Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Hector Fernadez on December 2, 2010 at 4:38pm

hi igal, i'm start working in some similar project, maybe we can work together.

at night i will contact you by PM

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Permalink Reply by igal nassima on December 3, 2010 at 10:50pm

hi Hector,
I would be very interested in working together,
I am rightly mostly working on the software parts to wirelessly transmit images over 3g networks and sms.
And building an Arducopter too to gain some experience.
Where are you located?

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Permalink Reply by Hector Fernadez on December 6, 2010 at 4:46am

i'm in monterrey mexico.

i was buying today some parts of arduino for start working on it. my idea is to make a blimp like 17' to 20' for a payload of 1.5 to 2.5 kg and use it for audio/video of wildlife in mountains, plus obtain some money for rent the service of photography in public events.

but at this moment, the security in my site was rise up, and could be so genial if it can be used like a survillance montiroing, obviusly only using a video cam of .00001 lux sensivity. (this are working in hypersphere project made by croatians, simulating a satelltie!)

this will not a easy project, but i know it could be better with the time; i think than for transmit the gps data and some info could by 3g internet, but i don't know exactly how to transmit live video and what quality could do.

at this moment i was buy arduino uno with several servo motors, sensors, etc... also the ethernet shield for work with tcp/ip data.

let me more about you, maybe could be convenient to make another threat about this project for start posting the builded

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Permalink Reply by Wes Collins on September 21, 2011 at 2:46pm

You might actually do better with a rigid hull design rather than a blimp.  They have a tendency to have better handling characteristics and can hanndle being buffeted around by winds a bit more than a blimp can as you can mount stabilizer vectored thrust props in the upper and lower rudder to act as lateral thrust in winds plus you have hard points all over the airframe for equipment mounting (including better long term support for amorphous solar panels if you want to go all solar) and can even mount much of your desired equipment inside the keel to allow for less drag. 

 

There is a guy just north of you, Hector, in LA I think, named Jack Clemens who built a 20' flight capable model of the USS Macon.  He used balsa for his frame design, but lightweight plastics could provide better strength at the same or even less weight (just for a lot more money).  The blimp would be cheaper to build, however the rigid frame would be a more robust design which will provide greater operational longevity.

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Permalink Reply by Hector Fernadez on September 21, 2011 at 10:15pm

Hi Wes, so much thanks for your comments, i will take hands on that information!

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Permalink Reply by wahaha686 on January 8, 2012 at 11:47am

Hey Igal,

My team and I are currently exploring similar ideas, we are located in New York City as well.  Let me know how your project goes, maybe we can collaborate.

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Permalink Reply by heliboy on January 6, 2013 at 6:18am

HI wahaha. I am located close by in NJ and we are looking a build a surveilence blimp. I have a quad drone but the endurance is too short. One of the many issues we are struggling with is how to dock the blip autonomously for recharge and in the event of strong winds. Happy to work with you.

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Permalink Reply by Emery c. Chandler on January 2, 2013 at 8:56pm

hi igal,

Im doing an experiment based out of history, im tryng to recreates the army's attempt to make a flying aircraft carrier only for mav fixed/multi & single rotors. I saw below someone mention riged design known as a derigible, I agree they are typicly better, the military (army again) is retesting normal but very large unmanned blimps (powered by prop?) for radar and its working well. just curiouse what fabric are you using?

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Permalink Reply by Sam on April 8, 2013 at 5:39pm

Hi, I am looking to do a long distance flight-a ridged frame blimp with an endurance of maybe 2 weeks. Please share any findings!

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