An experiment with the Mavic and audio capturing

tubedroner · Feb 2, 2017

Tried out audio recording with the Mavic today. Used my phone as a sound recorder and my hands as a clapperboard so the audio was synced, eventhough it didn't matter that much in this case. Could still be useful for example when shooting loud fireworks or even a music video. Just like it is in real movie-productions, sound and picture separated

This scene had a lovely sound with the water running and birds chirping, could have gotten really nice audioscape with proper equipment! Now the wind was the enemy with the phone. Additionally, I don't know what Youtube does to audio, but the levels were lowered significantly when the clip had loaded, they were perfectly fine in Premiere.

Anthony Viscomi · Feb 2, 2017

Very nice!

twinchrissy · Feb 2, 2017

How did you sync the sound with the video? Some more details would be good. Cheers,.

Native Hawk eye · Feb 2, 2017

tubedroner said:
Tried out audio recording with the Mavic today. Used my phone as a sound recorder and my hands as a clapperboard so the audio was synced, eventhough it didn't matter that much in this case. Could still be useful for example when shooting loud fireworks or even a music video. Just like it is in real movie-productions, sound and picture separated This scene had a lovely sound with the water running and birds chirping, could have gotten really nice audioscape with proper equipment! Now the wind was the enemy with the phone. Additionally, I don't know what Youtube does to audio, but the levels were lowered significantly when the clip had loaded, they were perfectly fine in Premiere.

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Very nice mate. I bet this place looks amazing in the spring.

Sent from my LGMS550 using MavicPilots mobile app

tubedroner · Feb 2, 2017

twinchrissy said:
How did you sync the sound with the video? Some more details would be good. Cheers,.

Hi twinchrissy,

First, I started recording on both the Mavic and audio on my phone. Then I simply turned the drone to record me and clapped my hands together with a large movement, like they do with a clafferboard, making sure that the moment of impact could be clearly seen on the video. At the same time a made sure, that the clap would make a clear spike on the audio meter. Then I kept both rolling. In editing, I imported the audio file to my timeline, searched the "clap-spike" on the waveform and matched it to the very frame that my hands got together on the video. Ta-dah, audio in sync! At least for the needs of an amateur hobbyist.

tubedroner · Feb 2, 2017

Native Hawk eye said:
Very nice mate. I bet this place looks amazing in the spring.

Sent from my LGMS550 using MavicPilots mobile app

Thanks, it is worth a second visit when the leaves start growing, indeed!

twinchrissy · Feb 3, 2017

Thanks tubedroner. Ok, I'm probably being dense but I can see you got an audio file and a video file but what software did you use to combine them? Was it iMovie or Final Cut or something like that? Cheers.

Hightower · Feb 3, 2017

this has me thinking now... maybe attached something like this instead of a phone?
Amazon.com: YODAY Spy Voice Recorder-8GB USB Digital Audio Voice Recorder-Sound Recorder-Portable Recording Device-Dictaphone-Windows Compatible: Electronics

Hightower · Feb 3, 2017

Hightower said:
this has me thinking now... maybe attached something like this instead of a phone?
Amazon.com: Voice Recorder Spy Gadget - 8GB Memory Audio Dictaphone Device with Microphone Best for Recording Lectures - Courts - Stories - Music and More!: Electronics

maybe even dangle it with a string below to help avoid the prop noise? also some foam over the receiver for wind? I may just have to test this!

tubedroner · Feb 3, 2017

twinchrissy said:
Thanks tubedroner. Ok, I'm probably being dense but I can see you got an audio file and a video file but what software did you use to combine them? Was it iMovie or Final Cut or something like that? Cheers.

I use Adobe Premiere Elements 15 for editing, just imported the audio to my project and used it on the audio track.

tubedroner · Feb 3, 2017

Hightower said:
maybe even dangle it with a string below to help avoid the prop noise? also some foam over the receiver for wind? I may just have to test this!

I wouldn't go through too much trouble trying to attach any audio recorder to the drone. Better off using a separate device separate from the drone, there's hardly any use for the propeller noise. I could see someone doing a stand-upper while facing the drone somewhere up and talking to a mic attached to a separate device and syncing audio as described.