Hoping for some help, new flyer, pro photographer building a uav for a DSLR

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Lylefk

Member
Aloha,

I'll try to be as brief as possible. Professional landscape and wildlife photographer based on Maui, want to do primarily still images, might play with video down the line. Figured these questions are a good starting point.

1. Do you have a long term plan or goal?

Yes. I want to create still images safely from the air with my Canon 5ds R. Need to build a drone and learn how to fly as quickly as is possible.

2. How specific are your needs/expectations?
Needs to be able to carry the DSLR with decent battery life and stability. I don't need complex flight paths etc since I'm not doing video for now, but the more software/hardware help I can get flying quickly/safely with no experience is helpful.

Would also like it to be reasonably portable, with reasonable setup/breakdown. Going nicely into a pelican would be awesome. I understand this is going to be a large animal, but the folding frame etc would be really helpful.

3. Are you concerned about the budget?

Yes, but want to build it properly with quality, trustworthy components. Talking about putting $5k in camera gear in the air and over the ocean, plus the uav itself. I am not into shoddy equipment failing me.

4. Do you have the skills to build a radio controlled multi-rotor helicopter?

Yes. I used to be into R/C back in the day. Have the skills and tools to build.

So here are my questions.

1) I assume I really should learn on a smaller, cheaper model. I was thinking of picking up a Phantom 3 since they are now $450 on amazon, but it's a different radio, etc. Is that the way to go, or do you think it's worthwhile to buy the components I'm going to use on the big one and learn on a smaller frame, leaving off the gimbal etc, then swap everything over down the road? People say to learn on the little tiny Hubsan X4's, but they seem quite different (and very twitchy).

2) Are there parts you would absolutely 100% use? Example, the Z15 gimbal seems mandatory, as does retractable landing gear. Is the A2 flight controller a good investment, or would the Naza be enough? These are the things I don't have any experience with.

3) Brands to consider besides DJI?

4) Any web links to help me understand the differences between components (ie do my homework) would be greatly appreciated, as well as links on places to purchase things.

5) DJI Zenmuse Z15-5D III lens compatibility. Anyone use it with something other than the 24mm they support?

Thanks so much for the time, I appreciate it!

Lyle
 
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John Doecliff

John Doecliff

Member
If your going to use a DJI FC and Zenmuse gimbal then by all means get the phantom for a trainer and put a go pro on it. Another choice would be to build a flame wheel 450 or 550 and put a go pro on it. You will get some experience building and shooting before you go big. I would just go with a Naza M V-2 but then that's what I have experience in, I couldn't see a need for an A2 FC. Aerial stills are far easier then video that's for sure. Flying over water still makes me nervous. The more I fly a particular craft the more comfortable I become and its easier for me do things like fly over water, but when you build a MR you need to be very conservative until it has proven itself to you. A canon 5D is an expensive camera, you can pick up a used GH-3 or a Nex series camera until you are comfortable with your skills but then that would mean you need another gimbal. I would say the most important thing would be to pick up that phantom right away and start flying as much as possible and read and learn as much as you can before you jump up to a large size MR with a 5D. I'm just getting there now with about 4 years of experience. I have a 960 hex with a Sony Nex 7 and I still have plans for a better camera.
 
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Hoki

Hoki

Member
Hey I'm from Hawaii. I go back to visit twice a year. I would build a 500 or larger frame and use a naza or apm or pixhawk flight controller with GPS so you can do some good alt hold and loiter modes You'd be able to build it for less than half the cost of a phantom drone plus I donno even if phantoms are powerful enough to handle a full size dslr camera, I think it'll struggle and there's been way to many phantoms crashing and just going bonkers in the air for me to want to pay that kinda money. This way if you build it, it'll be real cheap to replace any parts when a crash or rough landing happens. It's super easy to build one. It's just 4 major parts really. The frame, the ESCs, the Motors and the flight controller. Then you just choose the kind of remote you want. You should be able to build a good one for under 400 dollars. You should put in a FPV camera. at least a cheap camera/transmitter like eachine 600mw camera so you can see what you're taking a picture of. Also prolly flying in headless mode is the easiest way for a newbie person cause you don't have to worry about which way your facing to know how to control the craft. I use to try to fly in non headless mode and it would lead to many crashes and I'd be to scared to take it far but now I have a skyline32 advanced flight controller that has built in compass which allows for headless mode and now no matter what direction the nose is facing, if I pull back on the stick it will come back toward me. I think it's fine to fpv stuff too cause if you want to look in a certain area you just move the yaw stick to turn it around whatever way you want. Usually you can set up 3 different flight modes on the remote you can switch to with the switch and you can set mode 1 to me like normal mode so when your looking through the fpv camera you can just move the stick forward and it'll go forward like if you were actually in a tiny chair on the craft which would be so cute then flight mode 2 can be headless mode for when your ready to take it somewhere or bring it back and you don't wanna have to worry about orientation of the craft, then flight mode 3 can be like the loiter or alt hold mode so you can lock it in position while you pan around or take pics or whatever.
 

Hoki

Hoki

Member
If you want a cheap quadcopter to do some training on first you can get a mjx 101 or jjrc h26 for like under 80 dollars on aliexpress.com. I have both of those toy grade quadcopters and they are so fun but I think it's still easier to fly one you build cause then you can set the max angle it'll tilt and adjust how responsive and sensitive is. If you build just a small 250 frame fpv style quad and put a gopro on it you can get some great quality shots too and it'll be good training for a bigger more expensive one. You can build a 250 size for like around 100 dollars not including the remote but if you get a decent remote you can use the same remote to control many quadcopters. I have my radiolink at9 set for 5 different models so I can just pick which one I wanna fly and set it to that model then I can arm it and fly. I recommend the at9 or 1t10 radiolink remote to anyone cause it works just like the expensive ones and has 9 or 10 channels for lights and all the stuff you might wanna put on the quadcopter and it's only about 80 or 90 bucks.
 

Jason S

Jason S

Member
If you want something that fits into a pelican case you should look a Freefly Alta 6 or 8 they easily carry 5ds and maybe a movi??
Freefly products are more expensive but Movi gimbals in the air unbeatable at the moment. But these wont come into your budget!!

You could get something in kit form you can build something, Use Microkopter or Dji wkm reliable enough

there lots of people selling great X8s at the moment at good prices.

Yes please train on smaller quads and a good simulator I have aero-sim-RC its great tool when its wet and cant fly outside
 

dazzab

dazzab

Member
Last time I was in Maui there was a guy there doing quite a bit of beautiful aerial photography. Maui Drone or something like that. I wrote to him and he seemed nice enough. As a past pro commercial photographer (a Brookie) who is now in to UAV photography quite deep I'll save you a lot of trouble. Forget about UAVs and all the mucking around that goes with them. Forget about flying a Canon 5D. Go get an Inspire with an X5 camera and get on with your photography. It will take you about an hour to learn to fly it.
 


John Doecliff

John Doecliff

Member
Have you ever gone to a tourist spot and had one of those photographers take your picture, run to go get it developed and then come back and try to sell it to you? Last time I was in Vegas our group had our picture taken like this. The wife loves these and always seems to get them. I would think a drone pic would be a great twist on this for a business. Get a pic of a group on a restaurant balcony or standing on the rail of a snorkel cruise then sell it to them. Maybe put a small inset pic of the drone taking the pic or something. The location would be key to success, somewhere where you could safely take the pic and in a location that would look cool from an aerial perspective but still get the detail of the people in the picture. I bet it would work, especially in Hawaii.
 

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Lylefk

Member
Thanks guys!

The inspire and other cameras won't print at the size/resolution I require, so I'm not worried about shooting with the trainer or making any in between steps in that regard. I'll look into the brands and other options mentioned tomorrow and come back.
 

dazzab

dazzab

Member
I would say conservatively it will take you a year to learn to build and fly a full size DSLR. Don't forget that to do this legally in the US you will also have to have a pilot's license. I don't know how long that takes but I'm sure it's not quick. Hopefully, things will become more sensible in the near future but for the time being your goals are quite a reach. Nothing wrong with that, but don't fool yourself, it's a very long and very expensive journey.
 


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Lylefk

Member
Ok,

So I think I'm going to with an f450 build. The group build thread here seems like a great way for me to get my feet wet. I'll piece that together, but I would like to go ahead and purchase the radio and battery charger that will be useable down the road with the bigger drone.

So suggestions on models to look at for radios and chargers? Things that matter?

For chargers, I'm seeing suggested the Hitec X2-400 and the ProgressiveRC iCharger 306B. Those were suggested over 2.5 years ago, still the best way to go?

Radios, Futaba is mentioned a lot but there are a lot of models and etc. Can someone point me to some sort of model breakdown/comparison?

Thanks!

Lyle
 

Hoki

Hoki

Member
Radiolink at10 or at9 is just like the Futaba but cost way less. I've been using mine every day on multiple crafts from 180 size to 450 size and it's great. You can get the module that connects to the battery's balance cable on the drone and will make the remote vibrate when it's getting low also will display current voltage too for like 10 dollars.
 


Hoki

Hoki

Member
YOU DONT NEED A PILOTS LICENSE. JUST REGISTER THE DRONE WITH FAA ONLINE. AND IT WON'T TAKE A YEAR. IT TAKES MAYBE AN HOUR TO BUILD THE DRONE ONCE YOU HAVE ALL THE PARTS. I wouldn't learn to fly on the big drone though cause you will crash and you don't wanna mess up the big one. Get spare parts like extra arms and 1 or 2 extra motors and ESCs too. You best get a small one first either toy or build a 250 size.
You can order one of these and be practicing while you wait for your parts for your 450
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MJX-X101-FP...355397?hash=item3ac0006885:g:4TsAAOSw5dNWs3bP

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MJX-X400-wi...118819?hash=item3abe23c6a3:g:jYQAAOSwuAVWzWAJ

I have both of those and they work great. Both have headless mode too. The smaller one has a real good battery time too and handles wind better than most other small toy grade ones.
 

dazzab

dazzab

Member
Lylefk said:
Pilots license?
Click to expand...
I assume you are planning on working commercially. That will require a 333 exemption for your company and the pilot of the UAV is required to have a pilots license. Yes, it's crazy but that's the current situation in the US. Hopefully, it will change soon and for the time being it appears to me that everyone just ignores the requirements. It's one of those 'elephant in the room' type of things. Although I live in Australia, I'm originally from California so I try and follow the situation there as I visit and fly there from time to time.
 

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Lylefk

Member
What does everyone think about the Spektrum DX9? It looks kind of hokey and sounds like it may be a polarizing subject, but the voice alerts seem handy and it seems to be feature rich and easier to understand (versus the Futaba 14sg).

I do plan on being the only operator, so will down the road need to be able to control the drone and camera etc by myself. I saw something online saying that 12 channels is the minimum for a single operator with one radio? That puts me on to either the Futaba 14sg or the Spektrum dx18? I actually kind of think I'd like to utilize two radios myself, one to fly, then once it is locked into position switch to the 2nd radio and control the camera. In that case, would two dx9's be appropriate?

Feel like this might be one of those things I just have to learn by doing and potentially adjust down the road.

Dx9 compatible with the Naza M-lite?
 

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Lylefk

Member
I technically won't be working commercially (there's lots of back and forth on that subject right now here in Hawaii due to a bunch of permitting things), won't worry too much about that.
 


L

Lylefk

Member
I definitely don't trust an f550 for this...DJI seems to point mirrorless cameras like the Sony a7 series to the s900 series and SLR users to the S1000.
 

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