Author Topic: Quadcopters for camera use  (Read 25441 times)

Jakob

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #75 on: 07 September, 2015, 08:31:14 pm »
No, we didn't have enough beer for that...

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #76 on: 17 September, 2015, 07:07:50 pm »
The local crims are beating Amazon by using drones for their deliveries http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/gangs-using-small-drones-fly-10078354
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #77 on: 17 September, 2015, 11:35:38 pm »
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes


Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #79 on: 03 March, 2016, 02:46:08 pm »
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #80 on: 28 May, 2016, 03:14:20 pm »
I wondered about trying filming with a small drone, so have acquired the newest version of the JJRC H20C.

I'm not expecting much from it, since it only cost £30, which for a small hexacopter featuring a camera, really isn't too bad.  If I can manage to grasp flying it competently outside, I may experiment with taking some footage of a FNRttC, but only the stationary cyclists when stopped, from above ground level, not swooping amongst cyclists in motion !

At the moment, I'm just trying to fly it in the kitchen, and not scare Zev too much.  It ought to be possible to fit it all into a small shoulder bag, with several batteries, and charge exhausted batteries up from a small 2Ah USB battery.  Since the drone batteries are only 280mAh, enough for a few minutes flight, there ought to be several recharges in a 2Ah battery.

The camera seems to best be described as indifferent, and the 2GB Micro-SD card was missing (the supplier offered me 50p back, or two cards "when" I order more drones from them!), but I can go for a better, larger, more expensive one, when I leave this one in a tree. ;D

I've only had to put three propellers back on, so far, and not lost or damaged any of them.  The blades also do not slice into your fingers, hardly surprisingly. :)  Since it's only just over 30g, it bounces and survives fairly easily.

There's a review and some footage here.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #81 on: 23 January, 2017, 08:48:01 pm »
Finally got a DVR added to my race-setup and captured a few laps of Friday Nights practice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QXRctVtrbo

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #82 on: 23 February, 2017, 04:16:08 pm »
Those clever ISIS chappies have been getting inventive.  Allegedly this was shot down in Iraq earlier today.


https://twitter.com/sarahussein/status/834760699142402048



Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #83 on: 23 February, 2017, 05:32:33 pm »
Doesn't look very shot down...

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #84 on: 24 February, 2017, 10:10:18 pm »
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #85 on: 04 March, 2017, 01:18:15 am »
The grenades are not armed. I strongly suspect that this was captured on the ground.
I should also add that usually the only failsafe mechanism to make a drone land immediately is if it thinks it's low on battery. Otherwise, if you disrupt the control link (which is what the majority of those anti-drone 'guns' do), it will return to either where it's launched or otherwise preset location.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #86 on: 04 March, 2017, 12:54:56 pm »
If you spoofed a GPS signal so it thought it was much higher than it was supposed to be...

Not exactly easy to do.

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #87 on: 04 March, 2017, 10:36:47 pm »
You will typically lock on to 9+ satellites. You then have to fake the majority of those and it has to diverge enough from the barometric pressure as well.

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #88 on: 07 March, 2017, 03:55:32 pm »
You will typically lock on to 9+ satellites. You then have to fake the majority of those and it has to diverge enough from the barometric pressure as well.

Not very difficult to do, the power budget is such that generally the receiver is just able to pick then up.  A much stronger signal would trivially overload the receiver (even with the antenna "looking" in the wrong direction), and it wouldn't be difficult for the country that actually designed and built the satellites to achieve this.

Whether they'd actually bother, is another question, when there are likely many other easier and cheaper ways to incapacitate a civilian drone.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #89 on: 08 March, 2017, 01:00:44 am »
You will typically lock on to 9+ satellites. You then have to fake the majority of those and it has to diverge enough from the barometric pressure as well.

Not very difficult to do, the power budget is such that generally the receiver is just able to pick then up.  A much stronger signal would trivially overload the receiver (even with the antenna "looking" in the wrong direction), and it wouldn't be difficult for the country that actually designed and built the satellites to achieve this.

Whether they'd actually bother, is another question, when there are likely many other easier and cheaper ways to incapacitate a civilian drone.

Right:
http://spectrum.ieee.org/telecom/security/protecting-gps-from-spoofers-is-critical-to-the-future-of-navigation

Good thing I'm using Ublox M8 units...I should probably update the firmware!.

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #90 on: 08 March, 2017, 08:15:44 am »
Those clever ISIS chappies have been getting inventive.  Allegedly this was shot down in Iraq earlier today.


https://twitter.com/sarahussein/status/834760699142402048






I like the shuttlecock stabilisers.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #91 on: 08 March, 2017, 09:30:08 am »
I like the look of this mini-drone, cheap and allegedly doesn't require a license.  Just enough range to do a roof survey.

https://www.dpreview.com/news/0880793964/airselfie-miniature-drone-goes-on-general-sale
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #92 on: 08 March, 2017, 09:51:22 am »
Was speaking to a friend at the University of Liverpool a few days ago. They have a dedicated MSc course in drone technology and a research institute: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/research/centres-and-institutes/faculty-of-engineering-and-technology-research-institute/geri/expertise/drone-technologies-and-sensing

She's been working with them to have them survey her archaeological sites in 3D.

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #93 on: 08 March, 2017, 10:59:24 am »
I like the look of this mini-drone, cheap and allegedly doesn't require a license.  Just enough range to do a roof survey.[/url]
"On a full charge users can enjoy up to three minutes of flight"
Sounds like it would be in danger of requiring ladder retrieval.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #94 on: 08 March, 2017, 12:15:31 pm »
I like the look of this mini-drone, cheap and allegedly doesn't require a license.  Just enough range to do a roof survey.

https://www.dpreview.com/news/0880793964/airselfie-miniature-drone-goes-on-general-sale
I don't think licensing is an issue, at least with current UK law. You can fly a rather large quadcopter without any sort of licence. Though there is a government consultation, which suggests some sort of registration scheme.

Yes, rather short battery life on that one. Built in battery is annoying, if it takes 1/2 hour to recharge between flights.
And don't know if the camera is any good. For roof surveys, a downward pointing camera may be more useful.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #95 on: 21 March, 2017, 01:12:04 pm »


In all seriousness though it can't be long before some radical straps 500g of explosive and some nails to one then flies it into Dwning Street from a pickup truck a few streets away.

Thing is, you have to maintain line-of-sight to do so...or at the very least not have anything obstruct the control & video signal...and in built-up areas, relying on GPS may not be possible, so even autonomous flight would be doubtful. There's inertia navigation modules out there, but the known ones require export license, so it'll require jumping through a few hoops to get there.

It's quite amazing how quickly things have progressed.

The DJI Mavic Pro costs £1000.  It flies at 45mph and has a range of around 4miles, providing 1080p live video feed (plus onboard 4K)

It has some autonomous modes where it will fly a pre-determined route.  It will hover and circle a "point of interest" independently.

It has forward-facing "avoidance" cameras and downward-facing terrain cameras.

It also folds away into a coat pocket.

It's Sci-Fi..... and I just ordered one !!!!!

Watch this space.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #96 on: 22 March, 2017, 10:38:40 pm »


In all seriousness though it can't be long before some radical straps 500g of explosive and some nails to one then flies it into Dwning Street from a pickup truck a few streets away.

Thing is, you have to maintain line-of-sight to do so...or at the very least not have anything obstruct the control & video signal...and in built-up areas, relying on GPS may not be possible, so even autonomous flight would be doubtful. There's inertia navigation modules out there, but the known ones require export license, so it'll require jumping through a few hoops to get there.

It's quite amazing how quickly things have progressed.

The DJI Mavic Pro costs £1000.  It flies at 45mph and has a range of around 4miles, providing 1080p live video feed (plus onboard 4K)

It has some autonomous modes where it will fly a pre-determined route.  It will hover and circle a "point of interest" independently.

It has forward-facing "avoidance" cameras and downward-facing terrain cameras.

It also folds away into a coat pocket.

It's Sci-Fi..... and I just ordered one !!!!!

Watch this space.

A friend of mine got one and it's a really nice machine. However, it only flies at 40mph in 'sports' mode and it's not something it's really designed to do. It is primarily a take pretty pictures drone. If you want to zoom around and fly fast, it's the completely wrong machine.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #97 on: 24 March, 2017, 01:53:49 pm »

A friend of mine got one and it's a really nice machine. However, it only flies at 40mph in 'sports' mode and it's not something it's really designed to do. It is primarily a take pretty pictures drone. If you want to zoom around and fly fast, it's the completely wrong machine.

Mostly I expect it will be in "Tripod Mode" which restricts it to about 2mph and enables super-steady "cinematic" shots.

I intend to go travelling in my Motorhome for some months, Scotland, Norway...wherever else my nose takes me.  It seemed a crime not to have the opportunity to film some of the scenery along the way.

I have no interest in racing..etc.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #98 on: 24 March, 2017, 11:46:40 pm »
Right and it's perfect for that. It's just that the advertising for tries to show that it can be used for 'racing style' flying.
Look forward to seeing your images/vids!

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Quadcopters for camera use
« Reply #99 on: 25 March, 2017, 12:09:42 am »
Advertising does that  :P

Also looking forward to your output. A drone combined with a pilot with an eye is usually good  :thumbsup:
It is simpler than it looks.