posted Saturday, 01 May 2010, 20:12 (+0800), by Martin
Getting a camera up in the air can provide for some interesting photography and video
opportunities.
Here's a few examples of aerial camera platforms that I've come across recently.
Eric Austin, from Texas, is a videographer who uses a Canon 7D attached to a remote-controlled helicopter to capture video from an aerial perspective.
Here's a video demonstrating the results he gets.
You would want to make sure you're competent at flying an RC helicopter before trusting
it to carry an expensive DSLR!
While Eric's rig is custom-built, another option is an off-the-shelf UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) from Dragan Fly.
They have a variety of UAV models, such as the cool 6-rotor DraganFlyer X6, which can take a variety of cameras, supports remote video links, and has various on-board sensors for its electronic flight stability.
These UAVs are not cheap, but they apparently are very easy to fly. It would be a lot of fun to have a UAV such as these, providing a very flexible platform for aerial photography or aerial HD video.
Check out the Dragan Fly website for more info.
RC heli-mounted DSLR video
Eric Austin, from Texas, is a videographer who uses a Canon 7D attached to a remote-controlled helicopter to capture video from an aerial perspective.
Here's a video demonstrating the results he gets.
Aerial video with helivideo.com Our legacy video. from Heli Video Productions LLC on Vimeo.
DraganFly UAV-mounted Cameras
While Eric's rig is custom-built, another option is an off-the-shelf UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) from Dragan Fly.
They have a variety of UAV models, such as the cool 6-rotor DraganFlyer X6, which can take a variety of cameras, supports remote video links, and has various on-board sensors for its electronic flight stability.
These UAVs are not cheap, but they apparently are very easy to fly. It would be a lot of fun to have a UAV such as these, providing a very flexible platform for aerial photography or aerial HD video.
Check out the Dragan Fly website for more info.
Most CAA's (globally), view these aircraft (for hire) as Unmanned AIrcraft Systems and as such require special clearance(s) to fly. You may want to check with your CAA before spending all that money.