Tiny digital camera, with a parachute attached. Camera is perhaps bullet shaped, with a protected lens (indentation in front). Tension on the parachute cord takes a picture. When falling, camera points straight down. Packaged with slingshot.
-- Worldgineer, Aug 04 2004

Tiny camera. http://store.yahoo....nhome/prmidica.html
To show that it would be small enough and affordable. [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

flying portable camera http://www.halfbake...20portable_20camera
Thanks [romanmar] and [lurch] for the inspiration. [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

(?) Mini video camera with integral transmitter http://www.inesun.com/list_1.asp?id=213
[scubadooper]

Balloonera http://www.halfbake...com/idea/Balloonera [scubadooper, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Balloonera http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Balloonera
[Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

You know, I could bake this right now if I had one of those little cameras. Use a cord like a sling (not a slingshot, but one of the swing-it-around type) that will be your throw-handle and also act as a streamer to slow it down. Attach the streamer so that it's mounted to three points on the back of the camera, so the lens faces the flight direction. Use rubber bands to attach a few packing peanuts to the camera (without blocking the lens) to absorb the shock of landing. Set it to "continuous shooting"; set the self timer, click, count to five, swing, fling, look up, smile...
-- lurch, Aug 04 2004


You can already purchase those model rockets with cameras built into them that take 110 film, they don't take too bad pictures either and can get a lot higher than a slingshot would be able to.
-- Sattamassagana, Aug 04 2004


But are much less portable. And may catch the corn on fire.
-- Worldgineer, Aug 04 2004


they're portable enough, only a foot long or so, and the heat they generate is intense but it's barely on the little pad before it buggered off upwards.
-- Sattamassagana, Aug 04 2004


So I need to bring a pad and a foot long device with me on vacation? No thanks. Pocket sized digital camera and cord (I like [lurch]'s version, but with a parachute and bullet-shaped camera) seems much more convienent.
-- Worldgineer, Aug 04 2004


cool.
-- skinflaps, Aug 04 2004


Nothing stops one from launching one of those model rocket cameras with a slingshot...
-- phoenix, Aug 04 2004


True, and the advantage with a rocket (albeit from a 'proper' launch) would give a picture that could not have been attained from simply climbing a tree (unless you have very tall trees!)
-- Sattamassagana, Aug 04 2004


[px] Perhaps, though the ones I've seen have the camera facing sort-of backwards from the direction of travel. This may be problematic if you have a wadded up parachute following it.
-- Worldgineer, Aug 05 2004


How about this (see link) add 9V battery a ground based digital converter and memory card storage connected to the receiver and you can pick whatever shot you want or use all the video footage. The picture's great.
-- scubadooper, Aug 05 2004


How do you delay deployment of the parachute? In a rocket there's a deployment charge (that's why you can't use ordinary tissue as recovery wadding)
-- scubadooper, Aug 05 2004


I like that.

Here's another idea. (other idea moved to new idea - see balloonera link)
-- Worldgineer, Aug 05 2004



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