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R/C
Camera Aircraft
John Dussold;
Eagle
Shaun
Zimmerman;
Stick
40+
Camera
housing
Camera
in Stick 40+
Traxxas
T-Maxx
Chris Byrd;
Helicopter
canopy
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John Dussold's Goldberg Eagle with camera pod mounted on the
exterior port side.
There are so many
ways to enjoy the wonderful aspects of Radio Control as a hobby. One
aspect that can be very rewarding and fun is to add a film or a digital
camera to your radio controlled vehicle. I have been amazed by the results
of our efforts to capture images from our R/C airplanes and trucks.
This won't be an exhaustive coverage of the
topic, but will hopefully give you some ideas as you try to work out the
engineering challenges you'll face as you modify your airplanes to carry
camera equipment. We are going to show you what we have done and the
results we have obtained.
John
Dussold was probably the first JCRC member to mount a camera on an
airplane. He chose to mount his camera on the Goldberg Eagle that he's
been flying for many years now
(click on the photos to view a larger
version of the same photo). Obviously if you're going to send up hundreds
of dollars worth of camera equipment into the sky, you'll likely want to
choose an airplane that is stable, reliable, less prone to crash and one
that can safely lift the extra weight. Trainer airplanes, like Dussold's
Eagle, can meet these needs nicely.
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Shaun Zimmerman
chose to mount his camera inside the fuselage of his Balsa USA Stick 40+. Again, it met the
needs mentioned above and by adjusting
the location of the radio components, the interior of the fuselage was
wide enough to mount the camera internally for added protection to the
camera and less drag outside the plane. Click
here, on the photo above, or on the links menu on the left side of the
page to view additional photos of Zimmerman's Stick 40+. Click
here to view the camera and housing used by Zimmerman to take photos from
the Stick 40+. Finally
click here to see photos and descriptions of the camera installed inside
the Stick 40+.
Zimmerman also
mounted his digital camera on top of his Traxxas T-Maxx R/C Monster
Trucks.
This was more an impromptu moment of
fun since he felt the camera would be in more danger on top of these R/C
trucks than in the R/C airplane, so it was simply wrapped in foam and duct
taped to the rear of the truck body. Click
here or on the photo of the truck to view choices of Ground video taken
from the back of the truck.
Click here to go to Aerial
Photography Page 2
Click here to go to Aerial
Photography Page 3
Click here to go to Aerial
Photography Page 4
Click here to go to Aerial
Photography Page 5
Click here to go to Aerial
Photography Page 6
Click here to go to Aerial
Photography Page 7
Click here to go to Aerial
Photography Page 8
Click here to return to
JCRC Club News
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