Link What to buy for video piloting. Updated Oct 25st 2008

[markm75]

This may have been commented on previously, but I'm now shooting for comments on my upcoming choice for video and head tracking equipment and any suggestions on placement if anyone happens to have tried this on a Twinstar II (I'm going with bp-12's for my power, with 2150-3200mah 3s 15C battery pack for the receiver on the plane).

I noticed some say go for 2.4ghz, while other say 900mhz is better (more range, less interference etc).


Side question if anyone knows: I'm wondering what the best positioning for the camera would be and how to go about securing it mainly.. IE: I was thinking just in front of the cockpit window.. I dont know what material to use... ie: Medium CA, etc.. some sort of bracket to attach it. It would be nice if it could be unscrewed making it easy to switch from plane to plane as well.


Main question:
Here is the camera system I decided on going with:


500mw 900mhz http://www.rangevideo.com/500mw.html (i'm aware that this technically requires ham radio certification of some kind.. anyone know if this involves a yearly fee and how hard the test is to pass? Or if I even really need it, if out flying far from any people) I wanted to go with 500mw as to give exceptional range (guessing 2miles).. for future remote piloting with goggles and headtracking.. I was originally thinking 100mw, but since anything over 10mw requires a licenses, i figured this didnt matter.

http://www.rangevideo.com/900mhz_500mw.html $74
http://www.rangevideo.com/900mhz_receivers.html $65
probably need?: http://www.rangevideo.com/patch4.html $80 (maybe)
http://www.rangevideo.com/151_cased.html $100

2s 800mah lipo battery for the Tx on the plane ? ?C value?

*For the ground receiver.. I wasnt sure if I needed something like this: http://www.rangevideo.net/battery.html or if I could use a 3s battery pack somehow, not sure how it would get wired etc.

After I have all this working, I wanted to shoot for doing VR googles and head tracking.. from my reading on here.. are these all I would need/the best/cheapest options:

Goggles with built in gyro: http://www.rc-tech.ch/web/index.php?...mid=26&lang=en

Or order Gryro seperately ($409) and a different headset like this one for $348 http://rangevideo.com/gvd520.html

Are these goggles considered good, any others just as good but cheaper? I want at least 640x480 resolution.

Is this all I need, plus a servo mounted under the camera for Pan.. How does one achieve Tilt? Not even sure how the setup would work.. if anyone knows of any sites with detailed breakdown on mounting the camera with a servo for pan/tilt this would be great.

Finally, my receiver is an Older Futaba 6xa.. I'm not sure how compatible it will be with this equipment, nor am I certain on its range.. I know the receiver says 6000 feet, but I dont think the transmitter is anything close to that.. anyone know?

Thanks for any help





Thanks for any equipment tips/mounting ideas

[markm75]

Anyone know if rangvideo is even selling the 900mhz stuff anymore.. they dont have it on their products page and my links show it as out of stock?

[flaming-tubesoc]

Does anyone know of any more European vendors selling FPV stuff? The number of vendors in Europe seems to be quite limited...

[timdb88]

I have a project to build a FPV unit to perform farm survey and for pinpointing unwanted animal encroachments.

I need to build a FPV for a ground unit as well that can get to area where the animals are at.

I'm looking for someone who has a working design they are willing to share and has a detailed buy list with vendors and can walk me through the equipment set-up and flight testing.

In exchange for the help when I make the purchases I will order an extra set for the person who is providing the help. This is a great way to get the latest stuff out there.

I am looking for a fairly high fidelity unit, gps, able to do autonomous flight

This is a serious offer, I need to complete this by July.

Please contact me via email. Thanks.

[Crash9]

,

I developed a web-site that can help newbies getting started in FPV piloting, Hope it helps www.FPVpilot.com





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[Mr.Pibb]

Originally Posted by markm75

Anyone know if rangvideo is even selling the 900mhz stuff anymore.. they dont have it on their products page and my links show it as out of stock?

Looks like Vova just updated his web page and shows them in stock now!

[VRflyer]

Originally Posted by timdb88

In exchange for the help when I make the purchases I will order an extra set for the person who is providing the help. This is a great way to get the latest stuff out there.

I am looking for a fairly high fidelity unit, gps, able to do autonomous flight

This is a serious offer, I need to complete this by July.

Please contact me via email. Thanks.

A planes doing autonmous flight. Probably the user don't know how to fly it so the planes need to be autonomous. The plane need also high quality camera with stabilisation to spot animal on the ground.
Your offer look very similar to an offer made few month ago on the rc-cam forum. This kind of planes start at $35 000, you will be lucky to find someone here to do it at a fraction of the normal price and in the same time share all his precious info with you.
You look like someone going at fishing.

[Kilrah]

Yah. If you want to find a ready-made surveillance UAV, that's about what you should aim for.
BTW, this time it might even start to get interesting. $35k of free gear for me too is worth it

[PeteSchug]

Originally Posted by markm75

[snip]
500mw 900mhz http://www.rangevideo.com/500mw.html (i'm aware that this technically requires ham radio certification of some kind.. anyone know if this involves a yearly fee and how hard the test is to pass? Or if I even really need it, if out flying far from any people) I wanted to go with 500mw as to give exceptional range (guessing 2miles).. for future remote piloting with goggles and headtracking.. I was originally thinking 100mw, but since anything over 10mw requires a licenses, i figured this didnt matter.

Concerning the ham license. There is no code requirement anymore, and a bit of study is all it takes. The license is good for ten years and is easily renewed. Most ham clubs also teach. The test is mostly about laws and procedures and very little (20% or so) about easy technical stuff.

You are required to transmit your call sign at least every ten minutes, and at the end of each transmission. I am planning to paint my call sign where I can see it with the camera. I admit, I haven't yet done it yet but maybe I'll get to it this weekend. I'm not that lazy, but all my gear is at a friend's house and I usually wind up building new stuff when I get there which is most, but not all weekends. Hmm... I guess I ought to bring a few paint markers just in case I get the chance.

The odds of getting caught by the FCC if you fly in a remote area are probably pretty small, but I have heard of the FCC checking licenses of guys flying RC on the six meter band, but not lately. I don't think there is much six meter RC gear around anymore. I think the FCC investigates complaints rather than monitors the spectrum for violators. I have no idea what the fines are if you are caught doing something clearly illegal. May actually be worse if you have a ham license and presumably know the rules.

Pete

[VRflyer]

Also in Canada it's easy and inexpensive getting a HAM license. And you will learn a lot of interesting things about transmitting signal, there will helpfull later for FPV.
The chance to be caught is minimal, but I think it's expensive when it happen. It cost me $25 to get my license 6 years ago.

[markm75]

But where is the mW cutoff in actually needing a HAM license.. anyone know?

Cheers

[VRflyer]

10mW is the maximum allow in North America without license. With a license, I think it's 100W in the 2.4GHZ band, but I doubt, it's a lot of power... but for Amateur radio, perhaps it's not too much

edit:
It come from my memory, so it's not too reliable

When I learned for my Amateur radio license, it was a quetion of the exam. I was very surprise to learn that. For an amateur radio person who use a dish to direct the signal, I don't think it's excessive. But evidently for us, we don't need that.

[realtimerecon]

You guys are spending some big bucks ! You might as well spend some more on a good video cam.Ck. out cannons new TX-1.......wt. 8oz. HI DEF. 60 frames per sec. size of a pack of cards and under 500.00.....

[Kilrah]

And what about the downlink?

[zaguruinzasky]

it has a 39mm (in 35mm format) maximum wide lens, it's not enough, we use focals between 28 and 20 so add the weight of a wide lens adaptor, and when your rotate it it's like a big rudder..