Author: Jim T. Graham
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/07
Page Numbers: 76,77,
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World Cam: an RC adventure around the world

I am always snooping around RC clubs, airfields, and websites for anything cool that is happening in our hobby, and I have found something you might like. It is called the "World Cam — Around the World with a FlyCam," created by an RCGroups user called "The Mongrel."

The Mongrel’s goal is simple: to send an Acme FlyCamOne2 around the world, to as many places as possible, and collect video from those locations. He has a website to track where the camera goes and to post the recorded videos and pictures of the pilots.

The challenge is to get the FlyCam to everyone who wants to take part. Following are the requirements for this adventure in RC.

  1. You must be able to put the FlyCamOne2 on a model and take video.
  2. You must be able to upload that video to the internet.
  3. You must be able and willing to pay for shipping to pass the camera to the next person.
  4. You must be willing to have your name and location posted on the internet next to your video.
  5. The Mongrel will make arrangements for the camera to go to the next person and will pass this info on to you so you know where to send it.
  6. You must be willing to take good care of the FlyCamOne2 that will be sent to you.

That seems simple, until you think about how many places this little camera is going to go. The experiment is currently underway, and there are volunteers from around the globe. Among other countries, the FlyCam will visit:

  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Wales
  • Canada
  • USA
  • England
  • South Africa
  • Norway
  • Austria
  • France
  • Netherlands
  • Italy

I checked out The Mongrel’s thread and his website, and I had some questions for him about this merging of media and radio control. Following is my interview with the man behind the camera.

Interview with The Mongrel

JG: What made you come up with this idea? TM: I just thought it would be a great idea to bring a whole bunch of people together.

JG: What is your grand scheme? TM: The plan is to get the camera to every corner of the globe and on as many different planes as possible. How cool will that be? If we can make this work, it will be fantastic!

JG: Do you think you will have multiple volunteers from different countries? TM: I don’t mind having more than one in each country. In fact, it would be good to do that — like a little mini tour of the country, and then off to the next destination.

JG: I think the obvious question is, how are you going to keep that camera moving from person to person? TM: Well, I suppose I am putting my faith in the goodness of people. Yes, I am sure there are a few out there that would abscond with the camera. Let's all hope that we don't find one of them.

I am already resigned to the fact that I am supplying a camera that probably will not make it home. That's fine. I am even supplying the 2GB SD card that fits right into a USB port to make it easy for people to upload the video.

JG: How long do you expect the videos to be? TM: We only want about three- or four-minute videos — short and sweet.

JG: I found this story on RCGroups. Will you document everything on a central site? TM: I will have an entire section of my website dedicated to it. I want it so that there is a picture of the pilot, the plane, and a link to the Google map. That way, people can see the person and the location, and then watch the video to see what it looks like.

JG: I see this as having great marketing potential for the company that makes the FlyCamOne2. Have you contacted the people there? TM: I had a chat with the good folk at Acme [the manufacturer of FlyCam products] and they are kindly going to provide the camera for us to send on its way. Thanks, Acme!

JG: Can you tell us something about the camera itself? TM: The equipment that we will be using for World Cam is a standard run of the mini FlyCamOne2. The unit is new and will be tested before it is sent on its massive journey.

The FlyCamOne2 comes complete with the lead to charge it from a USB port, documentation, a mounting bracket, etc. There are a number of ways you can mount it to your plane, but we have found that Velcro seems to be the best solution. The choice is yours; however, just ensure that whatever you use does not damage the camera.

Along with the camera, we will be sending an SD card — and not just any SD card. This one is quite convenient as it also fits a standard USB port and can be used just like any other USB memory stick. This will make it very easy for people to get the video out of the camera and onto the web. Just please ensure that you send it on with the camera when it is your turn.

With a bit of luck and a little good management, the camera should make the entire journey. The plan is to get it back and display it as the FlyCamOne2 that went global. We will have another camera on standby just in case. Let's hope we don't need it.

The World Cam should still be moving around the globe as you read this, and there should also be videos and photos for you to check out of the places the World Cam has already been. Links to the thread and the site are provided at the end of this article so you can see what has been happening and keep up with the World Cam.

If you think you might want to be part of this project, just visit The Mongrel's thread or website and follow the instructions. I'm excited to see how far the World Cam goes!

Sources:

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.