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Where/how to mount Drift camera IN cockpit

alpinelakespilot2000

Well Known Member
From others experiences, it seems like the best video comes from installations on the exterior of the plane. However, for my (own) first flight, I'd prefer not to have the camera hanging outside the plane. Just seems prudent.

When my test pilot flew, I had my Drift HD170 Stealth attached to the threaded rod supporting the slider rail at the baggage bulkhead. It turns out there is way too much vibration there to give good video.

My next thought is to use the camera's tube mount on the roll bar brace at the windscreen.

Any other suggestions? I kind of need to get it right the first time, as I only have one first flight! Thanks.
 
ram suction cup

and put it next to your head on the top of canopy (just to right of center tube). You can aim it to see all the instrument panel and all the view thru the windshield on 1080 setting. You will need to rotate the lens, easy to do. Highly recommend you get the remote mic which has about 2 feet of cable, put mic in your headset ear cup. I have used this on more than a dozen flights. Turn on and adjust aim before your checklist for start up. Make sure you push the main button once after the flight to stop recording. Then hold button for the 5 seconds to power it off. If you do the long hold for power-off before you stop the recording it will not save the recording. Test the operation of the camera days before the flight so it is not part of your "overload" on the big day. I mounted the ram suction cup to a small piece of aluminum with flush screws, then attach the alum plate to the camera with the 1/4" standard screw mount. Pretty solid, I see a slight shake on slow speed just before touchdown, not a big problem. I have many videos on youtube with same channel name as here. Last bunch of videos are all from this camera.
Good luck!
Dale
RV6a, Drift HD170 Stealth
 
Last edited:
Thanks Dale. I just fabricated an attach plate to a Lowrance suction cup mount I had laying around. Should work good.

Do you have any preferred settings on your drift? 720 vs. 1080? Frames per second? Do you leave it wide angle or do you use the digital zoom at all. (I found the zoom to really eat into the quality of the video, but am not sure if that's a function of the zoom or if it might be the result of other camera settings I was using.)
 
1080 my favorite

because I like that not so wide angle and the quality is very good. I can read the GRT EFIS well in the videos. And outside is in good focus also. I found the digital zoom to be weak just as you said. With the suction cup you can move the camera above the glare shield quick & easy when you want to get better outside view and skip the panel info.
Dale

recent video with Drift HD170

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7kT3gyBvnI&list=UUKZLGUij1xPHao8mVXdbIrg&index=1&feature=plcp
 
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