Flying low 3-5ft above water - video taping kayak/swim

goixiz · Jun 17, 2020

I like to be able to video my friend on kayak or swimming at a calm lake
The plan is to fly backwards and above water 4-5feet at approx 10-15 feet infront and slowly moving to the side of the subject.
Questions:
1. which mode should i use as active track
2. What sensors i need to turn on or off to make sure the drone does not go for a swim ( i will be within 150-200 feet of subject)
3. Pretake off do i need to set any elevation limits (if there is one)

Thanks in advance

LazerMan · Jun 17, 2020

I would turn off sensors and I would stay at least 10 to 15 feet above the water to risky to get lower. Put pontoons on your drone just in case

lannes · Jun 17, 2020

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Phantomrain.org · Jun 17, 2020

I would consider minimizing your Risk : If you Flying A Mavic 2 /Mavic Pro

New Product Release : Rescue Jackets / Float your Mavic in the Sea.

Borrowing from our Success on the Phantom 4 Rescue Jackets we were able to go a few steps further with the Mavic Rescue Jackets. The Mavic Sea Lander Jackets Weight: 5.3 ounces 30 Seconds to Install: Super low profile enables enhanced stability for the low seas. Designed to land on the...

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Fred Garvin · Jun 17, 2020

1. Know what you're doing. If it's beyond your ability, be honest with yourself and don't do it.

2. Manually fly the bird. Don't rely on automatic modes unless you 100% trust them, know what they do, know how to take over IMMEDIATELY.

3. It's not really that different than skimming over the grass or any other low-level flight. It's a risk, yeah. Accept it or don't do it.

4. If you cant accomplish your goals without relying on an automatic mode, think again, and again, before you do it.

Here are some clips I shot for a rural real estate gig. The property has a nice pond with lots of potential so I got extra clips of it. I didn't use them all. NOTE: These are unprocessed (as shot) and is a quick iMove put together for this post.

Lionfish · Jun 17, 2020

I don’t know much about the technical side of your plan .
But you’re one brave dude sir !!
Good luck to you man .

Lionfish · Jun 17, 2020

Fred Garvin said:
1. Know what you're doing. If it's beyond your ability, be honest with yourself and don't do it.

2. Manually fly the bird. Don't rely on automatic modes unless you 100% trust them, know what they do, know how to take over IMMEDIATELY.

3. It's not really that different than skimming over the grass or any other low-level flight. It's a risk, yeah. Accept it or don't do it.

4. If you cant accomplish your goals without relying on an automatic mode, think again, and again, before you do it.

Here are some clips I shot for a rural real estate gig. The property has a nice pond with lots of potential so I got extra clips of it. I didn't use them all. NOTE: These are unprocessed (as shot) and is a quick iMove put together for this post.

Lionfish · Jun 17, 2020

That’s some good footage and some real nice flying.
Awesome man
Thanks for showing those clips .
I might be looking to join your fan club !!!.

Greekislandlover · Jun 17, 2020

Trace might work for you, but it doesn't seem to like flying backwards. I've tried several times to film myself cycling with the drone going backwards. Whenever I've tried, it will go backwards for a short while then it goes to the side and follows me. Sort of gives exactly what you want! With trace you start following the subject then roll the slider thing on the screen either way and it will rotate round the subject. You can control the rotation rate with the slider, so it's worth having a play with. Also try manually flying.

Yes, you need to be aware of the manufacturers information about flying over water. But I live by the sea and often fly over water - both choppy sea and over lakes and ponds. To be honest I don't ever turn any sensors on or off - I treat it as flat, treeless land. I'm considerably happier over water than near trees. The thing is you need to be watching the drone and know how to cancel any automated functions and what to do. My technique is to rise upwards and let it hover high so I can think about what to do.

Fred Garvin · Jun 17, 2020

Lionfish said:
That’s some good footage and some real nice flying.
Awesome man
Thanks for showing those clips .
I might be looking to join your fan club !!!.

LOL...thanks...you'd be the only one.

Zbip57 · Jun 18, 2020

Back when I was still flying my Phantom-1, a friend asked if I could shoot some aerial video of him sailing his radio-controlled model schooner. I tried to get a little too close to his sailboat and ended up crashing into it!
The problem was, it's difficult to accurately judge height above water while viewing an fpv monitor. The transmitted image from my GoPro camera made everything look further away than it really was. So I had to keep looking up from my monitor to check how high the Phantom actually was above the water. At the point where I crashed into the boat I was looking directly at the drone, not the monitor. I thought it was going to pass behind the boat, but it actually flew smack into it.
It was extremely lucky that the Phantom tangled in the sailboat's rigging and dangled over the side without even getting wet. It was also lucky that the sailboat didn't capsize with the extra weight hanging over its side. Phew.

Flytelandon · Jun 18, 2020

Phantomrain.org said:
I would consider minimizing your Risk : If you Flying A Mavic 2 /Mavic Pro

New Product Release : Rescue Jackets / Float your Mavic in the Sea.

Borrowing from our Success on the Phantom 4 Rescue Jackets we were able to go a few steps further with the Mavic Rescue Jackets. The Mavic Sea Lander Jackets Weight: 5.3 ounces 30 Seconds to Install: Super low profile enables enhanced stability for the low seas. Designed to land on the...

mavicpilots.com

Send it

Gindra · Jun 18, 2020

Zbip57 said:
Back when I was still flying my Phantom-1, a friend asked if I could shoot some aerial video of him sailing his radio-controlled model schooner. I tried to get a little too close to his sailboat and ended up crashing into it!
The problem was, it's difficult to accurately judge height above water while viewing an fpv monitor. The transmitted image from my GoPro camera made everything look further away than it really was. So I had to keep looking up from my monitor to check how high the Phantom actually was above the water. At the point where I crashed into the boat I was looking directly at the drone, not the monitor. I thought it was going to pass behind the boat, but it actually flew smack into it.
It was extremely lucky that the Phantom tangled in the sailboat's rigging and dangled over the side without even getting wet. It was also lucky that the sailboat didn't capsize with the extra weight hanging over its side. Phew.

Nice job up until then!

GB1Yorkshire1 · Jun 18, 2020

One word.......”CAREFULLY “

Tentoes · Jun 18, 2020

Zbip57 said:
Back when I was still flying my Phantom-1, a friend asked if I could shoot some aerial video of him sailing his radio-controlled model schooner. I tried to get a little too close to his sailboat and ended up crashing into it!
The problem was, it's difficult to accurately judge height above water while viewing an fpv monitor. The transmitted image from my GoPro camera made everything look further away than it really was. So I had to keep looking up from my monitor to check how high the Phantom actually was above the water. At the point where I crashed into the boat I was looking directly at the drone, not the monitor. I thought it was going to pass behind the boat, but it actually flew smack into it.
It was extremely lucky that the Phantom tangled in the sailboat's rigging and dangled over the side without even getting wet. It was also lucky that the sailboat didn't capsize with the extra weight hanging over its side. Phew.

The boat rescued the drone!

DavidT_ NZ · Jun 18, 2020

goixiz said:
I like to be able to video my friend on kayak or swimming at a calm lake
The plan is to fly backwards and above water 4-5feet at approx 10-15 feet infront and slowly moving to the side of the subject.
Questions:
1. which mode should i use as active track
2. What sensors i need to turn on or off to make sure the drone does not go for a swim ( i will be within 150-200 feet of subject)
3. Pretake off do i need to set any elevation limits (if there is one)

Thanks in advance

I would buy a Mavic Zoom and stay well away from the water's surface .................

The zoom lens will get you in close without so much risk! (Adding pontoons and rotor blade protectors gives a little extra security too. And stay in Tripod Mode ..... If you really want low, low shots, maybe consider attaching a GoPro on a stick, suspended beneath the drone ..... if it has enough lifting power.) Safe flying.

lannes · Jun 18, 2020

The Mavic Pro and Platinum also have a 2x digital zoom , which you use by configuring the 5d joystick on the RC. It's reasonable quality and will allow the OP to stay well above the water

dkuhne · Jun 18, 2020

LazerMan said:
I would turn off sensors and I would stay at least 10 to 15 feet above the water to risky to get lower. Put pontoons on your drone just in case

Turn his sensors off, whilst flying 5 feet above water?? Yeah, don't do that buddy.

Ron Caballero CAP · Jun 18, 2020

Fred Garvin said:
1. Know what you're doing. If it's beyond your ability, be honest with yourself and don't do it.

2. Manually fly the bird. Don't rely on automatic modes unless you 100% trust them, know what they do, know how to take over IMMEDIATELY.

3. It's not really that different than skimming over the grass or any other low-level flight. It's a risk, yeah. Accept it or don't do it.

4. If you cant accomplish your goals without relying on an automatic mode, think again, and again, before you do it.

Here are some clips I shot for a rural real estate gig. The property has a nice pond with lots of potential so I got extra clips of it. I didn't use them all. NOTE: These are unprocessed (as shot) and is a quick iMove put together for this post.

Great shots! Please tell me/us how you managed to avoid trees at the ends of some videos. You seemed to get awfully close. It would have been nice for you to continue filming, or at least show what you filmed at the ends of those shots.

Fred Garvin · Jun 18, 2020

Ron Caballero CAP said:
Great shots! Please tell me/us how you managed to avoid trees at the ends of some videos. You seemed to get awfully close. It would have been nice for you to continue filming, or at least show what you filmed at the ends of those shots.

Thanks. I managed to avoid the trees by simply stopping the drone before it got there. What the camera sees is a narrowed field of view and things seem to appear closer than they actually are.

I do continue filming beyond what you see in the clips. I position the drone, start the recording, then start moving the drone through the shot I want, stop the drone, then stop the recording. So, at the beginning of the clip, there is a period of time where there is no motion, or a little motion getting setup. Same at the end. There's the stopping motion and stopping the recording.

These bits are edited out. I fade into the motion of the drone and fade out before the stopping motion. Sometimes I only use a tiny portion of the original clip, work in bits of other clips, then use another part of that original clip....and so on and so on. This is "weaving a story" and putting together multiple parts of many clips. Makes for a better video.

Including the whole clip, start to finish, wouldn't look very good. That's not how you make a good video. You setup the shot, start recording, get the shot, stop recording. Nip off the bits at the beginning and end so you end up with "the shot" you wanted. I do this even when creating a "quickie" like the one I posted.

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