WARNING: CONTENTS OF THIS VIDEO MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME, ESPECIALLY PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO HAVE FELT THE PAIN OF GEAR LOSS.
In the days before my trip to Iceland, I had the chance to play with the DJI Phantom, an affordable, out-of-the-box quadcopter for budding aerial videographers. As I establish in that test flight post, the footage you yield from the DJI Phantom + GoPro combo may not be pro quality, but it’s perfectly serviceable for BTS material, AND it gives a person the opportunity to cut their teeth on a rig that comes in under a grand (or just slightly over, if you include the camera).
Ever the hacks, we tried to circumvent the GoPro limitation and mount a Sony RX 100 II, for three reasons:
1. The RX 100 II has image stabilizations (many commented on the shakiness of the GoPro footage on our first test flight).
2. It has a nice sensor and shoots RAW images.
3. Built-in Wifi. Our plan was to use the iPad Mini with the Sony app and control the camera shutter from the ground.
Seem pretty reasonable, right?
When you watch the video, know this: It brings us no joy to lose expensive gear, ever. I don’t encourage people to go out and perform needless hacks and unsanctioned upgrades, especially if you’re not insured, like we were. In our case we had a legit interest in yielding some higher end footage with a DJI Phantom we had invested in.
Couple UPDATE points… any assumption that i was just goofing around at tourist site just plyaing with my camera couldn’t be further from the truth. we had chartered the entire site for the shoot, been out on boats there at the site earlier – were working with the management there, paying high fees to be there with permits for very specific objectives. We also sought to potentially recover the unit out of concern for the environment but were discouraged from pursuing that option because of danger to divers due to swift current, big tides and huge floating chunks of dangerous ice.
Thanks again for going on this journey – and others – with me. And I hope you don’t mind my sharing all the stuff – even things like this that suck.
Did you try again to change the camera on the DJI? If you didn’t see it, here is a tutorial how to mount a Sony RX100 on the DJI. Maybe it helps 🙂
No link no cry 😉 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSwxQrkDITU
Oh man sorry about your loss! I’m more than willing to bet you had IOC engaged by accident. I have had “fly away” incidences that looked exactly like that and it was because IOC was engaged. Less likely but very possibly, your wifi was transmitting on 2.4Ghz which is the same frequency used by the radio controller and likely interfered with it. Thanks for sharing the video – check out http://www.djiphantomforum.net/ where there are tons of great info on the Phantom.
It brings us no joy to lose big-ticket gear, ever. I don’t animate humans to go out and accomplish causeless hacks and adulterine upgrades, abnormally if you’re not insured, like we were. In our case we had a accepted absorption in acquiescent some college end footage with a DJI Phantom we had invested in.
Thanks Chase- I have checked your site and found solid tips for years now and this was great info that is directly pertinent to my next project. I’m sure you know this but there are a lot unfortunate souls out there that somehow get a boost by insinuating superiority from experience. Of course the knowing or doing of something isn’t extroidinairry, but the tenacious will to innovate and take risk and then share that experience- that is special.
You have, it seems to me, always been giving -even in the face of what must be very sad people (trolls),
This thing you are doing is something you can’t memorize or get from a book or the internet. This thing you are doing is sharing – and that requires not only knowledge and experience but also grace- and that is what makes you special.
I winced when the DJI Phantom keeled over. Not a good situation to be in but thanks for sharing.