Drone panorama

[Alan Smallbone]

Hi all,

I know there has been some discussion about drones. I have had them for a number of years, and recently I decided on getting a new one. My other one was using a gopro, while they are fine I have just never been happy with the video/still qualities and the performance of my first drone. It was not all that easy to fly and the battery length was always problematic. So I decided to get a new Phantom 3 after reading a lot about it. What a difference. Ready to fly out of the box, camera is decent, no fisheye, flight times are around a little less than 20 minutes, super stable and easy to fly. Video looks great and it can be taking stills and switch between the two. Here is a quick pano from last night. ISO 100, 3 panels, 3 exposures bracketed per panel. Stitched in Ptgui. I exported the raw DNGs from lightroom with only WB and lens corrections set, then stitched and fusion blended in ptgui, and touched up in Photoshop. Exposures were around 1/10 of second but considering it was hovering in the air and rotating I am pretty pleased with it. A nice fun addition.

Laguna Niguel sunset pano by Alan Smallbone, on Flickr

Alan

[Colorado David]

Nice image.  Tell me more about the drone operation.  I may need one soon.

[Alan Smallbone]

Well this one was not my first, but this one is far easier to fly than any other model aircraft I have flown. It almost flies itself. There are limitations, like anything. Flight times are around 18-23 minutes, you really need to break in the batteries when you get them, recommended is 5-10 flights on each battery down to 50% capacity and then start doing full runs. You need to give it time to settle in, it uses GPS to get a lock, when panning or moving there will be some settle time, you can see it pretty easily depending on your device that you attach. In a really strong wind it might be a problem. The other limitation is the bracketing, it will only step at 0.7EV but you can do 3 or 5 shots, and it takes them as fast as it can after pressing the shutter button. There is a button on the controller for the shutter and also one for the video. There is wheel for adjusting the exposure, it will cycle between iso and shutter speed by pressing the wheel, so that is nice you do not have to take a hand off the controller.

To frame the shots and watch what is going on you need to attach a smartphone or tablet. That being said, it needs to be a pretty high end device to handle the feed and control. It can work with Android or Apple. I ended up buying an iPad Air2 to use with it, I am an Android fan and not a big Apple user but the ipad for this application is the best. There are some features with the app on the ipad that you cannot get on the Android. Like exposure zebras. Both will show a live histogram. The screen will show a live hd feed from the quadcopter, it is 720p and has telemetry information displayed as well as aircraft status and some controls, like camera and video settings, configurations etc. You have to have a smart device to fly it. With the ipad I have found that a PadHat is indispensable to cut glare on the screen.

Batteries are LiPo and you need to be careful with them and they are also smart batteries, there are no aftermarket batteries and they run about $150 each. each will give you 18-23 minutes of flight, charging takes about 45 minutes or so. The Phantom 3 is sold in two versions, one will do 4K video and the other will only do 1080p. I did not need the 4K video so I bought the Advanced which is 1080p max. Both are 12mp stills, they are the same camera virtually, slight hardware and firmware difference. The 4K video has a slightly higher bit rate but the 1080p is the same with both versions. They come ready to fly, just connect the smart phone or tablet (after charging batteries) and put the props on and you are ready to fly, it comes with a 16gb micro SD card, you can use up to 64gb. The smart device will also show the position on a map, either Apple or google maps, position comes from the gps on the aircraft. You can pre-cache the map on the device so you do not need an internet connection. There are also fail safes, like if it loses signal, you hit the button it will return home and land, home being where it took off from. The GPS uses both Soviet and US satellites so chances are you will get a good lock. I usually get a lock with around 14-17 satellites.

I bought a combination package through DJI, came with an extra battery and a hard shell backpack which is very nice for carrying it. There is a Think Tank backpack that you can pack a camera and the drone together in the pack.

The best thing is to spend some time and learn how it works and how to control it when it is not in gps mode, then if there is a problem you have a greater chance of getting it back in one piece. The gimbal sits pretty close to ground and a hard landing can damage it, practice, practice. there are also some aftermarket gimbal guards. Once you get it up say around 250-300 and it gets about 2000 feet away it is almost impossible to see which direction it is pointed in without the video feed, so if you lose that you need to learn how to control it but you do have a failsafe. As with anything, common sense will help. Also there is built in no fly zones, like close to airports etc. if too close it will not even powerup.  I have seen some people flyiing them as far a couple of miles out and back, not sure I have the balls for something like that but some people do. It is also fairly noisey, a good buzzing sound.

Be happy to answer any more questions or more details if you want them.
Alan

[Colorado David]

Thank you Alan.

[tongelsing]

Here is another one. Stitched in LR.
Wetlands in the east of the Netherlands.

Also a DJI P3P.
Although the camera makes decent pictures don't expect to much from it. I has a Sony EXMOR 1/2.3 sensor. The same size as a lot of cellphones and tablets have with more or less the same limitations.

[TwistedShadow]

Nice image.  Tell me more about the drone operation.  I may need one soon.

Nice!

[Rand47]

Alan,

Very nicely done!  Thanks for sharing this.  I'm in the Inland Empire and would love to come watch you fly this thing some time!

Rand

[Some Guy]

I had one, but wind caught it and it flew out of radio range and then dropped like a rock onto a concrete patio.  So much for it.  

I see Kalifornia is preparing to enact some "Need permission to fly over private property else it's considered trespassing" law if the governor signs it.  Senate has passed it yesterday.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/08/28/ca-ban-on-low-drones-over-homes-put-to-gov.htm

No doubt they'll enact some $500/day permit fee, a multi-million liability bond, and assign a state monitor to watch.

SG

[Colorado David]

Sorry to draw attention away from the image of the OP.  But, I've been watching the proposed rules for commercial drone operators published by the FAA.  The draft rules were published in February, I believe, and the public comment period is over.  I'm not sure when they'll announce rues that will go into effect.  As it stands right now, a commercial drone operator must have a pilot's license and their drone must be registered with the FAA just like any manned aircraft.  That means the minimum license is the sport pilot ticket.  The draft rules would require a written test and no longer require the UAV to be registered.  I will jump in at that point.  I have a client asking for drone footage.

[TwistedShadow]

Sorry to draw attention away from the image of the OP.  But, I've been watching the proposed rules for commercial drone operators published by the FAA.  The draft rules were published in February, I believe, and the public comment period is over.  I'm not sure when they'll announce rues that will go into effect.  As it stands right now, a commercial drone operator must have a pilot's license and their drone must be registered with the FAA just like any manned aircraft.  That means the minimum license is the sport pilot ticket.  The draft rules would require a written test and no longer require the UAV to be registered.  I will jump in at that point.  I have a client asking for drone footage.

It's interesting you're in Colorado, I read some place it's legal to shoot drones down in Colorado. Is there any truth to this? Just want to double check since we spend a lot of time in Colorado.

Anyhow, the FAA is supposed to release the new rules some time in September if I recall. These rules should as you stated eliminate the need for registration and a pilot's license. From what I saw however that the FAA was going to lower the height restriction from 400 ft to 200ft. This is a bit disappointing. Now the FAA is starting to grant licenses if anyone wishes to apply. I'm still in the playing around mode with my drone but may consider it in the future.

[Colorado David]

I believe it was Castle Rock that issued hunting licenses for Drones.  I believe it was in jest and I also believe the state issued a warning that the drone hunting license were void and could get the shooter in a bit of trouble.  When the rules are solid, I will fly only within the law with strict adherence to the FAA rules.

[TwistedShadow]

I believe it was Castle Rock that issued hunting licenses for Drones.  I believe it was in jest and I also believe the state issued a warning that the drone hunting license were void and could get the shooter in a bit of trouble.  When the rules are solid, I will fly only within the law with strict adherence to the FAA rules.

Interesting.

Anyhow, model aircraft has been around for decades without any issues. Just keep them under 400 ft and 1-2 nautical miles from the nearest airport (straight line)...and don't go hovering them outside your neighbors bathroom windows and you will be fine. Photography shot by a drone is consider hobby only and technically against the law for commercial use...but the FAA does grant license for drones to be used for commercial use.
 

[Alan Smallbone]

Alan,

Very nicely done!  Thanks for sharing this.  I'm in the Inland Empire and would love to come watch you fly this thing some time!

Rand

Rand,

sounds good, we should get together sometime, when it gets a bit cooler I will probably spend some time out in the desert with it.

Alan

[Alan Smallbone]

As it stands now for the FAA exemption you need the sport license and once they grant the exemption, you have to file a flight plan for some flights. There is a blanket COA which allows flights below 200 feet only without prior authorization. What the final rules will be we will have to wait and see.

As for shooting drones, they are still considered aircraft and it is a federal felony to shoot at aircraft, no matter what a local or state government says.

The CA legislation will probably have problems with Federal laws, that only allows a 50 foot difference and would be hard to prove in court, as the regs are for 400 feet AGL and terrain changes constantly. Also I believe the CA legislation is civil penalties rather than criminal, so they would have to prove you were lower, you were trying to film them and and a number of things. Another part of the legislation is for the paparazzi which I can agree with although with a consumer drone you are not going to see anything at 350 feet let alone 200 feet. So kind of a knee jerk reaction because of media hype. Even a heavy lift drone with a 5dMIII you are not going to be able to carry much more than a good wide angle, the are not going to balance with a big zoom, let alone you cannot control the zoom remotely. And a setup to carry the 5dMIII is going to run you north of $10K and only have a flight time of 15 minutes or so.

Los Angeles is trying to enact an ordinance similar to the state legislation, the city council has not done a final vote yet. But their big fear is spying, hardly practical with consumer drones. here is a video I guy made about spying with a drone if you want to take the time, this has the same sensor as the one I have, it is about 20 minutes but worth watching if you are curious.
https://youtu.be/dGoiNZjmYfE

My drone weighs less than 3 lbs, flies for 18minutes and has a small sensor camera, that has a 20mm equiv fov lens, and 12mp, similar sensor to the gopro but without the fisheye. I got mine for some panos and to do some videos that I want to do and to do some aerials of the coast, and it is fun to play with it. This one is incredibly stable, the tech is pretty amazing for around $1200.

Alan

[joneil]

I am taking a commercial ground school course here in Canada for small UAVs  - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - aka" drones, so I can answer a few questions.

- first off, "small" means up to 25 kilograms or about 55 pounds.    Some of these commercial drones I see coming are hundreds of kilos in weight.   So I am not sure about the USA and the FCC, but I am thinking yeah, you get into those big machines, you will need a pilot lic;

- even my course is pretty comprehensive.  You have up to 9 months to complete it online, and I am amazed at how similar it is to the private pilot course i took about 30 years ago;

- above all things, common sense rules, even for hobby use.  to quote Twisted Shadow here:
" Anyhow, model aircraft has been around for decades without any issues. Just keep them under 400 ft and 1-2 nautical miles from the nearest airport (straight line)...and don't go hovering them outside your neighbors bathroom windows and you will be fine."

   Bang on.  In Canada, we are limited to 300 feet, and even for commercial use, you must maintain visual line of sight.   But you know something, I have no issue whatsoever with those regs, they work fine for me.

- a lot of the new UAVs / quads / drones have built in safety features.   The ones I use (Q500 Typhoon and Blade Chroma) will auto land if the battery is too low, or if they go out of range of the transmitter, they automatically return home.   One is programmed, hard coded, NOT to fly within - I think it is 3 or 4 NM of any major airport, and the other has the ability to program in your own no-fly zones.  If you want to buy one, just look for features like that;

- the laws vary from country to country, but generally speaking, if you stay with a quad/drone under 2 kilograms (4 -5 pounds) total loaded weight, you can fly as a hobbist, but again, really check into that.   

- photographically speaking, with small quads, and I am saying under 2 kilograms, and usually around or under $2,000 in price, give or take, you guys will appreciate that no matter what camera or brand of flying machine you use, you will be stuck with a small sensor camera.      No matter how good the camera is, there will be a limit to what you can do.   Also, a good gimbal - that is the mechanism that holds the camera steady in flight - is expensive, and the larger the camera, the more expensive it is.    But the good news is, as far as I can see, a lot, not all, but a lot of guys buying these things really don't know their photography very well.

    Last point, the commercial money behind these machines is incredible.  Even the "little" machine I use, it is made by Yuneec, and Intel (the computer chip people) just invested 60 million dollars into that company just last week.   My own fearless prediction, based on a very cloudy, faulty and cracked crystal ball is that in the near future (say 2020 onwards) we will see the need for pilots and ground crew (photographers???      ) for commercial drone use.    If you are interested, start looking into it.

   I am by no means an expert, but if you have any questions, ask.   My youtube channel with my vids is below, so you can see some of what I am doing.
later
joe
https://www.youtube.com/user/maiingun1

[Alan Smallbone]

The California Legislature has just passed a law, but it has not been signed by the Gov. that will not allow any flights over private property without express written consent at alt. less than 350 feet, this only allows a 50 foot margin before you are in airspace. This will apply to any aircraft that does not have an operator within the craft or be able to be directly controlled from within the craft. You will be liable for trespassing and "damages" that the intrusion will cause. If you want to help stop this click on the link below to urge Brown to veto it.

Alan

From the AMA:



Dear Friends,

On August 27, 2015 the California State Senate followed the State Assembly's lead in passing California SB 142. AMA spoke out in opposition to this bill in a letter to the Senate and the bill's sponsors, and testified further before the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management and the Senate Judiciary Committee on August 18. Despite these efforts the California legislature passed SB 142, legislation that may pose a significant threat to recreational model aviation.

While originally intended to address privacy concerns the bill was amended in late June and, as such, now potentially subjects model aviation enthusiasts to possible law suits and civil sanctions for even an inadvertent excursion over the property of a neighbor that borders their flying field, schoolyard, park, or even their backyard.

This bill currently is sitting on Governor Brown's desk waiting for his action. Time is short. The governor has until September 12, 2015 to either sign or veto this proposed legislation.

Please act now. Go to http://amagov.modelaircraft.org/18534/californiasb142/ and let Governor Brown know that, as a recreational aeromodeler, you believe that this bill is too broad and overreaching and can only have a negative impact on model aviation.


Read SB 142

Thanks for your help on this important issue.

Lawrence Tougas
AMA District X Vice President
ama.district10@gmail.com

[Kevin Gallagher]

 Bill was vetoed!  http://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amagov/2015/09/10/california-governor-vetoes-sb-142/

[srialto]

Great post, thanks for the details! I have been waiting for the right project to buy one, hasn't come up yet.