From Hackaday:
The GoPro line of HD cameras seem like they were specifically designed for use with quadcopters. We say that because the small, light-weight video devices present a payload which can be lifted without too much strain, but still have enough horse power to capture video of superb quality. Here’s a hack that uses the camera to provide a remote First Person View so that you may pilot the aircraft when it is out of your line of sight.
The camera in question is a GoPro Hero 3. It differs from its predecessors in that the composite video out port has been moved to a mini USB connector. But it’s still there and just a bit of cable splicing will yield a very clear signal. The image above shows the camera in the middle, connecting via the spliced cable to an FPV transmitter on the right. This will all be strapped to the quadcopter, with the signal picked up by the receiver on the left and piped to a goggle display worn by the pilot. You can see the cable being construction process in the clip after the break.
How to Hack your GoPro Hero 3 for FPV from Chad Johnson on Vimeo.
Comments
Is there anyplace or anyone who repairs gopros
I tried to upgrade the firmware and did every thing the instructions said to do and it is froze
Gopro said they would sell me another one at a discount but....
Is it possible to make a diy gopro fpv cable with a 5pin´s micro usb cable? if not why?
Be careful, I've had my Hero3 turn off mid flight. Luckily it was close enough that I could fly it home safely. Very scary.
Even David on Flite Test had this happen.
-Cad
We are 2 weeks out on the GoPro cables at www.aeroworksproductions.com
Thanks for the post with this info Chris! I had looked for this in the past but if was hard to determine what was specific to the hero2 vs. The 3.
For Uk/europe unmanned tech shop sell a gopro 3 fpv cable too - http://www.unmannedtechshop.co.uk/gopro-3-compatible-fpv-cable.html
Any worry about the video out reliability? All the guys on the RC forums say people are crazy to use the GoPro as their flight camera. They suggest using a more reliable CCTV camera as the flight cam, and just have the GoPro ride along taking HD video. Perhaps this was the older hero models? Anyone heard of such a thing on the Hero3?
I just build another quad with a 2 axis gimbal and opted to go the separate flight camera along side the Hero3 route, but I sure was tempted to take video straight out of the GoPro.
Might be easier to buy a $6.50 pre-made cable off ebay:
powered: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Gopro-Gopro-3-USB-TO-AV-Video-Output-...
or non-powered: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gopro3-Real-Time-AV-Output-FPV-Cable-Wir...
This is the one I use: http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&a...
For me, the USB method seems more convenient as it allows you to cut a smaller hold in the side of the plastic case if you choose to use it.
This is how David made it,
http://rcexplorer.se/diy/2012/11/diy-gopro3-video-out-cable/