@BigAl wrote:
It's been great getting to know about the Pixhawk, its many unique and customizeable features, and especially, flying the quad. Recently, and with thanks to those on this forum who have helped, I've added the capability to fly automated missions. Very cool.
Now, my attention proceeds to the next step - using the quad for mapping purposes. Specifically, adding the capability of taking photos. I am not particularly interested in motorized gimbals, FPV capabilities etc. Rather, I am primarily interested in taking good quality photos. I have a Samsung NX camera that I purchased a couple of years ago for experimentation with close range photogrammetry. The Samsung NX has several features that make it well suited for photogrammetric use - 20.5 megapixel, with a large 1’’ BSI format sensor = 116 mm2 sensor size, and Wi-Fi connectivity. The body weight is 158 g, but with the Samsung 9mm fixed lens, it weighs around 240 grams. So, it is fairly heavy. I'm not sure my little quad will be able to fly it for more than a few minutes, if at all.
But, putting that aside, my immediate challenge is to understand how to control the taking of the pictures while the camera is in the air. I understand from reading this link that mission planner can be used to configure the Pixhawk to control the shutter of the camera. I am embarrased to say that I don't know in this context the differences between a servo and a relay, or which one I would choose.
In general, I've discovered that there are many kinds of remote shutter controls available for cameras - including wired and wireless (bluetooth, infrared) varieties. The Samsung NX can also be controlled by a smartphone, via a IEEE 802.11b/g/n wireless network. However, the Samsung NX also contains a micro USB jack that is designed to allow for remote shutter control, and since I am not aware of the Pixhawk having wireless capabilities, I'm guessing that some sort of wired control using this micro USB jack might be the way to go.
I'd very much appreciate some hints or tips on getting this set up.
Thanks,
Al
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