KAP/KAV

So, I thought I would take a bit of a break from thesis prep to post some update stuff on my KAP/KAV projects.  For those who don't know, KAP is Kite Aerial Photography and KAV is " " Video.  I first became fascinated with this around a year ago, more as a hobby at that point.  A few months ago, I began thinking of ways to use this for emergency management purposes.  The basic idea is that you attach a rig which holds your camera(s) to a suspension system, a common one is called a picavet cross, lace string through the picavet, and attach those two ends to your kite line once the kite is aloft a few hundred feet and stable.

This has been quite a progression over the last 3 months, as it all started with a $10 parafoil kite off ebay.  My first KAP trial was actually using a make-shift rig, which was a rolled up first-aid kit and a 3.1mp phone set to video mode, attached to a 9ft. delta kite.  The delta actually achieved nearly 3000ft. in height but the phone cut off well before that.  I then took various screenshots of the video, imported them into ArcMap, and georectified them using orthophoto imagery from the department.  Screenshots of the first rig and orthorectification results are below.

 Now here are a few photos of my new rig.  This is a servo-BEAK, auto-electric rotating and self-shuttering, from Brooks Leffler.  I've done some minor adjusting, and added an adhesive mount for my GoPro Hero2, so I can capture both stills and video at the same time.  I can also point it downward for stills and sideways for video.

 Here's a couple of photos of me pack and of my line.  That's 1000' of 200# and 2000' of 100# black braided dacron line.  Also, here's the 9ft. delta conyne I've reinforced, for the time being, with duct tape.  I've been using this in the absence of my delta, which is hanging in a tree currently, as well as trialing it against the delta for its high flying angle with fairly good pull.   I'm ordering replacements next week.  Looking at training the conynes, and possibly piloting 2-3 of them with a double-carbon fiber frame reinforced delta.

 And I will end with a couple of pictures taken with my new rig/cameras.  One is at nite, showing the Perth CBD with the Kwinana Freeway winding to the west, facing North.  The other is at Yallingdup, Western Australia, from about 1300'.

I will be continuing on the development of this project, as it will be fully functional by the first part of September when I go to Tajikistan for my thesis research.  I also have plans for several high altitude weather balloon projects, as well as FPV using RC airplanes.  Exciting things in the future!.

%RBT