Camera Cradles
Part 1
Four Basic Cradle Designs

This series of pages is an effort to present camera cradle construction, and the resources needed to accomplish the task, in a concise and usable form. Many newcomers to KAP find it hard to assimilate all the diverse information about camera cradle construction. The fact that the information is spread across multiple sources makes the task even more intimidating. Camera Cradles is divided into Three Parts: The 4 Basic Cradle Designs Design Rules and Guidelines Charts of Camera Cradle Info On the Net

The Charts are the real meat of this section. They contain all the Internet sites that have Camera Cradle information and the type and quality of that information. The charts can be sorted using various parameters to help you find information quickly and efficiently. Most KAP camera cradles are homemade and therefore no two are just alike. The types of parts and materials available to each KAPer will be different in each situation. You will notice similarities in the basic design of the camera cradle from one KAPer to the next.

The Four Basic Designs When you look at the chart you will see references to the "Frame Style". "Frame Style" refers to the four basic styles mentioned on this page. Most camera cradles will use the UU design, and most will NOT have HoVer capabilities. 1a. The Double 'U' Design (UU) The two supporting members are U-shaped The top 'U' is the Panning member The bottom 'U' is the Tilting member THIS IS THE EASIEST AND MOST COMMON DESIGN!!! You will also occasionally see a variation of the Double 'U' Design that rotates the camera between the typical horizontal image format and a vertical image format, called    HoVer. 1b. The Double 'U' - HoVer Variation HoVer = HOrizontal VERticle The Tilt member is rotated back 90° An Extra Bracket is Attached to the Tilt Member to hold the camera

2. The Double 'L' Design It is half of the Double 'U' Design Some weight savings Light weight cameras only HoVer option possible, but not shown 3. Hinged Stack A centrally located Panning member The Tilting member hinges off the bottom HoVer is optional Simon Harbord's variation, the Panning Member is made by gluing the servos, transmitter, and batteries together 4. Other Camera Cradles that don't fit into any of the above three Design categories. Most of these are non-radio control systems that must be manually adjusted before flight