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Posts Tagged ‘drone’

Yuneec’s new Typhoon H Plus drone boasts a 1-inch sensor camera that shoots 4K 60p

11 Jan

Hong Kong drone manufacturer Yuneec has announced three new drones at CES, including an update to the popular Typhoon H that boasts a bigger sensor with more resolution and the ability to shoot 4K at 60fps.

The company is also preparing to move into the fixed-wing category with its Firebird FPV, and take on the racing drone sector with the compact HD Racer.

Yuneec Typhoon H Plus

The Typhon H Plus now uses a 1-inch, 20MP sensor along with a wide aperture lens that results in better low light performance. The company doesn’t specify what the aperture is, but it does say that the lens has a focal length equivalent to that of a 23mm lens on a full frame body. The ISO range runs from 100 to 6400, and shutter speeds of between 4-1/8000sec are possible.

The drone has a flight time of up to 25 minutes and can reach speeds of 13.5 meters per second (just over 30 miles per hour). With six large rotors the hexcopter provides stable flight in winds of up to 30mph, while a new design sees the machine producing 40% less noise.

Yuneec Firebird FPV

For a completely different experience, the fixed-wing Firebird FPV, “enables the user to fly just as if they were in the cockpit of a real airplane.”

The airplane has a 13MP-sensor camera and can also shoot 4K video. It uses a ‘short-latency’ digital video link to stream footage back to Earth in high-definition. The craft is simple to fly and, according to Yuneec, can remain in the air for up to 30 minutes on a single charge.

Yuneec HD Racer

The HD Racer is designed to be a fun, portable quadcopter for use in indoor racing. It has a 13MP camera that can record 1080p video at 60fps, and it has a handy flip-over feature that allows the user to right the craft remotely should it land upside down at any stage.

The Typhon H Plus and Firebird FPV will ship in the first half of 2018 and will cost $ 1,800 and $ 700, respectively. The HD Racer will come out later in the year, and should cost $ 180. For more information on any of these drones, visit the Yuneec website.

Press Release

Yuneec unveils new product releases at CES 2018

Las Vegas (Jan. 09, 2018) – Yuneec entered two new categories with the unveiling of the all-new fixed wing Firebird FPV and all-new HD Racer for a more immersive flight. Additionally, the company announced the second generation of its proven six-rotor hex platform, Typhoon H Plus—its most powerful consumer product yet.

The category expansion and product line advancements are a result of Yuneec’s ongoing commitment to deliver industry leading technologies and pilot-centric features for an unparalleled electric aviation experience.

Typhoon H Plus

Typhoon H Plus is packed with powerful features and professional image quality that photographers at any skill level will enjoy. The second generation of Typhoon H features Yuneec’s all-new, larger, highly stable six rotor hex airframe.

With a 40 percent reduction in noise from previous hex models, and stable flight in winds up to 30mph, H Plus leads its category in stable flight and quiet operation.

Designed with the creative consumer in mind, Typhoon H Plus is equipped with a high aperture one-inch sensor camera capable of 20 megapixel stills and 4K resolution video at 60fps. The new model also boasts an improved low-light performance compared to previous models. A continuous rotation gimbal combined with retractable landing gear provides seamless 360-degree unobstructed views.

Typhoon H Plus comes equipped with Intel® RealSense™ Technology, a sophisticated collision avoidance system that detects obstacles and intelligently navigates around them. With this feature, drone pilots can worry less about obstacles and focus more on their flight path and camera work. Additionally, the Typhoon H Plus is accompanied by a newly redesigned Android-based ST16S controller, which includes a large, high brightness seven-inch integrated display and HD 720p video downlink for stunning real-time video reception.

HD Racer

The HD Racer, Yuneec’s first racing drone, fits in the palm of your hand and once in the air, gives pilots an immersive experience with cutting-edge technology.

Built-in flight stabilization, with beginner and advanced modes, allow any skill level of pilot to experience the nimble, action packed experience of a racing drone. Its compact size, protected blades, and durable construction make it safe to fly indoors.

While in the air, pilots can seamlessly navigate through any obstacle with an optimized, all-digital, low latency HD video downlink. Additionally, pilots can record and share their best racing moments in high resolution 1080p at 60fps. If pilots do catch an obstacle, ‘Flip-Up’ mode automatically uprights the downed HD Racer to maximize flying and minimize downtime.

Firebird FPV

Firebird FPV provides a fully immersive real-time outdoor flight experience, allowing the user to fly as if they were in the cockpit of a real airplane.

The lightweight fixed-wing design extends the flight time to 30 minutes, which allows users to experience the true nature of piloting an aircraft in one continuous journey. Whether soaring the open sky or performing acrobatic maneuvers including inverted flight, rolls and loops, the Firebird FPV elevates the senses for new and experienced pilots alike.

Its operation is simple and easy to fly at any skill level. Pilots can enable Safety Mode to remove all concern of flying too low by making it impossible to descend below the set floor altitude. Pilots will also appreciate Return Home, Geo Fence and Auto Landing capabilities of this easy-to-use fixed wing aircraft.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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WD launches two new portable SSDs designed for photographers and drone users

10 Jan

In addition to revealing the world’s smallest 1TB USB-C flash drive, Western Digital has launched two new portable SSDs specifically designed for “avid photographers and drone enthusiasts” at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD offers both high performance and durability in an extremely portable package, while the My Passport Wireless SSD gives photographers a solid state version of WD’s popular My Wireless Pro, which features built-in WiFi, an SD card slot, and other convenient features for photographers on-the-go.

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is a lightweight (79g / .17lbs) pocket-sized USB-C drive encased in a durable housing with an IP55 dust- and water-resistant rating. Thanks to the housing, the drive can withstand operating temperatures ranging from 0°C to 45°C (32°F to 113°F), as well as storage temperatures ranging from -20°C to 70°C (-4°F to 158°F).

The Extreme Portable SSD drive has a USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface, read speeds up to 550MB/s, and out-of-the-box compatibility with Windows and macOS.

The drives are currently listed on SanDisk’s website as “not in stock” at the following capacities and price points: 250GB for $ 100, 500GB for $ 170, 1TB for $ 350, and 2TB for $ 700.

WD My Passport Wireless SSD

The My Passport Wireless SSD, as the name suggests, is a solid state version/update to the original My Passport Wireless Pro that we reviewed and actually quite liked.

Housed in an enclosure with an integrated 802.11ac wireless connection, this drive allows users to access content on the drive over WiFi, including streaming 4K videos to a computer or mobile device. The wireless feature works with the My Cloud mobile app, as well as some third-party apps including LumaFusion and FiLMiC Pro.

In addition to wireless access, this My Passport product also has an integrated SD card reader so that photos and videos can be copied onto the SSD directly from the media card at speeds up to 65MB/s. For other types of media cards, the Wireless SSD supports direct transfers via a cable and connected media card adapter. Finally, the drive also features a USB port for transferring content to a computer via USB 3.0 at speeds up to 390MB/s.

Because this model has built-in wireless, Western Digital has packed a 6700mAh battery into the drive case, enabling the WiFi feature to be used for up to 10 hours before it needs to be recharged. And for convenience’ sake, the device’s built-in battery doubles as a power bank for charging other USB devices, such as a smartphone.

The My Passport Wireless SSD will be available in 250GB ($ 230), 500GB ($ 300), 1TB ($ 500), and 2TB ($ 800) capacities. Pre-orders are available now, with shipping estimated to start on February 15th.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Report: GoPro has laid off 200-300 more staff from its drone division

06 Jan

Californian action camera manufacturer GoPro has laid off between 200 and 300 staff, according to a report by TechCrunch. The report claims the redundancies have been made in the division of the company that builds it aerial offering—the Karma drone—and that GoPro cited a need to “better align our resources with business requirements” as the reason for the layoffs.

GoPro has suffered in recent times, with its share price taking a hammering and profits showing in negative figures. One of the main reasons for this was the much-anticipated Karma drone, which had to be recalled after it was discovered the battery could shake itself loose, causing the device to lose power mid-flight and plummet back to Earth.

The company claims that, since returning to stores, Karma has been the number 2 best-selling drone priced above $ 1,000 in the US for a period of six months up to September 2017. Even so, it would have faced (and still does) stiff competition from former partner DJI.

GoPro’s November report to shareholders announced increased revenue of $ 300 million, up 37% on the same quarter last year, and a gross margin of 40%. The company was in profit too, making $ 15 million against a loss of $ 104 million in the third quarter of 2016. However, the share price has remained low, with current trading at $ 7.51 against a high of $ 90 in October 2014.

After 370 job cuts in 2016 and early 2017 the company stated that it employed 1,327 people, but that number is now set to drop to close to 1,000, according to the TechCrunch report.

GoPro, which has been operating under the name since 2004, hasn’t commented on the claims, but the job losses have come between the end of the financial year (December 31st) and the company’s annual report, which would seem the logical time to do it.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Modular PITTA camera transforms into drone, action, and security cameras

04 Jan

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PITTA, a modular ball-shaped 13MP camera that transforms into a drone, is currently blasting its way through a campaign on Kickstarter. The small, sphere-shaped modular camera launched on the crowdfunding platform with a $ 50K goal, but as of this writing it has already raised well over a quarter million dollars.

Eyedea, the company behind PITTA, describes its product as a multi-purpose device:

It’s not just aerial, not just handheld, not just wearable or mountable, it’s all of these. It’s a complete system packed into a single device.

Here’s a quick intro video from the company’s Kickstarter:

In its most basic form, PITTA looks like a simple black sphere, which is the 200g/7oz camera body. The sphere-shaped body features a 13MP sensor, support for 4K/30fps recording, and “software image stabilization.” Additionally, the body contains various sensors including GPS/GLONASS, gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer, magnetometer, object detection and visual tracking hardware, and optical flow positioning sensors.

Joining that is an Action Cam Module, Charging Cradle, and Drone Module. When docked in the Charging Cradle, PITTA can be used as a stationary security camera or livestreaming camera.

When used with the Action Module, PITTA can be attached to a tripod or other mount and used as an action camera that supports burst shot, 60fps slow-motion recording, livestreaming, and time lapse, as well as direct sharing to the major social media platforms.

The Drone Module, meanwhile, transforms the camera sphere into a drone via a snap and twist-to-lock design. The resulting camera drone is controlled using a smartphone and companion app, which itself offers several operation modes. PITTA as a drone supports taking panoramas, hovering in place, orbiting around the operator, auto-following the operator, as well as a “Come Back Home” function, terrain awareness, auto-landing, and GPS. The slow-motion and time lapse functions aren’t available in drone mode.

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PITTA is being offered to Kickstarter backers who pledge $ 290 for a Kickstarter Exclusive Basic Kit or $ 320 for a Kickstarter Exclusive Full Package, though other pledge packages are also available. Shipments to backers are expected to start in May 2018, though as with any crowdfunding campaign, plans could change, so proceed with caution.

To learn more or pledge for your own, head over to Kickstarter by clicking here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Trump administration reinstates mandatory drone registration

17 Dec

President Trump has signed a bill that reinstates mandatory drone registration in the US, reversing a court ruling from earlier this year that eliminated the requirement. Mandatory drone registration was first established in the U.S. in late 2015 by the FAA, but the requirement was reversed earlier this year by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit after it ruled that the FAA lacked authority over such devices.

The reinstatement was included in the National Defense Authorization Act; although whether or not Trump was aware of its inclusion when he signed the bill into law is unclear.

In a statement provided to TechCrunch, an FAA spokesperson praised the registration requirement, saying:

We welcome the reinstatement of registration rules for all small unmanned aircraft. Ownership identification helps promote safe and responsible drone operation and is a key component to full integration.

Operators in the U.S. must register their drone if it weighs between 0.55lbs and 55lbs. The FAA’s registration website currently states, “You will be subject to civil and criminal penalties if you meet the criteria to register an unmanned aircraft and do not register.” Drones weighing more than 55lbs must be registered by paper rather than online.

The agency provides full aircraft registry details here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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How to Choose Your First Camera Drone and Skyrocket Your Photography

06 Dec

Maybe you are in love with photography and in the process of turning it into a passion. You might be a professional photographer who’s always searching to improve, or you might just like capturing those beautiful trips like no other. If you’re in any of these categories, you might want to consider buying yourself a drone.

How to pick your first camera drone

This guide is all you need to help you make a choice. I have experimented with most of the drones on the market so you don’t have to.

How useful is a drone for photography?

I think you already imagine how cool it could be to reach those places you always wanted. No more climbing trees for great panoramas. And best of all, you can literally fly your camera wherever you like (within the law, of course).

Drone picture through the wood

Bonus: You’ll be able to take unbelievable videos as well.

Maybe, you always thought taking pictures is where you’ll stop, but don’t tell me you’ve never been fascinated by one of those cool drone videos on YouTube.

The great thing about a drone is that most of the time, it comes with an included gimbal that stabilizes the image perfectly. That feat alone makes both video and photography easy to do and cinematic almost straight away.

Will you be able to afford it?

Drones

Gone are the days where only blockbuster movies had the budget to record and shoot photos from the air. Today, thanks to less expensive technology and increasing popularity of quad-copters, almost everyone can afford a drone. And the results are absolutely fascinating.

These are my general recommendations when it comes to pricing for a good camera drone:

  • If it’s a drone that comes with a camera, you will need to spend over $ 400 if you want to have image stabilization.
  • You can also pick a cheaper drone with GPS and stabilization that comes with no camera. That might be a good option if you already have a GoPro or action-camera and a tight budget.
  • If you want a beginner drone just to learn how to fly, don’t spend more than $ 50.

How to pick your first camera drone

So you decided to get into drones and skyrocket your photography/videography. I have created an infographic explaining the main things you should look for in a camera drone. Now you have two paths you can choose from:

  1. Get a small beginner drone (under $ 50) to learn the basics of piloting it, and only after that buy a more expensive one.
  2. Get a more expensive drone with GPS, which is stable enough when flying and can return to home automatically if you mess up.

What are the best inexpensive beginner drones?

Beginner drone

Ways you can go about buying your first beginner drone:

  • Get two or more VERY cheap drones (at $ 15 each) and simply learn the basics of flying in the house, while having a backup.
  • Get one cheap beginner drone (around $ 50), that usually comes with a low-quality camera (I don’t recommend this because it’s nothing like the more expensive ones).
  • Choose a cheap beginner drone and the more expensive one at the same time, if you want to just try it a few times and then jump into the action.

Here are my top beginner drones you can start with:

  • JJRC H36 – A super resilient drone that works great inside. This is what I would recommend any friend. About $ 18.99 on Amazon
  • Cheerson CX-10 – A very small drone that’s around $ 20 and can do flips. About $ 18.99 on Amazon.
  • Hubsan x4 – A very sturdy and well-made drone with a camera. About $ 32 on Amazon.

What are my top choices for a camera drone?

This is my top three list of recommendations I have for different types of consumers, ranging from $ 500 to $ 1500 USD.

Top 3 camera drones

I’ll underline the main features you should look for in each drone, while also spotting the drawbacks of each.

#1 – DJI Mavic Pro Platinum – My overall winner

This quad-copter is one of the most popular right now, for some really good reasons. The DJI Mavic Pro Platinum is the newer version of the Mavic, but it is quieter and has a longer battery life. This is why I would recommend it.

Dji mavic

I’d recommend it to anyone from travel enthusiast to the professional photographer and so on. It has its limitations, but for the price of about $ 1000, here’s why it rocks:

  • It comes with a stellar gimbal (a motorized system that stabilizes the camera while in the air).
  • Has a 4K camera with a fixed aperture of f/2.2 – This makes it pretty good even in low light conditions.
  • You can take amazing photos in 12mp resolution.
  • It’s foldable – This makes it the most portable high-quality camera on my list, and pretty much on the market. You can simply take it in a small bag and go on your vacation, no problem.
  • Long range – it can go up to 7 km in perfect conditions, which is more than enough for anyone.
  • Long battery life – it promises about 30 minutes of flight time, but in real life conditions, 26 minutes is more likely.
  • Has great GPS and return to home features.
  • Has front sensors for detecting obstacles and stopping in time.

Dji mavic folded front sensors

Disadvantages: Can’t really think of anything. It’s amazing for the price.

#2 – Xiaomi MI 4K drone – The cheapest, yet still amazing

Xiaomi drone

The Xiaomi MI 4K drone costs about $ 500 and comes with all you need for great photo/video results.

  • Just as the Mavic before, it comes with an amazing gimbal and camera attached to it, in order to keep the image steady in the air.
  • Again, you can shoot 4K photos (12.4 mp) and video or go lower in resolution so you can record in more frames, and do slow-motion.
  • The range is over 3 km, which is absolutely fantastic.
  • Battery life is said to be 27 minutes, but in real life, I got a maximum of 24.
  • It comes with very good GPS and returns to home when the battery is low and also when the signal is lost (just like the Mavic)

Xiaomi drone camera

Disadvantages of the Xiaomi 4k drone

  • It’s not nearly as portable as the Mavic.
  • It is louder.
  • It doesn’t have the front facing sensors to stop before impact that the Mavic does.

Consider how much these drawbacks mean to you when you take into account the super cheap price. Don’t get fooled thinking a smaller price means lower quality. Xiaomi, just like DJI, is a Chinese company with a focus on creating high-quality hardware, that’s impressive even by western standards.

#3 – DJI Phantom 4 Professional – the pro choice at a small price

You have probably heard of drones like Phantom 3 or 4 by now, and they were all amazing, but the DJI Phantom 4 Professional is on the next level.

Phantom4pro

If the DJI Mavic Pro Platinum is not enough for you in terms of camera capability and you want more professional freedom in your work, this is the best way to go.

Here’s what this $ 1500 drone comes with:

  • The 4K camera we’ve been used to has a 1-inch sensor now. This means nighttime photos will be considerably better and less noisy compared to any of the previous drones.
  • The 20mp sensor also delivers amazing quality photos and video.
  • It can shoot 4K in 60fps and Full HD in 120FPS and comes with a mechanical shutter (just like your DSLR), so you get a smooth video image and no rolling shutter effect.
  • It’s super secure with obstacle sensing in 5 directions: 2 front sensing cameras, 2 side infrared detectors, Sonar and cameras on the bottom (to land precisely), And even one in the back!
  • Just like the Mavic Pro Platinum, it comes with 30-minute flight time, 3-axis gimbal stabilization and 7 km range (but, this time, it’s dual-band transmission, so the signal is more secure).

What are a few disadvantages: It’s bulky and loud. It can’t fold up, so if you want to take it on vacation, it will be harder to carry.

Scenery1

I recommend this drone for the more professional bunch of people, who want to use it more intensely for professional projects and don’t mind the bigger form size. This drone is great for people who want to have more control over their images, and it’s perfect if you want to shoot at high ISO in lower light.

Over to you

I only gave you three choices because I believe these are the best of each price category. So, depending on your budget, you can confidently choose one of these, as there’s simply no competition on the market right now.

Don’t forget to fly safe and check the regulation in your area!

Scenery2

The post How to Choose Your First Camera Drone and Skyrocket Your Photography by Paul Archer appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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DJI adds ‘voluntary identification’ for drone pilots who want to broadcast their credentials

05 Dec

DJI has updated its AeroScope drone tracking and identification system to include an optional self-identification feature for drone operators who choose to broadcast the info. With this update, operators can now “voluntarily identify their flight operations to authorities,” DJI explained in a press release. That info will join the serial number and telemetry data DJI drones broadcast to AeroScope receivers used by authorities.

AeroScope was created as a solution for airport officials and law enforcement who need to identify drones operated in ways that violate regulations, such as near an airport. The system picks up on the telemetry data and serial number of a drone using the communications link between the drone and its remote controller. This localized data broadcasting limits surveillance potential by avoiding the Internet altogether.

You can see the tech in action in this video.

Via updates to both the DJI GO 4 app and DJI drones, operators will now have the option of broadcasting their Unique User Identification Code (UUIC), which is connected to their DJI pilot account, as well as providing Identification & Flight Information. With that latter option, drone operators can choose to share information about their flight with authorities who may be nearby with an AeroScope receiver.

Though AeroScope remains a point of contention for many DJI owners, the added ability to voluntarily provide information about a flight could prove beneficial for pilots, enabling them to directly provide law enforcement or other authorities with details about the nature of flight and why it is taking place.

The feature started rolling out late last week, first arriving via an update for the DJI Mavic Pro.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Shooting K?lauea Volcano, Part 1: How to melt a drone

25 Nov

In October this year, I spent 2 weeks shooting in Hawaii. My first stop was Big Island, where a friend and I shot the lava flows of Pu?u ????—a volcanic cone in the eastern rift zone of K?lauea, a currently active shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, and the most active of the five volcanoes that together form the island of Hawaii (commonly known as Big Island).

The Pu?u ???? crater has been erupting continuously since January 3, 1983.

I had booked my flights (about 22 net hours per direction!) to Hawaii before I knew of the lava situation, but a friend told me that there were good inland flows so I kept my hopes up. Still, I went there knowing I could fly all this way and get lousy conditions. Volcanoes are unpredictable, and K?lauea is no different. For example, as I’m writing this, the Ocean Entry is devoid of any flowing lava. The surface flows come and go. Some say Pele (the Hawaiian goddess of fire) does as she pleases.

I did not get lousy conditions. Instead, I got the most incredible lucky streak I could’ve imagined, which helped me produce a set of images I’m very happy with, and encouraged me to write this mini-series I hope you enjoy. I’ll start it with an article about shooting the lava with a drone.

Before I continue, here’s a very important statement. All of these drone shots were captured outside the Hawaii-Volcanoes National Park No-Flight Zone and within FAA drone regulations (line of sight, 400ft, not operated near manned aircraft), without exception.

Flying drones in national parks is strictly prohibited and can get you in very serious trouble (rangers roam the park and its boundaries and some of them arrived when we were shooting). Moreover, responsible flight is mandatory since there are helicopters flying nearby. Naturally, I didn’t fly my drone anywhere near the height the helis fly at. Don’t even think about doing that if you care about other people’s lives and your own.

I highly recommend hiring a good local guide, who can assist you with determining if you are on park grounds.

The drone log from one of the flights. I’m including this since I’ve gotten a ton of hate-mail from people who were sure I was lying and actually flew inside the national park. One even wrote “I’ve been there, these flows are inside the park!”. Seriously?
I’m not that stupid guys. Fly responsibly.

The day after landing in Hilo Airport in Big Island, Hawaii, we met our guide at 14:00 in the afternoon, and started the hike. It wasn’t an easy walk—we had to traverse about 7-8 kilometers on uneven, hardened lava to reach the surface flow area. Luckily, it was cloudy but not rainy; if the sun had been shining right on us the experience wouldn’t be as nice, and rain would have been very annoying as well.

The hike took about 2 hours, give or take, and I carried all of my DSLR equipment, my drone with several spare batteries, and 2 liters of water on my back (after drinking 1.5 liters right before heading out). I’d take 3 liters if I were to do this hike again, as I ran out of water at some point in the late evening.

We reached the lava at about 16:00, and apart from one other person, we had the place to ourselves for the next 2 hours before the tour groups came. I began to scout around and test how close I could get to the lava, and at the same time, started flying and shooting with my Phantom 4 Pro.

A two headed dragon?

The lava had been flowing beautifully since before we arrived, but about an hour into our visit, I started hearing people shouting, and my friend screamed at me to look to the right.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing: one of the lava rivers quadrupled in force, simply bursting a huge mass of lava straight out of the mountain side, and flowed, diverging and converging, down the slopes, right in front of our eyes.

Before the river erupted A similar angle after the flow increased.

I continued shooting with the drone and with my DSLR. Here are 2 more shots:

At some point I was noticing the right side of the drone images was getting darker. I continued shooting but when I went back to the apartment, I was surprised to see the plastic inside the drone camera had melted!

It appears that I was so enthusiastic that I kept getting closer and closer to the lava to reach the compositions I wanted—that was the source of the dark patch. If you watch the video I attached above carefully enough, you’ll be able to see the right side growing continuously darker.

See the blur on the bottom right? My poor drone after the incident. It is now fixed!

Shooting lava with a drone was an exhilarating experience, even though I managed to melt it. There aren’t many technical considerations I can give you apart from watching the histogram, since global contrast can be harsh when it’s dark. The sun goes down fast in Hawaii, so make sure you use your time wisely—the really good light is short-lived.

If you’re reluctant to get your drone molten, be careful getting too close to the lava. For me, getting the right compositions was very much worth it. It was also a really captivating story, and my lava shots were all over the internet these last few weeks. There’s good to find in everything, I guess. DJI charged me about $ 450 to fix it, and while I don’t have the numbers yet, I’m pretty sure the licensing deals I’ve gotten since will cover that.

Next time, I’ll talk about shooting the lava from the ground.

Erez Marom is a professional nature photographer, photography guide and traveler based in Israel. You can follow Erez’s work on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to his mailing list for updates.

If you’d like to experience and shoot some of the most fascinating landscapes on earth with Erez as your guide, you’re welcome to take a look at his unique photography workshops around the world:

Winter Paradise – Northern Iceland
Northern Spirits – The Lofoten Islands
Giants of the Andes and Fitz Roy Hiking Annex – Patagonia
Tales of Arctic Nights and Uummannaq Annex – Greenland
Saga of the Seas and The Far Reaches Annex – The Faroe Islands
Desert Storm – Namibia

Selected Articles by Erez Marom:

  • Parallelism in Landscape Photography
  • Winds of Change: Shooting changing landscapes
  • Behind the Shot: Dark Matter
  • On the Importance of Naming Images
  • On Causality in Landscape Photography
  • Mountain Magic: Shooting in the Lofoten Islands
  • Behind the Shot: Nautilus
  • Behind the Shot: Lost in Space
  • Behind the Shot: Spot the Shark
  • Quick Look: The Art of the Unforeground
  • Whatever it Doesn’t Take

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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DJI AeroScope demo shows drone tracking tech in action

21 Nov

In October, DJI introduced a new technology called AeroScope that makes it possible for law enforcement and other officials to track drones that broadcast info. The system was launched to address growing concerns about drones being operated in forbidden locations, such as near airports or over wildfires. AeroScope works by picking up telemetry and ID data broadcast by DJI drone.

The Verge recently shared a video showing AeroScope in action.

The system, which is a box-shaped device that includes a touchscreen display, issues an alert when it detects a drone nearby. Officials can pull up the ID and telemetry info the drone is broadcasting and potentially use that to identify the operator. A explained in the video, AeroScope shows the operator’s email address, which officials can message for direct contact.

Speaking to DIY Photography, DJI said that email addresses were displayed to users in a beta version of the AeroScope software, and that such abilities won’t be included in the final version.

There are some limitations to the AeroScope system. For example, drones that aren’t registered won’t provide info that helps officials identify the operator. As well, the system is localized, meaning it can only detect drones within a couple miles of the device. DJI previously explained that it chose this localized tracking method to prevent drone data from being easily amassed in government databases.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Stunning ‘orbital drone-lapse’ captured by flying a drone in huge circles

14 Nov

It’s difficult to stand out when creating a time-lapse these days—from the storm-lapses of Mike Oblinski, to the ‘flow-motion’ hyperlapses of Rob Whitworth, to the award-winning work of Michael Shainblum, it seems like it’s all been done. Until, that is, someone comes up with something like ‘Low Earth Orbit.’

This drone-lapse from Folegandros Island, Greece was captured by Hong Kong-based production company Visual Suspect using a simple ‘orbital’ technique; translation: they flew a drone in massive circles while recording time-lapse.

The results look like something out of Google Earth, but instead of static low-res images from orbit, you have living landscapes captured in HD. Here’s an explanation of the “how” and “why” by the creators themselves:

Orbital drone movements are the ones with power to convert two dimensional images into dancing focal layers escaping out of the frame. We wanted to further explore the technique, with high altitude long orbits, along with ones very close to the ground, we call them “Orbital drone-lapses”. These shots are a mix of automatic and manual flights.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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