90 replies to this topic

[Vrflyer]

I choose the Easystar because it`s easy to install the cam in front and get a perfect view point.

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[Vrflyer]

I want to feel like if I`m inside a plane, so I made a canopy and install the cam to see the nose of the planes in the picture. The cam is mount on servo.

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[Vrflyer]

Many peoples report this plane is hard to turn, so I installed ailerons and let the rudder without servo, but in the wind, the tale was hard to turn. Now with ailerons and rudder, the planes fly very well, even in high wind.

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Edited by Vrflyer, 04 April 2006 - 08:56 PM.

[Vrflyer]

I use a brushless motor and lithium battery onboard. The cam/Tx are connected directly to the lithium battery. I use a linear regulator LM2940t
I add hole in the nose and the canopy to get a good flow of air around components.

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[Vrflyer]

For the canopy, I made a vacuum thermoforming rig. I disassembled a $20 oven to get the element, and recycle a suitcase for the vacuum box. It work well and everything fit inside the suitcase when not use.

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[Vrflyer]

The mold I use for the Easystar canopy is not perfect, and you will see minor deformation in the video, with a better mold, it will be perfect. Everything is paint flat black inside the cockpit to minimize sun reflection. In the middle of the Easystar video “ Premiers vols”, you will see reflection in the cocpit, but many part was not paint at that time.

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[Vrflyer]

The cam servo is plug in the rudder channel, so I control the movement of the cam with the rudder stick. The rudder servo is plug in the channel 5. I mix the channel 5 with the ailerons channel. I can toggle a switch to disactivate the mix, I use this feature only to do roll.

At first, I installed a voltmeter in front of the cam, but at first flight, I understand it was useless, the sound of the motor in the earphone is a good indicator of the remaining capacity of the battery. Also I expected use a wide angle lens, but after test, it`s better to use a narrow angle when the cam is mount on servo, I choose the 52 deg lens.

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[Vrflyer]

Overall, this planes is a good choice for FPV flight. It's easy to hand launch, easy to fly, easy to repair (I already try it... ). This planes appear not dangerous because it made in Styrofoam and fly slow. I fly it in parks, over peoples head, and everyones look to love it. So it's possible to get very great video by flying where many others planes will not.

Judge by yourself by watching this little video. The quality is not great, I use the Aiptek MPVR for recording, and also the cam I used don't like the sun...
I put the video in the topic FPV videos
http://www.rc-cam.co...?showtopic=1066

[Vrflyer]

I made a new servo mount for my camera, the previous one was too fragile. I found the design on rc-tech website. It's simple and robust. I worn the teeth of the tilt servo, so if the planes land hardly, the cam will pivot, thus saving the servo gear. The pan servo have no screw so it can disassenble. I love the Hitec servo, they have no freeplay in the horn movement, normally all the brand have some loose. The pan servo is Hites S-81, this servo is the one for modification to 180 deg. The pot. have wire, we can easily add 1Kohm resistor on each side of the pot. Inside the servo, it have enough space for the added resistors. The camera is a new KX-131 with bullet proof case. The lens is protect with a plastic bottle with bottom removed..

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[rob10000]

Hi, I'm very interested in seeing more about your pan/tilt mount.
I've been using an easystar for video recording since last fall, but it's time for FPV flying now.
I have a new easystar, a BW 200mw system, and the video goggles with the head sensor from Kilrah.
Next week I'll start putting everything together, but need I need more ideas on the camera mount.

BTW, here's the link to the video's I made last year, I made about 6 at the bottom..
http://www.putfile.com/rob10000

[Kilrah]

Here are some pics of the original. I use GWS Naro Std servos.

http://i18.photobuck.../P1200494_t.jpg
http://i18.photobuck.../P1200906_t.jpg

Nice to hear you're getting everything ready

[Vrflyer]

I also cut the wingtips, the planes do not fly well inverted, now it's a liitle bit more aerobatic.

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[Vrflyer]

The headset is plug into the r/c transmiter. A high capacity batt is use. The momentary trainer switch (left) as been interchange with the switch on the other side, now I have a normal switch as trainer switch, so for the Gyrocontrol, I leave it in trainer position, and when I toggle the switch to normal, the cam come to a preset center position. The right switch is now a momentary switch, I rewire it to be able to use it for the reset button of the Gyrocontrol, so to recenter the cam in Gyro mode, I flip the switch, it also serve for programmation of the Gyrocontrol.
I install an infrared led in the center of the r/c transmiter for an automatic recentering of the Gyro, it send a pulse beam in direction of the headset. On the headset, a small tube with a phototransistor at the end pick up the signal only when the head look straight. It work, but I don't like it, I don't like to see the cam rapidly moving to center when I record movie or normal use, I can recenter the cam better manually, but it's cool, I added a switch to disable it at will.
The cavalry recorder is install on the r/c transmiter. A receiver with two video/audio output on the side of the headset.

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Edited by Vrflyer, 08 August 2006 - 05:40 PM.

[Haku]

How did you avoid incoming video inteference from the RC transmitter when they're powered from a single set of batteries?

I tried powering my RC TX, AV RX & LCD glasses all from the RC TX batteries, it worked but I got horizontal lines on the video caused by the RC TX, I have to power them separately and keep them at least 1 foot apart to stop the inteference.
With the success of using the DC-DC converter on my RC car for the video transmission I'm wondering if using one on my RC TX to power the AV RX & LCD glasses will eliminate the inteference.

[Vrflyer]

The cavalry recorder is for every day use, most of the time, the conditions are not good to make a movie, I use it if something special happens. Last week, while I was flying at the "Bassin d'aération", hundred of birds came to fly over me, it was a real dream, but, I had finish to fly, my three battery was discharge... We never know what could happens, perhaps another day they will come back
But when condition are good, I will use a base station to record. I have an Archos AV500, it a high quality recorder. I also use the 8dbi patch antenna suggest by Mr.RC-cam. I mount a receiver inside a metal casing too big, but it work very well, so it perfect for a base station, with a tripod from my Aiptek camera.

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[Vrflyer]

I went at the Royal Bromont golf club last friday to test my new setup. It was a beautifull day, but little bit too windy.
The title of this video: Club de golf Royal Bromont
Kilrah, can you post the link of the video here directly. Thanks again.

Edited by Vrflyer, 08 August 2006 - 05:55 PM.

[Vrflyer]

I have a new easystar, a BW 200mw system, and the video goggles with the head sensor from Kilrah.
Next week I'll start putting everything together, but need I need more ideas on the camera mount.

It's good equipment, everything will work well. The black widow 200 mW transmiter have a dc-dc converter in it I think. Use an independant battery for the tx/cam, I don't think you can use only the main battery to power everything onboard.
Tell me how is your first flight, I really want to know your impression

[Vrflyer]

How did you avoid incoming video inteference from the RC transmitter when they're powered from a single set of batteries?

I don't get any problem at all with interference like you describe. The trainer port have filter for all four wire. I plug the headset in it, using the filter, I disconnect the 5v wire and trainer output signal wire, keeping the ground wire and the trainer input signal wire. The 9.6V switched now pass through a filter and goes to the headset. The other wire also pass through filter and serve for the Gyrocontrol reset switch.

[Kilrah]

Haku:
I think the interference depends more on the goggles. Those "Innovatek"-like and all the other brands that set is sold as are pretty sensitive to the RF radiated from the antenna. The wire should be the least possible parallel to it. My Sony Glasstron are rock-solid, never seen a picture degradation whatever I do.
The TX certainly has something to do as well, like the old Multiplex (mc4000) are a nightmare. I've had problems with a head tracker-equipped set of goggles, as soon as the tracker was plugged into the trainer port the picture was unusable. Even if both electrical circuits are totally independent. Changing the tracker's cable with shielded one made it better, still better not to tie all the cables together though. No problem with the same setup plugged in a Futaba... I guess the Multiplex was injecting noise in the ground wire.

Vrflyer: Beautiful video!!! Very nice to explain the concept, and the place is really beautiful!
http://www.rc-tech.c...nts/Bromont.wmv
May I add that one to the "Customer" section on my website?

[Vrflyer]

Vrflyer: Beautiful video!!! Very nice to explain the concept, and the place is really beautiful!
http://www.rc-tech.c...nts/Bromont.wmv
May I add that one to the "Customer" section on my website?

You can add my video in your website.