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General => Random => Topic started by: Admin on March 07, 2017, 02:25:41 AM

Title: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: Admin on March 07, 2017, 02:25:41 AM
Spring is finally breaking here in the Gorge.  We usually get super mild winters with very little snow but almost 100 inches in Hood River this year :).  My SSD card and reader finally arrived last week for my new drone.  This is the first drone i have ever owned (or flown) and man am I having a great time with it.  I entered midstream, with the tech already being incredibly refined. It was the video / photo capabilities that hooked me in but the flying makes all of that more interesting and challenging.

Here are a few clips from this week shot in 5.2K RAW.  I uploaded at 4K so check that out if your connection allows.  Uploading at 4K may be a mistake.  That resolution looks fine but the lower res options seem to fare worse than usual.  I am learning a lot on each outing.  So, here's to the process:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhANSzXs9Fc
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: Night Wing on March 07, 2017, 06:23:16 AM
The video from the drone looks great. And you fly the drone very well. I had no problem with the connection either. Looking forward to seeing more drone videos from you.

Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: PonoBill on March 07, 2017, 07:36:21 AM
Getting pretty brave there with the water shots. Must have bought the insurance.
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: surfcowboy on March 07, 2017, 08:10:36 AM
Right? I tossed my "dumb drone" into the desert sand a few times last weekend and had to take it apart and clean out the gears.

I've decided to hold off and wait for the Mavic to go v2 or the GoPro to drop to $5 lol.

Love the footage from these big boys. Keep it coming. Are you staying a hobbyist of getting your 107?
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: Admin on March 07, 2017, 09:13:06 AM
Hi guys,

Check out these stills from video.  It blows my doors off that this flying camera will shoot 30 of these a second.  I know that this doesn't show through YouTube but it is a pleasure to work with.

http://www.standupzone.com/X5S-1.dng
http://www.standupzone.com/X5s-2.dng

The drone is so unbelievably capable that I have false confidence and have to remind myself to be careful..and think.  I flew it in 35 MPH winds the other day that was coming through in blasts.  The drone would go from flat to sideways and the video shows nothing.  No plans for a commercial license.  This is just about geek joy.  I am hoping to shoot some cool SUP and Windsurf video this summer and the natural beauty stuff is really enjoyable for me.  Kind of like going fishing except that I come home with something.
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: Night Wing on March 07, 2017, 09:32:38 AM
Unfortunately for me, those images in those links don't show up in my linux Mint 18.1 operating system. Probably a wrong format.
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: Admin on March 07, 2017, 09:56:28 AM
Unfortunately for me, those images in those links don't show up in my linux Mint 18.1 operating system. Probably a wrong format.

These are RAW (DNG) images and would require a program that will open DNG (Photoshop, Premiere, Resolve, After Effects, etc).  That is the amazing thing.  RAW video was a dream a decade ago and very rare air until the last few years.  having it in a drone is very cool. 
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: TallDude on March 07, 2017, 11:56:18 AM
Here are the images converted to jpg's and just under the max kb limit. The RAW format allows for extensive post work. Once it's compressed into a jpg format it's much less editable. Or is it eatable?
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: Night Wing on March 07, 2017, 12:57:14 PM
Those two images are the ones I saw in the video. They're nice images. Either one of those would make a nice computer desktop photo.
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: maxsonic on March 07, 2017, 04:42:09 PM
My SSD card and reader finally arrived last week for my new drone.

What drone/camera package are you using?  This tech is changing so quickly it's difficult to stay current with the latest high tech/best value packages.

MAX

Good opportunity to post the best music video ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VQ_3sBZEm0
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: PonoBill on March 07, 2017, 05:45:37 PM
I know the answer--DJI Inspire 2 with Zenmuse X5S . We have pretty much the same gear--we both have the 5.2K camera, but I also bought the X4S camera, thinking the extended flight time with a lighter 4K camera would be worth it. Wrong. I run out of stuff to do before I run out of battery with either cam.

Stunning tech. I'm a little overwhelmed. And the realization that five plus years of drone flying plus a lot of dev and building experience means nothing is a little irritating. The thing flys itself. Sport mode is pointless. Just tell it what you want and get out of the way.
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: Admin on March 08, 2017, 05:22:44 AM
Here are the images converted to jpg's and just under the max kb limit. The RAW format allows for extensive post work. Once it's compressed into a jpg format it's much less editable. Or is it eatable?

Right and the beauty of RAW is that most of the sensor data is preserved.  Nothing is set in stone yet.  You can change exposure, white balance, sharpening, etc all after the fact.  Tall Dude's perfect may be different than mine, or Bill's.

Here are the same two frames at 5.2k resolution with my processing.  You will likely need to click to expand as the images will be larger than your screen.  Keep in mind that these were shot as video (not stills) and 30 such frames are shot each second.  Also these were shot at 1/50th of a second which you would never do for a landscape on a still shot as motion blur would ruin the shot.  The 3D gimbal stabilization in the drone makes this possible. 

http://www.standupzone.com/X5S-1.png
http://www.standupzone.com/X5s-2.png

Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: LaPerouseBay on April 01, 2017, 09:12:46 PM
Here's a vid shot with a DJI Mavic Pro, whatever that is...
Looks like they work over water.  I've heard they can handle wind, too.   

I've also heard rumors about Hood River being some good downwinding, but have yet to see any overhead video. 
Same goes for Maui.
Seems like Kai's gang would have the budget.  The gas bill for his boats across the channels must be significant.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I'd sure enjoy an overhead shot of a good paddler, in ANY discipline, downwinding.
IMO, it's the only way to see how the pros harness the power of a swell. 

Damn shame if you ask me.  I'm baffled. 
Those DJI's can handle wind. 

Guess I'll have to settle for 4k stuff of landscapes and the occasional ski on a glassy river.
Watching downwind video shot from water level is like looking at a sky full of stars through a paper towel tube.

Maybe Kai's gang don't show overhead views because it will prove just how crazy skilled he is.  That must be it.

It's a conspiracy to sell more downwind foils.   >:( 

http://www.facebook.com/chris.hipgrave/videos/1271887279598974/
   

 
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: supthecreek on April 02, 2017, 03:53:43 PM
Nice Admin, I love the view that only a drone can give.

If I ever get a drone, it will be used mostly for landscapes....  the power of flight to my eyes, awesome

here's a 10 second mess about with you pic.... just slid bars around
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: Admin on April 03, 2017, 04:52:13 AM

Looks like they work over water.  I've heard they can handle wind, too.   

I've also heard rumors about Hood River being some good downwinding, but have yet to see any overhead video. 
 

Hi LPB,

Wind driven water sports are the big goal for sure but wind, water and especially proximity to people have kept me moving very cautiously.  This week for the first time I started practicing over windy water.  I went to empty locations (not hard to find at this time of year). I started on a 15 MPH day and did another flight when it picked up to 20.  A few days ago the wind was over 30 (real 30) and the drone managed that well.  The wind was blowing off the tops of the chop at times and the drone was flying at almost 45 degrees but the video was level and smooth.  When it gets into that wind range range landing takes some planning.  Not only getting it down but making sure it doesn't blow away once on the ground and powered off.  It can't sit on the ground for even a second if exposed to that wind.  Fighting strong wind is hard on batteries as well so you have to keep a close watch on that and you need o leave a little reserve for landing.  It may take a few tries.  :)

I went out at a flat water location yesterday with people for the first time.  I wanted to work out some of the follow features that the drone has.  No way to practice that except to do it.  It was blowing in the mid 20's with a few better gusts.  This kiter became my test victim because he was on his own.  It was cold water and he as just mowing the lawn so...perfect.  I didn't know him so I kept my distance.  I was shooting with a 45 mm lens, which would be like a 90 mm on a full frame SLR (modest telephoto).  This was about 100 feet away from him.  This let me fill the frame with the kite and rider and leave a comfortable border.  It would have been no problem to fill the frame with just the rider by moving in and down a bit. 

Here is a clip.  The water is chocolate milk right now due to heavy runoff.  Very ugly but fortunately equally unusual.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CRtqRcMxqo
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: PonoBill on April 03, 2017, 07:38:54 AM
Brave boy. I've hardly touched mine since I got back to HR. I've got grandkids for the next week, which will curtail my stuff-building efferts, so probably a good week to go play with drones.
Title: Re: Learning to fly - Warning - Goofy Drone Stuff
Post by: LaPerouseBay on April 03, 2017, 02:30:21 PM
Thanks Admin, that's a great video.

I hadn't considered the extra challenges, such as landing.   

The quality of the video is spectacular.  The elevation and distance from the target is exactly what I envisioned.

Years ago I was on the superferry, returning from Oahu to Maui.  It was a very big tradewind day, big enough to rock that massive catamaran into barf mode as it headed upwind. :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii_Superferry

It had a tiny outdoor area, about 10 people could stand outside.  I spent a lot of time outside, gazing at the swell action perched about 40 feet up.  Ocean swells are hard to figure out, but there was a pattern to those big monsters and the feeders.  My theory is that all windswell is similar, just on different scales.  It's hard to figure out the ideal line from sea level.

We had spectacular wind on the south shore yesterday.  The current was contrary and set up short period steep faces that had to be carefully managed before attempting to accelerate across the faces.  So, on the ride back to the top, it usually boils down to the same old conversation, "I've seen (insert pro here) go easy, wait, wait, wait, go easy... then get on a big, crossing swell and ride it forever.  Then I don't see them anymore.  The only exceptions for me are Dane Ward and Jeremy, because they occasionally stop.  But it's always the same script, patient, relaxed, then one glide and gone..."

So, the overhead from a distance will give a great perspective on the best glides among the surface distractions.  That's where the pros excel.  That's what I want on video.  The only thing that convinced me to slow down was video with telemetry overlay.  My average speeds soared.   

Beasho is getting some good telemetry on his adventures at Mavericks.  Surfboards are blazing fast.  My ideal training vid for downwind will be a big view like your video, zooming in and out, maybe a picture in picture down in the corner with the paddlers' view and telemetry.  I've seen pro surfski coaches trying to explain downwind strategy and waves within wave faces a few times.  I know what they mean, but it took years of seat time.

Swell strategy is a black art, but good info will help steer us all in the right direction.  We need to give pro coaches better tools than furrows in beach sand. 
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