Ideas for setup

Posted by C on December 11, 2015 at 6:20am

Hello all!

Long time reader, first time poster.

Like to think I know the basics with drones but thought I'd use the valuable experience and opinions of those on the forum as a second opinion

So here goes-

Just about to invest in a drone and camera set-up for monitoring high value, intensive agricultural and horticultural crops. Will be going for NDVI at this stage.

  • Planning on using MAPIR camera.        Reasons=Budget, looks capable, simple etc

What are peoples thoughts on which particular camera to use?   NDVI+Blue+NIR the best?

  • Any suggestions of a good (reasonably priced) mapping software for compiling the pictures of fields welcome!

Want to use fiji and plugins for analysis of images.

All advice and comments are welcome.

Thanks

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Replies

  • Hoki December 16, 2015 at 8:42am

    I'm going to be building a drone too!  I've been going to this site called aliexpress to order all the parts cause it's sooo much cheaper but it's all coming from china so it takes like 2 weeks to a month to get stuff but I think if your not in a rush it's so worth it cause you can find most things 50 percent cheaper or more than like on amazon and in stores.  I bought a apm 2.8 GPS for like 40 dollars, simmon 30a ECUs 4 of them for 22 dollars and a s500 frame for 25 dollars and I'm gonna order the marspower motors that come with propellers that are like the phantom clone motors for like 50 dollars.  

  • Pat Randall December 12, 2015 at 6:35pm

    I was just at a conference which discussed this topic, NDIV - RGB seems to be what is most useful right now.  The two taken at the same time give the farmer some visual information to work with.  Other variations are great but no one really knows that they mean right not, one person who was collecting a lot of images said he was going back to basics because he was tired if processing and storing a lot of data that was not currently usefull.

    Check three things before you buy a drone, 1, how much additional payload will it carry, for how long, and how much space underneath do you have to mount cameras or insturments.  I fly a 3DR X8+ highly recommend.  Works well with mission planner and other software and is a really good platform for what you want to do.

    My take on software is there are companies for a small fee with do this part for you, just makes life simpler

  • RG December 11, 2015 at 9:33am

    Curious if you are going to use these with 3DR solo?

    • C > RG December 15, 2015 at 2:11am

      Will probably not be a 3DR solo.

      Nothing against that particular drone but want a more custom setup built to specifically match what i'm going to be doing with the drone.

    • FerrosonicFPV > C December 15, 2015 at 5:40am

      How about a custom Tarot 680 with long range control systems. Telemetry will go out for miles and miles.

      Helios T680.jpg

    • C > FerrosonicFPV December 15, 2015 at 6:10am

      Its a good suggestion.

      Bit over-specced for what i'm planning.

      Don't need to carry huge weight so don't need bigger motors burning more power.

      Just need capable, efficient airframe for few cameras. 

This reply was deleted.