They are becoming more versatile, more powerful, quieter… And more popular. Drones are increasingly used, both for professional uses and for leisure. A drone or drone with a camera allows us to capture images and record videos from the sky in areas where this is allowed. In this post we will see how you can connect the camera of a drone to the mobile to control it comfortably from a distance.
And it is that the videos and photographs recorded in mid-flight, from a higher position, provide us with spectacular images. They are also perfect for seeing everything that cannot be seen at ground level. With this connection, everything that the drone records will appear on the screen of our phone.
The connection between a mobile phone and a drone is made through an app. Before that, we will need to connect via Wi-Fi. Each camera model has its own application, although the operation of all of them is quite similar.
Types of cameras for drones
Depending on the characteristics of the camera and the use that we are going to give it, we can distinguish between three main types of cameras for drones:
- Panchromatic cameras. The captures are made at a higher resolution than the multispectral bands of the satellites. They are the ones used for professional photography by real estate groups, tourist promotions, etc.
- Multispectral cameras. They have sensors that measure light beyond the spectrum visible to the human eye. These cameras are used in the agricultural and forestry sector, as well as in ecological studies.
- Thermographic cameras. These base their operation on the detection and measurement of infrared radiation from bodies, that is, on the heat they emit. They are used in the inspection of infrastructures, detection of thermal leaks in buildings or for the ideal installation of solar panels.
In addition to these cameras for professional use, there is a special type that is incorporated into most of the models that are currently sold for leisure purposes, but also for surveillance or security functions: cameras FPV cameras (First Person View). These work by WiFi connection, allowing to perform real time recordings y transmit them to a mobile phone, tablet, FPV glasses or any other device. This specific type of camera is the one we are going to focus on in our entry.
Camera control app
The application that controls the drone's camera is downloaded and installed like any other app, without major complications.
In addition to downloading the specific application for the camera model that we are going to use, it is necessary check that our smartphone supports UVC. We are also going to need a Eachine ROTG01 receiver, which connects via Micro USB to the smartphone. Both of these things will be necessary for the connection to work properly.
Once this is done, in order to use the drone camera, the first thing we must do is connect the WiFi of our terminal. Next, you have to open the application and search for the drone in the available networks. When the mobile recognizes the device, you have to click on it to establish the connection.
Connect an FPV camera to a drone
Let's see how you can connect the camera of a drone to the mobile:
- Firstly, we start the application that we have downloaded.
- Then We connect our phone with the Micro USB port of the Eachine y we look for the channels using the red button on the receiver.
- Finally, We select the appropriate channel. In some cases we will even be able to choose the level of quality of the connection. Its range can be up to 300 meters.
Apps to control drones
There are numerous applications that we can use to fly a drone, from the simplest to others that can be used for professional purposes. Here are some of the best:
Drone Deploy
FPV Drone Controller
A practical application with which to direct the flight of medium-sized drones. The WiFi module for the camera FPV Drone Controller it includes, among other things, VGA support, 720p and 1080 resolutions, support for capturing photos and a video recording function.
Pix4DCapture
It is one of the most used apps because of its compatibility with the vast majority of drones on the market. On the other hand, the management of Pix4DCapture It's very simple: we just have to start and select the different flight settings, as well as speed, angle of inclination and other aspects. It is also used for 3D mapping and professional uses.
