D800 on Octacopter filming for TV broadcast

[KaspInc]

We shot video of the Canadian Rally Championship for TSN (Canada's version of ESPN) using a D800E.

More aerial videos and commercial photos can be found at [video]http://kaspi.ca[/video]

 

[jcotter]

Smooth! Do you have a gimbal on your octa, did you smooth it out in post, or both?

 

[KaspInc]

We have a gimbal that is stabilized but it still required a slight bit of post stabilization mostly because it was a windy day.

 

[atarijedi]

Very awesome, which round/location was this, the Bancroft round?

Also, I have a question about the aircraft. At about 22s, you pan down to see the green car, then pan further to see the dirt, and it looks like you are going to crash, was that the wind or something?

 

[KaspInc]

Yes. It was in Bancroft.

I know what clip you mean. It is just the result of the warp stabilize algorithm zooming in on the dirt. I thought it was neat so I left it in. The helicopter never actually lost any altitude on that shot.

 

[GRENCH]

What Octacopter model did you use for this?

 

[KaspInc]

Droidworx Skyjib 8

 

[David Saraceno]

Which gimbal? Two or three axis? What FC and gimbal controller?

And what stabilization program?

 

[KaspInc]

Cinestar 3 axis. Wookong M. Radian.

 

[David Saraceno]

Cinestar 3 axis. Wookong M. Radian.

Nice set up.

Stabilization in post using what plug in?

 

[KaspInc]

Thank you. I really like it and it works for what I need it for.

 

[David Saraceno]

Many people are not familiar with how much skill it takes to fly, and what is involved in getting vibration free video.

Not mention what is involved with getting the right frame, FC, electronics, gimbal and controller, etc.

It's not a simple or easy, much less, inexpensive endeavor.

 

[KaspInc]

That is very true. I built this platform myself and did all modifications myself. I've built several other helicopters so it was basically a time consuming thing. It is very rewarding when things work out well and very frustrating when things go wrong. There is A LOT involved in learning to build and fly these machines.

Here is a video a production assistant took at a Nissan commercial shoot in Toronto. I'm the pilot. The camera isn't a Nikon it's a RED Epic. But it illustrates the level of technicality and risk involved.

 

[KaspInc]

Nice set up.

Stabilization in post using what plug in?

I used warp stabilize in Premiere CS6 to stabilize it. It didn't need much post stabilization at all, something like 5%, so all I had to do was press the button and let the algorithm do its thing.

 

[David Saraceno]

Are you running dual 6S lipos on the Droidworx?

 

[KaspInc]

With the Nikon on board I'm actually running quad 8000 mAh 6s lipos. The added weight only gives me an extra 4 to 6 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes of total flight time instead of 6 to 7minutes. I like those extra minutes, though. It is also easier on the batteries since they discharge slower. The Droidworx Skyjib is a massive helicopter so even with the added weight it is still less than 50% of it's maximum thrust with lots of power to spare. The added weight makes it more stable in the winds too. It is an excessively large helicopter with more power than I'll ever need.