I recently had an inspection that required the use of a thermal camera to inspect a solar panel field for failed units. I have numerous thermal imagers, but most too big or too bulky to be used on a multi. The tau series is impressive for its size, but it is not the most plug and play camera on the market. The other issue is there is no readily available brushless gimbal with a manual tilt option. First, we installed it on our workhorse S900, but it was hard mounted to the gimbal rails with the ability to manually tilt. That obviously became a huge pain because you could never get the camera the exact way you wanted it. We researched many different posts and setups, but none were going to work for the exact way we wanted it to. After lots of trial and error, we have finally got a solid unit on our hands. We have steady, jello free video installed on a light, nimble and quick to deploy phantom 2. The phantom 2 is a good platform to install it on, as the Flir Tau 2 weighs only 5 more grams than a Gopro, and is extremely reliable. The results are pretty stunning, and its a pretty simple install once you know the pitfalls of installing a tau 2 on the phantom, and what you can do to correct it. Here is the list of the parts needed to have a complete, RTF thermal imaging phantom.
- Phantom 2 Flir Tau2 Thermal UAV
- DJI Phantom 2
- DJI 2.4ghz Datalink (Waypoints)
- DJI AVL58 Video Downlink
- DJI Mini IOSD
- DJI FPV HUB
- Flir Tau2 Thermal Camera 336 (13mm Lens)
- Flir Tau2 VPC Module
- Beholder Lite 2 Axis Brushless Gimbal
- Right Angle MCX Cable
- Right Angle MINI USB to USB Male
- 12-26 Volt to 5 Volt Regulator
We went with the 336 model with a 13mm lens. For the price, the 336 is the best option. If you are on a tight budget, the 168 model is ok, but the small price increase relative to quality for the 336 is major. The 640 is an amazing camera, but at more than double the price of the 336, we decided it wasn't necessary as of now.
The installation is pretty simple, but some minor soldering is required. The beholder lite gimbal is almost a perfect fit, and the stock gopro gimbal settings are pretty close. We did need to order some custom right angle cables, as the way the Tau 2 is mounted on the gimbal leaves very little room for straight plugs. You also need to convert the phantom 2's 12 volts to 5 volts to power the Tau 2, which is relatively easy to do with a car usb charge adapter.
Below is some up-close images of the install, and how everything is laid out. We also actively use the 2.4ghz datalink for waypoints, especially when performing inspections. We also did a quick demo video showing the recording quality of the camera, along with the gimbal performance.
You can also view details, step by step how-to and tips and tricks for the installation at http://www.nue-av.com/#!DJI-Phantom-...C-629BBF0BC19E
Here is some images of the final installation and how it is physically mounted to the phantom. If you have any questions, feel free to message me here or through our website, www.nue-av.com
Comments
@Nue-AV Do you sell this as a kit?
Hi Casey, the TAU 2 is just about the same weight as the GoPro so the weight trade off is about the same. I am running one extra Transmitter Immersion 5.8 gHz. Also I do not need the camera gimbal so far I am averaging around 20 minutes or so. And that has a lot to do with spinning the quad around for extra shots. I have found that if you do 360's you use a lot of battery, for one thing the quad wants to maintain altitude and in order to turn motors has to slow down to allow for torque to turn the quad. So with two motors slowing down somewhat and two motors speeding up to maintain altitude you are using a lot of battery. I pre plan my paths and try to keep all turns to a minimum so to give longer flight times. Hope this helps. BTW with the camera gimbal and my set-up as described I average just short of 14 minutes per flight.
Nue-AV: Not sure how active this thread is - , but I was wondering what all of your additions weigh in at, and how much fly time you can squeeze out of the system? Thanks!
Hi Nue-AV, I too am running a TAU 2 LWIR 336. I have the 19mm lens and the quality shots are stunning. I will take your camera mount as a great way to mount into my Y6. Right now I am flying fixed wing with a X8 and Discover. I was looking for a good mount and you have helped me in this department. Thanks for you great work in figuring out the attachment for the TAU. I use a car single charging plug which I dismantled and wrapped it in a tough shrink tubing to keep the circuit safe. I use a 90 degree CMX connector that is connected to zip wire at 16 ga. I keep the length as short as possible but this gives great video and also gives the flex that is need to keep the gimbal free to move. Again Thanks for the great wright up and parts list. jim
http://www.drone-thermal-camera.com
@Patrick, excellent, I would like to discuss something with you.
FYI, I (and a couple of others) are looking at using a Tamarisk 320 and pulling images off it (and onto a linux board like the Odroid U3) using this board from Leopard Imaging. This is more so we can do inflight image analysis and storage rather than real-time viewing. We haven't made any real progress yet though.
@Jesus
What do you think the cost of the optris is? I have googled search and cant find out unless I get a qoute. I would be willing to give it a try for my fixed wing setup and see what I can come up with.
You should take a look at Optris...
They are maybe a little bigger but much cheaper and full of features
http://www.optris.com/thermal-imager-optris-pi-640
Thanks for the info! I found the teAx, but was never able to source a cost on it. I also found the really nice go pro/tau gimbal, but it was almost 2k.
I really wanted to be able to change color palette, gains, flat field, and others on the fly, but it didn't seem possible. All my other cameras have options which are easily accessible, along with live view/thermal mode mixed in. I was able to use a Microsoft surface with a wireless usb running the flir gui, and along with the camera having a sub spitter, power source, and wireless usb rx. I was actively able to change all camera options on the aircraft, but it was too any wires, too bulky, and most importantly, ran on 2.4ghz and I was afraid it would throw off my control signal. I will have to live with landing, adjusting, and going back up, but at least I know it is possible. Plus, I have adjusted the camera settings to the point that I get decent range no matter what I shoot.
I am mildly familiar with itar restrictions, but I was wondering what do other countries use that is comparable. I have seen the 9hz and I looked terrible. Are countries like the uk and Canada able to have their own 30hz version or are they restricted like every one else. Also, if I am traveling for work, am I able to bring my camera with me, or since it is restricted, does that mean it can't leave the country even if it's in my possession?
Overall, I'm impressed with the whole package....the size of the core opens up a lot of possibilities, and the brushless gimbal with tilt worked surprisingly well.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next