Primary camera test

Previously I posted about the 360-degree camera I plan to use for mission flights. Back then I was using a Nikon KeyMission 360, which was state of the art in 2016. Unfortunately, I was never happy with the performance, and I've been searching for a better solution ever since.

I tried a constellation of six GoPro cameras, the footage from which I stitched into a 360 video in post-production using Autopano Video software. In theory this approach offers the best possible image quality. In practice it had a couple of fatal issues. First, as small as the GoPro HERO5 Session cameras are at 74 grams each, the six cameras together were too heavy, which means the HAPP would not attain its target altitude of greater than 30Km / 100K ft. Second, the HAPP structure has too much flexibility, and when I placed the cameras all around, they vibrated out of sync. This means I could not generate a clean stitch for the 360 video.

Enter the Garmin VIRB 360. This little monster is lighter and more capable than the KeyMission 360. As of July 2017, it's the most capable prosumer 360 camera vailable. Total weight of mount and camera (including the custom-machined aluminum portion shown below) went from 340 grams with the KeyMission to 208 grams with the VIRB. The VIRB shoots at 30 frames per second, not 24 fps, giving smoother video. Furthermore, the VIRB shoots in 5.7K resolution, not 4K, resulting in a superior image, especially after applying stabilization in post-production.

Here's a computer rendering I made after drawing the VIRB in my CAD software. All components must be modeled in CAD so I can use the model for accurate simulation of flight dynamics. This is much cheaper than crashing a few prototypes. While a simple block model would be sufficient for the dynamics, why stop there? Might as well make the rendering look sweet...

My VIRB 360 arrived yesterday, and what better way to celebrate than to strap it right onto the back of my DJI Mavic Pro drone (a.k.a. the HAPP chase plane) and send it up for a little test drive? Video is a little shaky as the drone is small and vibrates quite a bit. We'll get a smoother ride on the HAPP.

Check out the 360 video on YouTube and notice the heads-up display with live flight data. You might need to open the video link in YouTube for the 360 to render correctly (click here). Also be sure to select 4K video resolution at the bottom right of your YouTube player for the best experience. Enjoy!

Upper Aeroshell in hyperspeed: Final video

Previously I posted the first two out of three videos showing how I manufacture large carbon fiber aeroshells. Here's the final video, which reveals the carbon fiber layup and vacuum infusion process. These videos run at 40X normal speed and show well over 100 hours of work in just a few minutes.

 A few final comments on the aeroshells:

• Most of the materials for the plug, mold, and part are from the terrific team at Fibreglast. Their service is fast, the quality of materials is high, and their selection is large, with almost every tool and material necessary for the entire production process.
• The final layup I used for the composite material consists of "2.5" layers. The outer layer (A surface) is this patterned honeycomb fabric chosen for its awesome looks. The inner layer (B surface) is this standard 3K 2x2 twill weave. The "half layer" consists of a few strips of this 3K twill tape.
• The resin is this special 2-part epoxy resin. I chose it due its viscosity and pot life (good for vacuum infusion), clear color (not the yellowish tint of many epoxies), and UV inhibition (the HAPP will get blasted by high-altitude sunlight).
• I don't know if you think these videos make the process look easy or not. What they don't show are all the mistakes and do-overs I needed until I landed on the final process and material selection. I made several shells that were too heavy, too thin, or incompletely infused with resin. Carbon fiber material is not cheap, and these mistakes were costly in terms of money and time. Prior to the HAPP project I had zero experience working with carbon fiber so I had to take some lessons from the School of Hard Knocks.
• Just keep in mind that I had to repeat what you see in the videos for the lower aeroshell as well!

OK, here are all three videos in order from last to first. Enjoy!


Step 3: The Part (new video posted today)

Step 2: The Mold (posted previously)

Step 1: The Plug (posted previously)

Upper aeroshell in hyperspeed: Steps 1 & 2

Here's a major post that was well over 100 hours in the making.

Way back in September of 2016, I wrote about how I fabricated the HAPP's lower aeroshell out of carbon fiber and Kevlar. There were three steps: Making the plug, the mold, and then finally the part. I also wrote about how I developed the specific layup I'm using for the composite material.

What I did not do is follow up with the story for the upper aeroshell. It took many hours to prepare the story, and for good reason - for the upper shell, I videoed every minute of the months-long process, edited it down, and sped up the playback over 40 times so you, dear reader, can enjoy it over a single cup of hot coffee without even needing a refill.

Ever wonder why carbon fiber products can be so darned expensive? Watch the videos and you'll understand! This process was not for the faint of heart.

Here are the first two: The plug and the mold. The video for the part is ready to go, but I'm out of pocket for a week and I'll have to upload it when I return. Not to mention, who doesn't enjoy a little dramatic suspense before the big finale?

This is what we're making:
One-meter diameter aeroshells.
Lower shells along the wall;
Upper shells on the floor;
HAPP structure in the middle.

The videos contain narration and they're fairly self-explanatory. The only note I'll add pertains to the elapsed time clock you'll occasionally see in the lower left corner. This is not fake. I got jiggy with Javascript expressions in Adobe After Effects, and the timer is synchronized with time codes from the raw 4K video files.

Unfortunately (?) I only filmed the fabrication work, not the design, setup, cleanup, or many of my multiple mistakes. The actual time required is about 3X what you see on the clock. I suppose if I had a small army of assistants doing those other tasks, and I already knew exactly what I was doing with zero trial and error, then theoretically I could produce an upper aeroshell in the time shown on the clock. Oh well - one can dream, no?

Enjoy the videos, and please let me know your questions and comments.

Video 1:   The plug...

Video 2:   The mold...

Onward!