Asctec
- Thread starter Bowley
- Start date
Lanzar
Member
joke asside i have not seen it in live so i cant comment. the same model they are selling for at least 1 year and i have not seen any footage from users also so maybe try some other forum. Btw what is the price nowdays.
Bowley
Member
roughly 1100 euros for the basic craft, and about the same again for the air and ground peripherals. running close to Draganfly in price I think.
I havn't seen that much footage either but I think most users are using them for the more industrial side of things as they dont have the payload capacity for heavier cameras, there camera options are; Nex5n/Nex7, Pany LX5/TZ3, Sony CX730, a low cost Thermal, and FLIR.
I know some companies have been using them for a good while and continue to use them. I must admit they look very capable and very unintimidating. however cant seem to find any reports or opinions on them.
Lanzar
Member
If you ask me you can get a heavy lifter with all the best off the best for that money with any company that makes RTF builds out off droidworx or cinestar. I will not say that we are the best but compare prices and you will see what i mean.
Our cheapest RTF can do all those things what you said and are fully loaded with all the ground stuff and are less or around 11k. Prices on page until you register are with VAT.
Our cheapest RTF can do all those things what you said and are fully loaded with all the ground stuff and are less or around 11k. Prices on page until you register are with VAT.
I must admit, Ascending Technologies was one of the very first AIO marketed "pro" rigs I ever tried to get pricing on, but then after speaking with a representative in Germany (if I remember correctly), I was quick to dismiss them as a serious option due to the insanely high pricing of their equipment. I'm not certain if the model has changed much since my inquiry maybe two years ago possibly a little less, but the complete rig with fully decked out ground station was damn near 25E all said and done. That's a pretty penny.
For the record, though, AscTec means business. Their rigs are very popular amongst scientific research facilities/universities and their platform are almost invariably the ones you see when you see next-gen mapping and such. So, while the price is demanding, their products, if you have the need for ultimate precision, I would guess you'd be9 very satisfied. That being said, it's just my guess, since I have never seen on or flown one in person.
If you're gonna get one, just order two and send me one this Friday for my birthday. Thanks!
Jonathan
For the record, though, AscTec means business. Their rigs are very popular amongst scientific research facilities/universities and their platform are almost invariably the ones you see when you see next-gen mapping and such. So, while the price is demanding, their products, if you have the need for ultimate precision, I would guess you'd be9 very satisfied. That being said, it's just my guess, since I have never seen on or flown one in person.
If you're gonna get one, just order two and send me one this Friday for my birthday. Thanks!
Jonathan
Hi!
If you want to carry a Red Epic or FS-100 the AscTec Falcon 8 is the wrong system. If you can work with a CX-730 for video or a NEX-7 for pictures it's most likely most mature system you can get. AscTec has a long and successful history (starting with the X-UFO in 2005) and sold 4-Digit numbers of GPS-RTF UAVs since 2007.
Example video results (RedBull Nine Knight. All close up aerial shots and a lot of the overview shots were done with the AscTec Falcon 8) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7cm7YZT_B0
Images and videos: http://www.pht-airpicture.de/en/
Industrial inspection: http://www.thecyberhawk.com/
System description in English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g41S-GpmX_4
(more detailed in German: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtbAf8CFXPQ)
A few unique features:
Compact: 2.2kg TOW with for a 550g camera (CX-730). Backpack-able.
V-Shape: no obstacles in the image
Stability: up to 12m/s wind stability in GPS
Safety: Independent on magnetic fields in GPS mode. A lot easier to fly than most other systems. Diversity telemetry system, redundant propulsion, different emergency modes, and so on
Even Paramount relied on AscTec UAVs for the new Star Trek Movie media campaign start:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HBTWl-DtKdM
http://www.asctec.de/home/news/296/en_GB/aerial-imaging
Regards
Jast
If you want to carry a Red Epic or FS-100 the AscTec Falcon 8 is the wrong system. If you can work with a CX-730 for video or a NEX-7 for pictures it's most likely most mature system you can get. AscTec has a long and successful history (starting with the X-UFO in 2005) and sold 4-Digit numbers of GPS-RTF UAVs since 2007.
Example video results (RedBull Nine Knight. All close up aerial shots and a lot of the overview shots were done with the AscTec Falcon 8) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7cm7YZT_B0
Images and videos: http://www.pht-airpicture.de/en/
Industrial inspection: http://www.thecyberhawk.com/
System description in English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g41S-GpmX_4
(more detailed in German: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtbAf8CFXPQ)
A few unique features:
Compact: 2.2kg TOW with for a 550g camera (CX-730). Backpack-able.
V-Shape: no obstacles in the image
Stability: up to 12m/s wind stability in GPS
Safety: Independent on magnetic fields in GPS mode. A lot easier to fly than most other systems. Diversity telemetry system, redundant propulsion, different emergency modes, and so on
Even Paramount relied on AscTec UAVs for the new Star Trek Movie media campaign start:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HBTWl-DtKdM
http://www.asctec.de/home/news/296/en_GB/aerial-imaging
Regards
Jast
Bowley
Member
R_Lefebvre
Arducopter Developer
I'm currently designing and H-8 rotor, and have looked at the AscTec. They have done a number of things very right. One of the great things about the layout is that you don't need landing gear of any sort, and the center of mass is above the center of thrust. Also, the center section has all the mass of the battery, etc. in a single slab which is great for vibration damping for the camera. Overall, the system size and weight can be quite a lot smaller and lighter than a comparable Octocopter system which would include a separate gimbal, landing gear, etc. Plus the final advantage that props never get in the picture.
However, I'm not sold on the V-design. To me it almost seems like a patent for patent's sake. They've patented the V-shape, and nobody else can copy it. It's distinctive and makes for good marketing. But the major claim that if improves camera FOV... well I don't get it. Their airframe layout is long, and narrow. Yes, you need the V-shape in that case. But it's just as good to design a H-8 which is more of a square profile. You get the exact same FOV. Or more in fact. My design has 12" props vs. their 10". It's shorter, but a little wider, and actually has a wider FOV.
However, I'm not sold on the V-design. To me it almost seems like a patent for patent's sake. They've patented the V-shape, and nobody else can copy it. It's distinctive and makes for good marketing. But the major claim that if improves camera FOV... well I don't get it. Their airframe layout is long, and narrow. Yes, you need the V-shape in that case. But it's just as good to design a H-8 which is more of a square profile. You get the exact same FOV. Or more in fact. My design has 12" props vs. their 10". It's shorter, but a little wider, and actually has a wider FOV.
Benjamin Rowland
Member
Got any pictures of your rig? Sounds interesting.
i have a falcon 8 since early 2011, and at first look... yes its pricey.
but when you have one, and do some work with it, you will find that it is not as pricey as you may think.
It's incredibly stable. as a mater of fact, it seems like the more wind, more stable.
once i have to fly with 40 to 65 km/h gusty winds... and the falcon handle it
then is very easy to transport, i have some works that i have to go on a motorcycle between locations and there is no problem.
it's truly a "one man show" you can do the flying and the camera adjusts... its very easy. but if you want it could be a 2 man job... it's up to you
you "feel" that is a pro system and you feel relax that you don´t have to worry with the falcon 8. your mind is only on were you want to go, and how you want your camera.
it has a fantastic feature. you have like a co-pilot telling you if there is a problem with the gps signal, the battery level, if the wind is too strong, if you have a motor fail... and so on
and it has some other features that after 2 years i haven't see in other rigs. and if you think that is the same model... it´s not. in this 2 years there have been major changes
then the people at ascending are super. once i had a problem with the black box sim card, and the falcon do not fly if there is a problem. i was on a very important work, i send a email to asctec and 15 minutes after i have the solution. you feel that they are there for you, and they don´t want you to fail also.
as it was already said, is not a multirotor for heavy Red Epic, FS-100 or canon 5D. but for most of the work you don´t need those kind of cameras. and with the falcon you can change between cameras in 30s
And now the cameras are getting smaller and better. the nex 5 or 7 and the PJ780 camcorder are now the standard and they are great cameras for almost every work.
And as it as already been said, the falcon fully operating with battery, and camera weights between 1.8kg with the nex 5 camera and 2.2 kg with the PJ78VE. i only see rigs to handle with that weight with at least twice the weight
at the end, i love my falcon. it´s very easy to use, very safe, you have firmware and software upgrade and i think that is better multicopter in is class.
you have to pay a price for all of that... but as soon as i could, i´m going to get a second falcon 8. that´s how much i like it.
but when you have one, and do some work with it, you will find that it is not as pricey as you may think.
It's incredibly stable. as a mater of fact, it seems like the more wind, more stable.
once i have to fly with 40 to 65 km/h gusty winds... and the falcon handle it
then is very easy to transport, i have some works that i have to go on a motorcycle between locations and there is no problem.
it's truly a "one man show" you can do the flying and the camera adjusts... its very easy. but if you want it could be a 2 man job... it's up to you
you "feel" that is a pro system and you feel relax that you don´t have to worry with the falcon 8. your mind is only on were you want to go, and how you want your camera.
it has a fantastic feature. you have like a co-pilot telling you if there is a problem with the gps signal, the battery level, if the wind is too strong, if you have a motor fail... and so on
and it has some other features that after 2 years i haven't see in other rigs. and if you think that is the same model... it´s not. in this 2 years there have been major changes
then the people at ascending are super. once i had a problem with the black box sim card, and the falcon do not fly if there is a problem. i was on a very important work, i send a email to asctec and 15 minutes after i have the solution. you feel that they are there for you, and they don´t want you to fail also.
as it was already said, is not a multirotor for heavy Red Epic, FS-100 or canon 5D. but for most of the work you don´t need those kind of cameras. and with the falcon you can change between cameras in 30s
And now the cameras are getting smaller and better. the nex 5 or 7 and the PJ780 camcorder are now the standard and they are great cameras for almost every work.
And as it as already been said, the falcon fully operating with battery, and camera weights between 1.8kg with the nex 5 camera and 2.2 kg with the PJ78VE. i only see rigs to handle with that weight with at least twice the weight
at the end, i love my falcon. it´s very easy to use, very safe, you have firmware and software upgrade and i think that is better multicopter in is class.
you have to pay a price for all of that... but as soon as i could, i´m going to get a second falcon 8. that´s how much i like it.
hi bowley
it always have be good, but lately i had some vertical shakes in the gimbaly. When i was about to tell to asctec the problem, i receive a free upgrade for the gimbal
and now i gave it 9 out of 10. but if you use the PJ780 you probably don´t need the software stabilization. the falcon still uses servos, but i have seen some footages of my friends with the brushless motors in gimbals, and i still prefer the servos and the stabilization of the falcon 8.
it always have be good, but lately i had some vertical shakes in the gimbaly. When i was about to tell to asctec the problem, i receive a free upgrade for the gimbal
and now i gave it 9 out of 10. but if you use the PJ780 you probably don´t need the software stabilization. the falcon still uses servos, but i have seen some footages of my friends with the brushless motors in gimbals, and i still prefer the servos and the stabilization of the falcon 8.
Buzz_Roavr
Member
I've been looking at the Falcon lately for inspection work in the UK. We already run some Aeronavics kit. It looks like they have the pro market sewn up and their FC looks to be bomb proof. Sky Futures, Cyber Hawk et all are all using this frame.
Buzz_Roavr
Member
Quotes in... 25k!!! The software licence to start the rotors is 4k!
R_Lefebvre
Arducopter Developer
Wow! So they charge $4000 for the software, on top of the $25k for the machine? Is that per-seat, or per-company?
Buzz_Roavr
Member
That's included and it's per seat... airframe is 8k, licence 4k, controller 4k and so on... very nice piece of kit though.