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watch Aerial event video

Some of you may hate on me again for the lack of story/narrative based video (which I previously focused on) but this year I've been focusing on having fun and doing less stressful shoots (stories are somewhat stressful!)

So similar to a video I did earlier at a trial event, this is the full proper event known as the Energy Breakthrough. Basically modded reclining bicycles racing, kinda a miniature F1 or what have you. Anyway I contacted the event organisers and got support from them to come and film the event with my quadcopter.

I use a DJI Phantom quadcopter with a GoPro Hero3 Black NO FPV (so effectively blind filming... having said that I've done it a lot and know where to aim it to get decent results, its not completely blind, its more an educated blind..)
The ground shots are my Canon 600D and a mates Nikon something dslr.. I still hate Nikon but I was more impressed with the image it produced... that Nikon menu though :no:

Had heaps of fun making it!!! Oh and I bought the music from PremiumBeat.com. Thought I should give it a shot considering I was covered for the event.

Here is the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MS1sAJzkQQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MS1sAJzkQQ
 
That's really good - especially considering you weren't able to see what you were shooting. I like the overhead shots where you were almost perfectly tracking one of the vehicles. It also seems much more stable than a lot of stuff I've seen from the phantom, do you have a gimbal mount on it or is it just stock? I really think I might have to get one of these now...
 
Yeah I have the Tarot gimbal on it, but I also add warp stabilizer to smoothen out the odd little wobble :)

Buying FPV soon so shouldn't have to guess anymore!!
 
Very cool, that gimbal is surprisingly affordable - now I want one even more!

Looking at the specs for the phantom I was confused by something - it says you shouldn't use the gopro's wifi at the same time as the phantom as it would disable your ability to control the copter. If that's the case, how do you stream video for FPV?

EDIT: It never even occurred to me you could use the gimbal on a motorcycle for much better results than the standard gopro mounts. I pretty much can't not get one of these now...
 
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Yeah it is a pretty good price, less than half the official DJIs gimbal price, although the DJI Zenmuse has gone down in the last few days on a few site so that might be changing. The only issue with the Tarot is that it isn't plug and play as its not built for the Phantom. You have to build the gimbal and then find a way to screw it into the Phantom. Worth it once you get it on though!!

Yeah early on they thought the GoPros wifi would interfere and was one of the causes of flyaways, but its hard to prove but generally safe. The new Phantom 2 Vision which comes with a camera uses wifi to see what is on it, but the transmitter uses a different frequency for controlling it so it seems to be ok.

Generally you wouldn't want to use the wifi anyway as it is less reliable. People use a separate FPV system which you plug into the side of the gopro
 
Very nice as usual. I just upgraded my F550, and added FPV as well. It's a world of difference from flying blind. Had bought video goggles, but my IPD was out side their parameters (my eyes are too far apart). So now waiting on a field monitor for my ground station. Hope to share some stuff with everyone very soon.


Have to add I'm especially impressed with the shot at 1:44 of you flying and panning the camera. Knowing you are doing that blind is impressive as heck!
 
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Thanks Jeff, we're looking at FPV at the moment and are really just trying to decide on the best for the cheapest we can get. What's your setup? We don't want the goggles, just a screen.

Thanks, that's one of those shots that kind of just happened and then when I saw it I was super happy with. The good thing with these carts is that when you are near the Phantom and the cart you can set the pace for the Phantom and then just keep flying it further and further away until you get worried you might hit some trees due to that damned perspective
 
Thanks Jeff, we're looking at FPV at the moment and are really just trying to decide on the best for the cheapest we can get. What's your setup? We don't want the goggles, just a screen.

So I decided to start off with 5.8ghz for video, since I'm running 2.4ghz for control.

I started to go goggles, and ordered a Fatshark Attitude setup. Came with goggles that had integrated 5.8ghz receiver, and a 250mw transmitter for the copter. Turns out my pupil distance is greater then the range that is adjustable on the goggles. So I sent that setup back.

So then I ordered an immersionRC 600mw transmitter, with spironet CP antenna. And my ground station now consist of immersionRC duo5800 diversity receiver, with a 5 turn helical directional antenna, and a spironet CP antenna. I'm not really in it for long distance flying, but with the limitations of 5.8ghz, he helical antenna will give me a little bit of punch power to maintain signal if I fly briefly behind something. All of that is hooked into a ReadyMadeRC 10.1 inch monitor, with sunshade. It's all mounted on a cheap tripod, but eventually I'd like to get a case and create a ground station in that.

Hope weather will permit time to test fly the system next weekend, as I have just put this all on the last week. I also have an on screen display.
 
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