Quadrocopters are four-rotor flying machines. Each rotor is fixed pitch and control requires automation (i.e., they are very hard to fly without automated controls). Generally, these flying machines are designed as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Many of the designs allow for fairly heavy lifting so that still and video cameras can be taken aloft. Control of the quadrocopter and the camera gear is often through the use of a video link with the operator wearing "video glasses." This provides a first Person View (FPV), as though you are in the cockpit of the vehicle. Some designs incorporate GPS technology and permit programmed flights which are fully autonomous.
Introduction This page provides an overview of the quadrocopter technology. Be aware that this is a rapidly developing field. This Wikipedia article provides some background. The focus of my investigation is the use of an aerial photography platform to enhance the value of herbarium collections. Follow this link for more thoughts on this issue. The following videos show the overall possibilities of using a quadrocopter to do video or still photography. Several different quadrocopter platforms are used and there are obvious differences in the quality of the resulting video. Venice Beach Fly Through is a good introduction to the control of an aerial video platform.
Precision flying, including low-level flight around vegetation.
Stability is demonstrated in this video clip. It is the same quadrocopter platform as shown above in the "windy conditions" loop. | Sites Worth Checking
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More Videos The Little River moves slowly across the ground and over a small stream.
First Person Video shows great flying skills as the quadrocopter moves through the understory vegetation.
Extreme Jungle shows fast flying (unfortunately) through and around dense vegetation.
Above the forest showing a relatively high perspective.
Ready to Fly System demonstration.
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