11/30/2011

Final Flight

After getting the flowform kite to fly with the camera i was almost ready for my homemade kite to give it a try. Here's the link from the earlier kite making.
I did the last bit of finishing touches to the kite
, mainly the bridle. Then i had to make a better, steadier, harness for the camera. The thing to use is called a picavet. It is a harness and bracket that ensures that the camera is always level, no matter what angle the string is at.picavet gif, level camera, KAP

This was my first attempt. I used light aluminum box tubing and pvc tubes instead of pulleys. It was pretty light, but i didn't like it.DIY, homemade picavet, aluminum
So next i made this out of a thick wire hanger. Simple and strong.
new picavet, diy, make, wire hanger

Someone online said that they attach it to the kite string using a simple metal o-ring. It loops over the line and seemed like a good idea. I didn't have an o-ring so i used copper washers.
KAP, kite aerial photography, o-ring

I first tried the Rokkaku kite, but it was way too windy and it didn't fly at all. The kite kept zig-zagging back and forth. So i used the flow-form kite that flew before when the wind was really blowing hard.
Again it went right up with the camera. Photo from my kite and 200 feet, KAP, kite aerial photography
This time i was in the park down the street.
kap photography, canon camera, CHDK intervalometer
That's 15 mile road at the top.
canon camera, CHDK, intervalometer, up in the air
aerial view of houses, taken with a camera and kite
aerial view of houses, taken with a camera and kite
Notice the sidewalk down there...
falling camera, from a kite, broken camera
Well i guess the saying is "you can't make an omelet without cracking some eggs."

smashed canon camera after falling from kite
Just as i started pulling the kite in the string snapped and it fell to the only area of pavement, of course, the bike path.
The problem was that the washers used had too sharp of edges and after 20 minutes the kite string snapped.

metal washers snapped line of kite

The
kite floated away, even after an hour of looking for it i never saw it again. I'm pretty sure it landed in someones backyard on the other side of the woods.

Since the camera was totally broken i decided to just take it apart and see how it's made.
disassembled SD770is canon camera
disassembled SD770is canon camera, all pieces, parts
I plan on getting another used or new Canon camera and making another flow-form kite.
It's a bummer, but i've needed a different camera for a while. That one had so many things wrong with it:
  • broken battery door
  • dirt inside lens
  • missing lens cover
but it always worked and was great for doing these CHDK projects.


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