Suitable Boat Kits for autonomous missions

Posted by Nichon on September 7, 2015 at 8:22pm

Hi,

I've been searching the net the past few days to search for a suitable boat that i can fit a pixhawk and 3-4 gopros for a project.  Do you folks have any to recommend?

I dont really have the tools, equipment to custom build a boat from scratch that's why i have to buy kits where i only have to do minor customisation to fit whatever i need.

Anyone successful in fitting gimbals on boats as well?

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Replies

    • David Boulanger > Thomas J Coyle III September 8, 2015 at 7:49am

      Nichon,

      It sounds like it is going to be some type of camera ship.  If your looking to carry 3 or 4 Gopro cameras plus gimbals I would recommend some type of catamaran.  You will need a good deal of deck space for the gimbals and some type of water resistant housing for them.  With all that weight on deck I would be afraid a monohull would be very tender and unstable unless it carried some type of ballasted keel.  Just my thoughts.

      Regards,

      David R. Boulanger

  • David Boulanger September 8, 2015 at 4:02am

    Nichon,

    I can't think of any kit off the top of my head that's easy to build and customize.  I am using a Tarot 2D gimbal now with good results. 

    Regards,

    David R. Boulanger

    • Nichon > David Boulanger September 8, 2015 at 9:10am

      Is your tarot 2d gimbal on a boat as well?

      Can you share some pictures on how you keep it dry and how u placed everything?

      thanks!

    • David Boulanger > Nichon September 8, 2015 at 11:28am

      A few comments here:

      At first the housing looks bigger than it needs to be.  I have plans on adding two mr16 spot lights, halogen or LED, to the housing plus maybe a small cooling fan.  Also another FPV camera pointing aft with a video switcher for better situational awareness.  At this point the housing will be full of stuff and not all that roomy.  Its mounted at the height it is so that the gimbaled camera cannot see the bow or port or starboard side of the boat.  The FPV camera is lower so I can see the boat so that I don't lose orientation.  The turret rotates 90 degrees port and starboard for a total of 180 degrees.  I removed the Plexiglas insert for the picture so I would not get a reflection from the camera flash.   The top camera is not always used but there for either a higher frame rate/ lower resolution for slow motion video or pointed vertical for looking at the plumbing and electrical wiring under docks and piers.  Both cameras are hardwired into the boats electrical system so that I don't need to worry about the cameras batteries going dead before I am done on the water.  It is water resistant not water proof.  I have been through some large boat wakes with no trouble.  The housing itself cost $8 from an arts and craft store and was then coated with West System epoxy.  Time and material made that a no brainer on the way to go.

      Regards,

      David R. Boulanger

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    • Admin
      Thomas J Coyle III > David Boulanger September 8, 2015 at 5:06am

      @David,

      I second your comment about most boat kits not being easy to build and customize.

      Before I built my Cracker Box V hull I searched all over the web for an easy to build boat kit and they all required tools to build and customize.

      Regards,

      TCIII AVD 

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