Capturing Images and Videos#

Taking images and videos#

You can capture images and videos with your VEX AIR Drone and VEX AIR Drone Controller in three different ways:

Buttons on the screen#

The Controller screen showing a downward camera view in the main display, with the Eye buttons in the lower right corner highlighted, showing the options for capturing images from the downward Vision Sensor.

Select one of the Eye icons on the bottom right of the controller’s screen to select which Vision Sensor to use.

Forward

Downward

Close-up screenshot of the bottom right corner of the VEX AIR Drone Controller screen, highlight the icon with the eye and a right facing arrow.

Close-up screenshot of the bottom right corner of the VEX AIR Drone Controller screen, highlight the icon with the eye and a downward facing arrow.

The same image as the one previous, showing the center display highlighted in an orange box, and a timer reading 5 seconds in the lower right corner, indicating a video is being recorded.

While capturing video, the screen will highlight orange and a recording timer will appear on the camera being recorded in the lower right corner, as shown here.

When capturing an image, the screen will highlight white as the photo occurs.

Using the default_fly project#

The User Screen of the Default Fly Project with buttons 9 and 10 for Photo Forward and Photo Downward highlighted on the screen.

While using the default_fly project, you can capture images from the forward-facing or downward-facing Vision Sensor using the Photo Forward and Photo Downward buttons on the screen or buttons 9 and 10 on the controller.

VEXcode commands#

You can also use camera commands within a VEXcode AIR project to record video or capture images from either camera:

Viewing files#

You can preview your recordings and images on the controller before exporting to your device by viewing the Mission Data.

The controller screen, showing the downward camera view in the center, with the Mission Data button on the lower left corner highlighted.

Select the Mission Data icon in the bottom left corner of the screen to open Past Mission Data.

The same image as the one previous, now showing the Past Mission Data menu open over the top of the downward facing camera view.

Select the desired folder to view any images or videos that were taken during that mission.

Folder names indicate what project was being run when Mission Data was recorded. ‘No Mission’ indicates that the drone was stationary and not running a project.

The same image as the one previous with the files for the VEXcode Project mission data listed. To the right of each file name is a trash can icon.

All images and videos will appear as file options within the matching Mission Data folder. Select a file to open it on the controller screen.

Files can also be deleted by selecting the Trash icon.

The controller screen shows a recorded video in the display, and reads video_0.avi at the top and the controls for forward, pause, and backward are highlighted on the bottom of the screen.

Use the buttons on the bottom of the screen to play videos and scroll through all recorded images and videos within the file.

The same image as the one previous with the orange x button in the upper right corner of the display highlighted.

Select the X in the upper right corner to exit and return to the Mission Data folder.

Retrieving files#

A VEX AIR Drone Controller is shown connected to a laptop using a USB cable. The cable is plugged into the controller's USB-C port.

To access captured images and video from the controller on your device, ensure the controller is plugged into your device.

A screenshot of a device's file management folder, with the No Name device highlighted.

Using your computer’s file management system (Finder, File Explorer, etc), locate the controller.

To easily identify which removable device is the controller, turn the controller off and back on while looking at the list of devices plugged into your computer.

A screenshot of a device's file management system showing the No Name device expanded with all mission data files available in a nested list.

Within this folder you will see the same folders that were found in the Past Mission Data menu on the controller. You can now download desired files to your device. For reference, macOS is shown here.

Note: Images are saved as .jpg files and videos are saved as .avi files. These may need to be converted to be compatible with your device.

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