Hi, I am involved in the film industry and would like to set up a helicopter with a high quality digital video camera mounted on a remote head. What do you think would be the best helicopter for this? I was thinking a large electric one as they are quieter and have less vibration. Am I right in thinking this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot
-Rich

Big electric would work, but most of the big camera ships I seen are gassers, they don't smoke and they don't have oil flying all over the place. From my understanding, the reason most people that are into camera ships don't use nitro is because they have to much oil flying around and they smoke to bad (they don't want smoke in the video/picture and they don't want oil all over their equipment). I don't think vibration is big deal, you can always fix a vibration.

I would like to start a bit smaller and simpler for financial reasons and see how it goes. Could you recommend a helicopter that fits my needs?

Thanks
-Rich

The size of the helicopter is going to be determined by the equipment your going to be using. I rigged up a cheap setup for a 30/50 nitro size heli to carry an 8mm camcorder and it works OK, but it's no professional setup by any means.

Try [link=http://www.helicamsolutions.com/]HeliCam Solutions[/link]
I don't really know of their stuff ... just happen to see it on the RCU [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/forumid_81/tt.htm]Aerial Photography and Video [/link] forums

Good Luck,
d.tipton

I like the helicopter in the background, Charlie.

I know the Logo20 is used quite a bit for AP. There are also companies that sell custom built AP rigs designed specifically for aerial photo and video companies. You will be better off going that route.

Electric is the best route for aerial video, but it's very expensive. If you have a small budget, you're asking the wrong questions .

Alot of companies that do professional aerial and video photograpy use large .90 size (or bigger) electrics. They average about $3000 in cost.

Something more inbetween that should get the job done is, as was stated, a Logo 20. Which will probably cost you around $1500 (or more, depending on the setup).


Like charlie said, the helicopter has to be relative to what you want to lift.

Hi Rich28

PM'd you

Jeremy
082 9009 808

You can look into Joker's / Electric but like the rest have said it costs $$$, the Jokers are built to carry payloads, I forget what someone had told me once exactly , but i believe the batteries for the joker depending on which model of course alone cost big $$ I think between $700-$1000

Oh yeah im not sure about skill level of flying the heli's but i have heard alot of people like with the logo 20's using the FMA fs8 copilot as an accessory because it can keep the heli hovering with your hands off the sticks so you can control other features ( like the camera)

or go on the cheap with great video with a RaptorCam I have an electric version and nitro. so far nitro power has been the best. lots of video on my site www.azchoppercam.com