For my FPV projects I wanted a system that is easy to install in different vehicles. I always disliked that the FPV control of PAN/TILT systems used additional channels of my primary rc tx.

So I decided to build and integrated system that works independently from the RC and/or UAV setup. It should have and own receiver for controlling at least 2 cameras, a video downlink and a OSD controller for telemetry data. The ground unit had to be compact like a RC TX.

Actually I finished the system and I can control 2 cameras. One is a classic pan/tilt front camera with a GO Pro HD Hero live feed that can be moved by the head-tracker or by joystick. The second camera is a ripped CCTV with 30x optical zoom as belly/dome camera. I’m actually working on the stabilization of that one. I test the system with an old RC car using as receiver the remote unit itself.

The result is following:

Ground station/unit:

1. 5.8Ghz Video receiver
2. 8 ch 2.4Ghz Corona RC TX DIY Module
3. Eagle Tree Diversity ground station
4. Arduino duemilanove with LCD to control the 2.4Ghz TX module
5. Arduino mini to encode the ppm signal from a GY-1000 HK head-tracker encoding it again into a new ppm stream for the 2.4Ghz TX module.
6. Fat Shark video goggles
7. 3”  LCD monitor
8. Internal 11.1V Li-Po or external 12V power supply
9. Joysticks from an old walkera radio
10. Still open: Tripod with 5.8 GHz patch antenna with tracking system

Getting the ppm decoder was really hard. Most examples didn't worked at all. I mainly had to work with interrupts, but sending the head tracking position data to the primary arduino was really hairy. I finally generated analog signals, added a filter to make them "real" dc and read them with the main arduino.

Remote unit:

1. 200mW 5.8GHz Video Transmitter
2. 2.4 GHz Corona 8Ch receiver
3. 2Ch Video switch (on Ch7)
4. Eagle Tree OSD pro
5. Eagle Tree eLogger V4
6. HK 6A 5V ESC

The unit is quiet heavy. I guess at least 180g. But I don’t use it on small vehicles. I overall satisfied because now I can install an FPV system on planes and helicopters of friends and act as “passenger”. I never ever fly in FPV mode: I have always a pilot buddy or I’m the pilot and my buddy the passenger.