Aerial photography option for prospecting

[UncleMatt]

the Hubsan is cheap enough to use it as a source of parts to canabalise it or build the parts into a more suitable design .
but with bigger design comes bigger batteries and bigger servos .

But the high elevation I will be operating at precludes the use of smallers wingspan planes such as the one you posted. If anyone can prove me wrong on that, I would love to be proven wrong. As far as I know now, if you want a stable platform at 13,000 feet in elevation that can handle the wind gusts you find in a mountain environment 200 feet over the ground, I think you need a larger wingspan than the hubspan.

[UncleMatt]

http://www.gizmag.com/suave-archeolo...mapping/23626/

Forgive the archie article, but it does show the concept I am suggesting is being implemented by others wtih great success, although again, at much lower elevations.

[UncleMatt]

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/x8-flying-wing

I just ordered the X8 flying wing platform for my prospecting UAV. It has a huge payload and range. This plane is flown in Switzerland at very high elevations, so I am sure it will handle what I am going to throw at it. Check out the video at the bottom, where the operator catches it with one hand instead of landing it. Awesome!

It can fly for almost 2 hours at 25 to 35 mph, so it can cover a lot of ground, and can cross an area repeatedly to get the best 3D maps possible.

Eventually I hope to fly a thermal imaging camera on it as well, but that is in the future.

[Midas]

http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/x8-flying-wing

I just ordered the X8 flying wing platform for my prospecting UAV. It has a huge payload and range. This plane is flown in Switzerland at very high elevations, so I am sure it will handle what I am going to throw at it. Check out the video at the bottom, where the operator catches it with one hand instead of landing it. Awesome!

It can fly for almost 2 hours at 25 to 35 mph, so it can cover a lot of ground, and can cross an area repeatedly to get the best 3D maps possible.

Eventually I hope to fly a thermal imaging camera on it as well, but that is in the future.

Hi Matt,
Looks like a good choice to me. Don't try any loop the loops though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubnnIKG-QAw
I have another idea for you since you seem to like a challenge. Extend you range to infinity (OK not quite... your wings will snap eventually). Teach your drone to perform dynamic soaring. The amount of energy that can be harvested from the right mountainous conditions is absolutely incredible. Would you believe people have got un-powered gliders to go up to 800km/h?
I certainly didn't. But here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaQB16ZaNI4
There are even faster ones, but this one is slow enough to see. Of course I'm not suggesting you do anything like these speeds with your drone, but a much scaled down gentle wind harvesting wouldn't be totally out of the question.

Midas

[UncleMatt]

While that is an intriguing idea, I was thinking more along the lines of solar cells on that huge upper surface area. I will also have a true airspeed indicator sensor, not just depending on GPS, so hope to be able to throttle down when wind and heading allow.

[neptune769]

Check out the Mikrokopter

Here is the test video on Youtube.

I think for about $2000

Regards,

[UncleMatt]

I got my new X8 aerial platform yesterday, and its a beauty! I cannot wait to start adding all the goodies.

[neptune769]

Well I'm jealous now. Please post a couple pics when you get it all set up.

Regards,
Dennis