Mikrokopter Av200 360

[RBlax]

Ok, some more noob questions...

If I were to want to upgrade to the 360 camera gimbal that would require a camera man... What should I start thinking about. Will I need another FC board + telemetry and controller?

I would like to eventually add this to my current setuo or next copter.

Also, is there anything out there that out preforms the AV200 360.


Sorry I posted under wrong forum. I don't see how to delete my post or move it.

 

[BorisS]

RBlax, what you should really be looking at it the picloc 3x from http://www.rotorpics.com/. Should allow you to do everything you want and probably better than any FC at the moment you can get. These should be finally shipped end of September.

Thanks for your interest in Picloc-3X. These should be ready to sell in about 8-10 week's time.
I have 2 versions .. Picloc-3X ( 198.- Euro ) and Picloc-3X PRO ( 298.- Euro )

They are essentially the same from outside ( similar to Picloc-2X) , but the PRO version, has also an integrated 3 axis magnetometer, turning the unit into an AHRS system.
Therefore the unit also guarantees no drift also in PAN axis.
There are 6 servo outputs in both Picloc-3X, The PRO versio also has included a microSD card, a GPS port, and a telemetry port.
The intention is to be able to use GPS for automated geomapping/GIS, and store data from the flight in the SD card. Also, with the help of the GPS port, and telemetry, one will be able to autotrack a stationary or moving subject. Firmware for these will be released in a few months time.

 

[BorisS]

older version

 

[RBlax]

Would you suggest getting the 360 kit for the AV200? I haven't seen anyone else with a 360 kit for multi rotor....

 

[RTRyder]

Would you suggest getting the 360 kit for the AV200? I haven't seen anyone else with a 360 kit for multi rotor....

Only if you plan to have a second person working the camera and gimbal that would be in conrol of all three axis. You can easily pan using yaw otherwise and leave a lot of extra weight and complexity off the multirotor.

Ken

 

[crcr]

Only if you plan to have a second person working the camera and gimbal that would be in conrol of all three axis. You can easily pan using yaw otherwise and leave a lot of extra weight and complexity off the multirotor.

Ken

I'm currently thinking of the pan attachment to allow a second person to operate the camera. I'm guessing you can still use the main FC to control the roll and just have the tilt and pan plugged directly into another receiver without any extra FC or stabilizer boards? Anyone else doing this?

 

[RTRyder]

I'm currently thinking of the pan attachment to allow a second person to operate the camera. I'm guessing you can still use the main FC to control the roll and just have the tilt and pan plugged directly into another receiver without any extra FC or stabilizer boards? Anyone else doing this?

No actually, you can't use the F/C stabilization if you're using pan because the board assumes the orientation of the mount is fixed in place facing forward, the roll and tilt compensation will be wrong when the mount is in any other position. If you want to use pan you either have to have it controlled by a secondary TX/RX or use in conjunction with a 3 axis stabilizer, Picloc will have one available at the end of September according to post above, I don't know of any other options at the moment.

Ken

 

[crcr]

I see what you mean, I would have it set up so the camera man has his own TX controlling its own RX on the AV200 but it would be good to have some way of having the roll axis to remain level. Could you use something like the KK Multicopter blue board? http://www.kkmulticopter.kr/index.h...elected=KKMulticopter&sn=flycam_blue&id_no=93

 

[RTRyder]

I see what you mean, I would have it set up so the camera man has his own TX controlling its own RX on the AV200 but it would be good to have some way of having the roll axis to remain level. Could you use something like the KK Multicopter blue board? http://www.kkmulticopter.kr/index.h...elected=KKMulticopter&sn=flycam_blue&id_no=93

No, KK wouldn't work because its gyros only, you would need something with an accelerometer to keep it level. At some point the CC board may be able to be used that way but as of right now I haven't heard of anyone getting it to work yet. An alternative, although a bit expensive, is to use an MK flight controller mounted to the AV200 so that it pans with the mount and only controls the roll and tilt for the camera platform but is it worth the additional $470 to get that capability?

Ken

P.S. in theory you could use an RC Heli gyro like the Futaba GY401 to keep just one axis level, in practice it doesn't work as well as a purpose built device.

 

[crcr]

No, KK wouldn't work because its gyros only, you would need something with an accelerometer to keep it level. At some point the CC board may be able to be used that way but as of right now I haven't heard of anyone getting it to work yet. An alternative, although a bit expensive, is to use an MK flight controller mounted to the AV200 so that it pans with the mount and only controls the roll and tilt for the camera platform but is it worth the additional $470 to get that capability?

Ken

Yeah thats getting up in price a bit, I guess for stills the camera mount should stay pretty level so the camera man only has to control and consentrate on the pan and tilt? Do you think if I losen off the roll servo gear that would help the roll stay level? Photohigher must have sold a lot of these by now, what does everyone else do?

 

[RTRyder]

Yeah thats getting up in price a bit, I guess for stills the camera mount should stay pretty level so the camera man only has to control and consentrate on the pan and tilt? Do you think if I losen off the roll servo gear that would help the roll stay level? Photohigher must have sold a lot of these by now, what does everyone else do?

I don't think loosening the roll servo gear will do anything at all to keep things level. If you look at P/H website you see they have the Picloc 3X listed under Auto Pilots and Stabilisation. It all comes back around to the second person (camera control) having a separate TX/RX to work the mount or leave it as 2 axis and just use yaw control to pan, roll and tilt compensation will always be correct in that case. With an MK flight controller you could use care free mode so the controls always work as though it were tail-in and yaw to whatever direction you want for panning, about the easiest way to do it without a second person.

Another possibility, don't use a mount with roll compensation and fly slow and as level as possible. Might sound odd but I know a couple of pros that do it that way and it works for them but they have a LOT of practice on the sticks.

I guess the bottom line is this, if you want to pan properly as the craft is flying you need to be able to see what the camera is seeing. To do that it's extremely difficult to control the camera while watching a monitor or wearing goggles AND fly the multirotor safely at the same time so usually it winds up being a two person operation anyway.

Ken

 

[crcr]

Another possibility, don't use a mount with roll compensation and fly slow and as level as possible. Might sound odd but I know a couple of pros that do it that way and it works for them but they have a LOT of practice on the sticks.

I guess the bottom line is this, if you want to pan properly as the craft is flying you need to be able to see what the camera is seeing. To do that it's extremely difficult to control the camera while watching a monitor or wearing goggles AND fly the multirotor safely at the same time so usually it winds up being a two person operation anyway.

Ken

Thats exactly it, I am after the pan mainly for safety so I can consentrate on flying and get someone else to worry about the camera, I think the job will also get done faster this way and less time needed in the air. I only do stills so would only be shooting the camera when the MK is hovering, so maybe the best solution without spending lots of money on stabilization is the have a seperate RX and TX for the camera mount, leave the roll servo unplugged and only plug the tilt and pan servos into the mount RX, then the camera operator only needs to worry about the pan and tilt, and I only need to worry about keeping it in one spot.
Should work I think?

 

[RTRyder]

Thats exactly it, I am after the pan mainly for safety so I can consentrate on flying and get someone else to worry about the camera, I think the job will also get done faster this way and less time needed in the air. I only do stills so would only be shooting the camera when the MK is hovering, so maybe the best solution without spending lots of money on stabilization is the have a seperate RX and TX for the camera mount, leave the roll servo unplugged and only plug the tilt and pan servos into the mount RX, then the camera operator only needs to worry about the pan and tilt, and I only need to worry about keeping it in one spot.
Should work I think?

It should, just lock down the roll axis so it can't move, if you don't it will when you least want it to! I do mainly video and find it easiest to use positon hold and altitude hold to record from a fixed position yawing as needed and watching the camera view on the downlink, when the timer goes off on the TX it's time to forget the video and bring it back down. When not using fixed position I just fly line of sight and whatver the camera gets is what I wind up with, after enough flight time you get a pretty good sense of what the camera is seeing while flying that way.

Ken

 

[RBlax]

Yes I want to make this a two man effort. So I need another FC and TX/RX.

So would I only attach the roll servo to the main FC and have the pan and tilt attached to the second FC? Are guys adding gyros for the tilt? I don't think that it would be that need ESP if the camera man is paying attention and making movements... I am confused on how this part works.

Also, how would I get power to the second servo?

 

[crcr]

Yes I want to make this a two man effort. So I need another FC and TX/RX.

So would I only attach the roll servo to the main FC and have the pan and tilt attached to the second FC? Are guys adding gyros for the tilt? I don't think that it would be that need ESP if the camera man is paying attention and making movements... I am confused on how this part works.

Also, how would I get power to the second servo?

No, from what Ken has said you will need to connect all the mount servos to the second FC which will be on the camera mount. You could get your power from the DB or from a seperate supply on the mount. I think a second power supply would be better as you will be able to spin the mount 360 without any cables getting twisted.