Help with remote camera mounting on aircraft...

BigDex

BigDex

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Rick
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I guess this is specific enough a question that I safely assume it hasn't been asked before, so here goes...

I used to fly a conventional microlight, open to the elements and with minimal obstructions between me and whatever I took pictures of. I took a 50D and 24-105 everywhere I went (used mainly at 35mm ish) As my little boy got older, he wanted to fly with me, so I changed aircraft to a conventional 2seat side-by-side enclosed plane. Now even though I can take the boy flying, for photography it's awful; the glazing is curved, tinted and somewhat scratched lexan and there are struts and support tubes or propellers everywhere you look.
I can open the doors below 75mph which gets rid of the lexan, but still leaves the obstructions. I started to carry a lumix TZ6 as there was no point in carrying the weight of DSLR and L glass.

In the flexwing, I did ok (to my eyes anyway!)

P1000438s.JPG


P1000533.jpg


But in the SkyRanger (enclosed cockpit), there's too much crap in the way!

P1000766.jpg


P1000782.jpg


P1000841.jpg


I'm trying to find a solution that will get the photography back into my flying. Santa is bringing me a GoPro HD2, and I'd like to find some way to mount that on a wing strut at around half span, and move it and control it from the cockpit. 12v is available, as is a windows XP tablet PC on the panel, but only a 900mhz processor so can't run anything too drastic. The mount needs to be not too draggy and able to take 130mph winds and supposedly +6/-3G without breaking.

Have you guys and gals got any *not too costly* ideas??!?
 
You can buy gopro mounts to attach to round poles, or use the suction cup which is rated pretty high. Ive seen videos of them mounted on RedBull acrobatic aircraft, but of course this wont solve the remote problem.
The WIFI bakpak is coming soon, which will do just that, but you still will have to manually move the camera into position.
You;d need some kind of remote tripod head, which wont be cheap.
 
Indeed, the wifi module looks ideal. I've been looking at the pan/tilt mounts used on radio controlled helicopters, which from a functional perspective look fine, but I can't see them standing up to the wind they'd be exposed to or holding the camera steady at speed.
 
Some kind of camera pod enclosure fixed underneath the aircraft my work better this may also make it easier to run any cables straight into the cockpit . If your any good with basic electronics you could build a mount and control it with servos to pan and tilt the camera . Another thought is to have a wind sheild for the camera and shoot backwards that way the sheild will protect from buffeting :thinking: .
 
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I would suggest checking that any mount has necessary approvals for use on an aircraft.

GoPro say thier sucker cup works ! but not endorsed due to FAA rules.


Furthermore they have a daily sweepstake to win one, check out.thier website.
 
Cheers John, the issue with mounting it in/on/under the fuselage is one of obstruction; looking forward will get a prop, back a tailplane and either side will get lift struts and wings.

Mounting on a wing at half span pointing forwards will get nothing in the way and also has some handy bolts to attach it to. To be honest, a tilt control would be adequate as I point the plane at what I want to photograph (if it's not too close...)

DrR; I would not use the rubber sucker mount in this application! Bolted with a security lanyard only. FAA not an issue here (CAA does britain, FAA America), and my plane operates on a permit to fly as opposed to Certificate of Airworthiness. Minor mods like this are a £10 paperwork pain, but not too bad. If you tell them, that is....
 
I just wanted to revisit this with a bit of an update;

This project has kind of run away with itself, ending up with me learning C++ and the programming of Arduino boards. It's far from complete, but here's where I'm up to so far. Whilst the final destiny of this is still photography, I've found video to be a useful way of keeping track of vibration issues.


Initial test of the first version of the mount:
[YOUTUBE]4ACkU30-2TY[/YOUTUBE]

And the latest somewhat less-than-successful test of the 3rd version:
[YOUTUBE]ce26PTjUgQo[/YOUTUBE]
 
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Thanks for posting the update Rick, it's fascinating to see how you're developing the idea.

Having pan and tilt control from the cockpit is excellent - good luck with the development - you might even find a market for the finished solution.

Let me know if you ever come to Otherton, it would be great to take a look at your system. Judging from the clips, it looks as though you are based at Calton Moor.

Good luck with the project.

Chris
 
Hey Chris,

Yes, I'm at Calton Moor and occasionally pass Otherton. If Icicle happens at Halfpenny Green this weekend, I'll be there, hopefully with a bigger retract servo so the camera daoesn't fold away at 60mph.

I'll never market it, but I'll be happy to help anybody that wants to copy it. Unfortunately, the key to the system is the PC I have on the panel, and that's not so common!

All the best,

Rick
 
Great to see that you have managed to build a rig .
What's your next plan for shooting stills ?
 
I've got this project a little further down the road now; I'm still using video to help identify vibration issues (still a little when facing forwards or backwards; hopefully now resolved with more fillets welded to the bracket).

The camera itself is now remotely operated and charged during operation.

[YOUTUBE]UBzMtU2BE94[/YOUTUBE]
 
BigDex said:
I've got this project a little further down the road now; I'm still using video to help identify vibration issues (still a little when facing forwards or backwards; hopefully now resolved with more fillets welded to the bracket).

The camera itself is now remotely operated and charged during operation.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBzMtU2BE94">YouTube Link</a>
Click to expand...

any pics of what you've come up with? interested in how you've done it
 
erm... none of a suitable quality to show on a photography forum! I have a couple taken in a dark garage with an iphone, however I'll be going to the airfield tomorrow to put a nice painted cowling around the camera, so I'll take a couple of pictures then.
 
That's very impressive Rick, you've made excellent progress. It looks like a very stable platform for filming.

Looking forward to seeing some more of your footage. I think the haze may keep us on the ground tomorrow - the vis has not lifted beyond 3k today :-(

Chris
 
BigDex said:
erm... none of a suitable quality to show on a photography forum! I have a couple taken in a dark garage with an iphone, however I'll be going to the airfield tomorrow to put a nice painted cowling around the camera, so I'll take a couple of pictures then.
Click to expand...

Cool I don't have a plane but am an Engineer and find this kind of thing interesting
 
I seem to remember a thread about this on PPRuNe some time ago. I think you would need to see what the A/C maker the CAA and your insurance company allow.
 
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On group A certificate of airworthiness aircraft, mods such as this would be effectively impossible. At this end of the weight spectrum it's less onerous.
 
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