Capturing Images and Video with the VEX AIR Drone – VEX Library

The VEX AIR Drone Controller allows you to capture video and images from the camera feeds of the Vision Sensors on the VEX AIR Drone. This article will walk through how to capture those files, review them on the controller, and access those files on your computer.

Taking Images and Video

There are three different ways to capture images and video with the drone and controller.

Using Buttons on the Controller 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.

Eye icons in the lower right corner of the controller interface allow you to capture the forward-facing or downward-facing Vision Sensor's camera feed.

Learn more about the options on the controller interface in this article.

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 specified buttons on the screen or the controller.

Using Commands in VEXcode AIR

A side by side image of camera blocks on the left and the analogous camera Python commands on the right, taken from the VEXcode AIR toolbox.

You can use camera commands in a VEXcode AIR project to record video or capture images from either camera as well.

See the VEXcode API Reference for VEX AIR to learn more about camera blocks and Python commands.

Viewing Files on the Controller

You can preview your recordings and images on the controller before exporting to your device by viewing 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 from the Controller

A VEX AIR Drone Controller is shown connected to a laptop using a USB cable. The cable is plugged into the controller's USB-A 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. Download desired files to your device.

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.