Heli & Mini Video Cam

[Arm]

Open to suggestion on a electric CCP heli that can carry mini video camera. Also what manufacture for the mini cam and where to purchase, and the heli. Thanks. :D

[eddiemoth]

Hi Arm
Never done it before but it is an interesting topic and let's explore it. Helihobby has an article on how to install one of these. It does not seem to be difficult. What heli you are thinking to load it on?

http://www.helihobby.com/assets/images/HH6008.jpg

Check this one out. It does not seem to be heavy.

http://www.raidentech.com/rchemispycam.html

[swatson144]

I've started playing with this. It requires money and a CCD camera to do well. I was gifted a wireless camera and went from there. I don't have much quality but at the end of this vid (http://www.1upcomputer.com/images/temp/0P-1.wmv) is a small card board box with all my gear in it. I don't think there is 200$ in everything. Well maybe the Lipo and voltage alarm pushes it over.

Pic of the gear below. Yes that is everything! BTW it's not a ccd cam! Every thing that isn't on the heli stays on the ground, so I think even my moth could carry it. The 9V bat is the heavy part, but I bet a few litium button cells would solve that.

Steve

[Arm]

Hi eddiemoth, sorry that I did not get back to you right away. For some unknow reason I never received a e mail for your reply or any other ones. As to what heli to load, really don't know. Going to look into that web page and will get back to you.

[Arm]

Hi swatson, no bad at all on your video. What heli are you using? Thanks for showing the rig that you have.

[swatson144]

I'm using it on a Corona, because it is the best mannered heli I own. Though the weight is so slight that I'm sure it would go well on a mini or with something other than the 9V transitor battery it could easily be carried by a micro.

The picture might be confusing but the only parts that go in the air are rubber banded to the landing gear struts. The rest is ground support equipment. The little camera is a DVR, and records the signal gathered by the Receiver. The lipo powers the receiver.

The corona would easily carry the whole rig 8). But the use I am after is to use it as a spotter for a digi cam. Using a pilot and a cameraperson with a cheapo tx. The camera operator can look at the monitor on the DVR and issue instructions thus ensuring the intended subject is actually in the frame when the picture is taken. Later versions may have a gimbal the cameraperson can control. So I could do a flyover and let the cameraperson frame and click. Zoom pan and tilt. I don't see why it couldn't be used with a good compact vid camera except they are cost prohibitive for me.

Steve

[Arm]

Hi Steve, Thanks for answering the question on the heli. At the present time I can not remember where I saw the ad for "Black Widow" mini video cam. Believe the company is in Colorado. Right now I am looking around and gathering knowledge.

Cheers :D

[swatson144]

Likely can be found here. http://www.blackwidowav.com/ :wink: .

Steve

[thanhTran]

Another alternative is probably this:
http://rangevideo.com/

It only has TX & RX there. CCD camera is not offered. CCD camera can be bought seperately from blackwidowAv.com.


I bought this inexpensive CCD camera though:
http://www.mavin.com/index.php?crn=204&rn=343&action=show_detail. It seems pretty good video quality apart from the 350 line of resolution compared to 380 or 400+ from blackWidow (which I've not tried). I'm pretty happy with the image quality from the above CCD camera. I'm trying out the bare TX & RX modules bought from http://www.active-robots.com/products/radio-solutions/av-modules.shtml at this time. I've just finished the TX. Still need to solder the RX before I could test it out :). I plan to put it on my Trex.

Thanh

[edsmullen]

I just put a cam on a Blade CP upgrade. It is a 2.4 ghz and requires a 9 volt battery. Actually the weight of the cam is negligible. he battery is what it is, and where you attach it seems to be critical. Mine worked poorly when battery was mounted behind servo at rear of heli so I velcroed it under the lipo and it balanced better, Heli is a little less stable and a little slower, but still works ok.