coneblog

The whole point of the Skycam control system is to deliver a stabilized, in communication, in control camera to an interesting viewpoint above the action.  Here is the top of the payload with the covers off.  At the top are several boxes containing the Radio-frequency control system, the video signal transmission system, and the twin gyroscopes.  Below that are the twin red-topped batteries that powered the rig.  Below that, you can see the bands of the slip rings that carried power from the Batteries to the gimbals.  Below that is a mysterious custom black Seitz box that used light-weight MOSFET power conversion to convert the battery juice to the four different voltages needed by the gear.  The platform at the bottom is the powered gimbals that kept the rig upright, and the four attachment points for the suspension cables.  The whole was exquisitely balanced before each job to minimize active gimbal power and thus load on the battery system.