 sensor unit must be mounted level on the moving camera part I'm sure.

Dan

[FlyRC4Life]

Thanks Tom and Dan, that was helpful.

Still trying to figure out how to mount the sensor unit on the camera mount so it isn't blanked by the wing in a 10deg bank...

Dan

[FlyRC4Life]

Oops, someone was still logged in to this computer!

[kd7ost]

Thanks Tom and Dan, that was helpful.

Still trying to figure out how to mount the sensor unit on the camera mount so it isn't blanked by the wing in a 10deg bank...

Dan

Maybe you could put it on a short elevated mast?

Don't know what your budget is but UNAV has a slick little device called a Pico Tilt. It uses MEMS rate sensors to do the same job. It's currently 150.00 so is only a little higher than the FMA CPD4. Unlike the CPD4 it doesn't need to be outside the plane or see the horizon. You can mount it right on the camera somewhere. Orientation is critical as the rate sensors need to be oriented properly but thats pretty much it. It will also keep working without any needed calibration in an IR temperature changing environment.

http://www.u-nav.com/circuitboards/picotilt.html

Dan

[AXI Motor Models]

I tried using a constant rotation servo and mounting the co-pilot sensor on the camera mount so it would tilt with the camera. It worked but there was a lot of ocillation as it levelled.
Personally I would go for the PICO-TILT.