# Crash of the Quad - first try with camera



## webbie (Jan 10, 2013)

Well, back to the drawing board....
I used one of those chinese keychain cameras and strapped it to my $35 cheapo quad....and gave it a run. An epic disaster, but all was well. I recovered it in good condition using a string and a weight. 

Now it's time to re-engineer the thing so I don't lose antenna contact with it...


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## BrotherBart (Jan 10, 2013)

Every aviator's worst nightmare. Literally had my stomach in knots watching it.


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## webbie (Jan 10, 2013)

Can't have any more fun for $35...I tell ya!

Getting it out of the tree also requires some fun antics!


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## velvetfoot (Jan 10, 2013)

Ditto BB.  Exciting.


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## firefighterjake (Jan 10, 2013)

And you were doing so well Orville . . .

Thinking your neighbors will love the camera attached to your new toy . . . taking a shower or sunbathing outside when all of a sudden your flying machine with a camera comes buzzing up to them. Hehheh.  And yes . . . I realize that's not your style.


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## Jags (Jan 10, 2013)

Good gawd, that flip-flopped my stomach twice.  Kinda cool though.  How much did the camera weigh?


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## Jack Straw (Jan 10, 2013)

Ouch! Right in the culdesac


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## webbie (Jan 10, 2013)

Jags said:


> Good gawd, that flip-flopped my stomach twice. Kinda cool though. How much did the camera weigh?


 
Probably 10 grams or so.....there are a bunch of them at:
http://www.chucklohr.com/

Very  handy for all kinds of stuff.


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## Jags (Jan 10, 2013)

That is the weirdest website I have ever seen.


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## fossil (Jan 10, 2013)

Everybody oughta have a few drones handy.  1001 uses.


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## webbie (Jan 10, 2013)

These cameras are great for dashboard cams, on your motorcycle, bikes, etc. - they cost a fraction of the "real" ones and are good for experimentation. They cost from as low as $12 to as high as $45 or so for top-of-the-line.


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## yooperdave (Jan 10, 2013)

Scotty! I need more power!!

I'm giving her all I got, Cap'n!



Mayday, Mayday!


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## schlot (Jan 10, 2013)

LOL. That was awesome....any neighbors with swimming pools you can surprise this summer?


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## firefighterjake (Jan 10, 2013)

Blackhawk down . . . Blackhawk down!


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## JustWood (Jan 10, 2013)

Least ya didn't crash it through the neighbors bedroom window when they were noonin' it


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## PapaDave (Jan 10, 2013)

Houston, we have a problem.
I couldn't stop laughing......sorry Craig.
Pretty cool until the little hitch in the giddyup.


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## yooperdave (Jan 10, 2013)

How's about a "caption that video" segment??

"Hmmm, there's gotta be a better way to check the chimney..."


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## mrjohneel (Jan 10, 2013)

That was great!


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## BrotherBart (Jan 10, 2013)

Reminds me of the Grandpa character flying the biplane on the old Bob Cummings show. "Get that cow out of the way. I am coming down."


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## milleo (Jan 10, 2013)

yooperdave said:


> How's about a "caption that video" segment??
> 
> "Hmmm, there's gotta be a better way to check the chimney..."


That would be great to check the cap on the chimney.


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## PapaDave (Jan 10, 2013)

BrotherBart said:


> Reminds me of the Grandpa character flying the biplane on* the old Bob Cummings show*. "Get that cow out of the way. I am coming down."


Ok, now I've got to go to YouTube for a bit of reminiscing.


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## webbie (Jan 10, 2013)

Eventually (well, already) drones are starting to be used for this kind of stuff - that is, inspecting a chimney or roof etc........within the next 5 years you are gonna see a real revolution. These "toys" are really fancy computers and mechanics.

Example - one of the newer ones has a avoidance system built in - so it would not hit the roof or chimney!


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## fossil (Jan 10, 2013)

It doesn't play that music the whole time it's flying, does it?


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## begreen (Jan 10, 2013)

cheapo $35 quad? Is this in addition to the AR Drone?


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## fossil (Jan 10, 2013)

That's all well & good, but it's got no personality.  (This one will set you back a bit more, though)

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7410738n


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## webbie (Jan 10, 2013)

begreen said:


> cheapo $35 quad? Is this in addition to the AR Drone?


 
I sold the drone after I battered it up a bit - I want to learn how to fly the real ones, and the range of the AR is too short.

So I got this one, which I love (great to learn on) and a Hubsan X4 which is a tiny thing that can fly inside or out.

By the spring I hope to learn enough to perhaps graduate to a bigger quad and some flying wings, etc....who knows?


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## Shari (Jan 10, 2013)

webbie said:


> Eventually (well, already) drones are starting to be used for this kind of stuff - that is, inspecting a chimney...


 
Now..... if they built a drone to carry a brush and rods up to my chimney could we get it to fly up-down-up-down to scrub the chimney while it's up there?


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## webbie (Jan 10, 2013)

This is the one I took that vid with
http://www.amazon.com/Syma-Channel-2-4G-Quad-Copter/dp/B0096SJU3U

If anyone has the patience, it's 36 well spent........I've had a lot of laughs!


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## begreen (Jan 10, 2013)

Cool, looks like fun. Might finally be my revenge weapon on the deer.


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## yooperdave (Jan 10, 2013)

Now I wonder how I can incorporate those into eliminating the noise coming from the neighbor's dog at all hours of the night (and day) that they just don't seem to give a damn about.

Maybe a couple of low fly-bys would do the trick and send the dog running for the house??


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## BrotherBart (Jan 10, 2013)

yooperdave said:


> Now I wonder how I can incorporate those into eliminating the noise coming from the neighbor's dog at all hours of the night (and day) that they just don't seem to give a damn about.
> 
> Maybe a couple of low fly-bys would do the trick and send the dog running for the house??


 
Nah. This one.

http://www.amazon.com/Gunship-J283-3-5-Channel-Avatar-Helicopter/dp/B0096E6Q5O


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## Dune (Jan 13, 2013)

Even Craig has a drone now?


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## fossil (Jan 13, 2013)

Dune said:


> Even Craig has a drone now?


 
He has a number of them.  We're called Moderators.


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## begreen (Jan 13, 2013)

Bzzzz


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## BrotherBart (Jan 13, 2013)

Whoooosh


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## ironpony (Jan 13, 2013)

O.K. back from puking after watching that disaster. Was the crash self inflicted?? (bad pilot)
I wonder how that camera would work on a regular heli.


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## webbie (Jan 13, 2013)

ironpony said:


> O.K. back from puking after watching that disaster. Was the crash self inflicted?? (bad pilot)
> I wonder how that camera would work on a regular heli.


 
I think the camera is a bit too heavy for that toy - I tried again and it works OK for the first minute or so, but as soon as the battery starts losing power, the thing becomes unstable. So that is what likely happened - although I also may have been getting out of range.

The good ones start at about $500, so I figure I will destroy some $40-60 models as a learning process and then be ready this spring for the real thing. This one is the current hobby state-of-the-art value model...
http://www.dji-innovations.com/products/phantom/overview/

Among other features, it returns to home when you lose radio contact. It also has GPS for both stability and flight. It has other neat features like knowing where you are - and where it is - so you can put it in a mode to come back toward you or away or right/left even after you lose sight of it's orientation....


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## webbie (Jan 15, 2013)

Well, a slightly more successful flight! I shaved a few grams off the Quad.......still have a way to go, but at least no crash!


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## velvetfoot (Jan 15, 2013)

You just can't seem to resist flirting with that tree!


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## Jags (Jan 15, 2013)

Durn kids always play'in.  Get a job already.

That looked like a much smoother flight.  Is that you getting better at flying or some other reason?


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## webbie (Jan 15, 2013)

Jags said:


> Durn kids always play'in. Get a job already.
> 
> That looked like a much smoother flight. Is that you getting better at flying or some other reason?


 
Maybe less wind, stayed with transmitter range.....and shaved a couple grams off the assembly. That's really the key - getting the weight down.

It's almost time for me to step up to the next size and capability.....although I did sink one of my quads in the Bay the other day! Next time I will put foam floats on it....


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## Jags (Jan 15, 2013)

Hmmm...can't imagine that they like water.


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## begreen (Jan 15, 2013)

Or fire!


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## begreen (Mar 5, 2013)

Watch your airspace!

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/03/ufo-black-drone-fbi/


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