Helicopter for use with onboard video camera

[Traumahawk]

Hi,

my name is Ashley and I am a flying nut ! (or should that be nuts about flying ?)

Anyway, it was my birthday yesterday (39, my I'm getting old !!) and got £100 GBP to spend and having looked at a little Picoo Z micro helicopter for my Step-Fathers Xmas present it rekindled my interest in RC helicopters, so I am looking to buy my first helicopter.

I specifically want one capable of taking an onboard video camera along for the ride.

I have 3 choppers in mind

Graupner Jet Ranger (I love Jet Rangers, they are great helicopters)
Century UK Lama - IV
JP Bell Twister Medevac Army

The cameras I am looking at are:

ThunderTiger POLYPHEMUS Camera Kit
Flycam One version 2

I would welcome any advice on the heli's and cameras, for example the Twister Medevac looks the best for putting a camera in the cockpit, but does anyone have any practical experience with doing this?

I understand the difference between the 2 camera systems but would appreciate any comments about their use or links to raw footage.

I fly full size aircraft out of Blackbushe Airport and have had a few helicopter lessons and rides, but I am under no illusions that flying a RC helicopter is going to be easy !!

Thanks for any help you can provide,

Ashley

PS-I'm a bloke should anyone get confused by my name !

http://www.flickr.com/photos/traumahawk/

[guest222]

For the camera i would go for a flycam1 mk 2, its cheap at £40 and it gives gret images! the tt polyhemus is expencive and the big disadvantage i found with it is you cant fly and see the video at the same time so you have to record it then watch! the flycam is also a record and watch later but its just much more convienient.

As for the heli I would try and up your budget and go for a mini titan its a small electric which spares are easy to aquire, its suitable for learning, its has bags of power, (mine carries my flycam) and it is great fun, unfourtnately with the weather the way it is at the moment these contra rotating helis will always struggle outside due to there size and weight!

Im sure all the other forum members will give you loads of advice!!

Andy (odiham)

[ChrisB]

I have the Flycam one and love it so i would recommend the V2 version of that..

The Perkins Medivac is a great little model,my other half has one and its held up really well,the Blade Cx2 is also a good one,i have no experience of the other 2 models you mentioned though

[Boggy]

i agree with Chris
the fly cam one,v2 with a medivac or blade cx2. not sure about inside the canopy though, you may have issues with balance!
i would guess velcro under the battery would be the place.

[ChrisB]

Agreed,being such a light model the camera may need to be under the centre of gravity

[Tim Procter]

I had a Flycamone V1 and just bought the V2 model last week, A much better camera with a better user friendy interface, More features and better image quality so thats the one to go for.

I wont comment on the helis you mentioned as I have no knowledge of them.

[Boggy]

here's a couple of previous threads
http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/showth...ght=nutz+movie

http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/showth...ght=nutz+movie