Transmitter settings:  endpoints / servo rates

Make sure that in manual mode you can use your transmitter to move pan and tilt as far as they can go physically in all directions.

In your transmitter, make sure the "servo rates" and "endpoints" on the pan and tilt channels are as high as possible.  This is "120%" or "125%" on most transmitters.   

Also be sure there is no undesired trim on either channel.

Power up plane and transmitter. Switch to manual mode.

Move the pan control all the way the right.   If you hear binding / buzzing of the servo,  back off a little until it just stops buzzing.  In your transmitter settings, set the "endpoint" for that channel to that position.
Repeat for pan left, tilt up, and tilt down.

Calibration via video

Instead of using a protractor, we'll use trigonometry and the image from the video camera to calibrate pan/tilt angles. This will give the ultimate precision.

Set up video receiver and monitor. Be sure there's a SDFlash chip inserted in Ruby.

Measure and mark dead center on the video screen with a little piece of tape or erasable marker..

Set plane up on the edge of a table facing a wall as shown.  Be sure it's parallel to the floor and facing the wall squarely.

Measure the distance between camera and wall.  ("a")   and between camera and floor ("e").

Place a mark / tape on the wall that is directly ahead of the plane and at the same height from floor as camera. We'll call this ("y").

Place a mark/tape on the floor that is directly below the camera. We'll call this ("z").

Move pan and tilt so that the center on the video screen centered on ("y").  Be sure the  tilt control stays in the same position through the next steps.

Move pan control to center. 

Measure the distance ("b")  on the wall between ("y")  and the point on the wall corresponding to the center of the video screen.     This should be at the same height from floor as ("y").

In most installations, the camera will simply point straight ahead at ("y") when pan control is centered. In this case, the distance ("b") is simply zero.

If the pan range is limited and you want to be able to keep camera on a target as you circle around it in a given direction, you might install the pan so that servo center = pan to the left or right. In this case, ("b") will be non-zero.

If the camera sweeps more than 45 degrees, rotate the plane 90 or 180 degrees. You might need a helper or to find some creative way to keep the plane on the table, level with the ground. Be sure the camera is still on perpendicular line from ("y").

Move tilt control to center.

Measure the distance ("f")    on the floor between ("z") and the center of video screen.

If your camera is pointed straight ahead when tilt control is centered, ("f") will simply be zero.

Send the above measurements along with the "data.utd" file that was generated as you collected them.  Indicate whether plane was pointed at the wall or rotated 90 or 180 degrees when you measured ("c") and ("d").  We'll do the trigonometery to determine all the angles.