Share your Drone Videos - Car related or otherwise

[joropug]

I recently purchased my first Drone, a DJI Mini 2 - Still very much a novice getting to grips with everything, but would love to see other PHers efforts for inspiration, especially if car related!

I had my first go filming a car yesterday, luckily a convertible SLK350 so was able to pilot it from the passenger seat, did get a bit disorientating at times though especially when it was in front of me, flying backwards.

I want to get in a bit closer next time and also there were some areas, particularly the high altitude shot, I should have framed first so that I can pilot in a dead straight line - sped up the movements ruin it a bit.




I'm also using the DJI in app editor at the moment which seems pretty fast and easy to use, but limits output to 1080p - Any recommendations for software that doesn't break the bank?

[StevieBee]

Got my first Drone (Mavic Pro 2) in the first lockdown. Filming is part of what my business does so thought it handy thing to have and used the time I had to learn how to use the thing and ended up making this:



A brilliantly bonkers neighbour made a go kart track in his back garden and I made this for him:



This is part of a documentary I'm making for a client on Green Infrastructure:

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/846702029

[StevieBee]

joropug said:

I recently purchased my first Drone, a DJI Mini 2 - Still very much a novice getting to grips with everything, but would love to see other PHers efforts for inspiration, especially if car related!

I had my first go filming a car yesterday, luckily a convertible SLK350 so was able to pilot it from the passenger seat, did get a bit disorientating at times though especially when it was in front of me, flying backwards.

I want to get in a bit closer next time and also there were some areas, particularly the high altitude shot, I should have framed first so that I can pilot in a dead straight line - sped up the movements ruin it a bit.




I'm also using the DJI in app editor at the moment which seems pretty fast and easy to use, but limits output to 1080p - Any recommendations for software that doesn't break the bank?

Forgot to say... that's really nice. You've avoided what a lot of novices do at first and believe you have to put the thing in orbit to get cool shots.

One of things I did to learn how to fly the drone and practice was to follow the lines around a football field at a local park; track around keeping the camera on the centre spot, landing at each corner and the like. Although there are tools that do this for you, I found it useful to master this manually because, as you mention, your sense of orientation can shift during a flight which you can dial out with practice.

Editing..... if you're on a Mac, iMovie (native app). Upgrade from that to Final Cut Pro if you start getting serious. If not, Davinci Resolve. Basic version is free and excellent but requires some investment of time to learn.

Edited by StevieBee on Thursday 20th July 10:19

[Nigel_O]

That’s very good for a first attempt. Here’s my first crack at car video with a DJI mini 2 - I have a Mini 3 Pro now, so I should really get out and do some more

[Fordo]

Nice idea for a thread

I did a little flight practice a while back in Wales - DJI mini pro 3.



Im a DOP by trade, but hope to use it on the occasional paid job on doco work, just for simple things like establishing shots, or locations where bigger drones would not be allowed.

Some seagulls managed to take a dislike to the drone at one point, and dive-bombed it, taking it out of the sky! Thankfully it was over sand at the time, and not the sea, and the only damage was a cracked rotor.

[WelshChris]

May have posted this before (but not sure which section of PH or which thread) - if so, apologies. A little trailer for our "Year In The Life" bluray which we produce annually. Most of the drone footage done by me with a DJI Mini 2.

[joropug]

Some great videos and tips thank you!

I had a go on iMovie as I indeed do have an iMac, seems fairly intuitive and I was able to start reproducing my videos from the DJI app as a test.

I’d definitely like to try syncing with the beat of a song more on my next go, hoping to get a friend to drive my car so I can do a decent video of it. Also going to do some 1080/60fps filming so I can do slomo segments

[Active75]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOjfQIZfGVQ

Bit of a laugh anyway

[ehasler]

I've been trying to get to grips with this too, but not that easy to find places to fly in London so I've had to go further afield.



And one car related that I put together quickly after a trip to Le Mans Classic earlier this year:



Both made in Final Cut Pro, which I've really only scratched the surface of.

One thing I've found useful is planning my flights so I know exactly what and where I'll be shooting, rather than what I used to which is to launch the drone then fly around for a bit trying to figure out what looks good.

[joropug]

I’ve been droning away and recently started using the camera for the first time, also having fun photographing and videoing the drone itself by flying blind/using my phone as a camera.

Long exposure is actually pretty good - I was surprised more weren’t a blurry mess. Software must compensate as I remember doing the same with a DSLR even the press of the shutter button would be enough to ruin it.

Created by hovering the drone and photographing with my phone with the flash turned on:











Bit blurry will recreate this in the light.

[joropug]

And some recent videos:

[sanguinary]

I put this one together as my first attempt. I downloaded Lightworks and spent ages trying to understand it. Really concentrated to get the timing in the shot changes, especially in the second part of the video. I need to focus more time now, as I’ve loads of footage from the last year that I need to do something with.

[joropug]

I spent an amazing weekend weekend in Wales with a couple of mates - Climbed Snowdon and went to Zip World the next day (100MPH Zip Line!).

Was lucky with the weather, put together what I think is my best video to date.

iPhone 15 Pro Max for the handheld video (I was using cinematic mode, not sure what that is but was 30FPS so will use normal mode next time)

DJI Mini 2 for the drone videos

I used LightCut on the Apple App Store to edit it - I realised that this was the full version of what DJI package in their app, loads more features inc 4K export, completely free. Managed to import an MP3 (remember those?) too to have some proper music which totally makes it for me.

Enjoy (Best viewed in 4K with audio). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnInqInUAQs