Camera Gimbal Mode

[Figbar]

This may be basic, but I could use some help figuring out the best way to shoot some hospital buildings...wide establishing shots.

What I'd like to do...is place my Inspire above and in front of the building, high and wide, looking down at the building...a nice establishing shot. Then, if possible, I'd like to move laterally across the building and have the camera continue to keep the building centered in the shot...nothing fancy, just a slow pan across the hospital with the Inspire, while the camera stays focused on the building.

I have played with the various modes...free, fpv and follow...I thought that I would be able to do this in one of these modes, but I'm not having any luck, but I could very well be doing something wrong.

Yes, I can pan the camera manually as I move the inspire across the building...this works OK, but if there is a way
I could accomplish this using one of the camera flight modes, this would be great.

Thanks in advance for any advice. Yes, I am clearing this with hospitals and their life-flight crews.

 

[Kilrah]

That's a shot where you'd typicallly have a camera operator so he can keep the camera (in Free mode) aimed as desired while you do the tracking move.

Much tougher to do alone, in any case you'd be in follow mode, and panning with the yaw. In GPS that requires you to coordinate lateral/longitudinal movement to keep a straight line while yawing (needs LOTS of training). If you have time to set everything up you can use IOC to avoid that, set the IOC direction parallel to the building side so you only need to hold the right stick in a given position during the move instead of coordinating.

EDIT: It's much easier to have the aircraft do an arc instead of a straight line, and it typically looks better too.

 

[The Editor]

As Kilrah says above, way easier to fly an arc while keeping a subject still in frame.
It's a balance between your right stick giving lateral movement (but do not alter speed once set) then match the yaw rate so the craft flies an arc.
It takes a little practice but yields good results.
If all else fails and you screw up, get some 'B' roll material to use and try a different establishing shot - maybe a shot of the Hospital sign offset in frame with the hospital in the background on the other side of frame, then a slow rise up and pull back to encompass the entire building dropping the sign out of shot.
There are endless variations for an estab shot and don't forget locking off a camera on a tripod and mixing with aerial footage works wonders.

 

[Figbar]

Thanks...an arc is fine...just trying to take the lazy way out. I really shoot on my own, so I think I can handle the lateral move, panning the camera as I move the craft...slow and easy. Anything looks good with this type of shooting...just a simple move toward the building or away from it, etc. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Paul K]

To do 360' panning can be accomplished using custom buttons at the bottom of the radio and left wheel, but for panning side of the building ,the best way is to slowly fly inspire sideways, parallel with the building ,pointing camera at the building.
Another important thing; if it is bigger hospital it has Heliport and it requires a permit from hospital management to fly UAV close to the building.

 

[Figbar]

Thanks....totally on top of clearance and coordination with the hospitals.

 

[Yt2]

Newbie clarification :-

IOC - stands for?
'B roll' material is?

Need all the help I can get.

 

[The Editor]

Newbie clarification :-

IOC - stands for?
'B roll' material is?

Need all the help I can get.

IOC is intelligent orientation control - it is not FULLY implemented yet on the Inspire as you only have Course Lock and not Home Lock mode, but Home lock is coming
B roll material is secondary shots to make an editors life easier. It might be used for cut away shots or even (as in the example) where the first establishing shot didn't quite make the cut. B roll can hide a multitude of problems.. . It can also help salvage an otherwise unusable shoot. Additionally, providing the weather is similar, B roll stuff can be shot first or at a later date and does not need to be aerial footage in this case but some nice locked off shots from a tripod.

 

[Yt2]

Thank you for the clarification! You are never too old to stop learning. ...

 

[damoncooper]

We are also promised POI (point of interest) mode, which should really make this shot dead pan (no pun intended) simple.

It's noted in the manual as "coming soon", but no word yet on when.

 

[Figbar]

That's what I need! Can't wait. Thanks.