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Permalink Reply by Ritchie on March 15, 2011 at 4:11am

This is a project that although inherently good natured will attract the idiotic fear mongering brigade also. Tread lightly.

We have dim wits too and while I'd love to stick some 1080p cameras on a platform and follow the dumbasses to get proof I have resorted to the safe option on having two camera outside mine on an aiming platform (using the movement code I did for APM). Less hassle to build and protects about 20 homes (I live in a cul de sac).

Q&A decisions:

Are you patrolling more than 100m x 100m? YES - plane will provide extra coverage and conserve battery. NO - quadcopter will provide coverage and allow you to hover over a designated target to monitor.

Do you wish to patrol for more than 10 minutes before changing battery? YES - plane will provide 30 minutes without problem. NO - quadcopter has short duration but is better suited to monitoring slow things.

 

Duration is about managing power (both in the battery and on the airframe). A 2200mAH battery on an APM driven model plane would get you just 30 minutes in gentle winds. On an APM driven quadcopter you would see 5-10 minutes dependent on how gentle you were. These numbers do not include live stream equipment and battery usage let alone with added strain on the motor(s). Make it a 5000mAH LiPO and the frames will maintain those figures with the gear on the airframe. Of course more batteries can be used but then you are adding more mass and must therefore make sure the motor(s) will still work as wanted.

 

Hope this at least gives you an idea. Skywalker model plane would suit this excellent and an Arducopter frame would suit also dependent on your choices above. Flying over a community is a bit of a dicy subject, let alone the legality (bit of a grey area) so please be tread carefully.

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Permalink Reply by Gerry Lichter on March 15, 2011 at 11:50am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerostat

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Permalink Reply by William Bishop on March 16, 2011 at 10:05am

A gas engine variable pitch prop ArduQuad would fit the bill....

The future will have it reading the power/water meters (a UAV ..I mean UAS can cover more terrain in a hour than a man driving and walking can in a day), taking over routine patrol areas for local LEOs (is the park cleared of reefer smokers after dark, responding to alarm monitoring alerts, etc)  Sensing/Geolocating RF interferences for Cable, TV and Cellular carriers, the list goes on as far as the imagination.   I would gladly put my company on it.... 

Fly it strictly over treetop level with smart routing to minimize damage risks if it pooops itself.  A group like this could cover all the bases and the necessary fixes in a week. 

Gas isn't green but until they come up with super batteries that can land on a induction charging platform and be off again in thirty minutes, gas lasts.....

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Permalink Reply by Squalish on March 16, 2011 at 10:30am

Aswarm of automated-recharging quads is not entirely outside the realm of possibility right now... someone would just need to invest the money, find the inductive chargers, and write the code.  Figure at least a dozen quads (probably more like two dozen) on a recharging cycle for every quad in the air.  A123 & AltairNano batteries can do numerous-cycle high current recharging right now.

 

I'm just not sure there's anything worthwhile for them to do at the moment, limited to a 10 minute flight duration.

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy K. on March 16, 2011 at 10:48am

I had in mind a gas powered plane but have been thinking about the quad for a few days. I still think a plabe would work best, I've got a design worked up for a thales like watchkeeper but for a neighbor hood watch a quad would be great but it would need the code to move itself hover and look for a bit then move to a new location if sitting at relatively low levels. or it would need a pretty hi-def camera if sitting higher and just sort of hovering. My design for school I think is a bit overkill for a small neighborhood so I think a  quad does make more sense... is there a way you can contact me directly? I do not know the forum rules about giving out email and all that. As I understand it arduino run on C I am slightly proficient but am working through some arduino books. I concentrated on aerodynamics and and sensors not the software engineering side.

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ModeratorPermalink Reply by Gary Mortimer on March 16, 2011 at 10:53am

Whats wrong with a network of cameras on poles if its for a neighborhood?

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy K. on March 16, 2011 at 11:03am

Im working towards an aerospace eng degree therefore I must make it more difficult than necesary lol and second I need and want the experience, so a neighborhood watch drone caught my attention but really as I had not planned on ore than day/night cameras and the necessary downlink equipment it can watch my dog  or it can be tailored to be marketed to local leos who have said they would love a drone to scout ahead when in crappy areas. where I live when not in school they had arson problems and some strange stuff going on with rr tracks and the fbi was involved all said they would sell their teeth to have a constant but movable eye above it. much more awe inspiring than some vc on a post I think.

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Permalink Reply by William Bishop on March 16, 2011 at 11:57am

A buzzing drone that is hovering over a scene where a programmed detection response has brought the drone to take a look would scare off the average adversary.  Silent video detection/monitoring works but response would be much slower.  Then again ...three subjects B&Eing a house in the suburbs probably wouldn't even notice the drone due to the crack induces buzz going on in their heads....jaja

The programmed patrols running the problem areas on a varied schedule could save time and manpower.

All of this neat stuff would be under 400 feet, maybe easier to get COA'd and providing services as a contract could open up to several markets.

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Permalink Reply by William Bishop on March 16, 2011 at 12:04pm

Check out the old ACR Silver Fox.  We used it SOTB, it has a 35cc Honda motor.

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Permalink Reply by Christopher Leveck on April 1, 2011 at 8:22pm

I'm in. I've been working on something already, if nothing else I'd like to share my thoughts with you on the subject.I've been working on a disaster response or maybe first responder type aircraft for smaller towns. Working earthquake and natural disaster type stuff. Also thinking along the lines of animal and marine conservation.

Give me a call @ 971-239-7361 to discuss. Best to start on the phone I think.

Chris

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy K. on April 1, 2011 at 10:15pm

hey,

 

I;ll give you ca call tomorrow sometime. I have plenty of ideas done some math to support a design so I Am sure there will be plenty talk about,

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Permalink Reply by William Bishop on April 1, 2011 at 10:31pm

Hey guys I have been doing motor/prop/battery calculations for days now and still can't find anything that will fly 20+ lbs for more than a few minutes.  I am trying to develop something that will do the target audience requirement - community/contract services but can't find anything beyond "toy" category.  I think that a modular airframe is primordial and the ability to swap out modules and do repairs quickly are best practice ideas.  Let me know if you come to any arrangement and I am willing to drop $ also.

Saludos

BB

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