So I want to get my toes wet in aerial mapping and I have a question on camera mounts. The platform is a 350 sized quad running APM 3.2 on a Pixhawk. Is a gimbal necessary for still photos? Or will a good vibration dampening mount work?
Thanks
John
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You can have no gimbal for that kind of work. Mine works well without any gimbal. Just to make sure that the copter has no oscillation or wobbles issue during autonomous flight. Also tilt your camera 5-8 deg just to compensate the angle of attack on your copter.
Thanks!
does gimbal help us to have better images or no ?
there is a big question in my mind that when quad copter move forward the camera sensor is not parallel with earth surface .
does it necessary to use gimbal to adjust this tilt or no ?
thank you
There is no need to be exactly vertical for the camera axis. The mapping post processing phase goes through 3D reconstruction first, and all is needed is a regular pattern of pictures with good overlap. No matter if there is a +/- 10° pitch or roll.
I started my activity with a camera directly fixed under my Iris+ belly, and never had any issue for mapping. I added a 2D gimbal on my second bigger machine, but it is not for stabilization. It is to force a pitch or roll angle for good 3D reconstruction. Because finally angled views are better for this purpose than strictly vertical view.
So for mapping (house roof only is good): no gimbal.
For 3D reconstruction (need also house walls) : gimbal