Replacement for lost EasyGlider + FlyCam
 

Not much sadder than an old man crying! Quick synopsis: I've flown an Easy Glider, original version, not the Pro, for several years. Wore out the original geared brushed motor, installed a large outrunner & TP 3S 2100 (virtually unlimited vertical), & recently stuck a FlyCamOne2 under the wing for aerial photography. Had a ball flying this combo for both fun & work-related stuff - we grow meadow hay in Colorado @ 9K' ASL & used the footage to monitor growth, irrigation effectiveness, etc. over the summer. Last evening, I put up plane & camera for a high altitude view of the hay meadow, had it in sight the entire video run, although very VERY small, & was actually beginning my descent when (still hurts to think about it) it got head-on & simply disappeared. I wiggled sticks, pulsed the ESC, looked frantically in ever-larger circles for a good 15 agonizing minutes, hoping for a miracle, but - gone. (Along with about 2 hr's worth of data-filled video - it had an 8-gig SD card.) I had name, address, phone #, AMA #, in the 'cockpit', but considering its high altitude, remoteness of our location, etc., I have no realistic hope of recovering it.

My boss wants to share the cost of replacing it as it turned out to be a valuable tool, so this is where you guys come in. The original Easy Glider is no longer made, & in my opinion the Pro incarnation is simply an over-priced version of the original - albeit ready to accept the larger outrunner up front. (My conversion was really not that hard.) Also, the FlyCam with its 640x480 resolution did ok, but I'd really like something that could deliver sharper images as I'm thinking of trying to market this service to others in this area. Does anyone out there have experience with this kind of useage & can you give me recommendations about possibly better options for a replacement of this package - plane and camera? As there is no runway per se here at the ranch, hand-launching is the only option, & of course, cost is always a consideration. Thanks for any input you can give me. (I could also use a new crying towel - this one's soaked.)