Drone Video Advice Wanted

ShawWellPete

ShawWellPete

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Hi All,

I have not been on the forum for a while so firstly hello to all the old members who may remember me and to new members who obviously do not know me from Adam.

I have been impressed by video taken using drones and am considering buying a drone to so that I can take some property footage using my GOPRO. I am thinking of trying to achieve this kind of look to put on the landing page of a couple of villas that I rent out.

After a little research, am I right in thinking that something like this would be suitable?

Is there anything better in the price range?

How difficult is it to get the kind of footage I am after?

is this post a bit like the ones that read "I have seen great wedding photographers, is this the camera I need?"

:)

Help, as always, much appreciated.
 
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looks like a very good choice to me. Certainly in the price range there's nothing better. As with many things photography you'll possibly be better off, and certainly get better results the first time if you can find someone able to shoot it for you. They do need a little practice, and first thing in the morning will be better when the air is stiller

Before anyone jumps up & down about commercial use bear in mind these villas are in Spain.
 
Thanks Hugh, I was thinking of getting one soon and practicing for a few months before I go to Spain and shoot for real. Why would anyone jump up ad down about commercial use?

Another option is to either hire somebody or offer some kind of holiday accommodation for footage deal, but I must admit I quite like the idea of learning to use one of these amazing machines...
 
ShawWellPete said:
Thanks Hugh, I was thinking of getting one soon and practicing for a few months before I go to Spain and shoot for real. Why would anyone jump up ad down about commercial use?

Another option is to either hire somebody or offer some kind of holiday accommodation for footage deal, but I must admit I quite like the idea of learning to use one of these amazing machines...
Click to expand...

There was a very long winded thread a while back about how commercial use in the UK requires the user to have a licence or some other sort of accreditation to be able to fly a drone, whereas a casual hobbiest doesn't, or something along those lines anyway
 
ShawWellPete said:
Hi All,

I have not been on the forum for a while so firstly hello to all the old members who may remember me and to new members who obviously do not know me from Adam.

I have been impressed by video taken using drones and am considering buying a drone to so that I can take some property footage using my GOPRO. I am thinking of trying to achieve this kind of look to put on the landing page of a couple of villas that I rent out.

After a little research, am I right in thinking that something like this would be suitable?

Is there anything better in the price range?

How difficult is it to get the kind of footage I am after?

is this post a bit like the ones that read "I have seen great wedding photographers, is this the camera I need?"

:)

Help, as always, much appreciated.
Click to expand...


Is your a GoPro a 4k model? If not I'd go for the DJI Phantom 3 Standard. Only about 60 pounds more. The drone flying regs in Spain are VERY strict. Much more so than here.
 
Hola Ricardo!

My gopro is a Hero 4 Silver Which, I think, is 4k but a maximum of 15fps?

It is interesting that the regulations for drone flying is strict in Spain, any idea what that means in the real world?
 
ShawWellPete said:
Hola Ricardo!

My gopro is a Hero 4 Silver Which, I think, is 4k but a maximum of 15fps?

It is interesting that the regulations for drone flying is strict in Spain, any idea what that means in the real world?
Click to expand...

Couple of things. Your GoPro will not fit in the bracket on the Gimbal. It's designed for the Hero 4 Black. Given that, I think the Phantom 3 Standard is your best and most cost effective option, especially as the 15fps 4K option on your GoPro really wouldn't be good enough.
It is extremely difficult to get a permit to undertake any commercial work in Spain following a drone crashing onto someone in Barcelona. You shooting video for a commercial website would be classed as a commercial operation. You just wouldn't be allowed. You can take your chances, but the fines are huge.
 
I thought the Go Pro Hero 4 Silver and Black editions were the same physical size?
 
boyfalldown said:
I thought the Go Pro Hero 4 Silver and Black editions were the same physical size?
Click to expand...

I stand corrected. I just read that they are the same dimensions. Strange that DJI don't list the Silver as compatible with the gimbal.
 
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ShawWellPete said:
Thanks for the advice guys, Ricardo, the whole commercial license situation does seem like a bit of a mine field.
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There isn't actually a license Pete. The CAA issue what's called a Permission For Aerial Work. To get that you have to pass an exam and flight test organised by a CAA-recognised and approved training agency. It's not cheap!
 
Consider the new Phantom 3 Standard (not much more) or the Phantom 3 Advanced.
Both these do excellent video and stills (after a bit of getting used to).
The main advantage is being able to properly see and frame what you are trying to capture.
The camera can be stopped, started and adjusted in the air from the app.
You can confirm it is actually recording (!)
The Advanced has greater range and more robust connection due to a different system they call lightbridge.
However close at hand the Standard should be fine and still has a decent 1080p camera and gimbal.
 
4wd said:
Consider the new Phantom 3 Standard (not much more) or the Phantom 3 Advanced.
Both these do excellent video and stills (after a bit of getting used to).
The main advantage is being able to properly see and frame what you are trying to capture.
The camera can be stopped, started and adjusted in the air from the app.
You can confirm it is actually recording (!)
The Advanced has greater range and more robust connection due to a different system they call lightbridge.
However close at hand the Standard should be fine and still has a decent 1080p camera and gimbal.
Click to expand...

That's the one I mentioned. It's actually a 2.7k camera.
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

So the Phantom 3 standard is £70 more than the Phantom 2 but has has a built in camera which can film at 30-fps at slightly higher resolution than my gopro, you have more control of the camera and you can see what you are filming using the DJI GO app.

The gopro has a pretty good lens, is the in built camera lens on the Phantom 3 standard as good?
 
ShawWellPete said:
Thanks for the advice guys.

So the Phantom 3 standard is £70 more than the Phantom 2 but has has a built in camera which can film at 30-fps at slightly higher resolution than my gopro, you have more control of the camera and you can see what you are filming using the DJI GO app.

The gopro has a pretty good lens, is the in built camera lens on the Phantom 3 standard as good?
Click to expand...

I've no experience of it. I have a GoPro Hero 4 Black/Phantom 2 combo and an Inspire 1.

Have a look on YuouTube.
 
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For those interested but don't have the budget to extend to a Phantom, the Cheerson CX20/Quanum Nova is a very popular alternative for a fraction of the cost. It can be upgraded with your choice of 2D or 3D gimbal, telemetry, FPV etc.

Before you buy anything though, I would highly recommend you get a cheap Syma X5 quad to practice on. They are pretty robust and will teach you the essentials of quad flying.

If you don't practice you will crash your expensive DJI or other quad. It will be a case of when, not if.
 
A little more info.

The CX20/Nova is not as unpack and play as the DJI but it has a similar feature set and only costs approx £190 for a ready to fly (RTF) version with controller, compared to £600 for a DJI.

If you want to add telemetry, 2D/3D gimbals or FPV it will help if you are a little tech savvy.

The Syma x5 is around £30 and is a robust learner quad to get a few flying hours under your belt before moving up to the big boys toys
 
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I'm not keen on advocating that approach because the 'learner' options are far more difficult than a phantom to fly.
 
Just like with any flying you need time under your belt to deal with different situations. You wouldn't want to damage a £600 drone purely because you have never flown any RC craft before.

Those that have experience with Helis and planes should be fine but not for a noob.

Even with features such as GPS, compass and headless modes that ease the learning curve, there will be situations where manual control is required and experience on a cheap learner quad will be invaluable in those situations.

My opinion anyway. I would rather knock and break a £30 quad learning rather than a £600 quad.
 
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Ricardodaforce said:
Let's see some photos then.
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Bot sure I have much worth sharing Ricardo! I've been doing more video than photos. Thanks for the advice by the way, you were spot on the camera on the Phantom 3 is excellent and a bit less wide than the go-pro which, I think, makes it more suitable.

Here are a couple of vids, I've a long way to go...


 
4wd said:
I'm not keen on advocating that approach because the 'learner' options are far more difficult than a phantom to fly.
Click to expand...

I can see where you are coming from as the Phantom 3s are very easy to fly. However they are also very easy to crash (and unlike older DJI models they are not easy to repair since DJI don't actually sell all of the spare parts and the body shell is so difficult to open). Getting over the panic mode that sets in when you first lose control of a multi-rotor is far cheaper with something other than a Phantom.

Another big advantage of using a cheaper model to learn on is that you'll be in a better position to manually fly your Phantom when it goes into it's 'return to china' mode.
 
ShawWellPete said:
Bot sure I have much worth sharing Ricardo! I've been doing more video than photos. Thanks for the advice by the way, you were spot on the camera on the Phantom 3 is excellent and a bit less wide than the go-pro which, I think, makes it more suitable.

Here are a couple of vids, I've a long way to go...
Click to expand...

As well as the 'commercial use' minefield there is also the landowners permission to consider. "Use of National Trust properties for non-powered model flying is acceptable....."

Powered models such as multi-rotors?
 
Landowners - including the National Trust don't have any jurisdiction over air space. Their site is worded ambiguously but only implies you shouldn't.
While it could be intrusive and risky to fly close to some busy high profile sites, a lot of their property seems quite suitable especially out of season.
 
4wd said:
Landowners - including the National Trust don't have any jurisdiction over air space. Their site is worded ambiguously but only implies you shouldn't.
While it could be intrusive and risky to fly close to some busy high profile sites, a lot of their property seems quite suitable especially out of season.
Click to expand...

However as a land owner they can prohibit flights from their property.
 
It seems like a fairly contentious issue, where and how one should fly these things. I have taken all the points on board but I don't really want to spend my time discussing moral and/or legal issues of where one should fly a drone, we are all grown up and can make our own choices.

What I would love to have is some critique and feedback on how to get some really good footage and images ideally including a link to your work or other's work so that I have something to aspire towards.
 
ShawWellPete said:
It seems like a fairly contentious issue, where and how one should fly these things. I have taken all the points on board but I don't really want to spend my time discussing moral and/or legal issues of where one should fly a drone, we are all grown up and can make our own choices.

What I would love to have is some critique and feedback on how to get some really good footage and images ideally including a link to your work or other's work so that I have something to aspire towards.
Click to expand...

The legalities cannot be ignored though, and as I posted here earlier, it's good to see that prosecutions are now happening. The thread is headed "Drone Video Advice Wanted" and part and parcel of that is that all drone flyers operate within the bounds of the ANO. I made mistakes through ignorance when I first got one. But as time goes on I see more and more examples of willful flouting of the law. Last week I reported to the CAA someone who's flying was ridiculously dangerous, and I will continue to do so.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
The legalities cannot be ignored though, and as I posted here earlier, it's good to see that prosecutions are now happening. The thread is headed "Drone Video Advice Wanted" and part and parcel of that is that all drone flyers operate within the bounds of the ANO. I made mistakes through ignorance when I first got one. But as time goes on I see more and more examples of willful flouting of the law. Last week I reported to the CAA someone who's flying was ridiculously dangerous, and I will continue to do so.
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Yes, I can see it is very important to you and I have taken your points on board. I have used photography forums less as people tend to discuss the kit more than the photos. As far as I am concerned, discussing legislation and morality is even less fun, can we move one to advice on shooting and flying?

I am happy to change the title of the thread to

"Drone advice wanted - please avoid discussing where or when one should fly" if it helps?

:)
 
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Pete, I don't really use my quadcopters for video but the few occasions I have done I found that using software to control them made life much easier. Flylitchi and Ultimate Flight both have features that can make a phantom video appear to be more like that taken with a professional video platform. I believe the DJI app also includes some of these features now ...and when they roll out the new firmware later this month even more of them.

For stills photography I find the camera on the Phantom 3 Profesional vastly superior to my GoPro 4 - but I'm making a record of things from a different angle rather than trying to take artistic photographs.
 
One of the best things you can learn for processing the video you record is colour grading.
The basics are similar across various software, but I found this tutorial very helpful.
I still find it striking how quite subtle contrast increases result in apparently increased sharpness.

Many photoshop techniques crossover to some extent, for example using what amounts to Orton Effect in a video sometimes works well.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBQIrlSTsj8
 
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morfis said:
Pete, I don't really use my quadcopters for video but the few occasions I have done I found that using software to control them made life much easier. Flylitchi and Ultimate Flight both have features that can make a phantom video appear to be more like that taken with a professional video platform. I believe the DJI app also includes some of these features now ...and when they roll out the new firmware later this month even more of them.

For stills photography I find the camera on the Phantom 3 Profesional vastly superior to my GoPro 4 - but I'm making a record of things from a different angle rather than trying to take artistic photographs.
Click to expand...

Very useful, thanks for that

4wd said:
One of the best things you can learn for processing the video you record is colour grading.
The basics are similar across various software, but I found this tutorial very helpful.
I still find it striking how quite subtle contrast increases result in apparently increased sharpness.

Many photoshop techniques crossover to some extent, for example using what amounts to Orton Effect in a video sometimes works well.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBQIrlSTsj8
Click to expand...

Thanks very much for the advice, I'll watch the video and see if I can apply what it teaches.
 
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