Wow, this is awesome! I found this video on planet5d.com and just had to share it with you. It’s a Canon 5D Mark II mounted in a 4 rotor platform (similar to an RC helicopter) and can fly stabilized in perfect GPS position.
Here’s the description from the video:
Here we demonstrate the DSLR aerial platform’s GPS position hold capability. If you can imagine the ability to fly a professional DSLR camera over a natural disaster site, switch on GPS position hold which forces the aerial camera platform to hold its exact position in the sky allowing a journalist to snap photos at a safe distance out of harms way.
With the use of an 8″ LCD and wireless video feed you have the ability to remotely “see through the lens” in real-time to compose shots as well as remotely control shutter release function.
A must have tool for any news photo agency!
Check out planet5D.com for more information.
Update: Here is another video that shows a little more of the operation.
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Interesting, however, most natural disasters usually result in a Temporary Flight Restriction being issued by the FAA. I think I’d get some guidance from the FAA before I ran out and bought one of these aerial drones.
From the Code of Federal Regulations:
91.137 – Temporary flight restrictions in the vicinity of disaster/hazard areas.
(a) The Administrator will issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) designating an area within which temporary flight restrictions apply and specifying the hazard or condition requiring their imposition, whenever he determines it is necessary in order to (1) Protect persons and property on the surface or in the air from a hazard associated with an incident on the surface; (2) Provide a safe environment for the operation of disaster relief aircraft; or (3) Prevent an unsafe congestion of sightseeing and other aircraft above an incident or event which may generate a high degree of public interest.
Read more: http://cfr.vlex.com/vid/91-137-temporary-flight-restrictions-vicinity-19562319#ixzz0woBodwg6
Thanks John, that’s a really good point.
At this point I don’t think the unit is available for sale, just rental, but I would certainly check in to the FAA regulations before I went out and bought one to cover natural disasters.
Looks neat but I was really hoping they would show the actual aerial footage/photos and not just the launch + return.
I just posted another video I found. Check it out, shows more of the operation and some footage.
Trevor, thanks for sourcing planet5D 🙂
if you want to see more videos done with this equipment, go to perspectiveAerials.com – they’ve got a bunch that they’ve done. Not all with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, but there are several. They’ve been around for a while it seems
My pleasure, this is a great find.
John, is your creativity that limited? there are a million and one uses for this craft and NOT just natural disaster coverage. I believe that was just one example they gave and not promoting sole use for natural disaster coverage…c’mon guys open your minds! This is an amazing piece of technology..very compact and extremely versatile.
Craig