Ground Station/Transmitter Tray Question

Maverick

Maverick

Member
I recently saw this and wondered if anybody has tried it out yet...? Seems like a convenient all-in-one tray, which allows quick transition from camera view to third person view, whilst doing AP in close proximity to trees/buildings/power lines, without worrying about aircraft drifting backward (if goggles were on). I'm curious if the sides and top of the tray would affect R/C signal, because antenna seems to be sort of boxed in...? It would save having to set up tripod, monitor, etc at the field, and then having to fold it all away again... Maybe you guys have your own inventions that you use instead...??? It would be nice to see other peoples' set ups.....

http://www.fast-lad.co.uk/store/transmitter_tray_30010037-p-20451.html


http://www.fast-lad.co.uk/store/images/30010037_10.jpg

Cheers,

Ronan.
 


ChrisViperM

ChrisViperM

Active Member
I just saw your post....and I personally would stay away from this. Just looking at the way it is "mounted" to someones body tells me this setup is heavy as hell....unless you are "The Rock". I had a few occations where I had to quickly run away from my position...sometimes just to "catch" the bird....wouldn't be funny to sprint with that monster in front of you. I was in the same boat as you, wanted to have an eye on the bird and see at the same time what the camera is pointing at. My solution was this:

http://www.1001copters.com/lang-en/...es/44-lunette-video-monoculaire-pirateye.html
...more about this here: http://www.multirotorforums.com/sho...YE-monocular-video-glasses&highlight=pirateye

Chris
 

Maverick

Maverick

Member
ChrisViperM said:
I just saw your post....and I personally would stay away from this. Just looking at the way it is "mounted" to someones body tells me this setup is heavy as hell....unless you are "The Rock". I had a few occations where I had to quickly run away from my position...sometimes just to "catch" the bird....wouldn't be funny to sprint with that monster in front of you. I was in the same boat as you, wanted to have an eye on the bird and see at the same time what the camera is pointing at. My solution was this:

http://www.1001copters.com/lang-en/...es/44-lunette-video-monoculaire-pirateye.html
...more about this here: http://www.multirotorforums.com/sho...YE-monocular-video-glasses&highlight=pirateye

Chris
Click to expand...

Hi Chris,
Thanks for your reply. I never considered that possibility, that I might have to make a run for it... I see on that 2nd link you gave, that a guy has a 2nd hand set for sale at a reduced price. New ones are quite pricey. I'll email fast-lad.co.uk and see if the can tell me the AUW, and what material it's made from...

Thanks again, great info.
 

Maverick

Maverick

Member
I'm sure lots of you have your own inventions and set ups for AP monitors, tripods, etc... Any ideas/pics would be helpful.

Thanks.
 

Maverick

Maverick

Member
ChrisViperM said:
I just saw your post....and I personally would stay away from this. Just looking at the way it is "mounted" to someones body tells me this setup is heavy as hell....unless you are "The Rock". I had a few occations where I had to quickly run away from my position...sometimes just to "catch" the bird....wouldn't be funny to sprint with that monster in front of you. I was in the same boat as you, wanted to have an eye on the bird and see at the same time what the camera is pointing at. My solution was this:

http://www.1001copters.com/lang-en/...es/44-lunette-video-monoculaire-pirateye.html
...more about this here: http://www.multirotorforums.com/sho...YE-monocular-video-glasses&highlight=pirateye

Chris
Click to expand...

I just weighed my Futaba T8FG Super, and it's 780g - the exact same weight as that tray.
 


R

R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
I dunno... this looks pretty bulky and not very comfortable to wear. My solution to the problem you present is simply to have one of the 7" Foxtech FPV monitors mounted on a lightweight camera tripod. It's at eye-level, and keeps all of that weight off of me, so all I have to hold is the Tx in a Robbe styrofoam Tx tray. Working well for me so far. I don't think I'd like wearing the goggles. At least not yet. Visibility of the Foxtech monitor is pretty good, even in direct sunlight and wearing polarized sunglasses. I find that my laptop monitor doesn't work so well with the polarized glasses on, but the monitor is fine. I don't know why.
 

AerialVue

AerialVue

CAA Registered Company
We just uploaded a new profile picture on our Facebook page showing our set up. Tripod mounted Lilliput with sunshade. I have wondered about a more mobile solution so you can change your veiwing direction easily as you fly. With a tripod set up this is virtually impossible unless you have an assistant. It would be interesting to see that try loaded up with a monitor and TX

AV

Edit I just scrolled down the page to see it loaded up!
 


AerialVue

AerialVue

CAA Registered Company
R_Lefebvre said:
Easy to move the tripod. Put it in GPS position hold, move, take back control and resume flying. ;)
Click to expand...

Yeh thats ok but the type of dynamic flying services we provide thats a little bit of a no go when your tracking an rider. I would give one of these a whirl but they are out of stock.

AV
 

ChrisViperM

ChrisViperM

Active Member
I am also using a antenna tracker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKCc3vOvqzg and was thinking of putting some sort of bracket to the top of the black body (to get away from the antenna movement) and fix the monitor there. I guess this would only be beneficial if you do not cross too much from left to right or vicaversa or fly circles around you or make your flight very hectic. Other than that I really love my Pirateye since I can watch the bird with both eyes and just glance down quickly into the monocular to see at what the camera is aiming at

PS: AerialVue: I really like your stuff and wish you a lot of success...

Chris
 

AerialVue

AerialVue

CAA Registered Company
PS: AerialVue: I really like your stuff and wish you a lot of success...
Click to expand...

Thanks very much Chris. We are very proactive in promoting MR platforms. We are continually updating our Facebook page as its easy to update on the go and even from the flying site as I have this weekend. We have been in Wales. We were supposed to be filming and photographing some extreme rock climbing in the slate quarries but the weather stopped that shoot so we called in on a new downhill mountain bike centre and spent two days getting some great video and photographs for their website. See it on FB
 

ChrisViperM

ChrisViperM

Active Member
I hope you don't mind to post some of your vids here on the forum (apart from your facebook activities) . Especially MR vids from rock climbing (free climbing would be the top) must be stunning....

Chris
 

Maverick

Maverick

Member
AerialVue said:
Yeh thats ok but the type of dynamic flying services we provide thats a little bit of a no go when your tracking an rider. I would give one of these a whirl but they are out of stock.

AV
Click to expand...

Hi AV,

Nice to know you'd give it a whirl. I'd like to try it out myself. Don't know when fast-lad will have it back in stock. It's also here at Infinity-Hobby, but don't know what the shipping would be....?
http://www.infinity-hobby.com/main/product_info.php?cPath=198_228&products_id=8282

Maverick.
 

Maverick

Maverick

Member
R_Lefebvre said:
I dunno... this looks pretty bulky and not very comfortable to wear. My solution to the problem you present is simply to have one of the 7" Foxtech FPV monitors mounted on a lightweight camera tripod. It's at eye-level, and keeps all of that weight off of me, so all I have to hold is the Tx in a Robbe styrofoam Tx tray. Working well for me so far. I don't think I'd like wearing the goggles. At least not yet. Visibility of the Foxtech monitor is pretty good, even in direct sunlight and wearing polarized sunglasses. I find that my laptop monitor doesn't work so well with the polarized glasses on, but the monitor is fine. I don't know why.
Click to expand...

Hi R_Lefebvre,

Thanks for your sound advice. I'm keeping my options open at the moment, trying to see as many different solutions as I can before I make my mind up...

Cheers,

Maverick.
 



Kilby

Kilby

Active Member
I made my own version of this late last year. Mine was very minimal and consisted of just a mount (GoPro actually) directly on my radio that held my monitor. I then had the vtx and battery mounted on the back of that. I found that even with that super light set up, it was to much weight to carry around from a strap around my neck. I use a tripod now for all FPV gear and keep the radio in hand.

There was one time when I almost had a fly away WKM. I had to think quick and jumped up to grab it (just BARELY got it by the tips of my fingers) with that huge set up around my neck. It was a close call, but I managed to keep everything off the ground and safe, but it could have been a very different outcome.

You can somewhat see the rig i'm talking about in the photo below. Don't mind the silliness going on in the shot... we were having a bit of fun at the time. ;-)

View attachment 5966
 

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R

R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
That's what I'm concerned about, the weight. I bet your back hurts with one of these huge rigs after not too long.

I'm working on an All-in-One ground station. A custom Tx, video monitor, and Ground Control all built into a Pelican case. Open, and fly. I was thinking it could be hung from your neck, but I think realistically, it's just not going to work. No matter how light I make it, it will be too heavy. And I was sacrificing space in the name of making it small and light for stand-up use. I should probably just give up on that plan, and use a larger case to give me lots of space.
 

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