FLIR night surveillance with Phantom 4

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My apologies if this has been covered before (totally new at this).

I'm thinking of setting up a DJI 4 with a FLIR Vue Pro camera for surveillance in a shrimp farm. The farm is pitch black at night. My question are: 1- Has anyone tried it? 2- Is a special connection kit necessary and available? 3- Can the night video be seen in real time FPV?

Thanks, Carl


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I don't think that's possible. What shrimp farm where at?


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In Central America. I've seen several videos where they do it with a Phantom 2. But I would rather use the Phantom 4 because of it's radio range. Question is whether it is possible or not with the Phantom 4 also.


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Ok assume you get the flir cam working, what about the flight time? 28 mins (more like 20) isn't exactly what I would consider a high loiter time for a surveillance craft
 
We have around eight night time guards... But the perimeter is 5,000 mts so its hard to cover all possible intruders. Reforested all around makes for hundreds of acres of hiding places for thieves. The drone FLIR surveillance with five (?) extra batteries will be used for 15 minutes or so per flight, some 6 times randomly at night. This should lend strong sporadic support to current guards. Drone should help identify intruders easily, making them target other farms and not mine. That's how I envision it anyway. The Phantom 2 range is too short. For our situation, the drones will fly up to 3,500 ft away in clear line of sight at all times. So Phantom 4 should work if coupling with FLIR camera is viable.


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Why not just fly the drone around anyway? Any thief will assume that they are being observed when they see the flasj´hing lights in the sky.
It won't be long before FLIR becomes readily available. They have just released a mobile phone with a FLIR camera!
 
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Flying it without a FLIR camera to scare thieves away? It's really dark out there (you can see the Milky Way with your bare eyes on moonless nights). So I think I'd soon loose track of the drone or become disoriented and fly it away once I could not see it... I may be wrong on this one?


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If you have cell service you might be able to use the Seek Thermal camera on a phone and live stream it to FB or YT. It's on my list of things to try.
 
Seek Thermal Camera on a phone is an idea to try, but I need a more stand alone solution so that one person (who happens to have been a fighter pilot) can do this on a regular basis... Cell service is terrible when available. Location is truly remote.

What I'm wondering is, if I can achieve something such as this: (
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) , by combining a Phantom 4 with a FLIR Vue Pro kit such as this: (Rocky Mountain Unmanned Systems
FC202-A Phantom FLIR Vue Conversion Kit with Resolution Thermal Camera, Black) ...

The above reference kits would work for me if the Phantom 2 had the range I need. I'm just wondering if anyone knows whether it would work with a Phantom 4 or if there's an equivalent kit.


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Flying it without a FLIR camera to scare thieves away? It's really dark out there (you can see the Milky Way with your bare eyes on moonless nights). So I think I'd soon loose track of the drone or become disoriented and fly it away once I could not see it... I may be wrong on this one?


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You fly on instruments!
It is quite easy - no glare on the screen either.
 
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Interesting... Although I'd like to really know when they are there and have them chased away. Otherwise, after a while of not having any consequence, the drone will stop being a deterrent.


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Dji inspirer is made for flir and the price just droped alot, I would check that option and the camera cost more than the quad.
 
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DJI Inspire with FLIR camera is an excellent solution that I was not aware of. One concern that comes to mind is the 18 min max time probably means 12 minutes or so real time. Besides that, I see pricing for the cameras separately from the DJI inspire pricing. Anyone know where to buy it as a complete setup?


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I'd setup fixed camera positions around the property that can be continuously monitored then use the drone (however you configure it, with our without flir (folks on the ground won't know what you can or can not see)) randomly throughout the night, should provide about as good of surveillance (and most cost effective) as your going to get. And the seek thermal camera is a great choice if it fits your equipment.
 
In Central America. I've seen several videos where they do it with a Phantom 2. But I would rather use the Phantom 4 because of it's radio range. Question is whether it is possible or not with the Phantom 4 also.


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I'm in the seafood business that's why I asked. Must be Panamanian shrimp?


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Nica TheLightSpeed... And thank you Erised. After researching your DJI Inspirer with FLIR advise I am honing in on that solution with the Rocky Mountain Unmanned Systems kit for a little over $2,000. Although I will call them first to see if they have a kit for the Phantom 4. I do not need the Inspire advantages for filmography control but would benefit from the Phantom's extended flight time... Flying over large ponds of seawater does pose its risks...


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Know it costs a bit more but have you looked at the Matrice 100 as a starting point. IIRC you can change the camera on the phantom 3.
 
Like I said in the beginning... Totally new at this drone thing. Never heard of the Matrice 100 and not familiar with IIRC acronym... Will look into it now.


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Hmmm, I think the Matrice 100 would be quite an expensive learning experience...


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IIRC If I Remember Correctly. The reason suggested Matrice 100 is I believe similar flying experience to phantom but can double up battery giving 40 min flight time & add the camera of choice. As said know it is more expensive but could get a machine designed for the job rather than adapted to it.
 

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