GoPro sticky mount on wing

[Adi]

Hey folks,

I'm thinking of using a GoPro sticky mount at the tip of my wing and attaching a Hero Max for some hopefully cool 360 footage. I know folks who have done it with a suction cup but I find that a bit scary - liability of a camera falling on someone on the ground.. Several aspects of concern come to mind:

 1) Aerodynamics. My guess is something as small as a GoPro would be negligible but these things tend to be unintuitive. Any differences here between top of wing/bottom of wing, further towards the edge vs closer towards the root etc?

 2) Legality. Unlike a suction cup mount or the tiedown hook mount, this is a more permanent fixture.

 3) Durability / Safety. The mount will effectively be attached to the paint. Any chance the wind might rip the camera, mount and paint off together?

 4) Removability. Do I risk permanently damaging the paint when/if I decide to remove the mount?

 

 

Curious what the collective brain of MooneySpace has to say about these things.

Thanks in advance all, y'all have been hugely helpful whenever I had Mooney questions so far

Adi

[ShuRugal]

Not an answer to your question, but I saw this guy at the airport the other day who stuffed one into one of his gun mounts:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/87ysWWYtSQfAwRjK7

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[Adi]

That's truly amazing. Wish I had a gun port in my Mooney

[sleeper-319]

Re #4, I haven’t stuck one to my plane, but I have stuck them to other stuff, and the adhesive seems strong and yet surprisingly easy to remove with no damage as long as you’re patient! The things I’ve mounted them to are much lower speeds though, so I can’t offer any insights on how they hold up to hours of wind blast. I have seen some youtubers with similarly fast planes with GoPros on the wings. So I’d find some of those and get their opinions too.

[Niko182]

I have one just inside of the wing tip. Its been on there for +2 years now. I highly doubt its coming off anytime soon regardless of sun, snow, rain, or anything else. When I do finally decide to remove it, it is going to be a massive pain. Those things are practically welded onto the wing.

 

[Igor_U]

I didn't want to  go the sticky mount route so I bought the wing access panel and drill the hole for a mount... place that panel to the location you like under the wing (mine is inboard) and fly.

[ShuRugal]

I didn't want to  go the sticky mount route so I bought the wing access panel and drill the hole for a mount... place that panel to the location you like under the wing (mine is inboard) and fly.

This method has the added bonus of being able to experiment with different viewpoints without covering the plane in GoPro detritus.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[Adi]

Igor - you bought a wing access panel, drilled in it and substitute it for your existing panels? Or did you drill into one of the existing panels? If the former, where do you buy a wing access panel?

[Igor_U]

I bought a used access panel ( I didn't want to drill original one as it had newer paint) and replaced it on location I found the best. Keep in mind H-Stab also has same access panels so you can mount camera there as well...

I bought it from MS member Alan Fox but you can find them on ebay as well.

9 minutes ago, Adi said:

Igor - you bought a wing access panel, drilled in it and substitute it for your existing panels? Or did you drill into one of the existing panels? If the former, where do you buy a wing access panel?

 

[carusoam]

@Alan Fox has a stack of Mooney access panels….

If able… try to find a non-flight surface for the video equipment…  the tail tie down gets used often, but is in trail of a fine oil mist…

Putting stuff on flight surfaces… always adds a variable that is tough to explain….

There is probably better and worse locations depending on what surface is being used…

There is a video area of this site that has lots of locations used…. MS’ Most prolific videographer… @PilotFun101

PP thoughts only, not an CFR expert…

Best regards,

-a-

[midlifeflyer]

1 hour ago, carusoam said:

PP thoughts only, not an CFR expert…

   Just noticed this. I doubt any one is a "CFR expert" since the CFR covers every regulation of every agency of the US government. I doubt too many folks are even "14 CFR experts" since that "Aeronautics and Space" Title covers more than the FAA's regulations. 

sorry. Woke up feeling ornery. 

[midlifeflyer]

Have you looked at the MyPilotPro ring mount? I have a DIY which is similar and I really like the view from the wing tiedown.

[ArtVandelay]

If you have winglets you may have a stall fence you can clamp it to:

[Hank]

That little piece of sheet metal is pretty thin, not sure I'd put a continuous aerodynamic load on it.

I always thought it was to keep the recognition light out of my eyes.

[Skates97]

I have a home-made mount that I put on the wing tie down like Mark a couple posts up. I wrote up an article in The Mooney Flyer a few months back about cameras and also how I made the under wing mount.

https://themooneyflyer.com/issues/2021-AprTMF.pdf

[KLudwick]

This is a pretty good link to a starter guide for camera mounting and associated ACs, video explanations, etc: https://flightflix.net/faa-camera-mount-guide/

[midlifeflyer]

21 hours ago, Skates97 said:

I have a home-made mount that I put on the wing tie down like Mark a couple posts up. I wrote up an article in The Mooney Flyer a few months back about cameras and also how I made the under wing mount.

https://themooneyflyer.com/issues/2021-AprTMF.pdf

Nice. Mine started out looking a bit like yours but I found that no matter how much I tightened that thumbscrew, even with a screwdriver, flight speed (particularly in the J model in the photo) made the camera rotate in the ring. I'd end up landing with the camera pointed straight down. A Rockler clamp made all the difference in the world. Doesn't even move much at Ovation speeds. 

A question: How long have you had the Drift Ghost X and how do you like it?  My first Apeman* had the lower capacity battery and when I put the larger capacity batter from a later model, I was able to record for 3 hours. I really missed that when the camera finally crapped out. I'd go do a foliage flight and run out of power soon after getting to the destination. I tried a few DIY solutions to add a powerpack to the tied down mount but, while one of them looked good, I was worried about the extra weight and resulting lever action on the ring. So I recently ordered a Ghost X and a really interested to hear from someone who is using it for aviation.  Are you using it with or without the optional protective case. 

(* I really like the Apeman cameras - yes, that's one in the photo - but have discovered a downside to all the cheap GoPro imitations I've tried Mainly, they are cheaply made and the micro USB connector is the first thing to go, making use of a powerpack problematic unless very careful. OTOH, I bought a used GoPro Hero 3 - mostly for the synced audio) and the connector is rock solid.)

 

[Skates97]

I haven't had any problems with it rotating, but I have the LASAR tie-down mounts which are flat instead of round like the Mooney ones so maybe that makes a difference. Even in descent at 170+ MPH IAS (Vne 189) it hasn't moved on me.

I've been using the Ghost X for almost a year now and love it. The first one I got for $80 on an Amazon deal so figured if it was a bust I wasn't out too much money. I liked it so much after a couple months I bought three more and gave my son the Apeman and Dragon cameras I had.

With the Wifi off I get well over 4 hours of recording. I don't use the protective case, haven't flown through rain with it but I've been through the clouds and can see the condensation running off the lens so it at least handles some moisture without the case. Besides the great battery life I love the rotating lens. I mount it, turn on the Wifi, connect to my phone so I can rotate the lens to level the picture, then turn off the Wifi and press record on the camera. 

All my videos on YouTube after December 2020 are with the Ghost X Cameras. The one of the Oshkosh arrival was also using a Ghost X facing rearward in the cabin and was used to capture the cabin video and radios. The NFlightCam cable for the GoPro Hero 3 also works to plug into the Ghost X and capture audio.

[midlifeflyer]

2 hours ago, Skates97 said:

I haven't had any problems with it rotating, but I have the LASAR tie-down mounts which are flat instead of round like the Mooney ones so maybe that makes a difference. Even in descent at 170+ MPH IAS (Vne 189) it hasn't moved on me.

I've been using the Ghost X for almost a year now and love it. The first one I got for $80 on an Amazon deal so figured if it was a bust I wasn't out too much money. I liked it so much after a couple months I bought three more and gave my son the Apeman and Dragon cameras I had.

With the Wifi off I get well over 4 hours of recording. I don't use the protective case, haven't flown through rain with it but I've been through the clouds and can see the condensation running off the lens so it at least handles some moisture without the case. Besides the great battery life I love the rotating lens. I mount it, turn on the Wifi, connect to my phone so I can rotate the lens to level the picture, then turn off the Wifi and press record on the camera. 

All my videos on YouTube after December 2020 are with the Ghost X Cameras. The one of the Oshkosh arrival was also using a Ghost X facing rearward in the cabin and was used to capture the cabin video and radios. The NFlightCam cable for the GoPro Hero 3 also works to plug into the Ghost X and capture audio.

Thank you. My Ghost X arrived today.

[A64Pilot]

It’s an external load so I don’t think it’s legal. For example I’ve seen a small game tracking antenna antenna mounted on a Supercub strut require a field approval and of course a 337.

However the camera thing is done so frequently that I doubt the FAA is going to care, unless of course it falls off and hits someone in the head.

Still I’d remove the mount and don’t advertise your doing it just in case an inspector happens by.

‘I’ve used them in test flights looking for skin flexing during maneuvers and the subject of using a dummy cord came up. we decided the damage it could cause beating against the aircraft may exceed the value of the camera,but we never lost one as you say that VHB tape is tough.

The stick on mounts use VHB tape and continuous pressure with a heat gun will remove the VHB tape and you can get a roll of it from Amazon to replace the tape and reuse the mount.

‘I think the physical mount via screws is safest.

‘Back before Gopro’s I used a Sony “lipstick” camera mounted on the tail of my 140, about a minute into the video is a spin, mounted to the VOR antenna mount

Edited September 22, 2021 by A64Pilot

[A64Pilot]

On 9/21/2021 at 6:17 AM, ArtVandelay said:

If you have winglets you may have a stall fence you can clamp it to:

Is that what that is for? I always thought it was to block light glare

[Schllc]

Flew a 180 with a pponk conversion from Louisiana to Idaho with the suction cup attachment the whole way without a problem. 
not sure why it wouldn’t work on the Mooney. 

[ArtVandelay]

Is that what that is for? I always thought it was to block light glare

Good question, that’s just what they remind me of.

[A64Pilot]

14 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

Good question, that’s just what they remind me of.

Flow fences are usually mid span.

Supposedly one of the Chief Mig designers was asked why all Soviet aircraft of the day had flow fences, His answer was it was to prevent the airflow from the inner wing from defecting to the outer wing

[midlifeflyer]

20 hours ago, Skates97 said:

. 

All my videos on YouTube after December 2020 are with the Ghost X Cameras. The one of the Oshkosh arrival was also using a Ghost X facing rearward in the cabin and was used to capture the cabin video and radios. The NFlightCam cable for the GoPro Hero 3 also works to plug into the Ghost X and capture audio.

Have you experimented with the three different fields of view?