Flying planes with video goggle, my passion

[Vrflyer]

I'm french so sorry for my error in english
I began 11 years ago. I install a B&W camera and video sender on a toy r/c car. It was so cool to watch the picture on tv and ride the car inside the house. It take 5 years to see appear on the market color camera and good transmitter at reasonable price.
6 years ago, I begin with planes. I went to r/c club for the first time with my planes and video goggle and asked to learn to fly planes... People look at me and asking where I came from...
They learn me to fly planes normally at first. I passed two months on computer simulator so at the feild it was a lot easier, and after two weeks, I get my wings so was allow to fly alone.
I come back a day knowing I was to be alone. I put the goggle on my head and take-off... Rapidly, I was disorientated, cherching the landing runway. After three circuits, I land. My knees shaking, I was tired...
I come back without headset and record a normal circuit on VCR. After watching it several times, I came back and take-off again. The second flight under video goggle was a lot easier. I never flyed again without goggle since this day.
At the end of the first season, I was confortable to take-off from differents feilds, and do basic aerobatics.. You can view a video fom my first season here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuB3xoaJ3Ts
or here in better quality: http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...y+first+planes

The second and third saison I fly with Pizzaz beginning learning aerobatic flight and fly a little bit with a Cub.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD0wJ_rZ6NY
another beautifull one:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFFv52u8Zjs
or
http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...Best+of+pizzaz
second video: http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...79981530763717

The fourth season & last year, I was practicing aerobatic with a Funtana, a much better planes than Pizzaz. Two cameras onboard, one looking front, one looking down. I toggled a switch on my r/c transmitter to choose the view
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_Jq3...e=user&search=
or better here
http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...17858714442651

This season, I began to fly with an Easystar because it's a safe planes, allowing me to fly close to houses and peoples. I finally get a workable gyroscope for my headset, allowing me to control the movement of the cam only by moving my head. The cam is in the cockpit, where it shoul be. Now I really feel like being onboard a planes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INS2A...e=user&search=
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlNF6...e=user&search=
or better quality here
http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...47353453839215
and
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...41169518651385

I was not allowed to fly inside club since 3 years, because a stupd rule someone discovered. But recently, the president of MAAC, the Canadian r/c planes association, equivalent to AMA, heard about me and will do everything to allow me to come back in r/c club. I will meet him in few weeks.
I also have three other very beautifull planes that want to take-off, but need a safe take-off runway. They are close to completon and you will see them flying next season, I hope.

[aviatordave]

I've seen your videos as I have visited other sites, and truly enjoyed them. Your a pioneer in this new venture of first person views. That has got to be one of the funnest and coolest things to experience while in this hobby. Thanks for sharing and keep us posted of more videos as you make them.

Dave

(your english is alot better than my french!)

[Warden]

Wow, really cool! You may very well be the vanguard of what's to come. Very nice work!

[predatorb]

vrflyer I like your videos!! nice aubiance music selection too.
are you using a regular vr headset with a wireless cam plugged into it? what kind of cam are you using?

I'd love to see some footage of flight over Tokyo!

[Vrflyer]

Originally Posted by predatorb

I'd love to see some footage of flight over Tokyo!

While working on my project and try to make it work, I was thinking that Japanese people should already play with that...

Standard headset, but it have 640x480 resoluton
this one is good
http://www.tekgear.com/index.cfm?pag...d=491&fld1=VGA

[loker]

that's pretty cool stuff, very fancy. how much does it cost? I'm thinking it's out of my price range.

[jb48]

I cannot believe it: the video I saw (the one over Ste-Julie with the Easy Star) lets me believe that the system you developed is the nearest thing to full size flying in a cockpit. I cannot wait to download your other videos on my dialed up slow Internet connection.

[Vrflyer]

Originally Posted by jb48

I cannot believe it: the video I saw (the one over Ste-Julie with the Easy Star) lets me believe that the system you developed is the nearest thing to full size flying in a cockpit. I cannot wait to download your other videos on my dialed up slow Internet connection.

The canadian assocation of model airplanes don't know how to regulate me. They compare my new way of flying to the first flight of Wright brothers...

[adhoc]

This is really fantastic! I've thought about stuff like this in passing, but you've actually gone and done it. Bravo!!

I think it is silly that your association "doesn't know how to regulate you." You are flying RC model aircraft, just like the rest of us. You have added a new tool, but the fundamentals are exactly the same. Bureaucratic organizations are too conservative. If it wasn't for individuals like you, progress would slow to a crawl. Keep doing what you're doing!

[Vrflyer]

Originally Posted by adhoc

This is really fantastic! I've thought about stuff like this in passing, but you've actually gone and done it. Bravo!!

I think it is silly that your association "doesn't know how to regulate you." You are flying RC model aircraft, just like the rest of us. You have added a new tool, but the fundamentals are exactly the same. Bureaucratic organizations are too conservative. If it wasn't for individuals like you, progress would slow to a crawl. Keep doing what you're doing!

finally, they agree with you, it a r/c plane with camera. It's not a drone beacause it can't fly by iself.

[ForestCam]

Originally Posted by adhoc

You are flying RC model aircraft, just like the rest of us.

Actually no, unless you can fly below/between trees and out of your line of sight, I sure can't! That was one of the first things I thought about while watching the video, well that and not having to think reversed when the plane is coming at you, right it always right and left is left when you're IN the plane!

I'd love to try it if only the equipment wasn't so darn expensive.

[Phoenex]

Vrflyer,

Can you post some pictures of the equipment used and provide links to where they can be purchased?

[up_ya_go]

Hi Denis ....
Just wanted to say this thread of yours is fantastic!
Amazing amount of infomation , very interesting indeed.
Love the videos... keep up the good work ... thanks for the pleasure of watching them.
Cheers,
Ray.

[adhoc]

Originally Posted by ForestCam

Actually no, unless you can fly below/between trees and out of your line of sight, I sure can't!

Heh heh, no, I definitely can't do that... And have crashed twice trying it...

But I have to say, I wonder if there is a trade-off here (like with most things in this world)... VR "in cockpit" view gives you much better view from the aircraft, without the orientation problem. BUT, you lose the wider awareness of what's around you (i.e. what's coming at you from another direction). I wonder if having a spotter wouldn't be a good idea, depending on where you fly...

Question for Vrflyer: do you get audio/sound? If nothing else, it would be good to hear clearly when the motor cuts off, or even starts to run a bit slower... When I fly, sometimes local traffic (cars) drowns out the sound of my plane, and a few times I haven't heard the low voltage cutoff; instead, I just eventually noticed that the plane had lost power by how it flew...

[Vrflyer]

Originally Posted by phoenex

Vrflyer,

Can you post some pictures of the equipment used and provide links to where they can be purchased?

Check my video Bromont
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INS2AhdNfYY

[Vrflyer]

Originally Posted by up_ya_go

Hi Denis ....
Just wanted to say this thread of yours is fantastic!
Amazing amount of infomation , very interesting indeed.
Love the videos... keep up the good work ... thanks for the pleasure of watching them.
Cheers,
Ray.

Thanks very much. Your are lucky to see the first steps of this new way of flying. I only talk on few forums.

[Vrflyer]

Originally Posted by adhoc

But I have to say, I wonder if there is a trade-off here (like with most things in this world)... VR "in cockpit" view gives you much better view from the aircraft, without the orientation problem. BUT, you lose the wider awareness of what's around you (i.e. what's coming at you from another direction). I wonder if having a spotter wouldn't be a good idea, depending on where you fly...

Question for Vrflyer: do you get audio/sound? If nothing else, it would be good to hear clearly when the motor cuts off, or even starts to run a bit slower... When I fly, sometimes local traffic (cars) drowns out the sound of my plane, and a few times I haven't heard the low voltage cutoff; instead, I just eventually noticed that the plane had lost power by how it flew...

It's hard to see all around, but other peoples in the club sometime hit two planes in flight, they are too concentrate and see only their planes all peoples fly inside the same area. I can fly outside, and the planes will still be visible, or stay very low, or very high, between 300 and 700 feet, I will encounter few planes here So with the same amount of people flying (ex: max 5 at our club) The security is higher, because less planes fly close togheter.
I can land the planes far away if neccessary.
Yes I have sound, a little speaker inside the goggle, so I can heard also what happens around me on the ground.

[Vrflyer]

I have a Black Box telemetry system for sold ,brand new, for $70
http://www.act-labs.com/black-box/
Where can I put my announcement? ( if not here the best place...)

[Vrflyer]

Oh I forget to say something important...
Check with your local club if you intend to fly there, in USA I'm not sure you will can. USA look to be the only one who do not allow planes with camera in there clubs...

[Vrflyer]

I made another video "Lower & closer"
http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...04159614&hl=fr
if you have a low speed access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgVJrwdSJ9I

[TeslaWinger]

VRFLYER!!!

I have been flying with a video headset and downlink for a few years now. Hardly no one else seems to be interested here in the US- but I love being able to pilot the plane as if I were strapped into it! I am surprised that it isn't much more popular since it is an amazing experience but it is a bit expensive using good video equipment.

You must be using a CCD camera since the picture is still good despite the MPEG compression. A CMOS video looks terrible when compressed- but this looks nice! I had fun with my CMOS video ZAGI several years ago but my high res 1/3rd inch CCD color camera is cheaper than that smeary CMOS and performs better than most camcorders- and a LOT better than any CMOS camera!

I am surprised you get such good reception- even near the ground just above all those very expensive cars! My philosophy of flight is simple- "Don't hit anything expensive!"

I always had very bad video breakups of 5 seconds or more when flying low using the small antenna- long enough to crash- so I now use an amplified directional antenna that makes perfect video but it must be head mounted by the pilot or observer so it is always pointed at the plane.

Since its not possible to wear the video goggle (also called a Head Mounted Display, or HMD) and also point the antenna at the plane, I put the antenna/receiver helmet on my head to aim the antenna at the plane.

The "passenger" on the buddy box gets to experience the VR Pilot Viewpoint. A second video output goes to the camcorder to videotape the entire flight.

After a flight we switch and I get to fly in VR mode while he points the antenna. I have used a FMA Co-Pilot to help keep the plane level if I lose the signal and get 'blinded.' All I need to do is let go of the stick and it will fly straight and level.

The AMA here will insure turbine jets that fly at nearly 200mph and could punch a hole in a tank- but won't take the risk for a videolink on a slow light plane unless a pilot- or co-pilot on the buddybox always has an eye on the plane.

My 2-man solution (one man points, the other monitors) using a second pilot on a buddy box will probably satisfy their demand that a pilot always has an eye on the plane.

When I fly alone I can set the antenna helmet on the ground and just fly in one general area so pointing is no problem with this wide angle antenna. I climb to altitude before going 'VR.'

Since I no longer fly with a club it doesnt matter to me- but I want it to be done as safely as possible also!

I have pictures and details in the FOR SALE section.

VIVE LE VR!

Au revoir, mon ami!
TW

[adhoc]

Originally Posted by Vrflyer

I made another video "Lower & closer"
http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...04159614&hl=fr
if you have a low speed access: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgVJrwdSJ9I

Wow, another great video! You're the man!!

[Frodo]

Denis, yor English is fine and I love your videos! Enya was a good choice as a soundtrack as well.

-Curtis-

[Vrflyer]

Originally Posted by TeslaWinger

I have pictures and details in the FOR SALE section.

VIVE LE VR!

Au revoir, mon ami!
TW

Great, can you show me a link to your equipeent, i'm curious to see that. With the good equipement, it's possible to fly alone safely, I do it since 6 years. Your tx look to don't have enough power.

[Vrflyer]

Originally Posted by Frodo

Denis, yor English is fine and I love your videos! Enya was a good choice as a soundtrack as well.

-Curtis-

Happy to read this