ahhh..... a finely tuned machine! - video

[AZ ChopperCam]

here it is. a complete E*RaptorCam flight from takeoff to landing. 7 minutes total. No music, no editing, no nothing. just a machine defying gravity and taking a camera along for the joyride :D :D

I've spent all week balancing and rebalancing everything. tracking and retracking. everytime it got better and better. I'm proud to say I think it's damn near as smooth as it can get.

I love the sound of those blades.... something you never get to hear with a nitro or gasser!

here's the vid. it's 20mb in wmv format.

http://www.azchoppercam.com/portfolio/video/e_raptorcam3.wmv

here's the data graph from the flight. I would like to composite the playback of the eagletree over the video of the flight. will need to do that at work though. you can see a steady 1500rpm head speed and about 20 amps. 7 minutes consumed 2200mah. coulda flown for 20 minutes on the 8,000 pack at that rate :D :D

http://www.azchoppercam.com/portfolio/video/e_raptorcam3.gif


PS - I just found out that as of today the word "azchoppercam" is an illegal word on the "other forum" HAHAHAHA :D :D :D

[Art-Tistic]

Damn Sweet DJ

[WillJames]

:smokin: :glasses2:

[Hyde]

DJ - was this shot using your AP2000i as well? because i am about to throw one on my GSR because the results from the Pro-1 mount have WAAAAAAAY too much roll that the gyro/dampener isn't taking out. and when we fly it looks very stable and the copter is balanced as perfect as we can get it. even in a really nice hover - eventually it (the camera platform portion of the Pro-1) starts rocking.

leaning towards your front mount.

[Graeme]

Great video, just the way it is. Love the sound of the engine and blades.

I noticed the fellow's girlfriend got over her jitters. Got a new convert out there?

[AZ ChopperCam]

DJ - was this shot using your AP2000i as well?
nope. the AP2000i is installed on my nitro RaptorCam.

i am about to throw one on my GSR because the results from the Pro-1 mount have WAAAAAAAY too much roll that the gyro/dampener isn't taking out.
not sure than an AP2000i will fix that. Do you have your Kenyon gyro oriented the right way? It needs to be mounted sideways or vertically in order to resist motion in the roll axis.

leaning towards your front mount.
so am I.
:lol: :lol: I would never fly an underslung mount again.

Front mounts are great. the benefits over underslung really outweigh any negatives they may have.

the only thing that sucks about them is the level of precision that everything must be balanced and true. You can NOT expect to bolt up a front mount and go shoot right away and expect it to be vibration free. Underslung mounts mask ALOT of vibe problems with the helicopter.

But once you spend a week or so tweaking the heli, it's worth it. to pick the machine up into hover and let it set there as you look closely at the entire machine and see not even a super small buzz in the tail or any vibration at all is awesome. and to think also that no vibes are going into your radio equipment is very refreshing and makes you feel so confident in your machine. I don't care how much you balance everything on a gasser.... it will still buzz and vibe like a bitch. That's why I went nitro and especially electric.


:D

[Dakine]

DJ,

Nice stuff.

While these guys are buying your mount, I'm looking at the bigger picture:

F#ck the mount, I want to buy your complete set up :D

How much and how soon RTF? :)

[Hyde]

yeah my gyro is mounted correctly and does in fact resist the roll but its still awfully present in the vids. we are trying this copter out but are going to get a turbine next spring after i figure out which one is best for AP/V.

i know this mount is capable - but watching your video makes me wonder if i went about this the right way...

[GGoodrum]

Wow, that is smooth. That is easy to see, even in the 1/4 resolution mpg playback.

-- Gary

[AZ ChopperCam]

F#ck the mount, I want to buy your complete set up Very Happy

How much and how soon RTF?

LOL, you're so predictable! :lol: :lol: I'm still in development testing phase. need to try out another motor, 11s/12s packs and some other blade combos, but soon I'll have a setup that I would endorse as being fully capable for AV work.

stay tuned grasshopper.... stay tuned!

[AZ ChopperCam]

ok... re-encoded the video to a .wmv at a larger resolution, 400x300. 20mb.

http://www.azchoppercam.com/portfolio/video/e_raptorcam3.wmv

[GGoodrum]

Just curious, by why not at the full resolution of the camera? Hard to tell much from this, in terms of how clear it is. I'd rather see just a minute or two, at the highest resolution possible. :)

[AZ ChopperCam]

no problem... ask and you shall receive.

I'll encode a little bit at full res. stand by.

[AZ ChopperCam]

720x486, 29mb

http://www.azchoppercam.com/e_raptorcam_3_hr.wmv

[helirook]

the last link no worky.....

[GGoodrum]

Worked for me... :)

Very good, thanks. That seems rock-solid. Since I plan on using a High Def camera, I think this is a bit more critical, but this certainly looks promising.

-- Gary

[AZ ChopperCam]

well, now that I've got it nailed down I think I'm going to get a Sony HC3. I'd love to see some HDV footage from this thing.

[SeaHawk]

fabulous video! Loved listening to the blades and motor (much preferable to the usual music backgrounds) That was so smooth, especially at the begining, is almost looked like it was in slowmotion. Did you have a Kenyen Gyro to stabilize? Nice work. Its time for me to sell my 911 to generate some funds and pickup the electric cause that was waaay cool :shock: Put me on the mailing list for when you get your system working with the joker.

[SeaHawk]

one more bit of input. If you get around to designing your system for the Joker, would you please consider designing in one of those ball things that will offer a litte of protection for the camera gear. I don't really get too nervous about helicopter repairs, I can repair a $4 diget chopper,like everyone else. But, I cannot fix a camera or lens.

[Art-Tistic]

well, now that I've got it nailed down I think I'm going to get a Sony HC3. I'd love to see some HDV footage from this thing.


DJ, Try to get the HC1, Its a much better camera and since the stripped down version (HC3) is replacing it you should be able to score a good deal. I think B&H has the HC1 for $1399.

Regards,
Anthony

[GGoodrum]

well, now that I've got it nailed down I think I'm going to get a Sony HC3. I'd love to see some HDV footage from this thing.


DJ, Try to get the HC1, Its a much better camera and since the stripped down version (HC3) is replacing it you should be able to score a good deal. I think B&H has the HC1 for $1399.

Regards,
Anthony

I'm going the HC1/HC3 route as well. I've had an FX1 for awhile now, and love it, but it is too big for this, I think. Anyway, what advantages does the HC1 have over the HC3?

-- Gary

[HeliG]

N74DV,

That was awsome footage. Totally enjoyable !!
Your progress is evry positive. Well DOne.

Is your neighbourhood always so dead calm ??? The trees anre not moving an inch !!
Does the stability seen so well in your test videos suffer in gusty conditions that one would be comfortable to fly a helicopter in ?

I really like the greed mark you put in the centre of the screen in your last full frame vid. It just so clearly shows how peach your system is !!

Best Regards

HeliGee

[AZ ChopperCam]

Is your neighbourhood always so dead calm ??? The trees anre not moving an inch !!
Does the stability seen so well in your test videos suffer in gusty conditions that one would be comfortable to fly a helicopter in ?


this time of year out here about the only time you can fly with no wind is early in the AM. As soon as the sun heats up the ground we get alot of convective wind activity.

I have flown this system in wind that was 12kts gusting to 18kts and while it did bounce around a little overall the shots weren't too bad.

I really like the greed mark you put in the centre of the screen in your last full frame vid. It just so clearly shows what peach your system is !! that green mark was an accident but it does help show the smoothness and lack of vibes.

[HeliG]

N74DV, do you plan to introduce a mechanical offset in your mount's roll so that it neutralises the heli's inherent attitude to the right when hovering ?
I think this offset is also present in FF

HeliGee

[AZ ChopperCam]

yes it already had that adjustability. I forgot to level the horizon beofre the flight on the last video.

it is adjusted on the ground prior to flight by pretensioning the vertical damper springs.