Hello folks, I took my maiden flight today!  I learned how much I want a bigger SD card, among other things.   I fully expected something to go wrong but the ease of flight is almost embarassing!

But in this experience, where I had my 11 and 13 year old kids, I wished I could have let them "control the camera" while I control flight.  I'd use the left side, and they could use the right, while viewing vision app on my tablet.

My version 3.0 has the wheel for vertical gimbal control.  So I thought: What if the wheel simply controlled altitude (throttle) while the right stick controlled the gimbal pitch and yaw?  The left stick would control horizontal positioning. (left/right/fwd/back... or NSEW or whatever applies per the IOC switch.)

As such, the right stick could truly control "the camera" while the left side controlled flight.

I know how to switch my controller from mode 2 to mode 1 and back again, but that won't fully accomplish what I'm describing.

Here's where it becomes a potentially disasterous idea... If no software, DIP switches or other "setting" can get this done, could it be done with... gasp... soldering? (Cuz I love voiding warranties.)

If you use the app to control the camera then you can use it to tilt the camera and rotate the craft round its axis, just press the yaw control button above the up/down slider for the camera and then tilt the phone back an forth and left and right to control the camera/ quad

crash1sttime Posted at 2015-3-26 22:53
If you use the app to control the camera then you can use it to tilt the camera and rotate the craft ...

Ah yes!  I'll do that for fun and the kids will love that!  Still wondering if anyone has tried switching the wires for the wheel with the wires for a stick, or if there are any "hidden settings" to do so.  (Not mode 1 and 2)

Also on my wish list: Vertical gimbal control that says "move the camera to this position" instead of "move up or down this fast".  Some RC units have sticks that can be set to turn off self-centering, similar to trim control.  The wheel would be easier to use (IMHO) if you could just scroll it to position.  Of course this is partly due to my own lack of skill, but if I wanted my drone to require skill, I'd have bought a single prop helicopter.  

crash1sttime Posted at 2015-3-26 22:53
If you use the app to control the camera then you can use it to tilt the camera and rotate the craft ...

Firstly, as the OP alluded to, I think converting the TX to be a camera controller is indeed a crazy idea! Apart from anything else, I know I wouldn't want a second person 'poking' at my controls while I'm flying! Just seems like a recipe for disaster to me! But, I do really like the idea of getting the kids involved too.

I had a 'copilot' with me for a couple of flights last week. He stayed close to me, gazing into the iPad and told me what it was seeing and tilted the camera to keep the horizon at about the same level. Worked great.

However, what I didn't realise is the button above the tilt slider yaws the bird! Woot! The manual seems to suggest it switches it to the (to me anyway?) 'gimmick' of using the iPhone's accelerometers to tilt the camera. I can't wait to try it.... Also hope it's a nice *slow* yaw? I'm getting better at going slowly but doing it from the app would be way cooler!

Thanks for the heads up!

Cheers,
Ian

i_anderson@iclo Posted at 2015-3-27 01:03
Firstly, as the OP alluded to, I think converting the TX to be a camera controller is indeed a cra ...

Controlling the yaw of the camera by controlling the yaw of the phantom should have nearly zero affect on navigation if you're using course lock or home lock.  (Which I have never tried but today's flight should bear that out.)

Of course the camera has to generally face the direction of the phantom, unless you like looking at landing gear.  Although a 360-degree turning camera would be cool, and I imagine such gimbals exist, it seems to me there would be issues since it would have to tap the electrical leads via something other than ribbon cables.

Look at the Inspire - 360 degree camera.

I don't think I would like anyone else messing with the controils while I was flying either as someone posted above.

paul@westpointd Posted at 2015-3-27 03:12
Controlling the yaw of the camera by controlling the yaw of the phantom should have nearly zero af ...

Understood.

But, Crash originally suggested (now changed his post?) that the button above the tilt slider in the app could control yaw. That would be very nice with a 'copilot' driving the camera while I'm hovering (s)he can then not only tilt it, but rotate it too for the best view.

However, I believe (but would love to be wrong of course!) that the button switches it to taking inputs from the iPhone's (Pads?) accelerometer position, which as I said I think is a silly gimmick and totally unusable if flying solo..... I'm not going to tilt my whole rig around to control the thing!

Cheers,
Ian

I added a bit to the post, as I tend to post then edit it when realise that I wasn't specific enough, the app control can be turned off so you use the TX to control the quad, just press the yaw citron to turn it off

Your idea is very similar to the RC transmitter configuration called single stick that was popular many years ago. Roll and pitch remained the same and yaw was controlled by a large knob at the top of the stick and throttle was on the side of the transmitter

The phone or tablet doesn't have to be attached to the controller.  Today I'm gonna let the kids control camera pitch and yaw while they hold the tablet separately.  I'll still have complete control of flight.

I still wish I had a "point the camera" stick separate from the pilot stick.  (Using the wheel for altitude.)  To my brain, it makes more sense but that doesn't mean my brain is "normal".

Has anyone tried this by soldering different wires to different potentiometers?

P.S. It's only day 2 of ownership and I've already voided my warranty... I opened the controller and bolted a tablet mount through drilled holes.  Can't resist taking stuff apart.