Comment by matsemann

11 years ago

Wow, cool that someone is sharing our project! It's for a course at my university called "experts in teams" where they combine master students from many programs in teams and give them tasks. A video with more shoots is available[1].

We got UAVs for the Norwegian oil industry as a task, and explored how they can be flown better in the future. Other teams with the same task made other cool stuff as well, for instance a custom drone for geological mapping. [2]

[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANSjwWomIJ8 [2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5di01L1mot8

12 comments

matsemann

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mabbo  11 years ago

As one commenter on youtube said: "Shut up and take my money".

But seriously, have you guys considered commercializing this? You're offering people the ability to experience flight. Not just a video of flight, but controlled flying in their own neighbourhood.

  • jodrellblank  11 years ago

    Here's one from a year ago - FPV system with QuadCopter, commercialised because people were asking for 'affordable' versions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWPrf4pw6V8

    It's not Oculus Rift based, but it is FPV flight.

    Slightly off toic, NB. You need to also be a bit careful with flying regulations, as radio controlled aircraft are still regulated. In the UK for example, flying an FPV radio controlled aircraft can't be done on your own, you must have a competent observer keeping it in line of sight at all times and watching for risk of collisions, so no flying it behind buildings or hills. You must also not fly within 50 meters of any building or vehicle you don't own, or above any congested or crowded area, or takeoff/land within 50 meters of other people. So where you say "experience flight in their neighbourhood" - they might not be allowed to:

    http://www.fpvuk.org/fpv-law/

    http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ORS4%20number%20956.pdf

    • zobzu  11 years ago

      theres hd flights from fpv machines from the day youtube started. ppl have being doing this for decades in analog and a good 10 years in HD. its not like if one year ago was a special feat or something.

      its having the oculus vr with it which is cool, with analog cameras. the previous attempt had a big laptop, webcams and wifi.

baddox  11 years ago

Does it look weird to have different little bits of video static in each eye? Also, a cool idea would be an OSD that supports 3D overlays.

  • maaaats  11 years ago

    Yeah, it is weird. You kinda want to rub your eyes or something. It was even weirder when we adjusted the cameras. I looked through the Oculus Rift, while another person adjusted and I would tell him when they were properly aligned. Having a person "turn" your eye, drop it etc. was crazy!

makmanalp  11 years ago

Could you tell us more about the "experts in teams" program? That sounds like a very interesting and unique approach.

  • maaaats  11 years ago

    The link[1] has a description. Basically, different professors create different "villages" one may apply to. Everyone taking a master's has to take this course, e.g. all 4th year students. Our university has everything from engineering to human sciences, so the diversity of the groups are great. This gives new influences to the field of the village, and good practice in teamwork for us students.

    [1]: http://www.ntnu.edu/eit/formal-documents

marvin  11 years ago

Cool project! And it's cool to see an NTNU student on HN. I study data visualization at the Institute of informatics at UiB, and I really wish we had research groups with the same practical focus you guys get.