Construction Progression Timelapse
Greetings. I’m preparing to use my Air 2s (w/Smart Controller) to begin capturing a construction project over several months to eventually deliver a time-lapsed progression video. Three questions come to mind as a newbie to DroneLink.
1. Which is the best method for this kind of video? Interval images on an orbit (hyperlapse-like) compiled in Lr then Final Cut Pro X or a single orbit video on each visit merged directly in FInal Cut Pro?
2. Is there a way to permanently adjust a plan inside the native app to correct for unforeseen site conditions during the first run? I suspect the exact center of the construction site and gimbal angle will be off since the site obviously doesn’t exist on old satellite images.
3. Is there existing training somewhere that you can point me to for help with getting all this worked out?
Thanks for your help.
Terry
Comments
7 comments
I don’t know enough about your first question so I’ll let someone else who actually knows far more then I do and has done this to assist you.
Your second question about using the Native app to edit the plan to adjust it, Yes. When you go into the app just click on the three dots in the top right area and select edit. It is just like using the Web app. Also you can run the Verification Mission which will run the entire mission without any camera settings with the drone always facing forward so you can see where it’s heading and if you need to adjust anything like the path, location altitude etc.
Hope this helps. Enjoy, Mike…..
Ah! Perfect. Thanks, Mike.
Hi Terry Stafford
I've done this a number of times - in fact, I am just finishing up one for a client now for a new assisted home facility they are building.
Here's a link to some examples you might find interesting:
https://vimeo.com/showcase/6018898
Re. your questions
1. It is up to you but I will tell you that video is MUCH harder to pull off than still photos. Take a look at the "Seasons" video in the link above. That was actually my first ever project doing that and the amount of editing was insane. I could produce that much better now that I've been through it a few times, but if photos are OK that is your best bet, particularly if this is your first time.
2. Editing a plan is fine but...none of the photos or video before that will match.
What I do is figure out where the building should be, and then I set up a mission that takes a whole bunch of different angles, altitudes, etc. Things do move, trees grow and change (particularly if you are setting up in the winter - you can find yourself with leaves blocking the view or even being where the drone wants to fly) so doing this gives you options down the line.
3. Training. Don't tell anyone I suggested this but...I put together training for this very thing in the Phantom and Mavic filmschool a couple of years ago (https://www.udemy.com/course/phantom-filmschool-2-the-easy-way-to-shoot-like-a-pro/). The lessons were for Litchi, but the concepts carry over.
Other things. It's probably not in your plan but the higher-level plans have a feature to correct for GPS errors. I put together a "Five minute Friday" lesson that here: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/553828998
If you don't have that feature (it might only be enterprise-level) then, at the very least, run each mission twice and land in between. It is surprising how off GPS can be at times and doing that gives you a much better chance of having something useful for your editing.
Hope that helps!
Thanks so much Barry. I think I was one of the early adopters of Phantom Film School many years ago. I just checked and my login is still good. I’ll definitely check it out.
Looking at the ShopRite construction, I see you just used repeating images from the same spot. I was hoping to do an orbiting hyperlapse, so I may have to do some experimenting. Luckily, they haven’t started building yet. I know the DJI Fly app has waypoint hyperlapse built in but you have very little control over it. I could tell early on that wasn’t going to work. If the orbit with interval images doesn’t pan out, I’ll at least be able to pick the images out from the same location to do what you did. Very nice by the way. I’ll be watching. ;-)
Terry Stafford
Correct - I used stills for that one. Take a look at the Zabriski Pond seasons video. That was an actual video taken over a year. Given that the hyperlapse is a video, that would probably be closer. Fortunately, if you have access to the film school lessons then I believe that is covered there.
There are some good tutorials around on how to do hyperlapses outside of the DJI app, so I'm sure you will be able to find something.
Again, strong recommendation. Run each mission twice, landing between, and you have a pretty good chance of having good shots to work from. I wish I had known that on my first video (the seasons one). As you will see I had to monkey around with videos to get them to line up. Had I run it twice each time I probably could have found one that worked without that. Still...it does create an interesting effect :)
Good luck - I look forward to seeing the results
Video is harder for sure but a half experienced editor should have no issue. Fly a bit further back from your subject and it will give you cropping opportunities to mitigate any GPS errors. Much cheaper than RTK. www.uav-works.co.uk.
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