Survey Camera Setup

ArduPilot can drive a camera shutter from a servo output or a relay — on command from the transmitter, from the ground station, or automatically during a mission.

NOTE

Survey cameras do not all speak the same protocol. Check with your supplier that the camera supports MAVLink. The Share 102S five-lens camera, for example, needs a separate MAVLink-capable firmware build.

Hardware connection

Here a Share 102S five-lens camera is connected to the controller as the example.

Controller port	Pin	Camera connector
TELEM1/TELEM2/UART4	GND	GND
	RTS	-
	CTS	-
	RX	TX
	TX	RX
	5V+	-
Servo	A6 (s+)	Shutter
	A5 (S+)	Hot shoe
	GND	GND

Enabling MAVLink

In the full parameter list, set:

For TELEM1:

Serial1_baud=256
Serial1_protocol=2

For UART4:

Serial4_baud=256
Serial4_protocol=2

Setting up the shutter trigger

Pick one of the two trigger methods:

Triggering the camera with PWM

CAM1_TRIGG_TYPE=0         //Trigger type: 0 = PWM, 1 = relay
Servo14_Function=10       //Set A6/M14 as the shutter trigger; use your actual channel
CAM_FEEDBACK_PIN=54       //Set A5/M13 as the hot shoe feedback input; use your actual channel
CAM_TRIGG_DIST=0          //Disable GPS distance-based triggering
CAM_AUTO_ONLY=1           //Where distance triggering may run; must be 1 so it only triggers in Auto
RC?_OPT=9                 //Channel for transmitter shutter; e.g. RC7_OPT=9 makes channel 7 take a photo when switched high
Serial1_baud=256          //Baud 256 (the Share 102S default)
Serial1_protocol=2        //MAVLink, so the camera can get GPS data from the controller (if it supports it)

Triggering the camera with a relay

CAM_TRIGG_TYPE=1       //Trigger type: 0 = PWM, 1 = relay
CAM_RELAY_ON=1         //Relay active level: 0 = low, 1 = high — the Share 102S triggers on high
Relay_pin=55           //Relay trigger pin; 55 is A6/M14, other pins work too — see the pin map
Servo14_Function=-1    //Set this output to relay camera trigger (-1) on M14/A6
CAM1_FEEDBACK_PIN=54   //Hot shoe feedback input; 54 is M13/A5
CAM1_TRIGG_DIST=0      //GPS distance triggering must be 0, or any GPS offset will fire the shutter
CAM1_AUTO_ONLY=1       //Distance triggering is allowed in Auto only; must be 1
CAM1_DURATION=1        //Shutter open time; 1 = 100 ms

Testing

There are two ways to test the shutter:

From the transmitter

RC?_OPTION=9    //? = the shutter channel; RC7_OPTION=9 uses channel 7. Flip the switch to trigger.

From the ground station

On the Actions tab of Mission Planner's Flight Data screen, choose Trigger camera and click to execute — the camera should fire.

More survey tutorials

Setting out ground control pointsRTK rover configurationSetting up an RTK base stationSurvey mission planning