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The Best of the Rest: Which DJI Alternative Should You Consider?

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By Malek Murison

Depending on who you talk to, Chinese manufacturer DJI has a 60-80% share of the drone hardware market.

And they dominate for a reason: DJI’s drones set the standard in terms of price, capability and ease of use. The company’s shadow over the drone space is self-perpetuating, putting competitors from the early days out of the manufacturing business and giving DJI even more revenue to plough into R&D and marketing.

But a few companies have managed to hang in there, while others are only now coming to the fore.

Here are three worth considering in the run-up to the festive season.

Parrot Anafi

French manufacturer Parrot has been around since consumer drone industry day one. In fact, the company arguably released the first ever consumer camera drone – the AR.Drone – back in 2010.

But since then Parrot has struggled to keep pace with DJI. There’s no shame in that, of course. Nobody has managed to compete. But in the past couple of years, things have been changing. Parrot has focused its efforts on creating adaptable drones that are easy to use and ideal for aerial photography.

The results have been interesting: the Disco drone was a miraculous fixed-wing creation without an obvious purpose. The Bebop range has always appeared a little clumsy and toy-like compared to DJI’s more sophisticated models.

But the culmination of years of development came in the summer of 2018 with the Anafi, a foldable, 4k video-shooting drone packed with interesting creative features.

The Anafi’s camera has a Sony IMX230 sensor, an Ambarella video processor and can shoot 21MP photos  Shots benefit from 3-axis stabilization and the camera also offers 180 degrees of vertical tilt and up to 2.8X lossless zoom, which means you can fly directly under objects and capture them from below.

We’re not exactly sure what this is for, but it certainly expands the potential shot options for pilots.

The Anafi comes into its own with performance. The Anafi’s “bio-inspired design” includes Parrot’s smart battery technology, which somehow means the Anafi can outlast both the Mavic Air and the Spark with 25 minutes airtime from a single battery.

Parrot have more recently released a range of intelligent, updates flight modes for the Anafi, which include a tracking feature, hyperlapse capabilities and a Dolly Zoom mode. They’ve also started selling an Extended addition, with extra batteries for over an hour of flight time.

Altogether, it’s an impressive little drone. The only drawback is the lack of obstacle avoidance. But for the purists out there that shouldn’t be an issue.

So how much does all of that cost? Well, the Extended package, which includes three batteries, a shoulder bag and more, is retailing at $799.

Skydio R1

Since launching in early 2018, the Skydio R1 has captured the imagination of the drone industry. In part that’s because the company’s autonomous system and computer vision technology is way beyond anything else we have seen.

But it’s also because the R1 offers a glimpse into the future of drones: crash-free flight, totally autonomous navigation. In short, a system you can trust to be your aerial cameraman.

But the obvious drawback from all that autonomy is that you don’t get to be behind the controls in the same way. For some pilots this will be a release, meaning they can finally concentrate on the important things while the drone takes care of the flying. For others, it might be removing an enjoyable part of the drone experience.

But Skydio’s customers will obviously be in the former camp: adventure enthusiasts, outdoorsy types who want to be a part of the action, not just capture it on camera.

Speaking of which, the R1’s camera captures 4K at 30fps and 1080p at 30 or 60fps. It’s also got built-in stabilization. Battery life is just 16 minutes, but the drone comes with two batteries included. The R1 has a top speed of 25 mph, which should be enough to keep up with even the most adventurous of outdoor activities.

For that reason, Skydio’s R1 could be a great gift for the mountain-biker, runner, surfer, skier etc in your life. Basically, anyone who wants to capture awesome 4K footage without having to worry about the controls.

In fact, the R1 has a range of ‘skills’ that can be activated with a through clicks in the app. So the drone doesn’t just have to follow you, it can perform complex aerial manoeuvres that even an experienced pilot would find hard to pull off.

As you might expect, the R1 doesn’t come cheap. It’s currently retailing for $1,999.

Yuneec Mantis Q

Yuneec is something of a fading light in the drone industry. But 2018 has had some resurgent moments for DJI’s Chinese competitor.

As well as joining up with the Dronecode open-source initiative and pitching to US Government customers with 3DR, Yuneec released a new consumer drone aimed at the middle tier of the market.

That drone was the Mantis Q, a small, foldable model designed to compete with DJI’s Mavic Air and Spark.

But Yuneec know that to outsell their rivals they have to offer features that are fresh and innovative. And to be fair to them, that’s what they’ve tried to do. For example, the Mantis Q comes with Voice Control. This essentially lets the user issue commands by speaking: take a photo, begin recording, wake up, take-off, return home…that kind of thing. There are also Gesture Control features for hands-free flying.

The Mantis Q’s camera is not to bad at all, either. It can capture still images with a resolution of 4800×2700 (16:9) or 4160×3120 (4:3) pixels and shoot 4K videos at 30fps.

Similar to the Parrot Anafi, there’s also flexibility in the camera’s operation. It can be tilted upwards by 20 degrees or downwards by 90 degrees for extra creative potential. And, just like the other two drones on this list, the Mantis Q has a range of automated, cinematic flight modes, including Journey, Point of Interest and Orbit Me.

The headlines though are arguably found in the Yuneec Mantis Q’s performance. The drone has a huge 33 minute flight time – far outstripping its tiny rivals – a top speed of 44 miles per hour and downward sonar sensors to help with smooth indoor flight.

The Mantis Q is available now for $499.

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The Best Drones of 2018, Ranked By Their Purpose

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by Malek Murison

We’re at a point in the drone hardware space where there’s plenty of choice for pilots. Although DJI have a firm hold over the market, there are loads of options for aerial photography and other niche uses.

And that’s important, because no pilot chooses a drone based on capability alone. It’s more about suitability. Even if you’ve got an unlimited budget, it’s not always the most expensive option that’s best suited to the task you have in mind.

Which is why we’ve decided to rank the best drones of 2018 based on their suitability for certain things, rather than outright capability. We’ve narrowed them down into 4 categories: Hollywood Ambitions, Professional All-Rounder, On-The-Go Aerial Photography, and Beginner Friendly.  

We’ll take into account capability and value for money in each category and suggest the best option – and a runner-up.  

Hollywood Ambitions

As this category title suggests, Hollywood Ambitions is all about which drone is your best bet for shooting cinema-grade aerial photography and creative drone videos.  

The Winner: DJI Inspire 2

 

To date, the DJI Inspire 2 is probably the best photography drone ever made. Which isn’t saying much of course – this industry is less than a decade old. Nonetheless, this is the drone you will see gliding over Hollywood movie sets, shooting adverts and capturing live sports events.

And it was always meant to be this way. DJI’s Inspire range has been created to set the industry benchmark for what drones can achieve in terms of photography and video footage.

As such the Inspire 2 is smarter, faster and more capable than DJI’s smaller, more beginner-friendly drones. Perhaps with the exception of the recently released Mavic Pro 2.

But what the Mavic Pro 2 doesn’t have is the Inspire 2’s ability to go from 0 to 50 mph (80 kph) in 5 seconds with a top speed of 58 mph. Those may sound like pointless numbers, but they translate into unmatched shot versatility and more creative options for pilots and filmmakers.

Add to that the ability to switch between different cameras – including the Zenmuse X7 and X5 – and you’ve got a powerful aerial photography package.  

Both cameras work with the Inspire 2’s CineCore2.1 image processing system. The Zenmuse X7 shoots aerial video at up to a whopping 6K in CinemaDNG/RAW at 30fps and at 5.2K in Apple ProRes. It’s got 4 stops of dynamic range and captures 24-megapixel stills.

As you might expect, Hollywood-grade aerial photography doesn’t come cheap. The Inspire 2 on its own costs $2,999. The Zenmuse X7 camera comes in at $2,700. All of that gear is protected by a range of sensors to detect and avoid obstacles in front, below and above the drone.  

Runner-up: DJI Mavic 2 Zoom

We chose the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom as the Runner-up in the Hollywood Ambitions category because it offers something a little more interesting than the Mavic 2 Pro.

Yes, both models can offer a 45mph top speed and a huge 31 minute flights time. And both Mavic 2 models feature omnidirectional collision avoidance, combined with DJI’s APAS (Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems).

Both also use DJI’s OcuSync transmission system, for 1080p live video streaming and a maximum range of five miles.

And, lastly, both Mavic 2 models come with DJI’s numerous autonomous flight modes, including Hyperlapse, ActiveTrack 2, QuickShots and more.

But the creative difference lies with the cameras. Like the Pro, the Mavic 2 Zoom captures 4K video at a maximum bitrate of 100 megabits per second.

The clue is in the name: The Zoom comes with its very own Hitchcock-style swagger.

It has the equivalent of a 24-48mm optical zoom and 2x digital zoom, giving drone pilots the effect of a 96mm telephoto lens for 4k lossless zoom at full HD video resolution. The camera itself has a 12mp 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor.

Used with DJI’s new Dolly Zoom flight mode, the camera creates an eerie, warped perspective by automatically zooming in as it flies away from its subject. The result is that the subject is kept in shot at the same size while the full background of the scene is revealed.

The retail price of a Mavic 2 Zoom, including the drone, battery, charger, remote controller and four pairs of propellers, is $1,249.

Professional All-Rounder

Looking for a solid, adaptable drone that can get in the air with minimum fuss without breaking the bank?

 

The Winner: DJI Mavic 2 Pro   

The DJI Mavic 2 Pro looks set to continue from where the original Mavic left off: as the world’s most popular drone.

We’ve been through the key stats above already, so what else do you need to know?

How about that it was co-engineered with camera specialists Hasselblad, to form the world’s first drone with an integrated Hasselblad camera.

As well as improved image quality, and superior light and color performance, the Mavic 2 Pro’s camera has been upgraded to include a 1-inch CMOS sensor with a 10-bit Dlog-M color profile.

DJI says it can capture four times as many levels of color per channel compared to the original Mavic Pro, which wasn’t so shabby.

The Mavic 2 Pro can also capture 20-megapixel aerial shots with greater color accuracy using Hasselblad’s Natural Color Solution (HNCS) technology. An adjustable aperture from f/2.8-f/11 provides more control across a wide variety of lighting conditions.

The retail price of a Mavic 2 Pro, including the drone, battery, remote controller, charger, and four pairs of propellers, starts off at $1,449.

Runner-up: The Original Mavic Pro

Yes, even though DJI has released a bunch of new drones since the original Mavic Pro, its combination of portability, value for money, camera quality, and safety features make it a great all-rounder that you really can’t go wrong with.

See the original Mavic Pro as a budget version of the new model. It only has obstacle avoidance in front and below, its 4K shots are great but not quite as crisp, and its battery life is a few minutes below the huge 31minute ark hit by the Mavic 2.

However, sometimes the classics are worth keeping around. And not just for nostalgic reasons. The Mavic Pro has already dipped in price to $999. And it’s still more than able to complete the majority of professional drone flights to a very high standard indeed.

You could do a lot worse than waiting for the price drops to continue before grabbing yourself a bargain.

On-The-Go Aerial Photography

This category is all about portability, ease of use and autonomous flight

 

Winner: The Skydio R1

What can we say about the Skydio R1 that hasn’t been said already?

 

The R1 is a class act, with almost certainly the most sophisticated sense and avoid system on the consumer market today. In part that’s because California startup Skydio set off from a different starting point to the likes of DJI.

Instead of attempting to create a flying camera anyone could get to grips with, they wanted to build a flying camera capable of flying itself no matter what the context.

That’s why it’s perfect for on-the-go aerial photography. While it isn’t as portable as some of DJI’s smaller models, it makes up for that with the fact that you don’t have to worry about it once it’s up in the air. It’s smart enough to follow you or your chosen subject, dodging and weaving past obstacles until you tell it to come home.

The R1 also shoots in stabilized 4K, so you can bet that your footage isn’t going to be too shabby either.

The only drawback is the price, which dropped down to $2,000 in September.

Skydio has also recently released a range of new skills – autonomous flight modes at the touch of a button – to open up more creative possibilities when using the R1.

That’s right: The autonomous aerial cameraman is getting smarter.

Runner-up: DJI Mavic Air

As we mentioned above, a great on-the-go option also depends on portability, ease of use, and price. Which is why the DJI Mavic Air gets the Runner-up spot in this category.

No, it can’t navigate around obstacles with the same effortlessness and reliability of the R1. But it can sense obstacles in 3 directions: to the front, to the back and below. It also comes with other benefits…

For example, the Air is an ideal travel companion. It weighs just 430 grams and folds up to just 168x83x49mm.

The flight time isn’t the best: just 20 minutes. But as long as you’ve got spare batteries you can land, swap them in and be on your way in no time at all.

As with all of DJI’s drones, the Mavic Air can perform pre-programmed flight modes. There’s also a gesture mode if you want to fly like a Jedi.

As for the camera, the Mavic Air can shoot crisp 4K video at 30fps and full HD at 120fps. It also has improved HDR algorithms to preserve more highlight and low light details.

Oe final thing: it’s available in several colors! You can get it at the moment for under $800.

Beginner Friendly

Looking for the perfect drone to start your aerial photography journey?

Drones are becoming easier to fly – there’s no doubt about that. But that doesn’t mean an Inspire 2 or a Mavic 2 Pro is ideal for beginners.

Despite being expensive investments, it can be tough to make the most of your cutting edge drone if you haven’t had much experience behind the controls before.

That’s why it’s a good idea to start small with something better suited to beginners. That way you won’t have wasted a bunch of money if you decide aerial photography isn’t for you after all.

Winner: DJI Spark

There’s no better place to start than what we think is the perfect drone for newbies, the tiny DJI Spark.

 

As well as shooting full-HD video, the Spark comes in a range of colors, is relatively inexpensive and comes with forward-facing obstacle detection.

 

Starting with the camera, the Spark’s has a 1/2.3” CMOS sensor that captures 12-megapixel photos and shoots stabilized HD 1080p videos. A 2-axis gimbal and the stabilization technology reduces shake and rolling shutter effect to capture shots that are much more cinematic than you’d expect from a drone of this size.

 

It’s also got a range of intelligent flight modes – including ActiveTrack – and an easy-to-use controller, meaning you don’t have to worry too much about mastering the controls to get great shots.

 

The DJI Spark is available in several colors for just $399.

Runner-up: DJI Mavic Air

We’ve already included the Mavic Air as a great drone for travelers and on-the-go aerial photography. So you can read about it in more detail above.

But it’s also made the beginner drone top 2 because of its size, portability, and price. On top of that, it arguably has the most sophisticated safety features of any drone under $1,000.

All of those factors should provide the reassurance new pilots need to explore the hobby for the first time, without breaking the bank.   

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First Look: DJI Mavic 2 comes out

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The following is a guest post from Ben Duke, training expert at UK-based commercial drone specialists Coptrz.

 

DJI have finally confirmed what we all already knew thanks to the months of leaks. During their “See the Bigger Picture” event in New York they confirmed the release of the brand new Mavic 2 range of drones. This is the long awaited successor to the Mavic Pro and Mavic Air, and see’s DJI take a serious step forward in the drone market, providing consumer drones with fantastic image capturing capabilities.

DJI has taken everything that was good with the original Mavic Pro, and created 2 new UAV’s: the DJI Mavic 2 Pro and the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom. We are going to take you through the specs and all the good stuff below:

DJI Mavic 2 Pro

The integrated Hasselblad camera is one of the features that is likely to excite people the most. DJI has capitalised on the recent Hasselblad investment and will provide an integrated camera that both hobbyists and commercial operators alike will benefit from massively.

The integrated Hasselblad CMOS camera supports a 10-bit colour profile, providing four times the amount of colour levels per channel than that of the Pro. It’s clearly a massive upgrade in image quality and will provide maximum flexibility for photo and video editing. DJI has also work on minimising noise pollution with the addition of ‘quiet propellers’.

OcuSync2.0 provides a 1080p video stream for the Mavic 2 Pro. Those who are new to flying drones will be pleased to know that the Mavic 2 Pro features “omnidirectional obstacle sensing”, this is otherwise known as “360-degree obstacle avoidance”.

Key Features

  • 360-degree obstacle avoidance
  • 4K video at 30fps with the new Hasselblad CMOS camera
  • 31 minutes flight time
  • Foldable design
  • Intelligent flight modes

Tech Specs

  • Weight: 907g
  • Camera: Hasselblad
  • Sensor: 1 inch CMOS Sensor
  • Resolution: 5472 x 3648 (20MP)
  • Lens: 28mm wide angle
  • ISO: Ranges from 100-6400 and 100-12800 in HLG
  • Shutter Speed: Max 1/8000
  • Video: 4KUHD @ 30FPS, 2.7K @ 60FPS, FHD @ 120FPS
  • Max Flight Length: 31 minutes
  • Obstacle Avoidance System: OcuSync 2.0 (8KM, 1080p)

What’s in the box?

  • 1 x Mavic 2 Pro Edition
  • 1 x Remote Controller
  • 1 x Intelligent Flight Battery
  • 2 x Propellers Set
  • 1 x Charger

DJI Mavic 2 Zoom

The Mavic 2 Zoom provides a brand new feature for the Mavic range, and as the name suggests it has added a 2x optical zoom (24mm-48mm). This is a feature that will hugely excite the Mavic fans due to the lack of zoom on the original Mavic. It will provide you with the ability to capture harder to reach shots without having to compromise the safety of your drone.

Similar to the Mavic 2 you will benefit from an easy-to-fly platform that features an identical “omnidirectional obstacle sensing”, otherwise known as “360-degree obstacle avoidance”.

Key Features

  • 360-degree obstacle avoidance
  • 4KUHD video at 30fps
  • 2x optical zoom (24mm-48mm)
  • 31 minutes flight time
  • Foldable design
  • Intelligent flight modes

Tech Specs

  • Weight: 905g
  • Sensor: 1/2.3 inch CMOS Sensor
  • Resolution: 4000 x 3000 (20MP)
  • Lens: 24-48mm optical zoom
  • ISO: 100-3200 (no HLG)
  • Shutter Speed: Max 1/8000
  • Video: 4KUHD @ 30FPS, 2.7K @ 60FPS, FHD @ 120FPS
  • Max Flight Length: 31 minutes
  • Obstacle Avoidance System: OcuSync 2.0 (8KM, 1080p)

What’s in the box?

  • 1 x Mavic 2 Zoom Edition
  • 1 x Remote Controller
  • 1 x Intelligent Flight Battery
  • 2 x Propellers Set
  • 1 x Charger

Mavic 2 for Commercial Operations

Similarly to the original Mavic Series, the Mavic 2 is likely to be a huge hit with the commercial drone market, in particular those looking to start up a commercial drone business. Whilst maintaining the easy-to-fly platform, DJI has also enhanced the data capture capabilities with new cameras that will provide a higher quality of footage for your clients.

Summary

It’s quite clear that DJI has taken all the right steps to make the DJI Mavic 2 series as popular, if not more popular than the DJI Mavic Pro. Both drones will be a major hit with both the hobbyist and commercial operator market, and are likely to be an ideal start up drone, taking the mantle from the Mavic Pro.

The original Mavic has proved to be a huge success worldwide in the commercial industry, in particular amongst new operators and people training to become commercial drone pilots.

DJI has clearly taken all that has been right with the ever-popular DJI Mavic Pro and built two worthy successors. Both drones are sure to be a hit with both hobbyists and commercial operators alike. DJI have taken what was an exceptional flying platform and enhanced its data capturing capabilities with Hasselblad and Zoom cameras. It’s going to be interesting to see how the Mavic 2 takes off, but it’s safe to say that these are exciting times for drone operators.

Interested in finding out more? UK drone specialists COPTRZ are running an online webinar showing you “How to Become a Commercial Drone Pilot”: https://go.coptrz.com/becomeadronepilot.

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Mid-2018 State of the Drone Market – Predictions and more…

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Mid-2018 State of the Drone Market – Predictions and more….

or, 2018 Drone Report…

As of mid-2018 there are a number of factors affecting the current Consumer and “Consumer Enterprise” drone market – some of which we will explore in this article.

Consumer Enterprise – what’s that?

Oh, it’s just a term I made up on the fly. Traditionally, the civilian drone (UAV) market has consisted of a few segments:

1. Toys – generally semi-disposal models to learn on. Some things have changed in this market as the higher ($100-$300) end of this range now features programmable models as well as some equipped with GPS.

2. Consumer Camera Drones – this has been the real driver of sales and profits over the past 4 years and consists of GPS drones with app control and stabilized cameras. Current prices run from $400-$1500, although there are some “prosumer” models at the higher end with better cameras (Phantom 4 Pro).

3. Enterprise Drones – Starting at about 3K (DJI Inspire) and headed up to many 10’s of thousands of dollars, these are typically used for professional videography such as the drone shots you might see on network and streaming hollywood productions. Smaller agricultural and security drones as well as surveying models (with software designed for such) are also part of this group.

My new category, Consumer Enterprise, covers the segment which would appeal to contractors, inspectors and many others who use their drones for various tasks that either make…or save…them money and time. An example would be roofing or landscape development companies, land trusts, solar PV installers and various other construction trades. Up until now, this segment has settled for the consumer models, however their tool budgets allow them to easily step up to better models. These firms, usually relatively small businesses, are accustomed to spending money on better tools even though the consumer grade might do the job in many cases.

Two examples of such products are either available now…or will be very soon. The Phantom 4 Pro with the CrystalSky display offers features which are very important to the contractor – from the better picture and video capabilities to the vastly superior display. The upgraded Obstacle Avoidance system is also a big plus for this group of users, as their pilots may not be as experienced or well trained as those of us who have spent years navigating through trees and wires and other barriers. Another upcoming unit from DJI, the Mavic Pro 2 series, will feature more portability, a zoom lens and even better obstacle avoidance. [Read more…]

Drones are now a Filmmakers Tool: Can they make your video better?

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The following is a guest post by Sasha Rezvina of leading aerial cinematography company Aerobo. Originally published on DroneLife.com

Drones were introduced into filmmaking as cheaper and safer alternatives for some helicopter shots. They could pull off (1) high-and-wide shots, so long as they weren’t too high, (2) sweeping shots, so long as they weren’t out of pilot’s sight, and not much else.

But in the past 5 years, drone technology has improved, and so has the imagination of the filmmakers who are using them.

Better camera gimbals, more durable hardware, and more sophisticated software has enabled cinematographers to push the limits of aerial cinematography. We’re seeing cameras fly full-speed towards cars and sweep up seconds before collision. We’re seeing cameras launch from the ground and circle around protagonists until they expose gorgeous backdrops. And we’re seeing cameras soar above the treeline, only to dip through tree tops to expose a clandestine meeting between characters.

The drone is becoming a camera platform in its own right — and before long, drones will become part of any filmmakers’ toolbelt. Here’s how.

Better Camera Gimbals Bring Us Back To Earth

If you look at this video and this video, you might notice the shakiness of the frame when the drone is close to its subject. This trembling is imperceptible when the camera is 500 feet in the air, but up-close, it’s quite clear that the camera platform is unstable.

Both videos were taken five years ago. The first was executed by a custom-built heavylift, and the second was taken by an off-the-shelf DJI Phantom drone, neither of which had gimbals that could make up for the shakiness produced by the wind and the rotors of the drone. While the footage made for great viral content, no filmmaker would allow for this sort of trembling frame in their film or commercial.

But today, off-the-shelf drones have considerably more sophisticated gimbal systems that stabilize big and small cameras alike. 3-axis drone gimbals stabilize along the yaw, pitch, and roll– and they’re available in all shapes in sizes. The sophisticated Movi Pro can be fastened to a heavylift drone to stabilize an Arri Alexa, and the X5s camera can be stabilized by the Inspire 2 gimbal system.

The shakiness and jitters are a problem of the past. Now, as long as the camera is moving, it’s moving along a smooth path. The following shots wouldn’t have been possible just four years ago:

 

 Now that flying cameras can be used at all altitudes, filmmakers can use a drone for more than just a novelty item for aerial shots. They can be used capturing shots otherwise captured on land-based equipment, replacing jibs, dollies, and even, in many cases, even cranes and Russian Arms.

More Durable Hardware Lets You Get Closer to The Action

Early experiences with drones have turned some filmmakers off of them forever. The early systems– often built in pilot’s garages– were incredibly easy to crash, and incredibly expensive to fix. There were no off-the-shelf parts, so some pieces had to be borrowed from other industries and others had to be manufactured using cheap, readily available materials.

As a result, early drone companies had a lot of disgruntled customers. On a film set, where every minute can cost a hundred dollars, one bad experience could have been enough to set back the entire drone industry.

Today’s off-the-shelf drones, however, are nothing like their predecessors. Now manufacturers such as DJI are building drones to withstand inclement weather, heat, cold, and crashes— with off-the-shelf parts available for reasonable prices.

This means filmmakers can go, quite literally, where no filmmaker has gone before.

They can film cars falling out of a skyscraper:

 

They can capture fights on top of moving trains:

A large part of working on a movie set is just lugging equipment around as quickly as possible. This means loading and unloading cases, tossing equipment in and out of vans, and throwing a $100,000 pile of hardware in the dirt. Anything that is considered a “filmmaker’s tool,” needs to be durable enough to be tossed, dropped, and exposed to the harshest conditions.

Leading drone manufacturer, DJI, which owns over 70% market share has launched a shift upstream, to focus on enterprise use-cases. Since then, their drones’ performance has become more dependable and the hardware, more durable.

Filmmakers can throw a Mavic in the trunk of their car, right next to their backup camera and lens kit, and not have to think twice.

Better Software Gives More Filmmakers Control

When the FAA allowed for commercial drone flight in September of 2014, filmmakers were not the first in line for drone parts. Commercial pilots and engineers were. Today, there’s an entire sub-industry of drone pilots, who provide services exclusively to the film and entertainment world.

Initially, filmmakers weren’t interested in drones because they were simply too difficult to fly. And today, we’re still seeing the remnants of that time. The drone industry is distinct from the filmmaking industry, providing aerial film and photos to a number of other verticals, including agriculture, industrial inspection, and mapping. Very few serious filmmakers have invested in their own drone equipment.

But the software behind some of the most sophisticated drones is making drone flight considerably more accessible.

Today’s drones aren’t motors controlled by joysticks, the way remote-control helicopters once were. They have “smart” features that make the thing much harder to crash:

  • Vision Positioning System (VPS) which keeps a drone steady, even if your hands are off the controls (or if its a windy day).
  • Obstacle avoidance sensors which will keep you from flying a drone into the side of a building.

And each new DJI drone model that’s designed for aerial film and photo is equipped with new and simpler ways to fly the drone. The latest Spark can be controlled with a joystick, your iPhone, or your even your hands (“like a bloody Jeti”, according to one reviewer).

Drones have become increasingly sophisticated, lowering the barrier to entry for filmmakers and content creators interested in aerial film.

The Renaissance Filmmaker

The filmmaking industry was once fragmented, with people sticking to one specialty throughout their careers. You’re either an editor, a VFX specialist, or a director of photography. Today’s filmmakers and content creators are able to tap into a number of different specialties.

All sorts of cinematic tools– from editing software to cameras–  are being built with usability in mind, democratizing filmmaking. Today’s creators can wear several hats, but also have a deeper conversation about the project as a whole with their collaborators. We’ve never been better equipped to create art.

The drone is following suit. DJI drones are just like the DSLR camera, which can make anyone a photographer. Just like Adobe Premier, which can make anyone an editor. Technology is augmenting what tools creatives can implement to fulfill their creative vision. And the drone is no different.

Sasha Rezvina is a Brooklyn-based writer who explores the intersection of technology and art. Throughout her career she’s worked with over 30 tech companies to help them shape their brand stories and tell the world about their products. She’s currently the Director of Marketing for Aerobo, the largest aerial cinematography company in the U.S. 

DJI Teases new Drone “See the Bigger Picture” for July 18, 2018

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Mavic 2? Phantom 5? – The Rumor Mill says the Mavic Pro 2 is very likely, although it is possible more than one product will be introduced. The MP2 should be a significant upgrade with a larger sensor, more obstacle avoidance and other such tricks. Perhaps a CrystalSky controller would be an option for the more professional Pilot? But the main difference is rumored to be a large sensor for the camera…and perhaps basic zoom capabilities.

DJI has sent out invitations for a NYC launch event for a new product or products. The invitation promises that we will “see the bigger picture” as in the graphic below:

Unlike some other DJI products, there are not yet (as of June 17) any reputable rumors as to exactly what this could be. Our guess, here at Droneflyers.com, is perhaps a Drone with a 360 degree view to take full panoramas. Actually, that may be our #2 guess or tied for #1. Another guess is a model with various lenses (zoom, wide angle, etc.) which can be fitted to it. This has been rumored before as being a potential feature of a “Phantom 5” model.

Others have suggested it could be the Mavic Pro 2 – maybe it has a 1″ sensor and/or wide angle and other features.

Current buying advice – if you have $$ and are considering a Mavic Pro Platinum, it might pay to hold off for a couple weeks. On the other hand, the Mavic Air is quite new and up-to-date, so if this model is in your sights you can probably go ahead and purchase it.

For now we will have to guess…..and wait. We have a forum thread if you want to comment – or leave your FB comments at the bottom of this page. Thanks!

https://www.droneflyers.com/talk/threads/dji-promised-bigger-picture-for-july-18-launch-even-in-nyc.4276/

 

Editing your RAW Drone Photos in Apple Photos

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Note- A Mavic Pro was used for these photos – but the advice given will apply to most all DJI drones and to some other brands.
This article is for Beginners and Advanced Beginners – those who know their imaging will likely already have other programs (Lightroom, etc.) that process their RAW and other photos. This article involves editing with the free (included) MacOS program “Apple Photos”, formerly called iPhoto.

What is RAW?

RAW is a photographic file type – one that takes as much as possible of the information from the camera sensor and stores it in a larger (usually 5X the size in bytes) format than the JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg) that most are familiar with. Most DJI Equipment now allows you to set the Photo type as RAW…or, as both RAW and JPEG at the same time. In the later case, the Drone will take and store two photos – one processed with your JPEG settings and one RAW.

Should you use RAW as your Photo file type?

This is an open question. If you do a lot of work on your photos after you download them (this is called post-processing), then RAW is the preferred format due to it containing more actual light and color information…which then gives you more to work with. However, if the majority of your work is “as-is” or only slightly adjusted afterwards (crop, light, etc.), then the JPEG format should work fine. However, it will benefit you to check and test the JPEG photo settings on your machine before you take it into the field. DJI provides various options – I currently use “Landscape” on my Mavic Pro and the result are quite good. Reports from the field indicate that DJI has occasionally changed these settings with firmware updates, so it’s important that you check to make sure the photos are satisfactory before doing any important flights. This can be done by checking the settings in the DJI Go (4) app while connected to the Drone – and also taking a couple photos outdoors. I just hover a few feet above my house and do so, but you could also do it hand held. Make certain to touch the screen to focus and try to take a sample photo of something at a distance – then inspect it closely on your computer or any larger screen.

RAW Photos will often look “washed out” compared to JPEGS – this is because JPEGS are automatically improved inside the camera. In other words, the basic work (sharpening, brightening, colors popping) is done for you – whereas with RAW you have to do the post-processing.

Up until recently, working with RAW files often meant you needed expensive programs like Lightroom – and also the education on using them. However, the free (included) Apple Photos App on Macs now has the ability to process these files. Following is a short tutorial on editing RAW (and other) photos in Apple Photos.

Selecting a Photo in Apple Photos

The screenshot below shows part of a typical Apple Photos “Photos” screen. These Photos have been imported from the Micro-SD card plugged into an adapter on my Mac. The thumbnails which have a “J” at the upper left also show a second shadow behind that “J” – this indicates that both a JPEG and a RAW copy of the photo are in the program. If nothing is shown, that means only a JPEG exists – if the upper left only contains an “R”, that means only a RAW photo was taken. Note that RAW photos will have a .DNG (or .dng) extension.  [Read more…]

Ryze Robotics Tello – a DJI, Intel and Ryze Robotics $99 Drone

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In January 2018 a small $99 drone was announced by DJI.  The model was called the Tello from a company called Ryze Robotics, a new startup we had not heard of before. Like many before it the Tello promised a number of intelligent features at a very low price point, small toy drones don’t usually get a lot of attention but this one was different as it has 2 very large names associated with it, DJI and Intel.

Order Tello Now for $99 

So what is Tello ?

At first look its a small $99 FPV camera drone thats designed to be flown indoors or at very low level outdoors, at this price point most would assume its in the “toy’ category however that is really not the case because unlike ones before it its packed with a lot technology and specifically DJI’s intelligent flight control system and Intel Movidius Vision systems.
This is similar to what DJI have on their own larger models and means the Tello is extremely easy and stable to fly because its fitted with a version of DJI’s Vision Positioning System its able to hold its position when flying above a well lit surface and gives GPS Mode like hold performance.

However being a fun flying drone is not Tello’s only purpose, its also an educational tool and Ryze Robotics have opened it up to support programming from Scratch and Drone Blocks, these are simple educational programming platforms that help young people learn coding and programming via number of hardware platforms such as Anki Cozmo, this is a whole new area for young people to explore and it makes the Tello an even more interesting product as a result.

A Closer Look at the Craft

The Tello its self is a hand held size quad, its compact and housed with in plastic body with the main electronics are located in the bottom of the aircraft with the battery sliding into the middle to fill the body,looking underneath you can see the Vision system that consists of a small camera and infrared sensors, these are used to measure distance from the ground as well as hold the crafts position.

Propulsion is handled by four brushed motors with small plastic push on props, these are protected by the included prop guards. [Read more…]

DJI Spark Camera Drone – Is it for You?

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Droneflyers.com received a review model of the DJI Spark Camera Drone before the official launch. We therefore have had a few months to put the model through its paces and determine the pros and cons of this ultra-portable quadcopter. Note that we have our initial review in this article as well as a number of Spark videos at our youtube channel. These may answer many of your questions, however the below is a summary of our thoughts at the present time. We will present most of the benefits and features in the beginning of the article and list out the major “cons” (what it doesn’t do, etc.) at the end.

What is Spark and who is it for?

The DJI Spark is the first mass-market ultra-portable drone that still has most of the features of the larger and heavier models. These include a camera gimbal, front and bottom sensors, dual GPS, FPV, an advanced App and an array of photographic and other options. Up until the Spark, the closest model to this ideal was the Parrot BeBop 2 – which has many of the above features, but lacks a gimbal (mechanical camera stabilizer) – instead using Electronic Image Stabilization to remove vibrations and other unwanted movement from the video(s). Most experts will agree that the mechanical (Spark) camera gimbal results in better overall video than EIS.

The DJI Spark is available with or without an option R/C controller. When purchased without the R/C controller, the range is limited and the model must be controlled using “virtual sticks” which are on the screen. Those who have no experience with either virtual or real “sticks” will likely need a lot of practice (and reading) to become familiar with operating the Spark via Mobile Device. Still, in our opinion, the Spark represents a truly useable camera drone/mobile device combo….something that we feel is lacking with most earlier models.

Adding the R/C controller makes the Spark a much more capable device – extending the range, the control “feel” and other options enough to make it a totally different experience. The R/C controller also features a “Sport” mode – which turns the normally tame Spark into a racer/FPV model that you’ll enjoy flying around the local fields. It can also integrate with the DJI Googles – giving you the full FPV experience (our DJI goggle review is here).  [Read more…]

2013 vs. 2017 – How Much Camera Drone tech do you get for your money?

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The advances in consumer Camera Drones have come quite quickly, outpacing similar technologies such as smart phones, computers and flat screen TV’s. As one example, an iPhone 3 in 2009 sold for a similar price as an iPhone 6 in 2016 (when inflation is considered). Of course, the newer iPhones are much more powerful and capable due to increased processing power.

When it comes to consumer camera drones, the price/performance (value) evolution is much more drastic. As an example, we will use the first Phantom/Gimbal combination to illustrate the point.

Mid-2013 Consumer Camera Drone Example

The first models of the Phantom (Phantom 1) were followed by an optional gimbal (stabilizer) – designed for the GoPro Hero 3 models. The gimbal was named “Zenmuse H3-2D” the “2D” meaning it was a 2-Axis gimbal. The Gimbal sold for $700 US, however existing Phantom owners also had to buy a PMU (power management unit) as well as the GoPro 3 Camera. A basic unit would therefore be:
$650 Phantom 1
$780 – Gimbal with PMU
$400+ – GoPro Hero 3
———
$1830

This setup required installation and tuning – the Phantom had to be opened up to install the wires and the PMU. Having this done by a dealer…plus a couple extra batteries, would bring the minimum price up to approx. 2K. [Read more…]