GEAR. AERIAL
BLADE RUNNER There are still situations where the more powerful option of a helicopter is better suited. Kaiser says this could be when regulations won’t allow a drone to fly. “Perhaps you can’t get there on foot or by car – maybe a shoot high up in some mountains – or it may be that drones have been temporarily restricted, for example if there is a presidential visit,” she explains. “Cranes and jibs come into their own when you need to do the same movement over and over on a busy set, and also in places where drones aren’t able to fly.” “Helicopter work is scarce,” adds Miller – and it’s serviced by a privileged few. “I have done both helicopter and fixed-wing work in the past, either strapped into a Tyler mount or shooting handheld,” he
“If we’re tracking a car at speed then we may well need a two-person crew: one drone pilot and one gimbal operator,” she remarks. “I have done car tracking and regularly still do as a one- person drone pilot, but that’s for low-budget factual TV and there’s always a compromise. It looks great, but most directors see high- end TV car chases and want to you to replicate that with one operator.” One person simply cannot recreate the accuracy, points out Kaiser, and so more budget is required. “I try to explain this to directors of documentaries; some understand and some get frustrated,” she continues. “I always offer a two-person team but the budget often can’t cover it. However, if the budget is there, the sky is the limit – pun intended!”
notes. “It’s part of the industry I’m trying to gain a presence in, given my experience.” From the early days of cumbersome contraptions to the advent of cutting-edge drone technology, aerial cinematography has evolved into an art form that’s forever changed the way we watch cinema and high-end TV. As taking to the skies becomes a commonplace option in even low- budget productions, it’s left to the innovators to continue to find ways of pushing the envelope.
WITHIN REACH Drone operator Carys Kaiser often shoots aerial footage for lower- budget TV productions
“If we’re tracking a car at speed then we may well need a two-person crew: one drone pilot and one gimbal operator”
INDUSTRY FAVOURITES
PANTHER FOXY PRO Panther says its main focus on the development of Foxy Pro was an improved payload. This has been achieved with a newly developed anchoring system that can be upgraded immediately from existing Foxy and Foxy Advanced models. Compared to the previous model (Foxy Advanced) there is a payload increase of up to 10%. panther.tv
DJI INSPIRE 3 An all-in-one solution, the DJI Inspire 3 is a streamlined full- frame 8K cinema drone, ready to meet the needs of top-level movie productions. It offers cinematic- grade flight performance, plus a full ecosystem that can be seamlessly integrated into any
film set. The Inspire 3 supports both RTK-powered Waypoint Pro and omnidirectional sensing to perform flights with higher precision and repeatability than ever before. dji.com
BELL 407HP The Bell 407HP from Helicopter Express is a popular choice for filmmakers. Upgrades to the Honeywell HTS900 propulsion engine have made it a more powerful and fuel-efficient machine. The chopper’s speed, agility and dependability, paired with its ability to perform well in nearly any weather conditions, establish it as a leading contender for capturing challenging sequences. helicopterexpress.com
34. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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