Good day everyone. I never post because I'm a busy guy but hey, let's take advantage of everyone's Expertise!!

Here's my current project:

We have contracts with Forestry related clients. Currently we haul Repeaters and cellular links up to 3000'AGL to supply them with instant radio/cellular communications. Our system is solar powered and stays aloft for about a week at a time.

Recently we were asked to set up camera racks on a picovet for it and so the projects begin!

We are using standard off the shelf Pan Tilt Zoom dome cameras (Like store security uses) with a 5.8Ghz downlink for video and pan. We control the system using a joystick and DVR / software package..

Our issues so far.
Leveling is ok with the Picovet system and keeps the rack fairly stable. Software will handle most of the bounce BUT sometimes the balloon does a complete 360! When this happens, we lose our targets. We will rarely go to full zoom (X30) and normally no more than X15 zoom.

We are thinking of two options:
Make a 360 pivot point with a slip ring system and a heading hold gyro that will rotate the entore camera dome when a gust hits... (or something like that)

OR

Figure out a way that a program in the controller could rotate the already exhisting pan of the dome to compensate for balloon drift. Maybe a compass lock sensor of some sort? but could it be piggybacked on that 5.8Ghz video signal??


Ideas???? Want to help us?? or be a contractor for this project??

Let us know.


Thanks again,

Dave Skala
Aerosight.com