Q: What would I use this service for?
A: The uses for aerial footage are endless. Some examples of where this service can be utilized are: Real Estate, Land Developement, Weddings, Farm Surveying, Wineries, Golf Courses, Sporting Events, Music Videos, Marinas, Above Water, Chase Shots, Damage Assessment, Security Checks, Search & Rescue, Construction Zones, and anywhere birds eye views can be beneficial.
Q: Are you insured?
A: Yes! We have full liability coverage, for both personal and property damage. If NASA uses them, I guess they're good enough for us too!
Q: What is a Multicopter / Drone?
A: A multicopter is like a helicopter, but has several rotor blades to produce lift. There are Octocopters with eight rotors, Hexacopters with six rotors, Quadcopters with four rotors, and Tricopters with three rotors. Single rotor helicopters also exist, but we have transitioned away from those, since mulitcopters offer a much more stable platform. We use mostly quadcopters for aerial media, which have four rotor blades. They are very maneuverable and efficient to operate, with flight times ranging from 15-22 minutes per battery. The word “Drone” has become a popular term in the media for these vehicles, but these are nothing like the ones used in the military. Military drones are almost the size of actual planes, cost millions, and can fly thousands of miles from their operator.
Q: Does the shoot come with the camera included?
A: Yes. The Multicopter carries a gimbal stabilized, High Definition camera, capable of 12 Mega Pixel Photos, and video Resolutions up to 4K!
Q. How do you pan and tilt the camera?
A: There are two ways of doing this. In "Single Operator Mode," panning is accomplished when the pilot turns the aircraft left or right. Raising the camera's viewpoint is done by flying the aircraft higher or lower. The pilot also has seperate control of tilting the camera up and down. In "Dual Oporator Mode," two operators use two seperate controllers. One pilots the multicopter, while the other controls all functions of the camera. This helps to acheive truly cinematic shots!
Q: How high can the Multicopter fly? How far?
A: For safety reasons, we fly at a max altitude of about 400 feet and a max horizontal distance of about 750 feet. If a chase vehicle is used, this distance can be greatly increased to thousands of feet. It is very important the multicopter is always within line of sight.
Q: What if the weather is bad the day of my shoot?
A: We will be happy to reschedule your shoot for another day, subject to availability.
Q: Is the Multicopter gas or battery powered?
A: Clean, Quiet, Electric power. 15-20 min flight time. To fly again, battery reload time is about 2 minutes.
Q: What do you need to recharge batteries?
A: A simple wall outlet will do. Recharging times average around 65 minutes.
Q. Do you offer in house video, photo and audio editing?
A: Yes to all! For customers who need a complete video or photo package, from A- to Z, we've got you covered. Custom music can be added, edited, or created and voice over dialogue can be incorporated later as well.
Q. Is the camera system smooth while filming?
A: Yes. All of our aircraft’s camera mounts are gyro stabilized on all 3 axis. Its vibration dampening system and camera gimbal setup, deliver smooth video with no vibrations.
Q: Can you operate at night?
A: Night flights are possible, but not recommended.
Q: How long does it take you to set up at each flight location?
A: About 5-10 minutes.
Q: How close can you fly to subjects?
A: We can safely operate within about 10 feet of an actor or subject, providing weather and wind conditions are optimal.
Q: How much room do you need to land and take off for the Remote Helicopter?
A: A flat surface, with a radius of about 10ft is best.
Q: Are Live Broadcasts possible?
A: Yes! News Stations and all other companies in need of live braodcasting, can hook right up to the groundstation and receive the LIVE, 720p HD feed right from the multicopter! Be on scene and in the air before anyone else!
Q: Do you provide a live monitor? Can I see what the Multicopter is filming in real time?
A: Yes. we have a monitor that receives live, real time, 720p HD video of what the multicopter is shooting. If you have your own HD monitor with an HDMI input, we can hook into that for you as well.
Q: How do you do long chase shots?
A: The pilot sits in a moving vehicle (usually a car or boat) that follows behind the subject. He will then control the Multicopter from inside the vehicle, allowing for exceptionally long follow / chase shots.
Q: What is the maximum wind speed you can fly in?
A: We have operated successfully in 25 MPH winds, but, that is pushing it to the max. We recommended always filming in less than 15 MPH winds.
AERIAL FAQ'S
