Open Source project DirectionFinder
schematic and firmware : http://www.myresearch.lt/production/...onFinder.phtml

Demo:

Automated pointing of the video-camera to the object, selected for shooting (1 min 41 sec)

Experimental device DirectionFinder can be applied for following purposes: automatic pointing of a camera towards the object of shooting; automatic persecution of the specified target; automatic prevention of a collision with the specified target. A special infrared radiator is mounted on the object to be watched by the device. Alternatively, the object can be marked by reflected radiation, for example, laser's ray. Infrared radiation is invisible for human eyes. Infrared radiation is modulated, so the device will not react to any extraneous infrared sources. The device is connected between the receiver and the servomechanism. The device can operate in the autonomous mode, without a control signal from the receiver. One device controls a single plane of rotation; so for control in the horizontal and the vertical directions, two control channels and two DirectionFinder devices are required.



The examples of application of the device:
1. The device is mounted on a radio-controlled vehicle and enables it to pass automatically through the specified gate; to persecute automatically the specified vehicle; to avoid automatically a collision with the specified obstacle.
2. The device is mounted on the active suspension of a video camera and enables the camera to keep automatically the specified object in the center of the shot.
3. The device is mounted on a radio-controlled model of an airplane and enables it automatically to fly above the specified areas or to get into recovery net.

Servomechanism with a simple magnetic position sensor
(MI Servo with $0.5 magnetic induction sensor)

Servomechanism with a magnetic position sensor (0 min 29 sec)

Such a servomechanism is usable for controlling various mechanizations, such as gear extension or rotation of any element via a supplemental reducer. I used such sensors for leveling-off the video camera in respect of the position of the mechanical gyroscope. A Hall sensor ensures a proportional response to a change of the magnetic field, taking into account the polarity. An absence of magnetic field or the neutral magnetic field (in case of equal distances from the opposite poles) in the transformed servomechanism conforms to the neutral position of the potentiometer in an ordinary servomechanism. The sensor responds to a shift or rotation of the magnet; it is also possible to use two magnets in two extreme positions. The scheme of connection:





The mechanical gyroscope used as a virtual horizon:

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A servomechanism with a horizon sensor. Can be used on a camera gimbal or an aircraft.

A servomechanism with a horizon sensor (0 min 12 sec)

Such a servomechanism is usable for controlling the bank of the aircraft or the inclination of the camera. You'll be able to control the inclination of the camera; the neutral position will conform to the horizon line. In addition, it is possible to control the ailerons of the aircraft and to incline the aircraft to the desired angle in respect of the horizon. If the horizon line is not symmetric, a bank of the aircraft appears. The scheme of the sensor:



PCB:

IR photocells are fixed on the movable part of the controlled gimbal of the camera or on the opposite ends of the controlled model. A signal of the sensor is applied to an ordinary servomechanism instead of the internal potentiometer. The potentiometer of the servomechanism is connected to the negative terminal, to the reference voltage and has one output (3 conductors); the infrared sensor is connected in the same way.

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Onboard Camera.
Elimination of vibration and swinging

Three types of undesirable oscillation may be singled out in the radio-controlled model, i.e. a) vibration, related with operation of the engine and mechanical schemes; b) jolting, related with the air flows; c) swinging of the model while maneuvering.

Vibration of the helicopter model is the strongest. Seeking for reduction of vibration, it is possible to adapt the shock-absorbers, which are assigned for industrial use. Pay attention to the optimal load, which is usually indicated on such shock-absorber.



It is possible to use the shock-absorbers, assigned for the automobile CD-DVD player, if a small photo-camera is installed. Usually small rubber shock-absorbers with the gel inside are installed in the players.



It is possible to make a sufficiently light shock-absorber out of two plates with the soft rubber, clutched between them; the plates are clenched with the help of the rubber rings from outside. If You are afraid that the rubber will get torn, install the freely hanging safety belts additionally.

Seeking for alleviation of jolting, the shock-absorbers, assigned for the undercarriage of the radio-controlled automobiles, are used. These shock-absorbers consist out of the spring and the pneumatic or oil piston. The freely swinging platform of the camera is underpinned with the shock-absorbers from the opposite sides.

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Positioning of the camera under the bottom of the helicopter



Positioning of the camera under the bottom of the helicopter allows achievement of a wide panorama and does not cause displacement of the center of gravity aside. However, displacement of the center of mass downwards occurs; this produces a negative impact upon controlling of the model. If the camera on the controlled gimbal is installed under the bottom of the helicopter, the undercarriage must be both increased and retractable so as not to disturb the camera. The undercarriage "OpenButtom" is produced out of the aluminum profile and substitutes the common undercarriage. The mass of the ordinary undercarriage, attributed to the 50-90 class, amounts to 100-150 g. The mass of this particular undercarriage is 360 g, including the servo. Availability of the standard servo (modification - 180 degrees) is quite sufficient for controlling the undercarriage, but fastening with the help of the extra bearing from outside is necessary so that the body of the servo would endure the possible jerks at the moment of landing.



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An active Camera Gimbal

An active mount allows guiding of the camera in the necessary direction, in spite of the position of the model. Usually such platform is provided with two axles - the panorama and the tilt. The direct drive from the standard servo-mechanisms is used for the light cameras. It is an often case, when the servo-mechanisms with the increased tilt angle are used. Also the active gimbal may be used for stabilization of the camera. The gimbals, provided with three axles, are used for stabilization - the pan. (Z), the roll (Y) and the tilt (X). Pay Your attention to the fact that some gimbals, provided with three rotation axles, secure the possibility of stabilization in certain positions only along two axles. It happens so, if the axles of the gimbal get combined. For example, pay Your attention to the gimbal, where the camera is installed inside the rotating transverse ring. If the camera is turned downwards, the axles of the panorama (Z) and of the roll (Y) will coincide, whereas the lateral swinging of the model will pass to the camera. Presence of the rotating ring around the camera is the most complex and unreliable point of such constructions. The purpose of this ring is to secure that the center of the mass of the platform remains in the same place in the course of rotation along all axles. The ring rotates according to the principle of the large bearing, but it is produced out of the light metal. Deformation of such construction caused gaps and...Continue Reading

An aircraft weighs more than air, and it needs neither wings nor a propeller.
The only problem is too high weight of the power supply.
MyResearch.lt Video

In this work, I demonstrate a development of a simplest aircraft. In addition, I tried to design a very light high-voltage power supply. However, the apparatus cannot raise the weight of the power supply in the meanwhile. The principle of operation of such apparatus is known for over 80 years. The period of validity of the patents issued to Thomas Townsend Brown, the inventor of the technology, had expired long ago. Up to now, the technology was not duly developed (or we are not aware of its development).

The additional information about the similar aircrafts is located at the web-site: BlazeLabs

Archimedes said: “Give me the fulcrum and I shall turn the Earth”. Many inventors used to state that the fulcrum was not necessary, i.e. that it is possible to transform energy into acceleration without any fulcrum. The reverse transformation, which offers the “perpetum mobile”, would outflow out of this. The principal ideas of the people, who had been recently working at it and became famous enough, were approbated in my clip.
MyResearch.lt video

The “Propulsion System” by Eric Laithwaite was patented in the year 1993; the information about him is located in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Laithwaite. One may find out about the device, invented by Roy Thornson, from the film “The Kinetic Lift Drive Comprehensive”. Tom Bearden popularized the idea of the same device (http://www.cheniere.org/).
Nowadays there are the companies, which declare the possibility of getting energy out of attraction. The most well-known ones are as follows: the magnetic engine Perendev (www.perendev.com) and the company “Steorn” with the technology “Orbo” (http://www.steorn.com/). Recently these companies have worked out the system of licensing and until now they are dealing with attraction of solid investments. However, manifestation of success is limited to the computer graphics and to the low-quality videos from the passed years; only unsuccessful attempts to repeat the schemes, offered by independent...Continue Reading

DistanceSensor is an ultrasonic sensor of the distance and speed of approaching.

DistanceSensor testing (3 min 27 sec)

The gadget operates only at the low altitudes of the flight, i.e. up to 2,4 meters. It can be used for prevention of the accident or for maintaining the model at the low altitude. It has two reaction regimes, i.e. the first regime – the proportional reaction towards the altitude with the correction towards the vertical speed; the second regime – the proportional reaction towards the vertical speed depending upon the altitude. The first regime is used in the planes and helicopters for repulsion of the model from the ground. As regards ordinary repulsion, it is enough to use the recommended regimes without additional tuning. Seeking for fluent landing of the model of the plane with the switched off engine, it is necessary to adjust the necessary value of reaction of the gadget by applying the experimental method. Besides, the first regime allows maintaining of the helicopter at the fixed altitude. If the model of the helicopter is at the altitude, which is lower than 2,4 meters, it will go down and rise proportionally to the position of the pitch/gas stick. The second regime allows maintaining the model of the plane at the fixed altitude, at approximately 1,7 meters from the ground (if the elevator is evenly maintained). The second regime requires thorough tuning, which should be done by an experienced pilot. The model should primarily have...Continue Reading

The method of tuning suits both for the ordinary 3D helicopters and for the flybarless.
The video is turned at 90 degrees. The blades are hanging freely.
MyResearch - RC heli pitch
The sequence of actions:
1. Place the blades along the body;
2. Raise the helicopter by its nose upwards;
3. Tune the position of 0 degrees, when the ends of the blades coincide at one level;
4. Take the ruler and measure the length of the blade;
5. Calculate the necessary stretch between the ends of the blades for the selected angle of the maximal deviation. The formula: sin(the angle)*(length of the blade)*2;
6. Bring the blades apart as per the fixed value;
7. Preserve the values of the maximal deviation in the transmitter.

The majority of the suggested solutions, assigned for the night lighting of the model, secure its contour lighting. The contour lighting is secured by the installed light-illuminating diodes and the light-illuminating strips. The gadget HeliStrobe is assigned for the external lighting of the helicopter model. It means that the light-illuminating elements are installed in such a way so that the illuminating light gets reflected from the body and from the revolving rotor. When the body of the model is lighted from the outside, the model at night looks similarly as during the day-time. Seeking for more vivid lighting of the body of the helicopter, the light-illuminating elements are moved to the sides of the body with the help of the masts. The gadget HeliStrobe synchronizes winking of the light-illuminating elements with the rotor revolving; thus, the rotor of the helicopter looks like a solidified figure. The shape of the figure to be illuminated is selected from several preliminary set variants. The blades of the main rotor should obligatorily be of the while color.

HeliStrobe demonstration (3 min 17 sec)

Choosing of the light-illuminating diodes
The bright LED's are used as the light-illuminating elements. The recommended total power of the diodes should be at least 10 W. Usage of the light-illuminating diodes of different colors changes the color of illumination of the rotor and of the body of the model. The ready-made blocks of the light-illuminating diodes,...Continue Reading

Setting of the pyrotechnics on the radio-navigated models adds vividness to the demonstrative show and allows obtaining extra points for use of special effects at the competitions. The staged battles of the models over the water (execution of the program over the water is more safe) or imitation of real machinery in the cinema look colorful. These activities are quite dangerous; thus, I insistently recommend attending the safety engineering courses, held by the firemen.
Usually the modelers desire to let the smoke out of the model. But, as a matter of fact, practically no pyrotechnics, which cannot be screwed to the model, exists. The most important thing is that afterwards it would not cost you your head . Furthermore, it should be noted that the pyrotechnics is divided into the professional pyrotechnics and the amateurish pyrotechnics. The professional pyrotechnics is correspondingly acquired from pyrotechnicians. Simply you must search for the companies, which offer their services in arranging the festal salutes, and try to find common language with them. For example, a reasonable price of the smoke-box, weighing approximately 100 grams, is 10 dollars. Generally speaking, the price 10-20 dollars - is an average price of one occupational volley or of the effect, weighing totally approximately 100-200 grams. The ordinary festive pyrotechnics costs much cheaper. The pyrotechnics differs from the point of view of the quality of its production and safety; besides, the...Continue Reading