Rotorpixel gimbal for Phantom Vision

[Scottrod]

Pull-Up, I probably missed your mod somewhere but what precisely was the mod (specific parts and assembly) you did to the wifi extender? I have read so many threads about modding the wifi extender, I am looking for an easy but effective solution. TIA.

Easy to get lost, isn't it?!

Ok, so videos detailing the kit components, installation and range testing results (in that order) are here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LEHRrFSB0I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsUpYNeTwaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlJ-ZXd3qnQ

Links in the descriptions of those to the Horizon FPV Antenna website with the various options available. You can buy complete kits (range extender, tx, rx and camera antenna) or just the bits you want. For my purposes I only modded the ground end, the aircraft remains totally stock... Executive summary: effective? For me, yes. Easy? I don't even own a soldering iron and embrace all things plug and play... I managed this ok.

Any questions feel free to PM me or comment on the vids, don't want to derail the gimbal thread...

Give that poor dog some lovin' or a bone! :lol: But in all seriousness, good video. I've only modded the wifi repeater with a 9dbi omni because I'm in the same boat. First, I want to make sure the antenna fits properly with the Rotorpixel gimbal once installed. Secondly, I would like the Phantom to fit in my case with the antenna attached if possible but I'm thinking this will be unlikely. For now I'm pretty happy with the 3,300' I'm getting with just the wifi repeater mod. I'm thinking at this point of just letting the craft side antennas stock, although I have heard that is where you pick up the most additional range.

Yes. It's big. It's black. :lol:

Warm weather is right around the corner. Anxiously awaiting this gimbal!

 

[mr_3_0_5]

I think you'd be better off to mod the camera antenna as in this pic but just on the motor side . It would only take a half hour or so. The motor side antenna will be essentially useless and you will be finding out how well the WiFi works with just one antenna. There will be an area on the motor side with no WiFi and if there's no signal then it doesn't matter how good a ground antenna you have.

I too would like to add an external camera antenna such as pictured instead of the blocked antenna but wonder if another thin cable would bother the gimbal, Keri.

They use LHCP Patch antennas so an external ant needs to be Left Hand or Omni to work. Is it me or did the guy mount his patch antennas pointing inward?? I thought that the Coax connectors were facing inward? Don't know for sure.

So you say the stock camera antennas are LHCP. How do you know that? I couldn't find anything out

If I was to use the mad mushroom, I would attach a RHCP directional antenna to the range extender.

Whatever you use you want them to match
If you don't plan on upgrading the pv2 then get a LHCP
If you upgrade both ends then it doesn't matter just match whatever your getting

 

[gfredrone]

I chuckle every time I see Scott's big black rod of an antenna. It could be in a feature film such as phantom mod with a big black rod.

 

[Scottrod]

I chuckle every time I see Scott's big black rod of an antenna. It could be in a feature film such as phantom mod with a big black rod.

Heh glad I could make ya laugh. I'm curious to try other antennas. People seem to have decent results with helicals.

 

[chidago]

EXCELLENT question 'Zilla....could be a tribe from Africa..

 

[RemE]

Kindly request to discuss the antenna in another thread !

Let's discuss here the Rotorpixel gimbal guys.

Yes no antenna discussing.

Please lets begin to discuss here the Rotorpixel gimbal guys.

First question, do the Rotorpixel gimbal guys like sushi?

Second question, are there sub-tribes within the Rotorpixel gimbal guys or are they a monolithic group untroubled by the rampant factionalism associated with more aged gimbal guys?

I like the way you think :twisted:

 

[ResevorDG]

Ok antenna wise, and yes this is on topic.
How likely is is that we can pull wires out of the fc200 to put an external skewer or whatever antenna on the wifi. I don't want to to mess with the gimbal motor function, but I do want better range than stock.
Thoughts?

 

[Pull_Up]

If you use a flexible enough cable, give it enough slack, and then route the excess along the gimbal frame (to reduce weight of cable hanging off the camera) then it should work ok, especially if you can run the wires out close to the CG of the camera. Keri has said the lens filter kits (at 12g right on the those) should work without any tweaking to the gimbal controller, so the motors should have enough grunt to handle an extra gramme or two of cable...*

* Please note the above information is given based on my extensive experience of adding antennas to aircraft, and owning a brushless gimbal - i.e. 48 hours and 0 hours respectively.

 

[br17623366]

Hello all :

just to stay focused on the gimbal issue, I've read on the French forum dedicated to DJI that a new gimbal "by DJI" for the P2V was on its way, more news coming in two weeks.

The one who posted this info is the forum admin and creator and seems to know what he is talking about (he gave many information, always correct, in advance thanks to contact at DJI...)

For those who read French :
posted yesterday at 23:39 by "Kosem" :
http://www.djiphantom-forum.com/t3872p2 ... sion#74306


Thinking about cancelling my order of the Rotorpixel #411 and waiting a little...

Bertrand

 

[pault]

Hello all :

just to stay focused on the gimbal issue, I've read on the French forum dedicated to DJI that a new gimbal "by DJI" for the P2V was on its way, more news coming in two weeks.

The one who posted this info is the forum admin and creator and seems to know what he is talking about (he gave many information, always correct, in advance thanks to contact at DJI...)

For those who read French :
posted yesterday at 23:39 by "Kosem" :
http://www.djiphantom-forum.com/t3872p2 ... sion#74306


Thinking about cancelling my order of the Rotorpixel #411 and waiting a little...

Bertrand

I read the same thing yesterday posted by someone who had been in contact with DJI - I was surprised at the time that it did not attract more comment - cannot find it now !

 

[Pull_Up]

I've no doubt DJI have been working on a gimbal, they'd be crazy not to, but would they release it as a standalone or as part of a Vision 3?

 

[iResq]

Normally I would agree with the calls to keep thread on track, however until the RP gimble becomes reality, I'm enjoying the antenna discussion. And it is related.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[wp6529]

I for one am sticking with the RP gimbal. I bought a P2V as a RTF entry into aerial photo / video, but from that point on I want my purchases to be "modular". The RP gimbal fits that requirement as I will be able to put other cameras on it (I can make my own brackets), move the gimbal to a different aircraft, etc. Anything from DJI is likely to no be adaptable or portable to other applications. And yes, if I find it necessary after I test the gimbal, i will mod the camera antennas as needed.

 

[gfredrone]

Hello all :

just to stay focused on the gimbal issue, I've read on the French forum dedicated to DJI that a new gimbal "by DJI" for the P2V was on its way, more news coming in two weeks.

The one who posted this info is the forum admin and creator and seems to know what he is talking about (he gave many information, always correct, in advance thanks to contact at DJI...)

For those who read French :
posted yesterday at 23:39 by "Kosem" :
http://www.djiphantom-forum.com/t3872p2 ... sion#74306


Thinking about cancelling my order of the Rotorpixel #411 and waiting a little...

Bertrand

Here is the email I received from DJI about their multi axis gimbal for the P2V on 1/18/2014. I couldn't wait so I jumped on the RP bandwagon. Also the expandability and portability of the RP gimbal is worth every penny.

"...about the multi axis thing, we are trying to make it and pls pay attention to our website news."

Best regards,

Zach
DJI Innovations
http://www.dji.com

 

[MikeySoft]

Keri and future reviewers,

Will I be able to adjust the roll stabilization, either before or during a flight, to allow videos to have some roll effect?
Like is shows near the end (02:25) of this video?

http://youtu.be/RIWpKcf7mcQ

 

[Pull_Up]

Haven't looked into this much myself, yet, but here's the firmware, GUI and manuals for the control board used on the Rotorpixel...

http://www.basecamelectronics.com/downloads/

 

[CJ31]

I thought that it was made pretty clear that as of the week of Feb 10, we would have enough materials for 100 units, and that they would start shipping out soon after. We're now only 2.5 weeks from then, and units are shipping out already. I think that we've done pretty well so far.

Not trying to be an ***, but I think most people assumed that 100 units would ship the week of Feb 10. Sorry but 10% of the target 2.5 weeks late is not doing "pretty well" in most parts of the world.

Once we're going full steam, I expect that we'll be able to get at least 50 out per week

I assume they've sold at least 5-600. So it looks like some folks will be waiting 10-12 weeks.

With a DJI gimbal possibly out soon my advice to Keri is what my dad used to tell me when I had a brief opportunity "Make hay while the sunshines!"

 

[bobomet]

I had my finger on my credit card's "trigger" the first day I learned of the RP Gimbal. I'm not at all in doubt about the quality of the product, and have gained a appreciation, since learning of it, for the size and capability of the PV2 user base.

I find myself becoming my patient Father (something that used to drive me nuts as a child) as I reach my "mature" years.
I'm seeing all the global market forces at work: a large demand for a quality product that changes a new, powerful technology, a small manufacturer trying to serve a world-wide market for that technology, that includes in its chain some relatively major retailers, and the effects of the time value of money, which in this new world usually translates to the probability of a better future product emerging, for less money, and greater compatibility.

So I'm gonna use my past investments in Adobe's After Effects and Imagineer's Mocha products to stabilize my images until DJI enters the market.

This isn't a slap of any kind at Rotorpixel, They deserve the credit for getting this capability off the ground.

 

[gfredrone]

American Express

Payment Due $409.00
Minimum Payment Due $35.00
Due in 9 days: Thu Mar 13

Time is tickin Keri!!!

 

[MikeySoft]

Haven't looked into this much myself, yet, but here's the firmware, GUI and manuals for the control board used on the Rotorpixel...

http://www.basecamelectronics.com/downloads/

Keri and future reviewers,

Will I be able to adjust the roll stabilization, either before or during a flight, to allow videos to have some roll effect?
Like is shows near the end (02:25) of this video?

http://youtu.be/RIWpKcf7mcQ

Thanks, It uses a PID controller. The values appear to be able to be change using a USB interface. I'm not sure, but looks promising, at least we may be able to change then before a flight and return then back later. I think RotorPixel is tweaking these values to be best with the P2V and present camera. I think it would be hard for someone like me to experiment with the values for different roll effects. It would be great if RotorPixel would give a simple procedure and recommend values for different roll effects.

I’m charging my batteries now for a flight because the weather looks good today.