• Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.

Who needs helicopters when you've got creativity?

T

TI Irwin

Okay, so I work in the automotive department in a wal-mart. Well I was bored one day and while looking at the mock-up Goodyear blimp that hangs above the sales counter, I got a fantastic idea for shooting aerial footage... A R/C CAMERA BLIMP!!!

Now I've only scratched the surface on this idea, but from the looks of things, you'd be best to build your own blimp DIY style, rather than buy one of the toys. You would almost certainly run into problems attaching a camera to a $55 novelty item. The point here is that if you did this right, you could get some amazing aerials without having to scrounge for the $$$ to hire a pilot.

Here's another more simple approach to the idea. Take some large balloon, attach fins to it and a line that connects to a car. The car tows the camera behind it as it drives down the road, and sha-BAM! You have a good way to shoot aerials on the move!
Even, better, you can run the AV cables from the towing line and not have to worry about messing with radio controls.

And of course such an idea can always be innovated with pivoting camera heads, stabilization sytems, etc.

What kinda ideas do you guys have? I think I might be on to something here! ;)
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Another idea is a "Powered Parachute" or as I prefer to call them, "Flying Go Karts". Basically a fan attached to something that very much resembles a go-kart, which generates lift via a rectangular parachute. Simple, cheap, and several possibilities.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
TI Irwin said:
Even, better, you can run the AV cables from the towing line and not have to worry about messing with radio controls.

And of course such an idea can always be innovated with pivoting camera heads, stabilization sytems, etc.

What kinda ideas do you guys have? I think I might be on to something here! ;)
Click to expand...


I don't think it will be easy. Figure add 4 - 5 lbs minimum to that rig, if you get it flying, it will prolly be wild and uncontrollable . However, Im frequently wrong so try it and see. id be scared to put a $1000 cam up there, but mebbe a Flip cam
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Get me a remote-control helicopter, a flip-cam, and a roll of duct-tape, and I've got your desired product ready to roll, in minutes. Boom. This is a good idea. It's use would be limited, but I like your thinking.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Cracker Funk said:
Get me a remote-control helicopter, a flip-cam, and a roll of duct-tape, and I've got your desired product ready to roll, in minutes. Boom. This is a good idea. It's use would be limited, but I like your thinking.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't call it limited use! I've been wanting to do what this guy did.

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


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yTqjxDQP_Y



I want me a T-Rex 700 helicopter!
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Scoopicman said:
I wouldn't call it limited use! I've been wanting to do what this guy did.
Click to expand...

Sweeeeet. I guess I used the word "limited" when I should've said "constricted" or "annoying as shit". I like to control the images I collect. But with this method, you're doing a whole lot of guessing, hoping that you're collecting good footage, and you don't know what you've got until you bring your rig back to home-base and look at the footage. Nevertheless, I think this is a pretty cool camera technique, and I suspect I will probably use it, someday.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Definitely a limited use thing, and yes, it would have to be filmed on a day with NO wind. But I'm an engineer by nature... getting the thing to work in ideal conditions wouldn't be that difficult for me. And I'd design it myself from the ground up so mine would be set up to work how I wanted it to. Good point about not using an expensive camera on it, you really don't need one that's too fancy for those, the shots will speak for themselves.

The above was all referring to the blimp idea. As far as the cam-heli idea, well that works well.
http://www.choppercam.net/
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Cracker Funk said:
But with this method, you're doing a whole lot of guessing, hoping that you're collecting good footage, and you don't know what you've got until you bring your rig back to home-base and look at the footage.
Click to expand...

Actually, there are rigs where you can see live video feedback, as the camera flies. It's more expensive, but this sub-industry is actually more popular than you would think.

As far as possibilities, I would use these in any situation that would require a crane, including indoors - malls, places with high ceilings, etc. I should add that you need either an experienced remote pilot or many hours of practice, if you want to avoid crashing a camera.

http://whirlybirdfilms.com/

http://www.photoshipone.com/
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Just re-watched the second video. I'm thinking, if you shoot in full 1080p HD, as you're shooting you keep the camera more wide than you might want it. That should leave you plenty of room to stabilize and crop-down in post, to the image you really want, and you'd still be able to keep it HD, but at 720p (which is pretty darn acceptable, in my opinion).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
TI Irwin said:
Another idea is a "Powered Parachute" or as I prefer to call them, "Flying Go Karts". Basically a fan attached to something that very much resembles a go-kart, which generates lift via a rectangular parachute. Simple, cheap, and several possibilities.
Click to expand...

I have a buddy in Seattle, Marcus Smith, who has one of these. He gets incredible aerial footage, several hundred feet up. I can't find his video right now, but here is someone else:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-IwpPvoACo



Also, the Radio Controlled version.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top