I hope to make my first flight this weekend with the Easy Star I've been building for FPV and don't want to sacrifice my GoPro HD until I know the plane is working with the current weight I'm packing in.

So I wanted to mock up the size and weight and even have a recording feature since I had a "Keychain camera" ($10 w/4GB SD card) laying around. Here is the build:

"The GoPro HD Stunt Double"

1. Simply take a piece of cardboard (I'll sponsor the USPS) and template out the GoPro starting on its back. Use an existing fold on the cardboard if its there since you're folding it anyway.

2. Cut out the template and mark the folds, and score them so they'll fold easily.

3. Fold it all up and tape the top when the longest edges meet leaving the side flaps untaped. If've you've cut your template well they will simply tuck into the part of the box you just taped up. Now you've got the exact shape of the GoPro.

4. Then cut out a very tight hole for the "Keychain camera" and pack it in. The keychain camera sticks out a bit further in the front than the GoPro, but good enough for simulating and seeing the video (even if it's standard def).

5. Now the "stunt double" needs to match the GoPro HD weight (w/battery in my case) of 97.9g. Mine at this point with keychain camera was only 20.8g. Just add 3 AA batteries and some nuts & bolts, and few paper scraps and you'll match the exact weight of your GoPro HD.

6. Tape up the sides and you're done.

7. Strap the "Stunt Double" onto your favorite pan/tilt/mount and do some tests!

***Note, you obviously can't see in FPV with this setup, but you can test LOS your plane, and activate your pan/tilt from your radio for testing if you have that feature setup. You can then check back the keychain footage to see how the pan/tilt worked and/or how the view was.

doesnt really look the same as the original actor make sure not to get him in the camera shot when filming or people will know....

Originally Posted by paintz2007

doesnt really look the same as the original actor make sure not to get him in the camera shot when filming or people will know....

Well, when smashing into the ground @ 30mph I bet you'd have a hard time telling it wasn't a GoPro HD from a distance

And, they never look like the real actors do they?

That's a pretty neat idea... In fact, I was just looking at my plane that carries the GoPro and wanted to make an easy way to swap back to a board camera. I've also got one of the new HD keychain cameras. I may copy this, but will use the board camera one one side, and the little HD camera on the other. It won't look like a GoPro, but will fit in it's place, and still allow me to fly FPV and record in HD. I like it!

i saw a vid of a gopro that fell off a plane and was ok... of course it was in the housing and it landed in a field... but still

Originally Posted by aerofly0610

i saw a vid of a gopro that fell off a plane and was ok... of course it was in the housing and it landed in a field... but still

Neat. Got a link? I'd like to see what they can take. They do seem pretty rugged however the lens is so exposed (no pun intended) when not in the case it seems likely to be damaged falling from height.

I'll look like a dork, but will most likely strap my GoPro onto my snowboarding helmet for a FPV launch of my to be FPV plane. If I crash I can study why, and we can all laugh at me.

wish i had a link... its either on RCGroups or on RCUniverse... cant remember