8/Camera and FPV
Equipment
Aerial photography is currently drones’ number one use, so the
topic of cameras on drones could be a book all its own. That
book could cover a wide spectrum of setups, from large
$50,000 Hollywood cinema rigs, all the way down to small
action sports cameras, such as those that we will be using on
our demo build. This chapter touches on the basics of having a
fixed-mount camera with the ability to broadcast live, usually to
a small monitor or video goggles.
Popular Drone Cameras
Selecting the right camera for your drone can feel like a dicult
task if you’re new to the topic. The top five things that we always
look for when selecting a new camera for any of our drones are:
Weight and size
As with every other component in the drone world, weight is
always one of the first qualities to consider. It is always more
desirable to have a lighter component.
Remote trigger
When shooting video, you can simply start the video record-
ing while on the ground and stop it when you land. However,
it is a little more complicated for still photos. Still photos
need to be triggered continuously throughout the flight. One
popular solution is to integrate an intervalometer into the
camera. This is basically a timer that triggers the camera
shutter every X number of seconds. Other popular solutions
include a mechanical servo arm that can physically press the
shutter button on the camera, or even an infrared remote
that can be controlled by a secondary RC transmitter.
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