Quad copter help

[deadstick]

Hi all,

 

I am after some help in researching a suitable quad copter and camera system to help search inhospitable terrain. I am currently attempting to put together a funded search for a long missing aircraft and think one of these would be invaluable. Any advice or help would be appreciated.

 

 

[AVOCET]

how much do you want to spend ?

 

 

[deadstick]

Im looking at a DJI phantom at around $2k, but have heard there are better with more than 25minutes flight time and thermal imaging.

 

 

[AVOCET]

that's up the top end ,

 

I've seen capable units as low as 250.00 to 800.00 ish that will do as good .

 

I've also been paying close attention for a couple of years and what was $ 2 gs then is now around $800

 

they keep getting cheeper and dare I say better .

 

I guess you've checked e bay & specs.

 

mike.

 

 

[turboplanner]

Above all else, look at the transmission range first, look at the effect of line-of-site interference for the transmitter type, so you can decide an operating range, then how you can maintain that with a safety margin.

 

On another thread recently people were claiming ranges for some aircraft that were maybe double the control range, and as someone who has dropped a perfectly good helicopter into it's last dive in a deep dam, I can tell you that control is everything.

 

From there on it's person to person research, preferably from professionals, because there's a lot of trash out there and it's not necessarily the cheapest. One strategy would be to go with a lower price specification expecting to lose a few aircraft.

 

It seems to be easy to get a good high definition camera, but ground speed with the low inertia 4 and 5 props and helicopters can be problematic in anything but calm conditions, so you need a good performance in head winds and disturbed air from trees etc. and this can be researched or demonstrated by sales outlets.

 

The overhead photos I've seen of the area are all google earth so the definition is appallingly bad. One of them really did look like a 210 outline, but ground cres I think found a stump or fallen tree.

 

Nearmap is an aircraft based photo stitching system where the aircraft does the Cities about once every three months, and that gives good definition of the landscape down to about car size where it's possible to identify a car, but not what make. It doesn't cover your area, but it may be worth investigating what the aircraft hire would be for a dedicated run for a small area with a higher definition camera.

 

However the biggest advantage of a UAV is its ability to get down low and take angled shots under trees, with the morning/afternoon sun etc. which is what sent the US Government down that track initially to make up for the shortcomings of Satellite photos.

 

 

[SDQDI]

Don't want to hijack your thread Deadstick but thought it would be the perfect place for a couple of questions.

 

Is it possible to have a quad copter setup to run from an iPad or similar as a base (what I mean by that is if you move the iPad then the quad copter moves exactly the same) and as far as controls go is it possible just to have forward, back side to side and up and down controls on the same iPad??

 

And the reason. I have been trying to work out how to make pushing cows through the yards a little more people friendly (read use less people) and dogs while doing a good job take time and money to train and I think if there was a suitable operating platform a quad copter with a little whistle or similar would be perfect.

 

P.S. if you need extra people for footwork don't be afraid to ask as I would enjoy that

 

 

[AVOCET]

don't some of the more advanced units have indefinite range ( not battery )with the mobile phone signal?

 

 

[Marty_d]

According to the latest season of "24", all you need to do is hire a hacker to take control of a US stealth drone. Then, not only do you have cameras good enough to recognise faces from 20,000 ft, you've also got 6 hellfire missiles to remove unwanted trees/undergrowth/hills.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

for a 25 minute range you are better going for a fixed wing solution instead of a quadcopter. have you got a camera yet? looked @ ardupilot? you can fit that to just about any RC aircraft

 

 

[turboplanner]

The Photos of the search area show dense forest. Using a fixed wing you need quite a long area for descent/landing and climb out and RC has identical problems to RA aircraft in terms of wind. A helicopter can be back packed in and operated out of a small clearing.

 

 

[deadstick]

We aren't looking at barring ton tops, we are actually up near mount sandon.

 

 

[turboplanner]

I have been trying to work out how to make pushing cows through the yards a little more people friendly (read use less people) and dogs while doing a good job take time and money to train and I think if there was a suitable operating platform a quad copter with a little whistle or similar would be perfect.

I've been dog-free for 20 years with sheep, and one technique is to rattle a bucket of oats, and after a few days they'll run across the paddock to you, form up into a mob, and follow you into the yards. You just have to be careful of the rams and not turn your back or you can experience a big bang and a launch. Not sure if it would work with cattle.

 

It might also pay to study the methods of Temple Grandin (If you want to supply beef to McDonalds her cattle handling standards are mandatory)

 

The other method, is the go right and the beast goes left method which I do without any sound "The Camelid Companion" by Marty McGee Bennett goes into a lot of details for a lot of positioning of Camelids which are harder to handle than cattle.

 

I had an interesting experience with the Go Left/Beast right principle yesterday while doing a press interview. The photographer wanted a photo of me with a ram, which is particularly bad tempered and tends to charge me the minute I turn my head away. I couldn't get him to stay still so I could turn for the photo so I instructed the photographer in the handling process so he could position me, which would position the ram, and gave him a broomstick to save me. I slowly backed up to the ram on his instructions going to left or right, and waiting for the massive hit, until he got the ram to turn and face the camera close to me. Worked like a treat.

 

 

[Admin]

Clearprop has 2 in stock complete with cameras but are not up at the professional grade that you need for the job.

 

 

[skeptic36]

If you read the comments at the bottom of this page the guy describes what his copter is and how much he paid for it.

 

http://www.trikepilot.com/videos/view/unique-view-of-the-revo-showroom_18387.html?m=163

 

 

[pmccarthy]

The bucket of oats works well with our mob of 70 sheep. My wife, who has a replacement hip, has to run ahead of the ram and not turn her back on him. I have a quad copter but never thought of using it to move the sheep. It amuses the grand kids.

 

 

[WayneL]

Don't want to hijack your thread Deadstick but thought it would be the perfect place for a couple of questions.Is it possible to have a quad copter setup to run from an iPad or similar as a base (what I mean by that is if you move the iPad then the quad copter moves exactly the same) and as far as controls go is it possible just to have forward, back side to side and up and down controls on the same iPad??

 

And the reason. I have been trying to work out how to make pushing cows through the yards a little more people friendly (read use less people) and dogs while doing a good job take time and money to train and I think if there was a suitable operating platform a quad copter with a little whistle or similar would be perfect.

 

P.S. if you need extra people for footwork don't be afraid to ask as I would enjoy that

Don't want to hijack your thread Deadstick but thought it would be the perfect place for a couple of questions.Is it possible to have a quad copter setup to run from an iPad or similar as a base (what I mean by that is if you move the iPad then the quad copter moves exactly the same) and as far as controls go is it possible just to have forward, back side to side and up and down controls on the same iPad??

 

And the reason. I have been trying to work out how to make pushing cows through the yards a little more people friendly (read use less people) and dogs while doing a good job take time and money to train and I think if there was a suitable operating platform a quad copter with a little whistle or similar would be perfect.

 

P.S. if you need extra people for footwork don't be afraid to ask as I would enjoy that

I am using DJI iPad Ground Station to control my quad. It is easy to use and you may program upto 16 waypoints in.

See www.dji.com

 

 

[rankamateur]

The overhead photos I've seen of the area are all google earth so the definition is appallingly bad. One of them really did look like a 210 outline, but ground cres I think found a stump or fallen tree.

I had a look at my property on Google Earth recently, was surprised at how improved the resolution and clarity are since last time I looked. Pig digging in the neighbours wheat was so clear you could almost see the hoof prints. Might be worth a fresh look over your search area Deadstick, might be able to refine your search.