FPV (First Person View) toys have arrived, including a camera, 5.8 GHz monitor, 200mW 5.8 GHz video transmitter, monitor mount, and a DJI iOSD-Mini module.
This (tiny!) colour camera features a 1/3″ low-light sensor, and was fitted to the front of the quad. Since this photo was taken, the camera is now held in place with two small cable ties.
The lens on this camera is a “2.8mm” lens (11.7mm equiv) with a 115° field of view.
I can’t stand the curvature distortion!
Luckily, you can change lenses on this particular camera, so a “3.6mm” lens with a 92° FoV (17.4mm equiv) is on the shopping list.
Video transmitter is mounted on the bottom of the lower board.
This way, the DIP switch can be accessed easily, in case a change of frequency is required on the field.
iOSD module is piggy-back mounted on top of the Wookong’s Power Management Unit (PMU).
iOSD overlays basic flight controller information such as;
• LiPo Battery volts
• Distance from home
• Altitude
• Pitch angle
• Roll angle
• Vertical velocity
• Flight mode (GPS/Attitude/Manual)
• Number of GPS satellites being received
The 7″ monitor has built-in 5.8 GHz receivers, and each receiver has it’s own antenna, offering diversity reception.
The monitor is mounted to the Taranis radio with a standard FPV mount kit.
These mounts are quite robust!
One thing that quickly becomes apparent is, like this, the Taranis & screen now becomes awkward to pack into a travel case.
Undoing the 1/4″ mounting bolt was fiddly and a pain!
Time for a Quick Release (QR) mount.
I have been using Manfrotto 323 QRs with all my other photography and video gear since 2006.
The 323 shoe and plate are made of aluminium (not plastic), are solid, and have the secondary safety system release, which avoids any unintentional releases. You can buy cheap and nasty plastic QRs on eBay etc, but these Manfrotto 323’s are well worth the $55.
Available from a variety of sources, including Digital Camera Warehouse.
The screen now goes on, and comes off the Taranis, in seconds.
7″ widescreen 5.8 GHz monitor mounted on the Taranis radio, using a Manfrotto 323 QR system:
