Lost model locators

[Phil 9]

Our club backs onto a crop field that in the past has been damaged by people walking through it looking for downed models. The farmer has asked people entering the field should only follow the tractor tracks in the field when searching for models and once found follow the shortest route to the model as to cause minimal crop damage.

As the crops get high you will not be able to see a model from the tractor tracks. there has been a lot of discussion of use of model locators to help find an unsighted model and to avoid trampling crops.

Has anyone have any experience or ideas how best to achieve this?

[Martyn K]

Biotrack.... used by the FF fraternity.

Martyn

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

The Loc8tor seems to work OK - independent of the model's battery and perhaps your club could invest in the main unit and sell the transmitters?

You just need to remember to change the battery occasionally - our club bought one about 4 years ago with a supply of tags but although effective, I don't remember anyone actually having to use one in anger and I suspect, like my tag, most are sitting idle. In your case they could be invaluable...

Of course, if you have telemetry with signal strength monitoring this can be used if the receiver is still active by making use of the directional properties of the transmitter aerial.

Edited By Martin Harris on 12/03/2013 14:05:55

[WolstonFlyer]

This Lost Model Finder is supposed to be quite good, it was mentioned in another thread on here a while ago.

It has an option to be manually triggered via a switch on your TX and a spare RX channel, rather than some lost model sounders that only go off if you do not move a specific servo for a set amount of time.

It also has a timer so the sounder will trigger after a programmed number of minutes (up to 240 mins delay)

**LINK**

I think I will get one because our flying field is right next to fields that can have some very tall crops, we had a Wot4 foam-e that was lost for a whole month in the summer last year.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

After a clubmate's model was lost in a field of standing wheat yesterday and no sign of the model could be seen above the crop, in deference to the farmer's interests, I decided that the next step should be to try filming from overhead with my 1/4 scale Cub which I had been flying earlier. I've often seen references to people trying to locate models from camera footage but don't recall anyone claiming any success - but nothing ventured...

I mounted my compact Nikon (with reasonable resolution - 720p HD) on a piece of foam at the base of the starboard struts so that the lens projected through them and taped on the assembly which gave a slightly angled view from the vertical and flew over the offending field from a variety of angles and heights. On viewing the footage on a laptop we were quite encouraged to see a very hopeful "splodge" right on one of the tractor ruts - but surprisingly far from where we'd been tentatively looking!

Here's a still showing the model:

...well worth the effort although the model was a write-off.

 

Edited By Martin Harris on 19/07/2013 23:53:00