What are the reasons behind camera tilting? On possible horizontal deviations of the camcorder. A question about the work of the device in windy conditions. What kind of servo should be used in the gimbal? How to configure gyroscopes on the Ecilop mount? Why do you use separate gyroscopes instead of a single block of three-axis stabilization? How to configure PID in the flight controller? Is it possible to allow two persons to control the drone and the camera on it independently? Can the size of Ecilop Easy be reduced for easy transportation by plane? Will a drone with eight rotors be more reliable than a quad-copter? Can I use your technology for building my own drone? Question: what kind of accuracy can be achieved for camera stabilization? Answer: Stabilization on a regular servo gear works in the following way: a) an unwanted tilt takes place; b) electronics measure the tilt value; c) the servo gear compensates the tilt. Ecilop is not just about stabilization, it's about initial camera stability plus tilt control. An usual direct servo-gear has measurable side play and it seriously affects the image quality (usual gimbal). In case of Ecilop's inertial stabilization, you cannot specify an exact discrete value. Ecilop offers a very high level of angular camera stabilization. This is the type of stabilization that provides the highest image quality. The camera may tilt, but it happens smoothly. What are the reasons behind camera tilting? If camera tilting is permanent, it may be caused by the following reasons: On possible horizontal deviations of the camcorder. The camera may tilt during maneuvers and after them. This happends because onboard controlers use accelerometers for finding the horizon. However, gravitation, centrifugal force and inertia are indiscernible for an accelerometer. This cannot be compensated with an electronic gyroscope, since the speed and turn radius are unknown. If you keep flying in circles or slow down after a turn, the camera may tilt following an erroneous command of a controller. When flying along an arc trajectory or with a linear acceleration, an effect of artificial gravity is created. An optical horizon sensor does not have this problem, but has a number of other drawbacks. A question about the work of the device in windy conditions. I will split this question into two parts each addressing a separate subject: 1 - the behavior of the camera; 2 - the behavior of the quadcopter itself. What kind of servo should be used in the gimbal? We recommend using fast servos with a minimal "dead zone". If a servo has a large "dead zone", small-range camera swaying will not be stopped by gyro. The power of the servo should be proportional to the stretching force of the spring. For the Ecilop Easy it must be 2 kg/cm or more (springs are included). The better the mechanism is balanced, the weaker the springs can be. The heavier the mechanism is and the harder it is to rotate it, the stronger the springs should be. If weak springs are used, the effect of inertial stabilization is higher, but the amplitude of random fluctuations is also higher. Stronger springs reduce the amplitude of random fluctuations, but movements become less smooth. How to configure gyroscopes on the Ecilop mount? As gyroscope is responsible only for swinging avoidance, it can be adjusted without flying controller by giving signal directly from receiver. Why do you use separate gyroscopes instead of a single block of three-axis stabilization? A three-axis block has a fixed position relative to the third axis. The tilt of the sensors changes relative to the two other axes. A three-axis block calculates acceleration as a sum of cosines and sines from different sensors. Proportionality in the measurements of different sensors can be high, but not ideal. Errors often occur due to non-linearity in measurements. An error is when a tilt in one plane causes a reaction of a servo mechanism in another one. Example: if a single block is tilted forward at an angle of 50 degrees, there is no more gyroscope that would measure the sideward tilt directly. * An electronic camera stabilizer is often referred to as inertial stabilization. Such controllers have integrated inertial sensors. These sensors allow the controllers to calculate the necessary tilt value. The camera position is set by a servo-gear triggered by a certain control command. However, this is electronic, rather than inertial, stabilization. When inertial stabilization is used, a servo-gear is only used for trimming the camera position. Some examples of pure inertial stabilization are a heavy mechanical gyroscope or a balance beam. How to configure PID in the flight controller? In most situations, factory settings need not to be changed. Accurate adjustment is performed in the same way it is done on other drones. However, there is one more simple, yet somewhat dangerous, configuration method: Is it possible to allow two persons to control the drone and the camera on it independently? You can use video goggles with a built-in head tracker. In this case, the camera operator uses the goggles for controlling the camera tilt and turning the drone, while the pilot controls its position. For the same purpose, you can connect two remote controls in the student/instructor mode. If necessary, the pilot can always switch all controls over to his remote. Can the size of Ecilop Easy be reduced for easy transportation by plane? The frame of the drone is not foldable, but compact. You can carry both a drone and a remote control unit in one hand. The drone occupies just one car seat and is always ready to fly. Engine rigger and the chassis are assembled using screws. You can unscrew them to fit the entire drone into a travel bag (12 screws). Will a drone with eight rotors be more reliable than a quad-copter? Additional rotors increase the reliability and the price of a drone. In most situations, drones crash because of the pilot's mistake. The number two reason is carelessness and lack of attention during drone assembly and pre-flight preparation. The more bolts and wires a drone has, the higher is the chance of one of them falling out or going off. People who use drones for work strive to minimize inevitable damage after crashes and simplify maintenance. Today, a classic helicopter with a single high-quality rigid rotor is a more reliable option than a multi-copter with light propellers. A simple multi-copter is just a more cost-efficient solution for simple tasks. Ecilop Easy is a quadcopter with a simple design, since simplicity is a precursor of reliability. Where possible, the design uses rivets instead of screws - and that's how aeronautical and space equipment is assembled. If a rivet has to be removed, it's drilled through, removed and replaced with a new one. Can I use your technology for building my own drone? Ecilop drones use a patented camera stabilization technology. If you copy this principle of camera stabilization, each technical or marketing text related to your product(s) must mention the name of the technology's author and an active link to ecilop.com (Camera rotation control by Aleksey Zaitsevsky, ecilop.com ). A short history of a "Steadi": Aleksey Zaitsevsky, 2012, http://www.myresearch.company |