Simple Helicam, Combine The "Helicopter Remote Control" and Canon DSLR camera.

Hello beraudiovisual's friends. For you a crew of film production or television production, must be familiar with helicam. Helicam is a unique tool that can photograph or record images from a height, because the tool can fly. The principle of this tool is simple, and can even say there's nothing special, just like a regular camera placed on top of a toy helicopter. then we steer it. But the cameras used in Helicam this is not a regular camera, but Canon 7D DSLR cameras, in addition to the tool is also equipped with GPS (Global Position System) which allows us to continue to monitor the existence of this instrument when flying, and with a 5.8 GHz video monitor system , allows you to see every moment that was caught on camera this tool.

The Real Pro Helicam

The Real Pro Helicam

In a process to get the perfect shot, Eric Austin, a videographer who resides in Texas, found a neat way to combine the "helicopter remote control" and Canon DSLR cameras so he could air the video shoot with ease and get the kind of record that should be difficult to obtain. 

"I took a helicopter hobbyshop and modified to be fitted with a camera, so I can get a low altitude, the air close and tight shots," said Austin Wired.com.

An amateur videographer who became a pro, Austin is interested in photography remote control just four months ago.

 "As I do more photos and video, I realized I could develop a niche where I can use technological advances to provide the type of photos that most people can not get it easily," he said. 

Austin is one of the hobby photographer who finds a way to use a remote control toy airplanes and helicopters to get a more interesting camera angles. Wired magazine Editor-in-chief Chris Anderson in a site called DIY Drones where the user has found a way to use unmanned aerial vehicles to conduct aerial photographs. Last year, New York City photographer Anthony Jacobs showed a helicam built using German helicopter rig named MikroKopter. Jacobs uses helicam rig to shoot the video neighborhooods in the city. 

Austin, who has a website devoted to his RC helicopter videography, Saying he wanted to do something similar and offer quality HD video and photos. That is why, he said, he decided to create a rig that will be reliable and produce a type of recording that can be used by professionals. And as this clip shows, the video can be interesting. 

Aerial video with the Canon 5D, 7D AUSTIN helivideo.com from Eric on Vimeo.

Footage shot so far, Austin has helped to TV shows including the History Channel series of slices.
Austin started with a remote control helicopter called Align T-REX 700 and modified to carry a particular frame of the camera mount. He put tweaked landing gear for helicopters, covered with bright pink foam from "Noodles" is commonly used in swimming pools. 

"The color stands out when I fly outdoors helicopter," said Austin. "And if I hit the water, the equipment all my life will not go down. It will be destroyed, but at least I'll get my teeth back" Austin said.

He adjusts the camera settings when it's on the ground and pressing the Record button just before takeoff. For still images, Austin said he uses an external timer that activates the shutter every few seconds.

To create a video of the flying rig, Austin said he spent hours in online discussion forums at Helifreak.com.

"I do not know anyone to talk to," he said. "And then realized the only place to go is online where people discuss this."

Eric's Helicam

Eric's Helicam

One of the more challenging task of Austin has done with his helicam ie flying over a cliff about 25 meters high with a river below. And he did not destroy the helicopter.

"The likelihood that accidents will happen there, but so far, I have been careful," he said.
To download video, Austin has established a 5.8-GHz downlink the video feed using a wireless transmitter on-board.

All this does not come cheap. Austin estimates the whole rig cost him about $ 15,000. But for those at home, who want to do something similar, he says there are cheaper alternatives.

The results

The results of image shot from helicam.

"I go for the best and most expensive components because I do not want to risk it fails the air," he said. "But you can get an RC helicopter for about $ 400 and put the camera point-and-shoot on it."