cameras and sensors for RC imaging

[jklier]

I found this site when I was looking for info on RC helicopters. I was happy to see this forum topic as it is in my area of interest.

I'm currently working on a PhD in the area of remote sensing. I can see where my research could possibly benefit from some RC based imaging. Could anyone tell me what sensors/cameras are available that are small enough to be carried on these smaller RC aircraft?

What platforms are all of you using for your imaging? It appears that most air using airplanes. What about helicopters?

Thanks!

John

[kd7ost]

I keep looking at the Fuji F31 on this site.

http://www.maxmax.com/

Are you looking to capture digital images or view a live IR downlink?

I use a plane for my work. I did the Ag RCAP work shown here.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=689974

Dan

[jklier]

I'm just looking at getting still images that I can dump into some image analysis software. Those cameras that do IR would be nice. The more bands I have to work with the better. I'm going to need to consider a helicopter as a platform as well. Some of the places I would need to fly don't have any large flat ares where a fixed wing could land.

That work you did with the potato farms is great! Thanks for that link.

John

[kd7ost]

The Fuji IS Pro camera is intriguing. It comes stock with UV and IR capabilities due to the wide range of non visible light it will detect and because it lacks built in IR and UV filters. It’s big and spendy though and I don’t know about its multi-spectral use in the AP world. I don’t know anybody using one and am not certain of the UV application in our type of remote sensing. It seems UV has an application more in zoology but the wavelengths shorter than .4um scatter so easily it seems like much of the image would be lost in an application like we are talking about. Maybe in a helicopter with quartz lenses would be better than my planes flying at higher altitudes and the dust particles I deal with.

Certainly the IR region is much easier to capture but I’m still looking at camera’s that are not optimized for IR. But rather are broad bandwidth sensors capable of capturing the visible spectrum as well. Then using a photo shop tool to rid the blue, yellow, green, whatever to see what I get in the 1u to 100mm spectrum.

It would also seem to me that using visible light filters, applied to rid the violet, blue, green etc, (basically the colors shifted closest to the UV spectrum) might be a good choice. This might allow the sensor in the camera to be optimized during shutter activation for exposure times and resultant light gathering down at the longer wave lengths. My thinking is that the camera would potentially gather more IR energy if it isn’t being tasked to collect visible light.

I think talking to you has spurred me on to order that F31 and a few filters.

Dan

[kd7ost]

Well I did purchase the fuji camera with the IR enabled. I got it in today and did a few test shots. I'll post the results below. The only initial problem I see is that a piece of dust got left inside when maxmax had it open to swap out filters. Sadly I have to return it to get replaced or repaired to remove the artifact.

Below are the following shot down the street.

1. Normal picture from a Kodak camera to show standard view.
2. Same scene taken with the fuji with IR enabled.
3. Same scene taken with fuji with X-nite630 filter. 690nm passband > 91%.
4. Picture of sky with IR fuji without filter showing artifact.

Dan

[workshop]

When IR is enabled it seems to open the garage door across the street! However, I do see the advantage in invisible car detection. :D

Sorry Dan… I couldn’t help myself (no one else can either). :rolleyes:

[lvspark]

A good site to read if your into this hyperspectral stuff! Several pages of good info..
http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Front/tofc.html

[Tom Harper]

IvsPark,

Extensive link! Thanks.

BTW: I am working with a scheme that needs a linear CCD array. Something like 2048X1 monochrome or X3 color. There are inexpensive devices made for scanners but I can't find any. And, I can't find a distributor that handles them. Some have arrays but not linear arrays like in a scanner.

Can anybody help?

[lvspark]

Like this?
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/resources/prod_documents/DOC1990.PDF

or are you looking to do something like this?
http://home.comcast.net/~scancams/

[Tom Harper]

Thanks - interesting.

The TH7814 looks good but I can't find a price or distributor.

Tom

[lvspark]

Atmel 1 (408) 441-0311

or
http://72.14.203.104/translate_c?hl=en&u=http://www.vistas-gmbh.com/index.php%3Fid%3D94%26L%3D1&prev=/search%3Fq%3DTH7814ACC%26start%3D30%26hl%3Den%26rl s%3Dcom.microsoft:*%26sa%3DN

ahhhhh.. Here it is. http://www.sierraic.com/pnresults.asp?part=th7814acc

[BarrelRoll]

Are there digital cameras with 20+mm lens, 6+MP, weighing less than 3oz/90g?