RC Helicopters with Imaging / UAV

[mb2k01]

Hi All,

 

This is a long-shot, but does anyone here have any experience with Radio Controlled Helicopters? Specifically ones that have on board camera's able to record / snapshot images during flight?

 

I'm looking for something reasonably cheap, but I've only really been able to locate higher-end stuff going for several thousands etc. Can anyone help with info / directions to online retailers?

[Ric_]

My brother used to have one... it was a mid-range electric model IIRC. He simply bought a small video camera and wireless receiver from some bloke in Hong King via Fleabay. The receiver recorded to SD card and the camera was jury rigged onto the bottom. It was cheap and did the job.

[CyberNerd]

get one of these!

 

 

YouTube - Parrot AR.Drone : Flight Demo

 

cool dev environment:

Parrot AR.Drone - Game Developer Zone - Start building iPhone and iPod touch applications compatible with AR.Drone!

 

parrot ar drone - Google Product Search

[mb2k01]

CyberNerd, that is possibly THE coolest (and most affordable) gadget I have seen in a long time!

Is it as easy to fly as the demo videos suggests?

From reading up on it, it looks like the drone can't record still or video images (only send them to the controllers iPhone), which is really what I was after, but to be honest, I may compromise and just run with this and screencapture the iPhone screen! Have you found any other way to record / snapshot?

 

Huge thanks for the find - I feel more excited than the combination of 5 x xmas as a child!

[CyberNerd]

@mb2k01

 

unfortunately I don't own one, yet. But I get the feeling from the open API platform: https://projects.ardrone.org/

and the specs (Embedded Computer System - ARM9 468 MHz, DDR 128 Mbyte at 200MHz, Wifi b/g, USB high speed, Linux OS.) that anything will be possible!

[broc]

See if you can find a local R/C Helicopter club, they will be able to advise...... they are usually a pretty friendly bunch. A few years back I went along to a local field where our local club flew & had a chat to the guys there as I was quite interested in taking up the hobby. I went off the idea when I saw how easy it was for even the most experienced flyers to trash an airframe causing £300-£500 damage....

[MatthewL]

Hampshire Fire & Rescue have one of their own, details found here. They carry it in one of their command units based out of Eastleigh and the kit fits into a few boxes in the back of their Ford Transit command vehicle which I was privvy to last weekend. Very interesting bits of kit and I would like to learn to fly one, one day!

[dhicks]

ARM9 468 MHz, DDR 128 Mbyte at 200MHz, Wifi b/g, USB high speed, Linux OS.

 

If it only uses WiFi for communications, how well does that work as it gains height - I understood WiFi signals are polorized?

 

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David Hicks

[Butuz]

Can you actually fly a R/C helicopter? It's more difficult than it looks - in fact it is more difficult than flying a real one because you have to deal with orientation, the fact that you are not inside the cockpit.

 

If you can't fly - its gonna be a great way of trashing your camera equipment

 

Butuz

[dhicks]

Can you actually fly a R/C helicopter?

 

Ah, but I think the idea of these newer devices is that the stabilisation and height control is done via on-board sensors and software - the interface is point-and-click.

 

--

David Hicks

[CyberNerd]

If it only uses WiFi for communications, how well does that work as it gains height - I understood WiFi signals are polorized?

 

--

David Hicks

Just a guess, but at some point it'll loose a connection as it gains height The question is whether it automagically lands itself?