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Practical Application of ELEV-8 — Parallax Forums

Practical Application of ELEV-8

Nick ErnstNick Ernst Posts: 138
edited 2012-07-19 12:51 in Robotics
So this past weekend my wife was playing in a volleyball tournament at the local park, which just happened to be behind Parallax. This is a huge annual event known here as the Kaleo Klassic, in memory of a friend of the local volleyball organization. I was watching the multiple games that were going on when I felt a tap on the shoulder, and it was the organization's owner, who had heard about the ELEV-8 platform and some of the things that I am fortunate enough to do here at Parallax. Long story short, he asked if I would be kind enough to get some aerial photography to help with promoting the event for next year. It is some pretty good video, and it just goes to show that the uses and purposes that these platforms can be geared for are endless! I am also just sharing the video to show how big the tournament was, and also to promote our new camera that we are going to be carrying. Its an Intova camera, and we should have them available soon. I know that soon is not a timeline, but that's all I have for now in regards to time. We will have more specs available in the near future, so don't worry! It's full HD, looks great, and costs about a hundred dollars less than GoPro, and has a built in LCD screen. Pretty nice if I may say so!! I think that the video is up to GoPro Standards, what do you think?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5AWbO4ZxQs

Comments

  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,934
    edited 2012-07-16 16:36
    Nice job Nick! That is pretty impressive and I can see some marketing potential there. Other than the people who stopped what they were doing to look up at the UFO in the sky...... At 3:20, there is a nice spike attempt in the field that is dead center. Is the water rippling effect of the video a by product of the youtube upload? I haven't noticed that on other quadcopter videos using the GoPro.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2012-07-16 17:04
    I apologize that I don't have nicer things to say but I do not think that flying over crowds is something that you should be doing and certainly not something that Parallax should be associated with.

    The video exhibited a lot of the "Jello" effect. I don't know if that is the camera or the way it is mounted.
  • LawsonLawson Posts: 870
    edited 2012-07-16 18:10
    WBA Consulting wrote: »
    Nice job Nick! That is pretty impressive and I can see some marketing potential there. Other than the people who stopped what they were doing to look up at the UFO in the sky...... At 3:20, there is a nice spike attempt in the field that is dead center. Is the water rippling effect of the video a by product of the youtube upload? I haven't noticed that on other quadcopter videos using the GoPro.

    The rippling effect is due to the camera+quadcopter. It's commonly called the "jello" effect. It's an interaction of the camera's rolling shutter with chassis vibrations >30 Hz. Lots of modern video cameras suffer from this. A soft rubber mount would help, as would precise balancing of the propellers and motors.

    Lawson
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,934
    edited 2012-07-16 18:47
    That makes sense. When the quadcopter rotated towards the right, you could definitely hear an abnormal vibration type noise from one of the blades. Rotating left did not exhibit the same noise.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2012-07-16 19:11
    Makes me want the Elev 8 even more.
  • Nick ErnstNick Ernst Posts: 138
    edited 2012-07-17 06:43
    The ripple was due to the fact that I was flying the Hex in that video, and there is a motor directly above the camera that is out of sight. If I would have been flying the Quad or the Y-6 even, that effect would not have been there. In other videos we have done, when using the Quad or the Y-6, we have not seen the jello effect!
  • jonesjones Posts: 281
    edited 2012-07-17 21:30
    In the US, the organization that acts as the representative of the radio control flying community is the AMA, the Academy of Model Aeronautics. They also provide liability insurance for AMA members, provided the members are operating in accordance with the AMA Safety Code. To quote from the Safety Code: "All pilots shall avoid flying directly over unprotected people, vessels, vehicles or structures and shall avoid endangerment of life and property of others."

    http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/105.pdf
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2012-07-18 00:22
    Ill second Jones on this ..... Flying a weedwhacker over kids is not kosher.
    I used to in the 90s fly 40 sized glow aircraft .


    I may be wrong but I remember the AMA had some issued wth the FAA and for profit drones and non UAV and UAV photo issues .


    might I suggest a blimp......Hold the H2 .
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2012-07-18 11:03
    It's been made pretty clear R/Cs of any type, including quads, can't be used for commercial ventures such as real estate aerial photos, regardless of the population density underneath. It gets tricky defining what is "commercial," but I'd bet the FAA would view such use even for a non-profit to be against the regulations. I'd go with the definition of if there's any form of financial transaction involved (tickets sold, etc., even if they are considered donations) it's probably not a good idea.

    On the other hand, I think a kite with a remote camera is okay (within altitude and size/weight limits, obviously). If you can fly a quad, you can fly a kite. The pictures are purdy!

    -- Gordon
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2012-07-18 11:43
    non profit is still In the clear for now .. :)

    so you can use it for your personal use . just not sell the photos ..
    """
    It's been made pretty clear R/Cs of any type, including quads, can't be used for commercial ventures such as real estate aerial photos, regardless of the population density underneath. """



    NOT 100% true.
    Hollywood as for YEARS done Cams on RC Helos . And They make loads of profit .

    not practical but with enough cash to hire a UAV pilot and just about rent a globalhawk you can do it ... . its about licenses .

    little timmys soccer team is not gonna blow 100K on a UAV for a weekend
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2012-07-18 11:47
    I wish someome would fly one over my property. Then I would own me an Elev 8, albeit with a few shotgun loads in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • JimInCAJimInCA Posts: 80
    edited 2012-07-19 12:51
    Peter KG6LSE wrote: »
    NOT 100% true.
    Hollywood as for YEARS done Cams on RC Helos . And They make loads of profit .

    Please see the article written by Chris Anderson in the most recent issue of Wired Magazine that deals with this exact topic. Chris is the Editor and Chief of Wired Magazine and also the founder of DIYDrones.com. He goes into detail on how the FAA is cracking down on all commercial use of drowns, including by Hollywood.
    Jim...
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