Need a drone for a very specific purpose...

Need a drone for a very specific purpose...

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Kozy

Original Poster:

3,169 posts

220 months

Monday 13th July 2015
quotequote all
I have a need to take high quality plan view images using a DSLR (or at least well specced bridge/compact) from a height of around 10-15m.

I have zero knowledge of drones so it's possible there exists a product on the market that fits the requirements exactly, but if not, how best to go about building something to do this?


R8VXF

6,788 posts

117 months

Buzz84

1,148 posts

151 months

Monday 13th July 2015
quotequote all
Assuming it is for work that you are getting paid for then one of these too: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG1320Issue04.1.pdf

Digitalize

2,850 posts

137 months

Monday 13th July 2015
quotequote all
You'll be above consumer level to be taking a DSLR in to the air. More likely octocopter than quadcopter.

Best thing I can suggest is an A7R II with a decent prime lens to keep weight down, for highest resolution.

If it's straight down you could get away without a gimbal, but if not you'll want one.

bloomen

6,970 posts

161 months

Monday 13th July 2015
quotequote all
If it's a one off project it'll be a load cheaper to hire a pro.

Kozy

Original Poster:

3,169 posts

220 months

Monday 13th July 2015
quotequote all
Well to be honest it doesn't need to be a DSLR, I have a well specced compact here that would do the trick and is probably a lot lighter.

How do these drones operate the camera? Presumably they relay the images to a screen on the controller so that the shots can be set up correctly? Does this work with any camera or do they need to be specific?

Buzz84 said:
Assuming it is for work that you are getting paid for then one of these too: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SRG1320Issue04.1.pdf
Well that kills that idea then. Can't do anything these days.

Digitalize

2,850 posts

137 months

Monday 13th July 2015
quotequote all
Camera needs to have video out and remote shutter at the very least to work.

New DJI Phantom can shoot 4k video and 12mp stills, would be the simplest way probably.

Kozy

Original Poster:

3,169 posts

220 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Is that with a built in camera? I need a long lens, wide angle stuff like Go-Pro's and that sort of thing aren't suitable as the range of vision is to large at height, I need to zoom in on a small area,

What does all the license crap cost? Do I need training/tests? All I want to do is fly the thing vertically up 10-15m in open space, take a couple of snaps and come down again.

Kozy

Original Poster:

3,169 posts

220 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
bloomen said:
If it's a one off project it'll be a load cheaper to hire a pro.
We'd need to do it semi regularly. The other option was a van with a Cherry picker attached.

ZesPak

24,446 posts

198 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
The suggestion to hire one stems from your requirement. It'll require quite the expensive machine. This could be, of course, irrelevant if it's a real business requirement, and it'll deffo be cheaper and a lot more better fit for purpose than a van with a cherry picker (which will need a stable platform and such to operate).

That said, to give you a price point, I think ~£1500 will get you a long way.

So in short, budget is important, as is other requirements, for example: flight time, payload capacity,...

Edited by ZesPak on Tuesday 14th July 10:29

sgrimshaw

7,336 posts

252 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Might be worth looking at pole photography. Eg

http://www.accesscameras.co.uk/telescopic-pole-cam...

Digitalize

2,850 posts

137 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
94 deg camera. To zoom in and out you just fly up and down.

Kozy

Original Poster:

3,169 posts

220 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
ZesPak said:
That said, to give you a price point, I think ~£1500 will get you a long way.

So in short, budget is important, as is other requirements, for example: flight time, payload capacity,...
Budget, £1500 would be feasible. Flight time, 5-10 minutes would suffice. Payload, ~1-2kg maybe.


sgrimshaw said:
Might be worth looking at pole photography. Eg

http://www.accesscameras.co.uk/telescopic-pole-cam...
Nice idea, but nearly £650 delivered for a 10m pole is outrageous. Plus keeping a camera still on a 10m pole is going to be a nightmare.

Digitalize said:
94 deg camera. To zoom in and out you just fly up and down.
Unsuitable, the perspective is important so it must be from a long distance using a lot of optical zoom.

Digitalize

2,850 posts

137 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
I think you'll struggle with your budget, the all in one solutions are some of the cheapest and are around £1000, you need a way to control the camera, and view it, which is never cheap.

You certainly won't be finding something that will use a DSLR for that money, I'm not sure how much control a compact can be given remotely, whether you can monitor it or trigger it etc.

Digitalize

2,850 posts

137 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
I think you'll struggle with your budget, the all in one solutions are some of the cheapest and are around £1000, you need a way to control the camera, and view it, which is never cheap.

You certainly won't be finding something that will use a DSLR for that money, I'm not sure how much control a compact can be given remotely, whether you can monitor it or trigger it etc.

FrankAbagnale

1,702 posts

114 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
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Kozy said:
Unsuitable, the perspective is important so it must be from a long distance using a lot of optical zoom.
A lot of estate agents use these guys for pole shots and it seems they do aerial photography.

http://www.ehouse.co.uk/our-services

From memory, their costs were very reasonable.

Kozy

Original Poster:

3,169 posts

220 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Digitalize said:
I think you'll struggle with your budget, the all in one solutions are some of the cheapest and are around £1000, you need a way to control the camera, and view it, which is never cheap.

You certainly won't be finding something that will use a DSLR for that money, I'm not sure how much control a compact can be given remotely, whether you can monitor it or trigger it etc.
I am currently using a Nikon P7100, it is relatively well specced and has an IR trigger, hopefully that would work?

Digitalize

2,850 posts

137 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Kozy said:
I am currently using a Nikon P7100, it is relatively well specced and has an IR trigger, hopefully that would work?
I wouldn't want to rely on IR personally. How are you going to view and frame the shot, adjust settings etc?

robpearson

441 posts

204 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
have a look at tethered balloon photography, no CAA requirements, relatively easy to control, you'd just need some kind of camera gimbal that you can control remotely. obviously assuming you aren't working near electricity pylons and the tether wouldn't be in the way of the image.

robpearson

441 posts

204 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
have a look at tethered balloon photography, no CAA requirements, relatively easy to control, you'd just need some kind of camera gimbal that you can control remotely. obviously assuming you aren't working near electricity pylons and the tether wouldn't be in the way of the image.