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Experience using a Quadcopter/Hexacopter setup for agricultural imaging/farm use?

Posted by RT on November 23, 2016 at 3:45am

Hello

I am looking at buying/building a hexacopter for farm use. Looking to use a multispectral camera on it (like the parrot sequoia, agrobotix or agrocam).

I need at least a 20min flight time. Payload is not that heavy. Those cameras together with gimbal should not weigh more than 1kg.

I was looking to build one based on the Tarot frames. 

While researching I found this built which pretty much matches what I thought would be fit for my purpose:

http://www.droneshop.biz/multirotors/hexacopters/tarot-680pro-series-arducopter-gps-hexacopter-fully-built-system.html

Does anyone have any experience with this type of built for farm use?

Or any experience with any frame for farm use?

Maybe you can suggest a better solution than the one I found?

Any input is much appreciated.

Thank you

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Replies

  • Greg Covey November 23, 2016 at 11:21am

    I use the Canon S100 Gimbal and Mount Kit from BirdsEyeView Aerobotics on my FireFLY6 VTOL, Ranger EX QuadPlane, and Tarot MRCs. The gimbal mount is based on the Feiyu Tech Ultra G3 gimbal mount so I can swap planes and cameras. One S100 is for visual spectrum and another for NGB for NDVI. Good quality but inexpensive DIY solutions.


    RT said:

    good to know. 

    do you use your drone for mapping?

    what gimbal do you have/recommend?

    thanks

  • andrew cutter November 23, 2016 at 10:26am

    when slantrange  became apart of Drone deploy app library this meant for me that i could use drone deploy as my base software . use slantrange  as my camera . Aglytix as my analytical software  (in theory) / also apart of drone deploy library. Aglytix give the farmer the info that he needs in simply graph terms . A big plus . Drone deploy might be where you want start. Slantrange doesn't require the overlap that a majority of the companies require . which mean more acres covered and  less processing (done on board the copter / stitching ) .  Drone deploy will be offering an app for crop insurance ( a plus for me ) . If you are starting out maybe DJI (prices droping all the time) . Flight time ? Ability to handle wind ? may be a problem . Sequioa would be my alternative camera . Fits both quad copter and fixed wing . I'm still waiting on an in depth review of slant range - non bias . The one of the biggest head winds is the cost . Whether this be the copter or software or processing (stitching) . Their software seems to be a basic GIS software .

    RT said:

    i saw the spyder 6 frame. very nice but too expensive for me. 

    slant range also looks very good. the analytics package a bit too highly priced for my purpose.

    sequoia also has a light sensor to calibrate as it flies.

    do you use slant range? if so, for how long? and how do you find their analytics? (they seem like overkill to me)


    andrew cutter said:

    I tend to like sky hero spyder better . Also using the camera boom on the skyhero allows me to switch out camera quicker and less worries about CG . If you are looking to fly for farming you might look into slant range or one that has the ability calibrate while flying . Calibration is important when it come nvdi .

  • RT November 23, 2016 at 9:56am

    can you please describe how you use your quadcopters for your farm?

    what kind of imagery? cameras, etc?

    thank you

    Cala said:

    I build two Tarot 650 cuadcopters for farm use, one flyes 20' with more payload capability and other 30-35' min with less. nice frame

  • RT November 23, 2016 at 9:56am

    good to know. 

    do you use your drone for mapping?

    what gimbal do you have/recommend?

    thanks

    Greg Covey said:

    That's not a bad price for a fully built Tarot 680 Pro. The hexacopter fits your flight time and payload needs. Here is mine all set up and ready for aerial video. For mapping, you may want to consider retracts like those on the Tarot 650 Sport quadcopter.

    3702327222?profile=original

  • RT November 23, 2016 at 9:55am

    i saw the spyder 6 frame. very nice but too expensive for me. 

    slant range also looks very good. the analytics package a bit too highly priced for my purpose.

    sequoia also has a light sensor to calibrate as it flies.

    do you use slant range? if so, for how long? and how do you find their analytics? (they seem like overkill to me)


    andrew cutter said:

    I tend to like sky hero spyder better . Also using the camera boom on the skyhero allows me to switch out camera quicker and less worries about CG . If you are looking to fly for farming you might look into slant range or one that has the ability calibrate while flying . Calibration is important when it come nvdi .

  • Greg Covey November 23, 2016 at 8:25am

    That's not a bad price for a fully built Tarot 680 Pro. The hexacopter fits your flight time and payload needs. Here is mine all set up and ready for aerial video. For mapping, you may want to consider retracts like those on the Tarot 650 Sport quadcopter.

    3702327222?profile=original

  • Cala November 23, 2016 at 7:58am

    I build two Tarot 650 cuadcopters for farm use, one flyes 20' with more payload capability and other 30-35' min with less. nice frame

  • andrew cutter November 23, 2016 at 4:58am

    I tend to like sky hero spyder better . Also using the camera boom on the skyhero allows me to switch out camera quicker and less worries about CG . If you are looking to fly for farming you might look into slant range or one that has the ability calibrate while flying . Calibration is important when it come nvdi .

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