ROUND TABLE
safety notes and a safety briefing. This ensures every crew member has a clear understanding of safety around the aircraft and procedures required in the event of an emergency. We work closely with health and safety teams to provide ground safety and advice for sequences involving full-sized action aircraft. DEF: HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF AERIAL FILMING EVOLVING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? WB: Technological innovations and sustainability concerns will make their mark, but human expertise will remain irreplaceable. AI-driven drone and camera systems will bring more automated framing and tracking, as already integrated in the Inspire 3. This will enable intricate pre-programmed flight paths for dynamic, repeatable shots. Meanwhile, the push for electric and hybrid aircraft on the manned aviation side will not only reduce the industry’s carbon footprint but also offer quieter, more efficient aerial operations. The advancement in this sector is highly regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority, so the pace of progress on this front will be largely dictated by regulating bodies. However, while technology will advance, storytelling is an art, not just an algorithm. The need for skilled pilots and operators who understand the nuances of aerial cinematography will only grow. JB: There’s a lot of industry buzz with the increased use of unmanned aerial systems across all areas of aviation. The use of larger UAS (drones, to use the familiar term) is being seen in surveying, agriculture and search and rescue missions, and these will undoubtedly get adopted for filming too, as power sources get better and better. As the future of film production evolves with the use and adoption of new technologies like AI, so will it with aerial filming. Quite how is yet to be seen, but VFX will be an area to watch. JM: AI advancements will play a significant part in the development of aerial filming over the next five years. I’ve no doubt that we will see the development of AI-driven flight control, subject tracking, shot composition and adaptive framing and movement, all dynamically based on scene analysis. While we already have
SAFETY FIRST! The Aerial Film Company uses private channels to ensure safe, clear coordination
short, we can film background plates and then replay the moves precisely on-set for live action. We already achieved a shot using this system in a test case for Paddington in Peru (which made the cut) and now we’re running a funded project to perfect the workflow. This certainly unlocks newfound creative possibilities for filmmakers. Beyond its technical benefits, Drone MoCo will also contribute to sustainability. By enabling productions to capture critical elements remotely and match them later in a controlled environment, this will help reduce the need for large crews to travel, minimising the overall carbon footprint of a shoot. OS: We think AI-driven flight systems will enable smarter object tracking and obstacle avoidance. FPV drones will become even more refined, offering higher resolutions and better stabilisation to further integrate into mainstream filmmaking. Battery tech improvements will lead to longer flight times, expanding creative possibilities. Lighter, high-quality cinema cameras will allow for seamless integration between aerial and ground- based footage. As regulations adapt to technological advancements, we should expect greater flexibility in drone operations, including beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights, opening up new opportunities for live broadcasts and cinema alike. Exciting times ahead!
real-time obstacle avoidance technology built into certain drones, this will become more readily available and sophisticated. Battery technology such as solid-state batteries and hybrid or hydrogen power supplies could, in theory, provide hours of flying time without the need for a battery change. Power management will also play its part, making helicopters and drones more efficient and thereby prolonging flight times. Lighter, higher-resolution cameras with improved dynamic range will become more commonplace, and improvements in low-light capabilities will further enhance that aspect of digital cinematography. Over the next five years, I believe aerial filming will become more autonomous and more immersive. The distinction between drones, helicopters and virtual cinematography will blur, offering filmmakers unprecedented creative freedom. However, the need for skilled aerial crew, legislative compliance and high-quality storytelling will become even more necessary! EB: There are some seriously innovative times ahead! In R&D, THG is advancing with Drone MoCo, a custom motion- control system that will harness the progress in positioning capabilities of the latest camera drones using software we’ve developed. This will reproduce aerial camera moves between locations, regardless of geographical distance. In
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