T-Rex 450 camera mount

[Windbreaker]

This setup is more of a test bed. While it's rigged as an FPV camera, for now I'm only recording video for later review.

The camera and transmitter are from Range Video.

The camera is the KX-151. The transmitter is the 900 mHz, 500 mw model and works in conjunction with the standard receiver. I did a range test and the transmitter doesn't seem to affect the RC system at all.

The camera mount is made of carbon fiber tube, composited with a single ply of 10-oz fiberglass and West Systems epoxy. It's glued to the bottom tray with cyanoacrylate.

The receiver is mounted aft to counterbalance the camera and keep the helicopter's CG centered. It's secured to the carbon fiber tail boom braces with 3M VHB double-sided tape. This tape is the same adhesive used to mount glass panes and other architectural panels in some of the newest high-tech structures in the US. It was also used to install glass panels in a high-rise in Dubai. Talk about high-temp applications!

VHB tolerates vibration and temperature extremes and has applications in aircraft manufacturing. And it does stick good! Just have to make sure the surfaces are clean.

More info on VHB (http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/VHB/Tapes/Product-Information/How-to-use/Application-Techniques/)

You can get VHB tape at Radio Shack. I don't know if it's readily available elsewhere. I just happened to stumble across this while looking for power connectors.

So far I'm only hovering with it so there's no exciting video to go with all this. There is a vibration problem. Not huge but I'll see if there's a way to dampen it. Meanwhile, I'm still learning to fly without wrecking anything.

[alfredbmor]

Very interesting to me, what is the maximum distance with a good video quality from the cam flying (incluiding the motor noise, interferences, etc) to the receptor?
Is the receptor ready to connect to a PC?
Do you have any video?
Thanks.

[Windbreaker]

My little test was really more to see how the complete setup functioned and I didn't do any tests to check for max range.

However, I did have the helicopter on a low stone wall and walked down the street with the receiver just to see how far it might transmit. With parked cars in the way and other clutter at the incredible altitude of two feet, I walked about 100 yards before the signal started to seriously drop.

The video I have right now has quite a few dropouts as the stock omnidirectional antenna was almost on the ground behind me. Ideally the antenna would be elevated and I'd probably orient the antenna on the helicopter to point downward (to hang below the boom) rather than upward as it was today.

Jumpjet, in this thread, (http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=51335) used an 8dB high-gain antenna to get a lot of range and running room for his FPV setup. Also, his footage is a LOT more interesting to watch than mine. You could get the same shot as I did if you tied the camera to the back of a big dog! :lol:

Also, the helicopter never got further than second base. I was practicing at a neighborhood baseball field, standing near the dugout along the first base line.

The quality of the image from that camera is pretty poor by my standards. While it's sharp and clear enough, it constantly adjusts the white balance and exposure, both features I hate in cameras. But considering this isn't meant for capturing images it's OK. This camera is really intended to eventually be used to help fly a helicopter in production work, so it's actually to help get the helicopter in the right position, rather than record the actual production shot.

Looking at the shots just now the camera was a lot steadier than I first thought. Not as much shaking as I saw at first. Maybe the main rotor blades centered themselves better during the first half of the first flight.

I'll try to post a short clip later.