Picavet 2.0 – Now with 100% More Bucket!

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Modified the original design a bit, moving up to 2″ aluminum bar stock for the cross, to allow for the camera to hang on the same plane as the balloon string.

Untitled

I also added a bucket, which I’ll foam up in an attempt to protect the camera in a bombs away scenario. 2 and a half quarts of security theater!

Update: I walked over to Printing Services and weighed the picavet rig with camera in place. 1 lb, 3.2 ounces. Given the helium shortage, we’re looking into kites as an alternative, and the rig weight will inform the kite selection process.

Picavet Parts

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In preparation for some weather balloon flights, we’re working on building up a picavet, which will keep the camera level and steady regardless of the angle of the string – you can read all about them here:  http://www.kaper.us/basics/BASICS_picavet.html

After a couple of hours at the local hardware store, I ended up with a big pile of little parts.

Picavet Parts

I set to work this morning, and was able to knock out the basic framework for the part that attaches to the kite/balloon string:

Basic Picavet Frame

Lots of guidance on the web – I drew inspiration from http://www.arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/equip/picavet.html#no3.

Next is the camera mount, which attaches to the suspension frame pictured above.  We hope to test it out next week, and to tweak and adapt in advance of a project that will see students doing some aerial and ground surveying of a local nature area.