On set safety

[stephen ceen]

Can anyone suggest a safety briefing or rules to apply when using a multirotor on a film set. i want something to give to the crew to educate them about the potential dangers as well as a set of rules that will apply when the multirotor is in use. For example establishing a perimeter around the landing zone. Also any suggestions to actors who might be quite close to the machine at times.

 

[Scotflieger]

A very interesting question. You don't say which country the set is in or whether it is a closed or outside set. You also don't mention the type of RPA you plan to use. However, I will give you my two pennyworth.

Before you can educate the crew to the dangers you must know yourself what could go wrong and what the consequences would be. You need to carry out a full risk assessment and, where the risks are high/unacceptable, what you can do to mitigate them. The hazards of using an Inspire close to people are great - the blades alone can cause severe lacerations and serious injury or death. Do you need prop guards? Do you need to tether the RPA so that it can not come into contact with the crew/cast? How stable is the RPA indoors or in windy conditions? How accurately can it be flown? Has the Pilot got the skills to do the task and to act correctly if something goes wrong? Do you have an observer and that essential extra pair of eyes?

In briefing the crew/cast you may wish to consider some of the following:

• Don't distract the Remote Pilot.
• Don't move outside rehearsed positions.
• Don't try to reach out to or touch the RPA.
• Stay clear of the main and standby takeoff/landing sites (min 30m in UK).

You could go on. You must above all ask whether what the director want to achieve can be completed safely.

 

[The Editor]

Yup - All of the above and a very important point which many people forget:

YOU and YOU alone have the final say in whether that RPA goes airborne. Do not feel pressured by the Director/DOP/Producer etc to get the rig in the air just because they want you to.
If you consider it unsafe or an unacceptably high level of risk exists - Stay grounded!

 

[stephen ceen]

Thanks for the great advice. The project is a low budget fantasy feature set on a remote farm in South Africa. The set is closed with just crew and cast. The director wants diagonal passes over the actors as they trudge up a mountain,. The reference given me are some of the aerial shots in the Hobbit films. I know that neither the crew nor the actors have worked with a RPA before. I plan to fly line of site with a HDMI monitor on a tall tripod for me to track the shot and am giving the DoP and director my second transmitter with another monitor and Headplay goggles. I will reflect on what I have heard then create a document to be added to the call sheet.

 

[Scotflieger]

Thanks for the great advice. The project is a low budget fantasy feature set on a remote farm in South Africa. The set is closed with just crew and cast. The director wants diagonal passes over the actors as they trudge up a mountain,. The reference given me are some of the aerial shots in the Hobbit films. I know that neither the crew nor the actors have worked with a RPA before. I plan to fly line of site with a HDMI monitor on a tall tripod for me to track the shot and am giving the DoP and director my second transmitter with another monitor and Headplay goggles. I will reflect on what I have heard then create a document to be added to the call sheet.

Best of luck. Tracking people trudging up the slope will be a tricky profile. The Inspire flies well in level flight but would be difficult to fly at a fixed height above the slope. I would position at the highest point for the scene plus a safety height and then track back in level flight to begin the tracking shot. What fun!

 

[stephen ceen]

Below is what I have come up with...any comments/additions are welcome. I also have taken note regarding my responsibility for risk assessment and precautions.


RPA(Remotely Piloted Aircraft) On Set Rules



The RPA presents a potential danger to the crew for the following reasons:


· Signal interference can break the link between transmitter and the craft causing a loss of control

· The RPA will then either crash or attempt to return to its starting point using GPS.

· It does not have collision avoidance and will crash into anything in its path.

· Engines can fail causing the RPA to crash.

· The blades can cause severe lacerations or even death.

· The craft is heavy and travels at high speed which can cause serious injury in the event of a collision.


Because of these risks we ask the crew and cast to be cautious and follow the guidelines below.


· Respect the right of the pilot to cancel or postpone a flight due to unsafe conditions.

· Turn off your phones.

· Stay at least 10 m clear of the take off/landing site

· Don't talk to or distract the Remote Pilot.

· Don't move outside rehearsed positions.

· Don't try to reach out to or touch the RPA.

· Be aware of the RPA and be ready to get out of the way in the event of an emergency.

· Stay away from the RPA once it has landed until the Pilot confirms shutdown.

 

[Airwolf13]

I've been a director for 40 years. My advise? This is a steady cam shot. Forget the Inspire 1 Too dangerous. My two cents

 

[Kilrah]

You can get a steadicam operator to walk in the air above the actors? I want his address

 

[turbodronepilot]

I've been a director for 40 years. My advise? This is a steady cam shot. Forget the Inspire 1 Too dangerous. My two cents

Porn doesn't count Airwolf13. .

 

[Airwolf13]

Damm

 

[stephen ceen]

I don't see many dangers to this shot providing everyone keeps their distance and no one stumbles into the inspire. It is a open space with just crew and actors. They might also have a Ronin shot but they specifically want the overhead diagonal passes sweeping across the landscape and actors.