supersonic cameras

Most I fly with locally use electric tape on their keychain cameras.

I have been told that is not going to work for supersonic flights. Frankly, I do not want to try even more than about 400mph with that arrangement.

However, I am short on good ideas for mounting cameras to high performance rockets. On a large enough one I might like to put one entirely internal with clear window, even pointed or curved. Perhaps thinner rockets could use the screw in bolt threads like a standoff like I once read here, though it still does not feel great.

Also, I hear the vibrations can be brutal at these speeds. So what does everyone else do?

I've lost a couple of cameras pushing them to fast with electrical tape. Last year I put a key chain camera looking out a peep hole in a 54mm min dia. It was mounted in a bed of silicone. Terrible video, to much vibration. I bought one of the 3D printed pods for a 54mm dia rocket. It made the rocket spin on the way up.

Tony

I have several of these. https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/177005125/mobius-hd-camera-shroud-for-rockets-3d I just ordered and received them as well as the mobious camera a month ago so I have yet to use them but there a lots on the forum as well as their videos to show the results. I am not sure they will get over Mach and if so how much over as they are PLA and I would guess have a relatively low melting point. What velocity are you planning on attempting?

I've used masking tape and it survived a near mach flight.

[YOUTUBE]hfimXVHXooY[/YOUTUBE]

JD

watermelonman said:

Most I fly with locally use electric tape on their keychain cameras.

I have been told that is not going to work for supersonic flights. Frankly, I do not want to try even more than about 400mph with that arrangement.

However, I am short on good ideas for mounting cameras to high performance rockets. On a large enough one I might like to put one entirely internal with clear window, even pointed or curved. Perhaps thinner rockets could use the screw in bolt threads like a standoff like I once read here, though it still does not feel great.

Also, I hear the vibrations can be brutal at these speeds. So what does everyone else do?

Click to expand...

JDcluster said:

I've used masking tape and it survived a near mach flight.

[YOUTUBE]hfimXVHXooY[/YOUTUBE]

JD

Click to expand...

From the video, at the 1:26 mark, you can clearly see that the camera is moving around, so although the tape held in your case it may of been close to it's max. Looks like you came pretty close to an irrigation ditch...great video.

I mounted mine inside my 54mm with the camera unit pointed down and out. Great field of view. The camera survived being buried 5 ft deep at 200mph

I use the Aiptek HDSD V2T6 camcorder, which can record at 60 fps. They can be found on Ebay for $20 to $50. I mount it in a cut-out payload section just below the nosecone, and electrical-tape it in place. For higher velocity flights (J motors and up), I have permanently added a half balsa nosecone just above the camcorder, which serves as a shroud to prevent the airstream from turning off the camcorder (it did happen once!). The camcorder stays put, and gives spectacular videos.


You can see the shroud pretty clearly at 26 seconds into this video- I had not inserted the camcorder into the cut-out opening yet.
[video=youtube;k1mc23vvyOo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1mc23vvyOo[/video]

Mike Momenee
TRA #12430 Level 3

Ravenex said:

I mounted mine inside my 54mm with the camera unit pointed down and out. Great field of view. The camera survived being buried 5 ft deep at 200mph

Click to expand...

I'd love to see that footage ...