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GrandRC . CanoMod . Futaba-RC

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Aerial Photography and Video > Photo Mapping...
 
 
Beauregard
Senior Heliman
Location: Steamboat Springs Co.

Hello all,

I have been asked to create a "photo map" for the lack of a better term of a section of river approximately 1/2 mile long.. He wants 100 yards on each side.. River is 50yds across..

I'm thinking it will be possible to shoot straight down from our local full size heli rental and fly the river while shooting continually. Camera dangling from a pole out the door? Its just open..

My fist thought was to use my 28mm fixed lens at an undetermined altitude. Trying to get the shot with one row of photos to stitch.. I'm thinking that two rows would be impossible or at least allot of work..

Anyway please share your thoughts or experience.

Thanks,

Cedar
08-06-2008 11:44 PM
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nooobs
Key Veteran
Location: Toronto, Canada

Which camera? Full frame or cropped?
08-06-2008 11:50 PM
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cranester
Key Veteran
Location: Bogota, Colombia

I shot this for a client using my t-rex 600 and flying FPV, it covers 2.5 km by 700mts aprox, I was flyin at 1 km above ground level, I flew with two packs in paralell for about 13 mins. I swore never to that again, it was really scary and risky. The arrow points ground base.


Juan Crane
08-07-2008 12:07 AM
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Beauregard
Senior Heliman
Location: Steamboat Springs Co.

Wow Cranester that is why the 425.00/hour seems cheap...


I will use a D200 or a loner D300 if my Mom lets me dangle it out the door.. Both have a cropped sensor.
08-07-2008 12:23 AM
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nooobs
Key Veteran
Location: Toronto, Canada

The reason I ask so that you can probably do some math and calculate beforehand how high you'll have fly at. I think you're doing the right thing by using a full size heli. You may have to find out what the allowable flying altitude for a full scale for that area. Then you may have to use a different lens.

PTGUI can easily stitch your images or do it manually in PS. I'd do it in one pass rather than multi-pass (row).

Ask the pilot if you can go for a test run beforehand with your "pole" idea. You don't want to discover things on the day of the shoot. Just some thoughts...
08-07-2008 12:46 AM
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Beauregard
Senior Heliman
Location: Steamboat Springs Co.

"Ask the pilot if you can go for a test run beforehand with your "pole" idea. You don't want to discover things on the day of the shoot. Just some thoughts..."

Good idea.. I do need to do some math.. But I like the idea of being higher than lower.. I was thinking low but higher will stitch much easier..

Cedar
08-07-2008 01:01 AM
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500Driver
Senior Heliman
Location: Gulf Breeze, FL

Cedar,

Keep in mind that heli pilots get a little nervous when people want to bring long pieces of equipment aboard or around the helicopter.

I flew heli-skiers in Alaska and it was a CONSTANT reminder to tell the guests to keep the skis parallel with the ground...you definitely do NOT want to stick anything up into the blades.

You don't necessarily have to go for a test flight...but I would highly suggest practicing on the ground at least. Make sure you can manage with the pole. If it's only a two seat heli and you'll be riding up front...bringing a pole into the cockpit is probably not going to work.

Also keep in mind that wind resistance is significant. You'll want to fly fast to save time (MONEY) but at the same time it will become more difficult to manage the pole hanging out the door.

I'd say your idea is sound...but keep the stick as short as possible. You may just need to reach out far enough to clear the skids and that should only take a foot or two.

With a short length of climbing rope and a harness...or even several wraps of duct tape around the seat buckle so it does not accidentally come unlatched...YOU may be able to hang out far enough.

Just speaking from real world experiences.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out,
- Don

When in doubt...auto out
08-07-2008 03:17 AM
 
 
Beauregard
Senior Heliman
Location: Steamboat Springs Co.

Thanks Don,

Great points and advice.. I have flown aerials from this heli before and swore I would never again leave my climbing harness at home.. The buckle gave me no confidence hanging 500 ft above ground..


I'm now working on a list of cordinates downloaded from google earth to fly from.. Hoping he has a GPS with a wider screen than my hand held..

The property is only a few minutes from takoff so I'm thinking a few passes are in order.. High low and inbetween.. I've found its always easier to sort through photos than going back to the location..
08-07-2008 03:34 AM
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Beauregard
Senior Heliman
Location: Steamboat Springs Co.

"I flew heli-skiers in Alaska and it was a CONSTANT reminder to tell the guests to keep the skis parallel with the ground.."

The thought of skis in the blades runs chills down my spine..
08-07-2008 03:36 AM
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Beauregard
Senior Heliman
Location: Steamboat Springs Co.

Well after taking the photos while standing on the landing skid and hanging out on my climbing harness I got the shots I needed..

Several hours of stitching later I was able to get this photo...

Cedar

08-27-2008 08:30 PM
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Hogster
Key Veteran
Location: Surrey, UK

Great work Cedar! Glad you got the shots you needed

Quote 
while standing on the landing skid and hanging out on my climbing harness I got the shots I needed..
You evidently are not afraid of heights!!


David
08-27-2008 09:28 PM
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cranester
Key Veteran
Location: Bogota, Colombia

Good work!

Juan Crane
08-27-2008 09:47 PM
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LilZombie
Heliman
Location: Tacoma WA

All I can say is keep up the good work!

When all else fails....Play dead.
08-27-2008 09:48 PM
 
 
KarbonBird
Key Veteran
Location: Australia

Fantastic shots Cedar.

KB
08-27-2008 11:01 PM
 
 
tabbytabb
Elite Veteran
Location: seattle

How many shots Cedar?

Looks great! Where is this in relation to Steamboat?


Tabb
08-27-2008 11:48 PM
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nooobs
Key Veteran
Location: Toronto, Canada

Nice job!

What altitude did you shoot at?

Focal length?
08-27-2008 11:53 PM
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eurofilm
Heliman
Location: All over you

Fantastic job.
08-28-2008 01:24 AM
 
 
Makiedog
Senior Heliman
Location: Minneapolis

Maybe you've already thought of this, but I have to ask, have you guys thought about using Google maps (satellite images) or Live maps for these high altitude images? Assuming of course that they're not out of date.

Pat L
08-28-2008 01:44 AM
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500Driver
Senior Heliman
Location: Gulf Breeze, FL

Nice stitch! That looks great.

I bet you got quite a thrill out there too

Part of the training for the Sheriff department was being 'slung' under the heli...the logic was if the pilot really knew what the person on the end of the line was going through then they would be better pilots.

Anyway...that was some good fun. Riding on the skids is fun too...tactical style

By the way...what kind of heli were you in (hanging out of)?

When in doubt...auto out
08-28-2008 03:36 AM
 
 
Beauregard
Senior Heliman
Location: Steamboat Springs Co.

Thanks for all the kind words..

This was the heli..

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/019232.html

The scary part was at one time I found myself leaning up against the air intake that you can see in the photo.. I didn't tell the pilot and I still don't know what would have happened if I had plugged it..

Anyway the next time I will use a short pole that would either extend below the skid or out past it.. I must admit it was allot of fun out on the skid.

They pretty much thought I was nuts so as long as I was tied in they let me do what I wanted..

Tabb, this is another ranch like Round Mtn. between it and Steamboat..

Same river.

Thanks again and I'm glad you liked it..

To stitch the only thing I found to work was photomerge in cs3 using interactive with reposition only checked..

I did this two photos accross all the way up the river and then stitched those together in a chain. That worked great until the file got so big it crashed my computer.. I then stiched the last 1/4 into a chunk and finally stitched the two pieces together manually.

Almost made a call to dell for a new computer in the process but in the end it worked.
08-28-2008 05:36 AM
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