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External video camera mounting question!

pilotian

Well Known Member
Hello fellow VAF addicts,

While I begin to saddle up for a new venture of mine (a full length general aviation documentary) I figured I would start practicing some external camera mounting footage of my own. I currently own a NFlightCam+ for cockpit footage, but am not brave enough to put that outside due to its pirceynous, I plan to buy 1 or 2 GoPro Hero's instead for outside footage.

My real question is, How do all of you mount your camera's and more specifically mount them so that they aren't permanent mounts. I am currently a renter and user so I cant do anything permanent to the aircraft. I most likely will do a fuselage mount and a wing mount (unless of course we get areobat film then we can roll bar mount or something)

I heard of the suction cup mount being used but is it really that trust worth!?

Open to all of your ideas!

Thanks!
 
One suction cup won't do it. Too much flexibility (vibration). I use 3-4 suction cups with RAM mounts between, or a hard point with 2 suction cups bracing the mount. Also, I use the RAM suction cups. Make sure you're attaching to a glossy, smooth surface. Attaching across a metal seam or paint line, and it may not stick for the entire flight. My mountings hold fine up to 3.5 Gs using a GoPro II.
 
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Here's my GoPro mounted to my wing. It's mounted using two screws that attach the wingtip. I have several holes drilled into the mount, so it can face 45 degrees out (good for some formation flight footage) or facing 45 degrees in (good for a view of my airplane in flight). Solid as a rock and very secure. The video was my first flight testing the mount.

The video was taken on a typical Pacific NW day. Lots of puffy clouds in the area. Visibility around these small clouds is very good, and most of them are wispy enough to see right through. The clouds provide a great visual indication of the attitude of the plane!

IMG_1647.jpg


IMG_1646.jpg


IMG_1645.jpg


http://youtu.be/cwquWSFxwWA
 
I use the same location to mount my Drift HD170, in a similar manner. And as luck would have it, the spacing on the screws that retain the top fairing on my vertical stabilizer is the same as the spacing on my wingtip (at least, the two screws I want to use in each location have the same spacing). So I can mount it on the tail or on the wingtip, whichever seems more useful at the time.
 
One suction cup won't do it.
Thanks for the advice! Will look into the multiple suction type thing.

Here's my GoPro mounted to my wing. It's mounted using two screws that attach the wingtip. I have several holes drilled into the mount, so it can face 45 degrees out (good for some formation flight footage) or facing 45 degrees in (good for a view of my airplane in flight). Solid as a rock and very secure. The video was my first flight testing the mount.

http://youtu.be/cwquWSFxwWA
Love the video! great placement, just wish I had the ability to put screws and permanent stuff on the airplane. But that is a definant possibility!

I use the same location to mount my Drift HD170, in a similar manner. And as luck would have it, the spacing on the screws that retain the top fairing on my vertical stabilizer is the same as the spacing on my wingtip (at least, the two screws I want to use in each location have the same spacing). So I can mount it on the tail or on the wingtip, whichever seems more useful at the time.
If only I could be that luckk! haha I cant wait to have my own RV to put cameras on :D
 
A plan B would possibly be to fabricate a replacement inspection cover and use that when you need a camera mount.

Dan
 
camera mount

Scott, how does mounting the camera on top of the wing affect the stall characteristics?
 
Camera mount

Ian,
I mounted my go-pro camera to the RV8 gas cap. The go-pro tripod mount has a 1/4-20 female thread, so I tapped the area opposite the gas cap lever with a 1/4-20 bottoming tap (do not drill through!). I then created a 1/4-20 stud from threaded rod, and with red Locktite, secured half the stud into the go-pro tripod mount. finally simply screw the mount and camera into the gas cap so that the camera points away from the lever (one or two layers of masking tape can help the orientation of the camera on the gas cap). Now, by simply rotating the cap you can take vidio in any direction that you fancy.
 
I use the wingtip screws (top and bottom) but also have a PEDCO UltraClamp. I have a friend flying a Cherokee and he mounts 5 GoPros on various external points - ties owns, tail skid, step, etc using just the UltraClamps.
 
A plan B would possibly be to fabricate a replacement inspection cover and use that when you need a camera mount.

Dan

Probably won't work as the skin will allow too much vibration, which results in fuzzy videos. GoPro is particularly susceptible to vibration (aerodynamic, mechanical or both).
 
Ian,
I mounted my go-pro camera to the RV8 gas cap. The go-pro tripod mount has a 1/4-20 female thread, so I tapped the area opposite the gas cap lever with a 1/4-20 bottoming tap (do not drill through!). I then created a 1/4-20 stud from threaded rod, and with red Locktite, secured half the stud into the go-pro tripod mount. finally simply screw the mount and camera into the gas cap so that the camera points away from the lever (one or two layers of masking tape can help the orientation of the camera on the gas cap). Now, by simply rotating the cap you can take vidio in any direction that you fancy.

That's the coolest idea I've read about in a while!!
Good thinking!!

Mark
 
Really easy solution:
2011-12-31_13-58-31_534.jpg


These are the low res cameras but they make high res units.

Here is my first attempt at using them. The editing isn't very good, but you get the idea. At the very end of that video I list the website where you can buy them.

I need to aim the cameras down slightly so you don't see the bottom of the wing.
 
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Put bulk inside

A plan B would possibly be to fabricate a replacement inspection cover and use that when you need a camera mount.

Dan

This works well, just put most of the camera inside the cover. I have 2 mounts to provide different angles.
Dale
RV6a Drift HD170 & Bullet cams (SD with sound in headset).
See videos on youtube channel - same handle as here.
 
I think if you Check out the AcroCamp web site, they share some details on how they were attaching the GoPros to wing struts, etc on various aircraft. I think they were using clamp mounts like I have for my Gopro, but supplementing it with gaffers tape.
 
I think if you Check out the AcroCamp web site, they share some details on how they were attaching the GoPros to wing struts, etc on various aircraft. I think they were using clamp mounts like I have for my Gopro, but supplementing it with gaffers tape.

Thanks thats a great idea... Ill check their site out... Hopefully the film comes out soon :eek:
 
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