strut mounted camera gimbal

[Larry Lyons]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

I like your style a lot Bill! Wish you were closer.
Larry

[N74DV]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

Victor, I'd consider your approach but I know how it will instantly come to an end. FSDO will make mention that Alaska has very different set of guidelines.

I read this tonight

http://www.atlasaviation.com/AviationLibrary/AirplaneExternalLoad/AirplaneExternalLoad.htm

and from what I can tell There's no way I could use any of that info to help my cause.

I think I'll have to contact my A&P/IA and see what his opinions are. Last thing I want to do it get on the wrong side of the FAA.

[VictorBravo]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

OK, how about this then:

Go to the FSDO and ask them how large or small an item has to be in order for it to be considered an external load, or what the threshold is for an external load to require a restricted category paper.

Start out with the big things, ask whether you can carry a pair of water skiis strapped on to the strut without a lot of paperwork.

When they tell you that you will need Boeing to issue an engineering report for a pair of skiis, then ask them if it is OK to carry one ski.

When they tell you that one ski is not as bad but you still need a benediction from the Vatican, ask them if you can carry a volleyball and you will play with that on the beach instead of water skiing.

When they say a volleyball is not too heavy but it still can have some weird effect on the airplane because it makes a lot of drag... ask them if you can carry a pair of swim fin flippers and you'll put the snorkel in the baggage compartment.

When they say you have to get a DER to approve the fins, then ask them "Well how small and light and low drag does something have to be before you will not consider it any big deal?

Hopefully they will say "It would have to be pretty darn small and light and low drag for me to approve it without a lot of engineering." Then say that instead of swimming or skiing or volleyball, you could just take some pictures, you have this really small and light camera that you could put on it and it doesn't make hardly any drag.

If they don't give an inch on the "how small" game, then say you want to take photos and can you mount a camera inside the plane and cut a hole in the bottom for it to take photos. They will say "no, you cannot just cut a hole in an airplane, son".

THEN you say, "well do you think...would it be safer and easier if I went out and bought a camera that was really small and light, and then put it on the outside so I don't have to cut a hole or make any permanent modifications to the plane???"

This whole process should wear them out enough so they feel they have pissed on it enough times and "straightened you out", and hopefully you will get an approval.

If you still get no quarter from them after all that, I have a DER who would probably issue an approval for a temporary camera mount at a fairly reasonable cost, and has the authority to issue it without the FSDO's people pissing on it.

[AKbrew]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

It's tax time...where can I contribute to the William Berle Charitable Foundation for the Global Distribution of BS?

[N74DV]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

that sounds doable Victor. thanks!

[VictorBravo]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

It's tax time...where can I contribute to the William Berle Charitable Foundation for the Global Distribution of BS?

We take cash, checks, food stamps, avgas, Clevis Pins, Cotter Pins, Safety Pins, Safety Wire....

OK guys I can't play any more tonight, I have to ferry my old T-craft tomorrow morning to a new storage facility with AKJack until he can come back and get it in April.

BTW for anyone who remembers a problem we had with that airplane, I think we finally solved that pesky 'engine quitting on takeoff' problem today. It appears that the idle mixture screw was set too lean. In warmer weather it created an intermittent "lean cut" coming up to takeoff power, now in cool weather the extra density makes it bad enough to quit coming up through 1200 RPM often. Remember that we used carb heat and the problem went away, which effectively richens the mixture a bit. We opened the big idle screw half a turn and the problem got 75% better immediately. Tomorrow we open it another 1/4 turn and see what it does.

[N74DV]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

Finished CAD drawings of the pan/tilt version today. I plan to run my CNC router on Monday cutting the parts and assembling the gimbal. It's looking good and I think it'll work wonderfully.

Pics on Monday.

[Dan Michaels]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

Can any A&P's confirm that a rig like this would be considered a Minor Alteration? and thus not requiring a 337 or STC?

I ask because I'm hearing conflicting viewpoints.

I looked up the definition of Minor Alteration and saw that so long as it doesn't substantially change the structure, weight and balance, and exhibit abnormal aerodynamic affects it would be considered Minor.

It meets all those criteria... but is this something that some FSDO somewhere would get ticked about?

Curious.....

It is up to the individual A&P. One may sign it off and another may not. An A&P may sign it off and an AI may not allow it. Once you have it signed in the log book by an A&P and gone through 1 annual with it signed off you are good to go. You want to talk to the FSDO if you cannot get an A&P to sign it off as a minor alteration. Victor is right have all your ducks in a row before you call them. I have learned you do not want to ask the FSDO a question you want to give them the information that supports your position.

Dan

[N74DV]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

Pan/Tilt version complete. new design that utilized 2lb. Lord mounts which isolate vibration in all 3 axis. Previous version used neoprene cylinder isolators which only are designed to work in compression.

All aluminum/composite construction with stainless and zinc oxide coated hardware. Weight as seen in pics with servos, receiver, battery, video transmitter (no camera) is 2.5lb.

360 degrees continuous pan and 120 degrees tilt. All components are located on the gimbal itself which since the system is wireless, allows for panning as many revolutions as you desire without pesky tangling wires. A wired system would not be able to do multiple pans unless the wires were run through the center of the pan shaft. Not an option to do that just yet. Would need to increase the diameter of the pan shaft to accomplish that..... and I prefer wireless anyhow.

[N74DV]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

new video with pan/tilt version.

http://vimeo.com/3076024

Having ability to pan sure is nice. Allows for framing up shots that I wished I could get with the tilt only gimbal. Vibration isolation appears to be better with the pan/tilt version most likely due to the extra mass of the unit.

[flyer1]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

Wow, that was great. I really like the music you put with the video. This is great advertising to leave the snowy North country. I did find a couple of airparks in the area. They are a bit out of my price range.

[VictorBravo]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

That's just horrible... bugs on your wing struts ruining such a beautiful film... shame shame shame !

What a great achievement DJ, it's my great honor to announce that we all have voted you the Spielberg of Taylorcraft owners

[N74DV]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

those damn bugs.... can't they hear me coming?!

Tonight I spent a couple hours drawing up a ground adjustable tilt only version for those who don't want to fuss with servos & remote controls. Just set the level of tilt on the camera on the ground, start the camera rolling and go fly! Super simple. 100 degrees of tilt from slightly above horizon to just past vertical.

I suppose a slight amount of pan can be had by adjusting the direction the camera is pointing when screwing it to the plate. A few degrees at least.

I cut the parts just now and will assemble the unit tomorrow.

[N74DV]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

Ground Adjustable Tilt version assembled. about 100 degrees of travel in the tilt axis. Adjustable on the ground with two screws. Perfect for those who don't want to mess with remote controls.

I should have a batch of these and pan/tilt versions within 3 weeks for those who are interested.

[N74DV]

Re: strut mounted camera gimbal

new and final versions of the gimbals are finished.

They now incorporate 5:1 gear reduction on tilt and pan axis. Smoother camera movements and greater torque from the servos with the gear reduction. Also allows for this wonderful device with which I am working with the designer of to make it compatible with my camera mounts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8Mn3704G2E

solid state inertial camera stabilization! less than 50 grams weight for two axis stabilization at around $300 per axis. Damn near as good as the heavy and expensive mechanical gyro stabilization systems.

Affordable micro technology is wonderful!

Also got confirmation from our A&P that in fact the unit can be installed wiht a minor alteration logbook entry, but it needs to be noted everytime it is installed or removed Better than a 337 though.

3 versions to choose from.

Merlin PT - 2 axis servo pan and tilt
Merlin T - 1 axis servo tilt
Merlin GT - 1 axis ground adjustable tilt

PM me or email me at [email protected] if you're interested in a camera gimbal.

more info here:

http://photoshipone.com/products.php