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Author Topic: Landscape aerial footage with drone  (Read 4112 times)

Chris L

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Landscape aerial footage with drone
« on: April 15, 2015, 02:35:06 pm »

Hi, I have a job where I need to film landscapes in a windy area on hills overlooking the ocean ( ocean is a mile away so no worries with drowning the drone ). My hope is to use the Olympus OMD EM5 because of its filmic look and its excellent built in stabilizer, and use with the Panasonic/Leica 15mm f/1.7 ASPH lens ( 30mm equivalent focal length in 35mm terms ). I know the bitrate is low for the Oly but the footage looks real good anyway in my opinion. I am delivering in 1080p for web use. The aerial footage would need to match up with the A cam footage shot on ground with the BMCC 2.5 EF. I have not used drones and will be hiring somebody to run it for me but I will be renting the drone for that person. This person has little experience with drones so we need a simple set up. Is this a good set up? Any better solutions that would be an all-in-one drone and camera that is rentable ( I am in California ). Any reco's on rental houses with drone gear would be great.
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Kevin Gallagher

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Re: Landscape aerial footage with drone
« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2015, 08:48:20 pm »

 Chris, I believe you are going to find a drone that is capable of hoisting a camera of that size & weight to be VERY expensive. All the more reason to have a qualified and experienced pilot at the controls.
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Kevin In CT
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Chris L

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Re: Landscape aerial footage with drone
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2015, 09:30:41 am »

Chris, I believe you are going to find a drone that is capable of hoisting a camera of that size & weight to be VERY expensive. All the more reason to have a qualified and experienced pilot at the controls.

Thanks Kevin.I thought that set up was small and light comparatively but this is all new to me. Samys camera rents the DJI Inspire 1 Quadcopter with 4K Camera and 3-Axis Gimbal, any thoughts on this set up?
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bcooter

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Re: Landscape aerial footage with drone
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2015, 02:08:59 pm »


I don't know your budget, or your feeling for being risk adverse, but I would strongly suggest hiring someone liscensed  with at least 300 hours of flying a drone before I'd go out and shoot with it in a commercial setting.

I know, I know, everyone's doing it, everyone's playing with them, but there is a difference between some kid crashing a go pro in a backyard, vs. working commercially and a drone getting loose on Pac 1 hitting a minivan full of tourists.

It's up to you and I fully understand the economic pressure that is being applied in our industry, but then again, no client is going to step up is something goes wrong, you'll be on your own.

Look I've done it, not with drones, but I've hung out of and on cars, cycles, skateboards, buildings, cranes, windows, helicopters to get a shot but the risk was generally 95% to myself and no one else, so if it went south, I'd be the one with the bumps not someone 400 yards away.

It's up to you, I truly understand where your coming from, but if you've worked the Southland for long, you know there is a rule, permit, fine and jurisdiction specific regulation(s) waiting around every corner.

That is one of the reasons so much film production has exited the state, though in the case of drones I'd say safety first.

IMO

BC
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alan_b

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Re: Landscape aerial footage with drone
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2015, 03:05:00 pm »

Has something changed with the clarity of regulations (US) for commercial drone use?  Last I heard, the FAA was looking for people make examples of.
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Kevin Gallagher

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Re: Landscape aerial footage with drone
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2015, 03:23:15 pm »

 Mr. Cooter very eloquently makes some excellent points! As much as I enjoy flying my Phantom2+ (Got many years flying real aircraft and about 5 or so flying RC models) I would be VERY hesitant to do as some do by flying them over crowds at weddings etc., I would't want to even consider the results of one tangling with a moving vehicle! The larger ones that are needed to hoist pro type cameras generally end up weighing in at over 20 lbs. or so, just consider the effect of the always possible "impromptu arrival" on people or things. Not to mention there would be not of $15,000 with of hardware involved. To tell the truth it greatly surprises me that ANYONE is willing to rent these things out given the high likelihood of it's being operated by a total novice (no disparagement to you or your pilot was meant) and it's being "returned" in pieces. With that said the model you mentioned seems very capable but it is equipped with basically a go-pro type of camera..wide angle lens etc.
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Kevin In CT
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Chris L

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Re: Landscape aerial footage with drone
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2015, 04:24:45 pm »

Thanks guys. The area we are shooting in is in the sticks on a private ranch where there are no persons or structures to worry about.
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lowep

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Re: Landscape aerial footage with drone
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2015, 04:56:04 pm »

I have not used drones and will be hiring somebody to run it for me but I will be renting the drone for that person. This person has little experience with drones

why not hire somebody who has more experience with drones and/or already has one?
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Chris L

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Re: Landscape aerial footage with drone
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2015, 05:55:35 pm »

I have not used drones and will be hiring somebody to run it for me but I will be renting the drone for that person. This person has little experience with drones

why not hire somebody who has more experience with drones and/or already has one?

Because I was gonna hire an intelligent assistant that I work with all the time and he wants to learn it, that way we could use it more in the future, and not have to rent, and not have to ask for help on forum boards.

I got a quote from a local expert drone operator and he would have made as much as I had that day.

Never mind.
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