When I got into the RC hobby, I thought it was really great to record flights. After trying to record my own flights, I gained a greater appreciation for those that could do it.

I’ve never had the aspiration to become a professional youtuber, but I do enjoy sharing a few flights every now and again. 

HilldaFlyer YouTube Channel

The most benefit I’ve had from recording my flights was reliving the moment of a successful or not so successful flights. Additionally, reviewing the flight was highly beneficial to me because it also recorded my voice as I announced new trim settings, problems with the flight or general flight characteristics of new planes. Since I do not have an assistant to operate the camera, I set out to do what other had done, mount the camera to my head.

Version 1 - Foam Board

Here is my first version using foam board. It got soggy after a few uses, but demonstrated that it could be done. The foam board was attached to the bill with Velcro straps that passed through holes in the bill. 

Version 2 - Vinyl

Here my second version using vinyl siding. This version worked for a long time, but one of its biggest shortcomings was that the camera was so for above the line of sight that it was difficult to always keep the subject within the top and bottom of the frame. The resolution was to put the camera closer to eye level.

Version 3 - Side Mount

Here is my third version, again using vinyl siding, but mounted on the side of the cap at eye level. This design was really hard to aim. I gave up trying to perfect it.

Version 4 - Under Brim

This version worked really well. Difficult to modify but simple and worked really well. The basic design was to create a platform under the bill that was level with the straightforward gaze of my eyes. It was mounted with two clips so that it could be removed and did not require the bill of the cap to be damaged.

The under-the-bill mount almost put the camera at eye level and I was able to get a lot of great video. But replicating this mount for others is pretty tough. One advantage of having the camera under the bill that I was unaware of until I mounted it there was the fact that it was easier to keep the subject (in most cases a fast moving flying plane) inside the frame of the camera. The binocular view of two eyes and one object make it appear as two objects, one to the left and one to the right. If you keep the object of interest between the two cameras, it will be in frame.

Version 5 - 3D Printed

This past year I acquired a 3D printer. I’ve played around with it a bit but this is my first designed “really useful” object. It is designed to slide on and off the bill of my cap. The camera is mounted to the clip with 3M Dual Lock.

Side view of the CapCam Clip

Top view of the CapCam Clip

Mobius mounted inverted. There are settings on the Mobius that automatically rotate the image 180 degrees.

This shows the aim of the camera with respect to my eyes. Rather than taking the camera off the mount, it is so easy to just slip the clip off the bill and then you don’t look like a dork all the time. 

All of the videos shot on my HilldaFlyer YouTube channel since February 2018 have used the 3D printed CapCam Clip. 

The files can be downloaded from ThingiVerse:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2976480

HilldaFlyer June 2018