DJI Ronin is a 3-axis stabilized gimbal for DSLR cameras. 2-axis gimbal for quadcopter 3-axis gimbal

The online store "Young Dad" offers a three-axis gimbal for the DJI 3-axis Gimbal RONIN camera. With the built-in balance adjustment system, there is no need for fitting and adjustment. Balancing the Ronin gimbal and changing camera settings is quick and easy. This ensures greater efficiency in professional shooting conditions. Built-in Auto Adjustable Stabilization (ATS) technology uses intelligent algorithms to automatically adjust the Ronin system to work with your camera - just press a button.

It is also very important that the Ronin gimbal is designed for use with many types of cameras and is easily configured with any type of equipment, from small Micro 4:3 cameras to large Red Epic systems.

Another feature from DJI is Zenmuse gimbals. Such gimbals became the first systems in the world for professional aerial photography and video filming. The Zenmuse line of gimbals is the standard by which other manufacturers are measured. The Ronin gimbal is designed using exactly the same technology and features multiple control modes and a built-in inertial measurement unit (IMU).

Peculiarities:

Supports cameras up to 7kg
Accuracy: ±0.02°
Remote control rotation
Balancing without tools
Assistant app for iOS and Windows
Bluetooth wireless connection for setup
15mm stems + mounting points for accessories
USB and PowerTap outputs
Supplied in a heavy-duty Pelican case

Equipment:

Steadicam
Battery
Charger
Remote control
Stand
Fastening
Instruction in Russian

Specifications:

Peripherals

Auxiliary Power Connectors: Two regulated 12V P-tap inputs each, one USB 500mW, one DJI Lightbridge modem
Gimbal Control Unit Power (GCU: Ronin Battery, 4S
Connections: For remote control remote control at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth module, USB connector
PC OS requirements for installing the Assistant program: indows XP SP3; Windows 7; Windows 8 (32 or 64 bit)
Mob OS requirements device to install Assistant: iOS version 6.1 or later for mobile devices, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPod touch 4, iPod touch 5 , iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad mini

Mechanical and electrical characteristics

Operating current: Static current 300mA (at 16V), Dynamic current: 600mA (at 16V), Stopped motor current max. 10 A (at 16 V)
Operating Temperature: -15°C to 50°C (5°F to 120°F)
Weight: 4.20 kg (9.26 lb) fully loaded with top handle
Suspension dimensions: 620 x 280-380 x 500 mm
Dimensions of supported cameras: Maximum depth of the center of mass of the camera base plate: 140 mm, Maximum height measured from the top of the camera base plate: 225 mm, Maximum width: 195 mm

Performance characteristics

Maximum load (reference value): 7.25 kg (16 lbs)
Angle Adjustment Accuracy: 0.02°
Max. Adjustable Pan Speed: Pan Axis: 90°/sec, Tilt Axis: 100°/sec, Roll Axis: 30°/sec
Pan control range: Pan axis control 360°, Tilt axis control 45° up to 120° down, Roll axis control ± 25°

The DJI Ronin is a 3-axis steadicam with electronic gimbal stabilization that allows you to shoot smooth, shake-free video using most small-sized DSLRs and cinema cameras on the market.

Heir Zenmuse

DJI Ronin is a logical extension of the company's experience with Zenmuse gimbals for GoPro, DSLR cameras such as the Canon 5D MarkII, BMPCC, Panasonic GH3/GH4, Sony NEX and more. After Zenmuse, a gimbal for quads and multicopters, Ronin inherited excellent stabilization with a three-axis steadicam design, flexible settings and the ability to install a wide range of DSLR cameras and others, from the compact Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera and Sony NEX to professional RED cameras.

Built for professionals

The development process of DJI Ronin involved not only employees of DJI Innovations, but also leading cinematographers, whose experience was taken into account to create a convenient hand-held steadicam with 3D stabilization. This device is designed to facilitate the work of the operator and film crew, not only simplifying the handling of the camera, but also greatly expanding the possibilities for shooting (see video). In addition to a comfortable design with multiple rubberized handles, the DJI Ronin features a secure stand and a detachable top handle, making it easy to place the gimbal on a shooting crane.

Convenient suspension design

The Ronin 3-axis electronic gimbal system has three grip options - two handles, a low camera position on the top handle, and a camera position above the operator's head at the bottom. Aluminum construction elements with the use of carbon parts make the suspension quite light and create an almost perfect balance. The absence of dangling cables and the finished design make this electronic steadicam easy to handle every day, allowing it to be used even in adverse weather conditions.

Stabilization and automatic adjustment to the camera

DJI Ronin provides stabilization and smooth video with an accuracy of ±0.02°, which corresponds to the current professional level of shooting and eliminates the use of software video stabilization in post-production. Thanks to technology inherited from Zenmuse, you just need to mount a camera from a wide list of compatible cameras and adjust the balance to get started, and stabilization will automatically adjust software steadicam. The built-in 32-bit processor will take care of the quick initial setup with Auto Tune Stability, just enough to start shooting. More precise settings are made through the appropriate software when the Ronin is connected to a computer.

Remote control and video signal broadcasting

Via Bluetooth and an iOS app, you can connect to DJI Ronin, turning your Apple smartphone or tablet into a second operator control panel with the ability to view video and control a three-axis gimbal. You can also control the gimbal in three directions using the included remote control, similar to the DJI quadcopter control panel or the Zenmuse gimbal. The first steadicam operator can concentrate on camera movement and smooth postings, and the second one will be able to monitor the construction of the frame and focus adjustment.

For Follow Focus systems, a 2x15mm rig is included. In addition, SmootTrack technology will allow one operator to work, making smooth frame movements following the movement of the operator. Ronin also supports installation on multicopters with independent gimbal and camera control. And with support for installing the DJI LightBridge module, you can stream 1080p video at a distance of about 1.5 kilometers using the appropriate video link system.

Working hours and meals

The electronic steadicam is equipped with removable smart batteries, similar to those used in DJI quadcopters. It supports quick replacement, viewing the level of remaining charge on the built-in indicators and charging with a complete charger. The system is equipped with two 12V outputs, a USB 5V output, as well as power for the LightBridge module as power connectors. The battery life of the Ronin gimbal is up to 4 hours.

New shooting methods

DJI Ronin not only makes the work of the cameraman and crew easier, but also opens up a new approach to filming and techniques. Steadicam with a camera can be moved from the hands of the operator to the shooting crane, installed on platforms or take off on a quadcopter and all this within one plan! What distinguishes Ronin from other electronic 3D steadicams is integration with mobile devices, a whole list of supported technologies from DJI out of the box, and the ability to flexibly expand functionality using additional modules.

Peculiarities:

Three-axis electronic steadicam for shooting both from hands and from cranes or quadrocopters
Original design, robust construction, aluminum and carbon elements
High quality stabilization in three directions
Three grip options for the operator
Quick release handle for faucet installation
Rig for Follow Focus systems included
Automatic adjustment of stabilization for the camera in just 5 minutes
Support for accessories and technologies from DJI
Gimbal control panel and application for the second operator
4 hours battery life with quick-swap

As before, I will try to tell you about the problem that took me a lot of time and effort and about the right way her decisions.

A little theory about video shooting from a quadrocopter

During the flight, any multi-rotor aircraft (tricopter, quadrocopter, hexacopter, octacopter, etc., and further we will call it conditionally drone) repeatedly tilts and turns the body in different directions. Only due to the tilt of the body the drone is able to move in a horizontal plane, and in the process of resisting the wind, these tilts become sharper, stronger and more frequent.

In cheap drones, the video camera is rigidly attached to the body. aircraft, is sometimes mounted on a vibration-dampening platform, but in both cases the camera tilts to follow any tilt of the drone's body. What we have as a result: If the shooting was carried out with a wide-angle lens (for example, as in Action cameras, such as GoPro), then the video looks a little unstable, staggering, a little imperfect. And if the camera lens is cheap and narrow-angled (as in the Syma X5C drone, for example), then the instability of the video reaches such limits that after a while of focused viewing, the head begins to spin.

Two- and three-axis camera gimbals have been designed to solve this problem! A gimbal is an electronic device that keeps the camera level and in a certain position (usually horizontal) regardless of any tilt or turn of the drone.

A little theory about stabilization suspensions

The gimbal is equipped with one or two gyroscope / accelerometer sensors, and two or three brushless electric motors. Sensors provide information about the current location of the drone and camera in space, and electric motors tilt the camera to a predetermined position and hold it there.

The two-axis gimbal is equipped with two electric motors and stabilizes the camera along two axes:

Pitch Axis - Pitch - tilt the camera down and up
Roll axis - Roll - tilt (not turn!) Camera left and right

Supporters of dual-axis gimbals believe that turns around the third axis of rotation can be done by turning the drone itself.

In a three-axis suspension, one more electric motor and one more stabilization axis are added to the above:

Yaw Axis - Yaw - Rotate the camera left and right around the vertical axis.

Choice of gimbal model

If you do not consider super-expensive professional models, then the entire optimal choice in the Chinese market comes down to two types of gimbal based on Storm32:

Double axle suspension 35-40$ ,
Triaxial suspension for 50-55$ .

Given the small difference in price, and the common belief that a 3-axis gimbal stabilizes video so well that it can be used without post-processing, I of course decided to purchase a 3-axis gimbal. HakRC Storm32 .

First use experience

Attention! The gimbal must not be turned on without a camera installed on it!

The suspension worked right out of the box, without requiring advanced settings. The 3S battery (12 volts) was enough for him, and on the table he quickly and accurately leveled the camera when the drone tilted. A couple more wires, and I was already able to control the vertical tilt of the camera (pitch axis) from the Camera Control Equipment, and I was already proud of the result! However, already the first flight showed how much I was wrong!

In the very first flight, a strong shaking along the pitch axis (pitch) was discovered. Unfortunately, I noticed this fact only after landing, when watching the video, when it was already hopelessly damaged.

It was from this case that my detailed study of the issues of setting up a three-axis suspension began.

Important steps for setting up a gimbal

Remember that all gimbal settings you make are for one specific camera, and settings are made for its specific weight, size and location! When replacing the camera with another model, you may have to reconfigure the settings!

Experts advise when setting up to perform the following steps:

Inspection and verification of the mechanical part of the suspension
Camera installation, balancing of all axes
Flashing the controller to the latest firmware version
Calibration of both gyro sensors by 6 points
Running the Setup gimball wizard
Checking and adjusting all parameters except PID
PID setting

And to be honest, I did not follow steps 3 and 4, relying on the honesty of assembly and tuning in China, and so far everything is working. Now let's go through these points in detail:

Mechanics: All parts of the bracket must be tightly connected, must not be deformed, all motors must rotate freely without resistance, nothing must play!
The camera must be balanced in all axes. If you fail to install the camera in the geometric center of the platform and the platform hangs, say, to the right side, then you need to glue a counterweight on the left side, for example, a few coins.
On the firmware on the Internet there is a lot of material (including video tutorials), which will be more accurate and understandable than my stories, because. I haven't done this yet.
You need to calibrate separately the sensor on the board and the sensor on the camera bracket, one or six points each. The best result is achieved by six points. I won't go into details, but why? See point 3!
The wizard (wizard) allows, with minimal user actions, to set the primary parameters of the gimbal, namely: the number of poles of electric motors, and most importantly: what position of the camera in space is correct and initial, and what position the gimbal should strive for! After all, not everyone has a suspension below the quadcopter body, some have it in front or on top, there are people who put the suspension on a bicycle, and some even convert this device into a hand-held stabilizer for a mobile phone!
The rest of the settings are more or less clear, although they are distributed on different pages of the setup program. For example: the method of holding the camera (Hold or Pan), reaction to commands from the Control Equipment, low voltage threshold for turning off the gimbal, etc. etc.
PID tuning is a more extensive topic that deserves, if not a separate article, then at least a separate section in our article!

PID setting

PID control (proportional-integral-derivative) is a method of regulation, control of some kind of feedback system. In short, the PID system is tuned with three parameters, which in a simplified version can be described as follows:

P - How much the readings of the feedback sensor (in our case, the readings of the gyro sensor) should affect the rotation of the regulated system (on the electric motor)
I - How much should the influence of the feedback sensor increase if the sensor shows the need to act for some long time
D - How strongly it is necessary to counteract the consequences of too strong influence of the first two parameters.

The same technique controls some settings in the control of the drone itself, but today we do not consider them. So! There is very little information on the Internet about tuning PIDs in the suspension and it is very insufficient. And I achieved the best results by following the method of Julian from RC SchoolModels, despite the fact that he set up a gimbal from another manufacturer in his video. If we adapt his method to our Storm32 gimbal, it will look something like this:

Set to zero all values of parameters P, I, D, VMax on all three axes. The hanger will hang without tension.
All the following actions (points 3-7) must be performed in turn for each of the axes, in the following sequence: Roll, Pitch, Yaw:
Set VMax (maximum motor voltage). Increase the parameter from zero until the motor starts to hold the camera in a certain position. Too high a value of the parameter can lead to overheating of the motors or a strong discharge of the batteries. I had enough values of 80-110 on different axes.
Adjust I. Slowly add the parameter until the gimbal moves the camera on its own. In this case, it is not necessary to achieve camera alignment, just some kind of independent movement is enough. I had enough values for 1-2 divisions from zero, that is, very few!
Adjust P. Slowly add the parameter from zero until the gimbal starts to pull the camera exactly to its normal (horizontal) position. At the same time, vibration or shaking does not need to be paid attention to.
Adjust D. Slowly add this setting until vibration stops. If the value of the parameter is too high, high-frequency vibration may start along the specified axis.
If using the parameters P, I, D it is not possible to balance the axes or get rid of vibrations, try reducing the Vmax parameter along this axis and repeat steps 4-7.
Repeat steps 3-7 for the remaining axles.
Check the operation of all axes, save the settings.

The gimbal setup software has the ability to save settings to a file. I advise you to do this before and after any changes.

2 axis gimbals for quadcopters are essential for camera stabilization and smooth video shooting. For each type of camera, there are different types of suspensions. It should be noted that gimbals are already included in the kits with quadrocopters designed for video recording. But if you decide to change the "native" quadcopter camera to a more professional one, you will have to buy a gimbal.

At the moment, there are both two axial suspensions and three axial ones. 2D gimbals stabilize the camera in two directions, and 3D, obviously, in three. They work at the expense of balancers, made mainly of aluminum. But if you do not know, then we will analyze each of them.

Two-axis suspension for Cheerson CX-20

Of the two axial suspensions, it is worth noting the Chinese model that goes to the Cheerson CX20. Designed for any camera with brushless type motors. Its weight is approximately 220 grams.

When assembling on some models of quadcopters, it may turn out that the gimbal presses on the chassis and blocks the USB input. This is easily corrected by simply filing the shock absorber plates.

It is advisable to glue the telemetry module on the side, thereby shifting it to the battery cover. In the case of the copter itself, near the battery unit, you will have to drill a small hole for telemetry and wires. The kit with the gimbal also includes a JST power wire, it needs to be soldered to the power regulator wire. Energy is supplied from the power module to the copter battery.

It is desirable to place the electronic circuit with the tilt sensor on the other side of the plate that acts as the base of the camera. Otherwise, you may encounter the fact that when the camera is oriented down, the connector with the wire of the circuit will rest against the nearest plate and pull the camera.

You can use the SimpleBGC-GUI-2-2b2 gimbal adjustment software to adjust the controls. Basically, this adjustment is required when the camera is vibrating and the engine is squeaking due to excess tension. All you need to do is connect the gimbal to your laptop and load ready-made GoPro settings into the gimbal.

Naturally, when installing additional attachments on a quadrocopter, its weight increases. This leads to a reduction in flight time by about 15-20%. But the quality of the shooting will be excellent and stable.

DYS BLG2A Dual Axis Gimbal and Black CNC FPV

There is also a DYS BLG2A two-axle suspension for GoPro cameras. Supports GoPro2 and GoPro3 camcorders. Has powerful brushless motors BGM2208-70. Made from aluminum alloy, which is characterized by high rigidity and strength of fixing the camera mount. The approximate weight is 240 grams, which is slightly more than the model described above.

Quite small dimensions, constituting 120x70x180 millimeters. Upper dampers provide additional stabilization to the quadcopter during flights. The entire assembly process takes no more than 60 minutes. Unfortunately, the controller board is not included in the package. But it has a fairly low price and a quality device.

Based on forum posts about cheap gimbals, people often buy universal Black CNC FPV gimbals that go with many popular types of quadcopter cameras. Just like the Cheerson CX20 model, it can take a bit of fiddling if it gets in the way of the chassis or covers the USB port. But, in general, the main problem for users is the large shaking of the camera and increased sensitivity during control.

A similar problem occurs with gimbals that have controllers from BASECAM Electronics. It is solved quite simply, similar to the option with Cheerson CX20. It is enough to install SimpleBGC_GUI_2_2b2 and upload the settings to the board.

Plastic suspensions from the manufacturer Walkera

In addition to aluminum hangers, there are plastic ones. The Walkera company, already known on the quadrocopter market, is actively developing plastic gimbals. They differ in low price (about 15% lower than aluminum counterparts) and low weight, which is only 160 grams. The strength of the plastic gimbal, of course, is slightly less than aluminum, but if your copter crashes into hard surface and at high speed, which will lead to breakage of the suspension, then it can simply be glued together with dichloroethane glue without loss of initial strength, but this cannot be done with aluminum.

3D gimbals for GoPro

Three-axis gimbals have much better stabilization rates, but the price is obviously higher.

For example, the Zenmuse H3-3D gimbal is designed to hold GoPro3 cameras, including GoPro3+, for Phantom 2 series aircraft. Camera fixation accuracy can reach ±0.08˚. It also supports all flight controllers from DJI Innovations, including the Ace One, Naza H, and Wookong H helicopters.

Made of aluminum, which makes the suspension very durable and relatively light. Compatible with Flame Wheel flight platforms. Its dimensions are 97x95x73 millimeters and weighs 168 grams. Max Speed working out is 130˚ per second.

It also has a built-in control module that allows you to rotate in the Tilt range from -130˚ to +45˚. New high-precision sensors in the built-in controller, encoders and brushless motor modules provide camera stabilization at the pixel level.

It is worth noting that a video made with a camera on a 3D gimbal may not be subjected to further processing. In addition, the gimbals have the ability to control independently of the quadcopter itself.

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