Table of Contents

Build a Directly Controlled Robotic Camera

Robotically explore your neighbourhood from the sky

Step by Step Instructions

Materials

• 1 disposable camera

• 1 kitchen timer

• 1 Sheet of 2.5cm thick hard-foam insulating material (about 30cm x 30cm)

• elastic bands (lots)

• 2 swivel hooks or fishing-leaders

• 1 large sheet of cardbard or bristol-board

• several large paper-clips

• tape

• pencil

• 1 doweling (about 70cm to 100cm long)

• 1 big kite and lots of string

• patience (lots)

• a windy day

Tools

• a set of small screwdrivers

• coping saw

• set of drills

• small needle-nose pliers

• ruler

Here's How

1. Remove the timer mechanism from its cover and open the packaging from the camera.

2. Place the camera and the timing mechanism on the foam sheet as shown.

3. Trace around the timer and the camera.

4. Mark out a rectangular outline of the payload shell.

   

5. Using the coping saw blade cut out the payload shell. The foam cuts so easily that you'll only need to hold the blade. The saw handle is entirely optional.

   

6. Using a drill bit make a hole in each corner of the camera slot and in the centre of the timer slot. Here again, the use of a drill is entirely optional. The foam drills so easily that the bits can be hand-held.

   

7. Using the saw blade cut out the slots for the camera and the timer. It is best to cut them so that the camera and the timer will fit a bit "snug" if possible.

   What if the slots are a bit too big? No problem - small wedges of foam can be cut and fitted around the edges to snug things up.

   

8. Fit the camera and the timer into the payload shell. Cut out tiny bits or shim up the gaps as required.

   The camera fit does not have to be too tight. Elastic bands will be used to restrain the camera.

   

   The timer, however, should fit as tightly as possible.

   

9. Using a large paperclip and pair of needle-nose pliers, create and fit the shutter lever.

   

10. Remove the camera from the payload shell. Drill a hole from the top of the payload shell down to where the camera's shutter button should be. Make the hole large enough to accomodate a pencil.

11. Cut the pencil so that it is about 1cm longer than is needed to reach the shutter button, and insert it (eraser end up) into the hole.

12. Install the camera.

    

13. Cut a small slot in the eraser end of the pencil (with the coping saw blade) to hold an elastic band.

14. Stretch an elastic band around the payload shell as shown. This will hold the pencil firmly down on the shutter button of the camera.

15. Install the shutter release plate and cut it to fit so that it is free to slide entirely out from under the pencil when the timer extracts it.

    Hint Students participating in this project have discovered that the rounded graphite tip of a pencil has a very low coefficient of friction on a plastic surface (such as a credit card).

    

16. Attach the vertical stabilizer and locate the center of balance.

17. Install a small eye-screw at the balance point and attach the suspension string using a swivel or fishing leader.

    This completes your robotic camera. It is now "flight-ready".

    

    Select a clear breezy day and send your robot exploring.