Surveillance-1is build #15 and is intended to be a sub-250 gram quad with multiple cameras for the distinct purpose of making surveillance, reconnaissance, or discovery flights. The first objective will be to locate the downed Unsanctioned-1 in the top of a tree. This craft will have multiple cameras; maybe 2 or maybe 3. I am not sure yet. Probably start with 2 cameras and consider the third as a possible option.
I have posted this build in the "Mini Quad" section since I will likely use a 4 inch frame as the base which will provide a lot of options. Also, I have a bunch of 4 inch frames. Let's use one.
I am thinking either 4 inch open prop or maybe consider 3 inch with prop guards or ducts.
Interestingly, this build will likely complete before the Rescue Quad build.
Last Update: 2022-04-29 Add attachments
_______________ PARTS LIST ___________________________
Cam Mount: Custom fabricated mount for second (Targeting) camera. The arms cut with a utility knife from .060 thick LEXAN sheet, drilled, and finished with a bench grinder. Additional "spacers" were fabricated from .118 inch ( 3mm) LEXAN sheet and bonded to the arms with a UV curable "glue".
GPS Mount: Custom fabricated plate made from .060 (1.524mm) thick LEXAN sheet. Drilled, cut with utility knife, and finished with a bench grinder.
Props: HQ Prop Duct-4x4x6 Turbine style 6-blade.
Attachments:
1) Wiring Diagram. The DVR sub-system is optional and can be removed. 2) Frame with FC and DVR test fitted. 3) FC all soldered up. 4) FC with components connected (sort of). 5) Revised Wiring Diagram. This is the one I ended up using.
07-Apr-2022, 06:53 PM (This post was last modified: 16-May-2022, 03:05 PM by iFly4rotors.)
The BUILD continues: First, the electronics were soldered up with connectors. Since I wasn't sure how things would actually fit, I used a lot of wire. Yeah, it makes for a lot of "junk" to stuff in there, but I will make it all work.
Before mounting anything to the frame base, I put 4 M2 x 16mm through the 20x20 mounting holes from the top and secured them with 5mm nylon standoff columns. Next, I attached M2 x 15mm nylon standoff columns which will provide the basis for lifting the quad up to accommodate the targeting camera and also provide for landing gear. Even at this point, she is a little heavy at 170 grams. It will be close trying to keep it below 200 grams.
With all that extra wire and the connectors is ain't pretty, but as long as it works, I really don't care. This thing just needs to work. Being pretty is simply NOT a concern. It is what it is.
Pic #2 is the targeting camera's swing mounting with the quad sitting on the current landing gear located in the central part of the body.
Pic #3 is the targeting camera with the quad sitting on a roll of solder so that the camera drops freely straight down below the quad.
Pic #4 shows the quad resting on the swing mount. Notice that the camera is somewhat protected buy the swing arms.
Pic #5 Surviellance-1 is complete.
Pic #6 Complete. Done
I fabricated a custom GPS mount plate that also keeps the VTX antenna and the XT30 pigtail in place. Yeah, I am trying those 6-blade turbine style props, HQ Prop Duct-4x4x6.
Also, I used a combination of long M2 bolts with M2 stand off columns and M2.5 nylon standoff spacers in order to raise the quad so the targeting camera swing would be able to hang down and not hit the surface. Yeah, this looks a little funny, but it works. I would call these landing gear, but not sure how well they will work for that.
Everything actually came together pretty well. No issues, everything works. Success.
The quad is all together. The indoor hover test was a success. The quad arms fine, lift off was normal, all controls appear to work, and the hover was steady at about 3 feet (about 1 meter) off the floor. Also, the camera switcher works. That is really COOL
07-Apr-2022, 09:42 PM (This post was last modified: 07-Apr-2022, 09:43 PM by iFly4rotors.)
(07-Apr-2022, 07:10 PM)the.ronin Wrote: Lol you are a building a mini rescue ops fleet.
Hi Ronin,
Well....maybe... originally, I was just going to do it all with one quad. You know, one and done.
When I considered the possibility of using one of my existing builds as a recon craft, I went through all of my quads and quickly determined that doing that was not viable for me. Many are not running an FC that will support a GPS with compass and no "extra" break outs so those are just out of the question. Some are in one state of repair or another and still don't have the required hardware.
So, why not just build a reconnaissance or surveillance quad so I can get the right parts and build it specifically with that purpose in mind. That way, I can go through my stack of 4 inch frames { I think that I will use a RoninUAV frame...sounds appropriate to me} and build it from the ground up. By building this one as a sub-250 gram craft, I will be able to fly it for other things and stay within my preferred flying parameters. "Mostly Legal"
So, Yeah...I guess that I am building a mini Rescue Squad or Fleet. Here I go again
It wouldn’t help you locate a downed quad unless you *just* crashed it and it was still warm, but I always thought it would be fun to play with a thermal camera on a quad.
Unfortunately, the resolution on the cheap pi/arduino based thermal cams is so low that it’d be next to useless.
Dangerous operations.
Disclaimer: I don’t know wtf I’m talking about. I wish I could get the smell of burnt electronics out of my nose.
Yeah, thermal likely wouldn't help, however, I don't think that I will need it. Since I basically just set it down in the top of the tree, I am hoping that it is more or less sitting on top and that it is basically unobstructed from the top. If I can "see" it, then I have a chance of getting it back. If it can't even be seen, then it is likely entangled too much to retrieve, but I have got to try.
Well, this is a different sort of adventure than I am used to, but hey, let's go for it.
At least the Surveillance-1 will be useful beyond this purpose.
dont miss that thermal cams does only display the surface, you cant see into an opkect like a tree. trees does cover thermal difference pretty well.
in my area, farmers call pilots with quads carry thermal cams to save their machines and jung deers. it requires a very high quality thermal cam and it needs to be done early in the morning when the temp differences between animal and nature is on its peak, its pretty difficult anyway and needs some experience. the strategy of deers is to run away. the jung deers doesnt smell, a dog will walk over it and doesnt recognize a jung deer, they just sit down and wait for their mother to return and pick them up. so they sit into the farmers land and doesnt move even if a huge machine run over them, pretty ugly situation. machines take damage and these jung deers dies. the pilots does fly over the fields, any thermal difference get inspected by feet. jung deers get picked up, with some gras to cover them befor human smell, the jung deers can be picked up, set to the end of the field. the mothers go back after farmers work and survive. if they smell about humans, the mothers doesnt pick them up again.
just thought i should share that, as there are experiences with thermal cams and they bring fpv in a good light :-)
hunters and farmers does think good about fpv in my area seems we save their animals and machines, they are always friendly and intressted if we cross each other :-)
08-Apr-2022, 12:16 PM (This post was last modified: 08-Apr-2022, 12:16 PM by iFly4rotors.)
Hi Bat,
Thanks for sharing. That is very interesting. Animals are just trying to get along in the world and survive. I love nature and hate to see any animal die. It is good that they are able to save the deer. It is also good for FPV to be seen in a positive light.
Adding a pan/tilt camera gimbal would add some weight to your build, but that weight could be offset by the ability to use just one cam.
Someone on rcgroups was looking for one of these (it’s out of stock, I’m just attaching the link below to give you ideas- maybe someone here could design & 3d print you something smaller/lighter?) https://www.readymaderc.com/products/det...e-pan-tilt
I’ve been curious about how to set up servo control on a fc for future projects. If I recall correctly you use sbus rx’s- this guy below has a good write up on remapping an unused led pad to control a servo: https://medlindrone.com/2021/12/01/addin...ultirotor/
He also mentions the option of head tracking- I don’t know anything about that, but I’m pretty sure I’d get dizzy and fall out of my chair if I was moving my head all over the place to look around.
Dangerous operations.
Disclaimer: I don’t know wtf I’m talking about. I wish I could get the smell of burnt electronics out of my nose.
Speaking of gimbals, I don't think you need 2-3 axis gimbal at all. Minimalist single (pitch) axis gimbal can do the job if we consider that "missing gimbal axis" can be performed by quad itself by rotating itself on yaw axis oriented toward point of interest regardless of flight route. Btw, I think that you should look at UAVTEK Bug nano as inspiration for your build. Kudos to them for making such powerful sub250 quad. Still, can someone answer me- how their 2S 18650 sub250 quadwith 1105/06 motor,3.5" props can withstand 35knot winds and 45 gusts, and still fly for a long time?*
PS *Motors, props and power configuration I've mentioned is based purely on personal observation from teaser video, and might be totally different.
10-Apr-2022, 12:32 AM (This post was last modified: 10-Apr-2022, 12:33 AM by iFly4rotors.)
(09-Apr-2022, 08:01 PM)Lemonyleprosy Wrote: Adding a pan/tilt camera gimbal would add some weight to your build, but that weight could be offset by the ability to use just one cam.
Someone on rcgroups was looking for one of these (it’s out of stock, I’m just attaching the link below to give you ideas- maybe someone here could design & 3d print you something smaller/lighter?) https://www.readymaderc.com/products/det...e-pan-tilt The one in the above link looks pretty massive to me. Probably a bit more than I am looking for. On the other hand, I will look at similar types of products. See what I can find.
I’ve been curious about how to set up servo control on a fc for future projects. If I recall correctly you use sbus rx’s- this guy below has a good write up on remapping an unused led pad to control a servo: https://medlindrone.com/2021/12/01/addin...ultirotor/
The article in the above link looks pretty good for how to make a servo work. Thing is...for this to work for me it would need to have a range of about 100 degrees; from about 10 degrees above level to 90 degrees pure vertical.
He also mentions the option of head tracking- I don’t know anything about that, but I’m pretty sure I’d get dizzy and fall out of my chair if I was moving my head all over the place to look around.
Yeah, I have seen some "examples" of head tracking and I agree with you. It would likely either make me dizzy...and I fall down since I stand when I fly...or just drive me crazier.
Hi Lemony,
For my application, I want the 2nd camera to be able to look straight down with the quad in a flat horizontal hover position. Consequently, I am considering two possibilities: 1) fixed mount straight down 2) a "loose" gravity mounting that would allow the 2nd camera to point down regardless of the quad's angle. The weight would keep the camera pointed downward just like a plumb bot on a string.
I have thought about a servo controlled camera, but I think that the 100 degree angle of movement that I would need might be well beyond the limits of the servo arm. I also don't want to overly burden the craft with too much material in the mechanism.
I will add that the 2nd camera on the Surveillance-1 does not have to be the same as the one on the Rescue-1 craft.
10-Apr-2022, 12:57 AM (This post was last modified: 10-Apr-2022, 12:59 AM by iFly4rotors.)
(09-Apr-2022, 11:45 PM)versus Wrote: Speaking of gimbals, I don't think you need 2-3 axis gimbal at all. Minimalist single (pitch) axis gimbal can do the job if we consider that "missing gimbal axis" can be performed by quad itself by rotating itself on yaw axis oriented toward point of interest regardless of flight route. Btw, I think that you should look at UAVTEK Bug nano as inspiration for your build. Kudos to them for making such powerful sub250 quad. Still, can someone answer me- how their 2S 18650 sub250 quadwith 1105/06 motor,3.5" props can withstand 35knot winds and 45 gusts, and still fly for a long time?*
I don't know, but take a look at the performance specs of the DJI Mini which also runs on 2 18650 pack and gets 30 minutes of fly time and 5K away from transmitter in a sub-250 gram craft. You might also be interested in checking out some the entries in theCHALLENGE.
PS *Motors, props and power configuration I've mentioned is based purely on personal observation from teaser video, and might be totally different.
Hi versus,
Right, I would only need 1 axis of rotation; straight ahead from about 10 degrees up and down to a vertical position. My concept of operation is to fly almost level to the location and then hover. The 10 degree up would be sufficient for flight, but would need to be straight down at hover. So far, I can not envision a gimble or servo with the 100 degrees of movement that would be needed.
I will certainly take a look at the UAVTEK Bug nano and see if I can glean anything from it. The specs sound pretty impressive. I wonder if those wind and wind gust claims are theoretical, from wind tunnel tests, or from real world performance tests. I will see what I can find on it.
Just a note: My Unsanctioned-1 is a sub-250 gram 5 inch quad that I believe could withstand the wind. The initial configuration was just a bit heavy to run a 2s 18650 pack and stay sub-250, however, I was already looking to shave enough weight to run that pack. Now, I just have to get that bird back so that I can resume testing with it.
I’m just tossing ideas out in the hopes that one of them provides some inspiration for a usable solution.
The linked article was more just for the info on how to map an unused resource to control a servo- regardless of what that servo is controlling (ie: release mechanism, camera movement, spotlight, etc) Someday in the future I plan on building a quad with a movable camera. I would probably use a 360 degree/continuous servo directly geared to the camera platform rather than using a servo horn and control linkage so that I have no limitations on movement.
I am really curious about your idea for gravity mounting- if you can keep it from wiggling all over the place and keep it stable enough for clear video, that would definitely be an ideal solution for your needs.
Dangerous operations.
Disclaimer: I don’t know wtf I’m talking about. I wish I could get the smell of burnt electronics out of my nose.
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