Rj-TailSpin

I haven't been here in a while, Wow! Things have really starting moving. I feel like I missed the boat!!!

Well, I started pitchin RC Aerials under my coined phrase Wireless ViewGistics. I think its quite a snappy term, much like Wireless Logistics which I coined in 95. Nope, didn't make a buck off of that term either-grin! I might have to trademark that babie, or both for that matter. Nonetheless, I have made numerous aerial videos in the last year an a half. One during a club show and auction where I piped in the live aerial feed into the nice warm hall last March while I flew in 19mph winds, 38mph gusts, 7 degrees and wind chill of -14... that was a fun day! The video feed lasted a little over 3:45 minutes until the engine quit, probably frooooooze tight, while heading downwind! I didn't kill the plane, but a snowmobiler had a surprise... well, I'll leave it to your imagination. The plane still flies today, it could have been much worst. No damage to speak of.

I can't help but think these wireless aerials are marketable. It appears many people have tried it, but later change their minds to sell and/or support aerial products. I really only know of one/two guys making a living with RC aerials. Does anyone have more examples because I have been thinking about hanging up the old business and cutting loose with the aerials... Any input?

My videos are not small. I have been playing around with numerous formats and I am convinced I need to move DVD and stop messing around. The problem with AVI, MPG, MOV etc... is they all require the latest players to watch them. I have already heard many complaints from people that can't watch my videos. The players create an incompatibility issue that is difficult to overcome. DVD on the other hand... is DVD (as far as I know).

Here's my aerial page please don't burn it out-grin! http://www.wireless-logistics.com/viewgs.htm I also built the auger buddy guys a website where the video is on the 5th page of the Media information... Check it out, especially those of you that ice fish in the Winter because it's too cold to fly! http://www.augerbuddy.com

Anyone with an ATV... do watch the Auger Buddy video! I'm not one for before a camera or on a mic, but I try. The lion club video is short and the latest quality I can presently offer. In contrast, I flew over the EAA Pioneer Airport in 2002. That video is really broken up because it was made from a dupe and a Dazzle product... that's two !QUOT!D!QUOT!s in a row... not good! I have another video. It's a patriotic video of a CornMaze. I added Lee Greenwood = Excellent!!! The file is really big, about 120M and I ran out of webspace. I can reburn it to another format or increase the compression, but it wouldn't be the same.

I am a technical person, like I'm sure most of you are, and I used to think the hard part was flying the RC planes. Now, I learn, that part is really easy for me (granted, not at first). I worked hard with Real Flight and then flew every chance I got. I haven't flown in a couple of weeks and I'm starting to miss it! Darn weather up here in Wisconsin! Nevertheless, the most difficult part for me now is coming up with a perfect procedure to import, format, and burn reasonably marketable video(s). I don't find it difficult to capture the footage really quickly. It's the editing, etc... etc... etc... that I hate! How do you do it? Specifics, would be nice-thanks

Question:
Have any of you guys been stupid enough to take off and land on a boat? (Electric only) In theory, I think it would work. I would hate to dipdry my $1K electric vidfly!!! What do you think about this idea... any carrier boys listening? hehe

That's enough for now. Enjoy my videos.

Rj_TailSpin

mklarich

Somewhere I have some videos from europe of a couple guys flying an electric. They launch it from the boat, drive the boat along side and land it. They do a couple touch and goes as well. I will have to look for it. If I remember correctly they were part of the xtreme team now selling stuff in model aviation.

Matt

Rj-TailSpin

Might you have feedback on my videos? Were you able to view them? What did you think? All input is appreciated.

Thanks
Rj

Fubar-One

My Feedback: (1)

I had to download them to view them. I have run into that with Media Player 9 and streaming MPG's for quite some time so it was no real surprise. I usually view streaming mpg's with Real Player but that program is designed to pretty much take over all media functions on a computer and sneak new ones in when you aint looking so I hadnt changed the default back to it when last I updated my Media Player.
I think the only one I had a chance to view was the "Auger Buddy" one. Pretty funny!

Rj-TailSpin

I agree... the media players do take over your computer. After I installed size 9, I immediately opened the REGEDIT and deleted all mention of #9 running anything without me saying so. Yeah, their free version... right! Once you stop the ads from running on their own... it works quite quietly.

I still don't know which format I want to use or which is best for a particular purpose. With all the different PCs, operating systems, versions of this that and another thing... I suppose it will be difficult to build movies which will work on every machine and/or web connection. That's why I am now leaning toward DVD authoring.

I crack up every time I hear "Are you tired of carrying your Auger?". That's a classic! Where's the advertising guru's out there... I'm ready for the big time!

Rj

Rj-TailSpin

I built the auger buddy guys a website which includes my aerial video on the 5th page of the Media section... check it out especially all you ice fishermen http://www.augerbuddy.com

Rob

CenTexFlyer

Rj,

Hate to burst yer bubble, but DVD is NOT just DVD.... there are several versions of that as well and you can run into the same compatibility problems that you do with MPEG files. Just depends on how old your DVD player is as to it's compatability. However, any DVD you burn is more likely to run on a given DVD player than transfering video between OS on computers. (e.g. Video burned on a Win2K box will not run on most versions of Win XP, go figure!). So while the DVD burner outlay is more expensive and there are several newly emerging authoring tools out there, I believe it is still worth it to go that route. Obviously you need a multi-gig SCSI ultra-wide HD or even a fast IDE RAID to be really effective.

I am attempting to make a commercial go of this fun stuff of AP. I have already been paid for several "missions" for park land acquisitions and things have gone well so far. The big thing for just about everyone looking into it is that there is NO ONE who will sell you general liability business insurance. Even if you hide behind the corporate shield, you can still be sued for negligence (remember that surprised sno mo rider? Cause him to crash into a tree looking at your plane landing and he's GOTCHA!) I have determined that I will take the risk and forge ahead, riding on the coat tails of whoever is hiring me for coverage, which is dicey at best, but it's something.

There are lots of ways to make money in this game tho. I used to digitize video's using 15K codecs and got $145 per finished minute! Even though making home movies on a PC has become lots easier, it still takes a lot of technical savvy to produce a professional quality video and produce a finished product. But I digress back to my geek days......

My advice is, if you plan on making a commercial go of it. Then be a professional about it. Incorporate. Use the best equipment you can get. Make sure you are intimately familiar with the flight characteristics of each aircraft you fly and are capable of flying it under about any condition. Keep logs of repairs and maintenance. Use preflight checklists. Keep flight logs of even test flights. Don't throw up some raggedy P.O.S. that could rain down parts on an unsuspecting public and find yourself setting some new legal precedent. Always have a big ol' Plan B!

Scare ya?

It should...... scares the hell outta me!

CTF

Rj-TailSpin

CTF, you and I should talk! I am interested to learn of what you have done thus far. How did you land the "missions"?

I contacted a few local TV channels and asked them to use my aerials, but they had some reservations ie. controllability, aiming, and not broadcast quality. I have seen many worst live spots with terrible video quality. I guess I will keep on developing the quality and control.

I am currently designing/building a new video plane. I hope the thing flies! It will be the third plane I have built. The first two, non-video, planes are nearly done. They are electric Ki-61 1/12th scale. I sure learned a bunch building them. The new Vid-Fly is designed with safety in mind. My concern is with the picture quality. There are cameras with broadcast quality, but they weigh too much.

CTF, send me an email... [email protected]
Thanks
Rob

antslake

My Feedback: (1)

I was thinking of building a model aircraft carrier from a pontoon boat, and have a carrier club, as I would like to share the fun and expenses of doing such a thing.

I have already converted a pontoon boat into a workboat with a crane on it capable of lifting 3000lbs, so building a aircraft carrier would be a snap.

It would have a launcher and wire to catch planes. Most likely wouldn't need it, because a pontoon boat of this size could reach 18-20 knots easily, and most prop planes can land at this speed. Plus the speed of the wind, you might actually have to slow the boat down.

You could fit 4 people with planes easily. How cool would this be?

Rj-TailSpin

Barge Party with Glow Fuel!!! Sounds like a great time. In Wisconsin though... I'm sure we would need DNR clearance Clarence LOL!!! I would really like to see pictures of your aircraft carrier. Now all you need to do is mount a semi-serious camera under the wing and go find those WildOn girls on the beach! I have considered such a thing hehe with an under wing saying such as "Show Your =beeps=" I would surely crash unless I had an autopilot LOL!

Rob

jimlynn

Oh man, that is so wrong and perverted on so many levels..... I like it! [8D]

Rj-TailSpin

Yup... That kinda stuff makes me smile huckle huckle

xvwdvw01

Tailspin, I believe that if you shoot video of something that your news wants to show they won't complain too much about "broadcast quality". If you can get stuff that they like a few times you might get them to call you instead of the other way around. I think any good mini dv has enough quality for news clips.
With wireless you could record on whatever you want without the weight up in the air. We just got a new stand alone, rackmount dvd recorder at work that can dub dvd's or record in real time from any video source patched in by a/v, component, dvi, svideo and I think a few more. I think it ran about $3000 but if you are serious... Besides, ours is already busy putting peoples home movies on dvd.

Rj-TailSpin

I have looked at a few DVD recorders... However, it appeared they are more for low quality security recordings rather than high quality video. What product did you purchase?

I have captured numerous videos about 300 in all. Most are from testing, but some are worth sharing. One was of a guy named Jesus, a truck driver for SWIFT. He is an island dude, funny as they come. Anyway, he freaked out after making a wrong turn with his 44' trailer and found himself on a road between Anderson's Sod Farm, which is where we go to fly. Freaked, he made a terrible decision to attempt a U-Turn on the single line highway. We happened to be going down the hill near the Sod Farm and saw him starting his U-Turn. I said to my son, "What an idiot! He'll never make!" I have gotten stuck attempting U-Turns on this highway. We went around the Sod Farm and came up the other side as we were attempting to get in a glow fuel flight before dark. We watched him bury himself as he T-Boned his rig across the road. Being a good safety, truck driving teacher (we learned later), he proceeded to walk a mile in either direction to place safety cones at the nearly intersections. I said to my son, "Man, I wish I had a camera for this one". He said, "Dad, you have your VidFly in the car". "Oh, Yeah" I said laughing. We hadn't planed to fly the VidFly so we had to charge some batteries quickly. Ten minutes later I was flying over Jesus's truck, him walking, and the angry traffic having to find alternative roads. It was getting dark so I landed and we walked upto the high centered truck/trailor while we shot more video. The entire situation was so funny, but the cops that came were not amused at all. They were quite mean with the little inslander. We spoke with Jesus and learned he was from El Paso, TX, been in the US for about 9 months driving truck. That's when we learned he is a driving instructor and he had one of the best senses of humor I have ever heard! We showed him the video and he was amazed, he said, "You should go look for Bin Ladden with that one-smiling. I gotta have this video... I want to show it to my students-laughing. I bet I win on America's Funnest videos, don't you think? laughing". The really funny part was when the second cop came and Jesus was yeilding to us, "Not now, guys, not now, it's not a good time" in his islander voice. It was one of the only times I have wished I had audio in my plane!

I figured I had captured an excellence funny clip for the news. I went straight home, imported, edited, loaded it to my website and attempted to contact the news via email. Maybe that was my mistake... I should have called them, but I figured a punching subject heading like "Jesus took a wrong turn" would work well. I was incorrect. Nobody contacted me. I need to learn how to present the information to the news. Also, I don't want to be giving them freebies. Do you have any idea what a good clip should cost them and how to submit a video to them?

I'll post the "Jesus took a wrong turn" video on my website. I recorded about 8 minutes of aerials of this incident. However, I didn't use much of the aerials in this video because the ground shoots were good and plenty-LOL. I have a really large mp2 file of the entire incident, but there's no way to post that one as it is over 170meg. You should have heard that islander explaining his story to the cops... it's so funny! I plan to dub my own audio on this video. It will be funny. Here's the link for the cut non-audio video: http://www.wireless-logistics.com/jtawt.mpg (Give me some time to get it loaded up there) I am currently back on a dialup until I move. You guys have my permission to add your own islander verbiage-grin Sort of like sitting back in the jetboat in -10 degrees holding onto the steering wheel making those veroooommmmm noises-LOL!!!

I hope my ISP don't kill me for posting another video!!!

Rj