Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Brainstorming a Tracking Yagi idea! Input Please! — Parallax Forums

Brainstorming a Tracking Yagi idea! Input Please!

Scott PortocarreroScott Portocarrero Posts: 72
edited 2009-11-17 02:17 in BASIC Stamp
Hello All

I have a friend what uses a Radio Control Helicopter for aerial photography. He is using a Yagi antenna for his video down link. The problem is that Yagi antennas are directional! I wanted to make a Pan & Tilt mount for his Yagi to track where the helicopter is at all times. My idea consists of Two Parallax Transceivers for communication, and I am not sure what else. Any ideas????

Comments

  • Larry~Larry~ Posts: 242
    edited 2009-11-16 20:03
    Well good luck I see lots of problems, this is somewhat like tracking the sun for solar projects. But there are added problems like the plane not traveling in an arc like the sun and the speed is much faster, using one antenna is going to be tough because you will not know if it went up, to the side or just crashed.
    Some questions
    Freq 900 mhz ?
    Gain of yagi ?
    Distance of plane from pilot ?
    Just maybe a different antenna or more than one antenna could be used, but this just may create more, or different problems in the design.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-11-16 21:42
    Here's a paper that should help: www.eganfamily.id.au/archive30nov2007/monash/research/papers/JenveyAIAC12.pdf (PDF).

    -Phil
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-11-16 21:52
    You might want to go with a premade pan/tilt mechanism. Servo City has some that look nice: servocity.com/
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2009-11-17 02:17
    Scott Portocarrero said...
    Hello All

    I have a friend what uses a Radio Control Helicopter for aerial photography. He is using a Yagi antenna for his video down link. The problem is that Yagi antennas are directional! I wanted to make a Pan & Tilt mount for his Yagi to track where the helicopter is at all times. My idea consists of Two Parallax Transceivers for communication, and I am not sure what else. Any ideas????

    I have thought many times about building such a device. I also use a RC heli for aerial photography.

    My idea was to have the heli transmit it's GPS coordinates to the antenna. The antenna would also have GPS, inclinometers and compass. However, I think that you could get away without the antenna having that stuff at the expense of a more involved setup procedure.

    Rich H

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
Sign In or Register to comment.