Hi Phantom Pilots,
I have been looking for ways to fly my Phantom 2 at night and to record the results.
Have been looking at SWIR and LWIR (thermal imaging), but wanted something less expensive for the interim.
This is what I have built so far.
It's not SWIR, but it's not $15K either...
To the unaided eye, this scene is pitch black, full night.
The sky is mostly overcast, but last quarter moon is occasionally visible behind the clouds.
This video is recorded from a DJI Phantom 2 using a Watec WAT-910HX very low light CCTV camera.
The lens is a Megapixel 4.5 mm to 10 mm varifocal, at ~ f/1.6 at about 6mm focal length.
The camera is running EI mode, with max Sense-up of 4X.
Camera mount is an aluminum plate (originally from a P2V+) suspended on its rubber dampers.
I added a servo to provide tilt, though when lifted, the camera is less dampened than when hanging from the "suspension".
In dark scenes when the camera starts integrating 2 and then 4 frames, the motion between integrated frames blurs the resulting image.
The modifications bring the takeoff weight up to 1.40 kg, with the AVL58, IOSD-mini and hub. (I have removed the Zenmuse H3-3D to save weight.)
I would like to replace the suspension with a gimbal, if possible without increasing the takeoff weight.
The camera, lens and cables total 175 grams.
I would very much love to hear any advice, comment, or critique.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iec1uaCgeDc[/youtube]
~fred
I have been looking for ways to fly my Phantom 2 at night and to record the results.
Have been looking at SWIR and LWIR (thermal imaging), but wanted something less expensive for the interim.
This is what I have built so far.
It's not SWIR, but it's not $15K either...
To the unaided eye, this scene is pitch black, full night.
The sky is mostly overcast, but last quarter moon is occasionally visible behind the clouds.
This video is recorded from a DJI Phantom 2 using a Watec WAT-910HX very low light CCTV camera.
The lens is a Megapixel 4.5 mm to 10 mm varifocal, at ~ f/1.6 at about 6mm focal length.
The camera is running EI mode, with max Sense-up of 4X.
Camera mount is an aluminum plate (originally from a P2V+) suspended on its rubber dampers.
I added a servo to provide tilt, though when lifted, the camera is less dampened than when hanging from the "suspension".
In dark scenes when the camera starts integrating 2 and then 4 frames, the motion between integrated frames blurs the resulting image.
The modifications bring the takeoff weight up to 1.40 kg, with the AVL58, IOSD-mini and hub. (I have removed the Zenmuse H3-3D to save weight.)
I would like to replace the suspension with a gimbal, if possible without increasing the takeoff weight.
The camera, lens and cables total 175 grams.
I would very much love to hear any advice, comment, or critique.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iec1uaCgeDc[/youtube]
~fred
