The Remote Control Plane camera may be one of the most significant and useful developments in the field of RC vehicles. Small cameras have been around for a long time. Spy agencies first developed ultra compact cameras for surveillance duties. The original limitation was the film and batteries, but as technology improved, so did the size, performance and cost of such cameras.
One of the first things that dedicated RC hobbyists did was to fit these cameras to their remote control planes. The first images were still photographs, generally stored digitally. While the film and the equipment needed is too heavy to considered for small, scale model planes, the advent of digital photography and videography made it possible to consider fitting cameras to RC planes. Small, lightweight chips can store an amazing amount of data. This translates into hundreds of pictures and up to 20 minutes or more of video. It was a short step to the first remote control plane camera.
Popular Remote Control Plane Cameras
The most popular incarnation of this growing recreation is the spy helicopter. The popularity of these RC vehicles is such that they have even been advertised on TV from major retailers. The reason is simple; a remote control plane camera is always in motion. Even with modern technology, the video quality is low at best and is unavoidable to keep the equipment weight down. With the rapid motion of a plane, the results are less than desirable. The RC helicopter, unlike the remote control plane camera, can hover and doing so allow it to capture useful, watchable video. In addition to being a lot of fun, this technology is the premier technology for military intelligence gathering and surveillance. For the RC plane hobbyist however, this is pure fun.
Uses for Remote Control Plane Cameras
There are quite a few uses for this technique. One is in the field of nature studies. Cameras have been fitted to eagles, hawks and other birds to study how they fly. This has lead to major advancements in ornithology and aeronautics. Keeping an eye on anything is much easier with a remote control camera plane or helicopter and companies are turning to this new technology to allow them to monitor plant operations, supplement security operations, and assist in maintenance. We all know what the military does with these cameras and have watched their videos on the news.
One of the newest developments in this growing field is live video. Technology in this field has improved to the point that wireless cameras that transmit live video from the vehicle are now in use. These broadcast the camera output using Wi-Fi networking. While the range is limited, this is always being improved and as a result, is being seen more and more at RC gatherings. Imagine showing your guests live video of the pool party from 100 feet in the air. Wedding videos with an aerial view will surely be very popular in the years to come, giving the event an exciting air. The most fun is just watching the world go by from the sky, safe on the ground!
