Calling all bikers...

[Robothamster]

I would not say it's quite difficult to crash. In fact, it is quite easy. Better to keep that in mind than believing in the the inadequate collision avoidance.

Mike

Hey at least I said 'quite difficult', I've seen other people comments it's nearly impossible to crash

 

[Coskier]

Just watched the Skydio samples. I think they still need to develop it a bit more for that price point - the movements seemed jerky, especially as it avoided obstacles. The video made me feel like I was on a bad amusement park ride.

 

[mtnbkr123]

Just watched the Skydio samples. I think they still need to develop it a bit more for that price point - the movements seemed jerky, especially as it avoided obstacles. The video made me feel like I was on a bad amusement park ride.

It’s not just the cost for me. It’s also the question as to where these niche drone companies will be 1, 2 or 3 years from now. I would not assume they will be around to help me with any mechanical issues down the road (even if I paid for them to help me), let alone warranty service.

I mentioned in an earlier post - I gave up entirely on Follow Me/Active Track modes, for anything from DJI, Skydio, AirDog or anyone else. I was planning on manning the RC at all times. As far as I can see, none of the autonomous flight modes are even close to being ready for prime time. At most, I was planning on using Active Track on the Air to assist me while I was manning the RC.

 

[hamstergraphics]

If you treat the Mavic Air as 'another' option for video, you will probably be fine with it. Even if you could get a drone to track you from behind the whole way down a double black, it would soon get boring... Use drone footage, POV, stationary camera angles etc to make a sick edit once in while... Then just enjoy biking...

This was my first attempt at tracking me on a bike in fairly open space... You spend more time looking behind you seeing if it's stopped.

 

[Robothamster]

/\ Agree, I think mixing up shots, some POV, some follow, some zoomed out arial footage, all edited together help to make an interesting video.

I'm bored of POV alone vids, they are everywhere (and I've made lots myself which are boring to rewatch)

 

[hamstergraphics]

/\ Agree, I think mixing up shots, some POV, some follow, some zoomed out arial footage, all edited together help to make an interesting video.

I'm bored of POV alone vids, they are everywhere (and I've made lots myself which are boring to rewatch)

Unless you're Nate Hills that is...

 

[JimKosinski]

I had a rubbish time trying to get Active Track to follow me on my MTB, it's not too bad if you ride slowly out in the open, but don't do any fast changes of direction.

So instead (and I'm still experimenting so this is far from my ideal footage) I went with a mix of some GoPro footage and some clips of the drone from different angles. I love the Air, it packs so small that it pops into my MTB backpack with ease.

Give my vid below a watch if you're interested:

Love the high aerial shot. Bikes look like ants running around the track.

 

[Endeavor]

I saw the title and thought I was going to have to buy a doo rag and mount a Harley

 

[sputnik378]

Unless you're Nate Hills that is...

Hahaha

Nathan... He loves gimbals!

My dude, you just gotta start flying! Pull it out of the box and let it rip. Keep it up high for a while and use the screen, then after you think you're comfortable bring it down low and fly LOS around some bushes to practice avoiding obstacles, that way WHEN you cash you just gotta fish it out and try again. The thing is a tank, but definitely put it on your personal property policy with your insurance (same thing as your bike) cause you will destroy one or 2 drones learning to fly if you are pushing it.

I feel like you need hours and hours of flying before you feel call and comfortable flying in tight spaces, and when you do it'll be in sport mode only otherwise there will be no smoothness at all to it.

Please don't try and rely on software to make the shots work, just spend the time and learn to fly. You'll appreciate it in the long run I promise you!

If you've got specific questions please feel free to ask. I chase pro mtnbikers around all the time and I gotta tell you, there is absolutely nothing on the planet that will give you the shots and unique angles that this drone will out of the box. That and it fits in a freaking fanny pack, with room for snacks and water.

Where do you live in BC I was in Squamish for a week last fall slabbing around.

 

[skiptv]

Sorry but if you think you are going to just be able to pull it out of the box and shoot bling videos, good luck, most people spend hours and hours learning how to fly correctly, before they even attempt to 'follow' anything, Have you registered your drone with the FAA, have you charged the batteries, up dated the firmware on the drone, controller or batteries, have you studied how to activate the 'smart flight controls' are you even allowed to fly in the place you want to film. I suggest you get rid of the drone and get a DJI Osmo and Gimbal its better than a go pro, its better stabilized and it has tracking through the 'litchi" app.

 

[mtnbkr123]

Sorry but if you think you are going to just be able to pull it out of the box and shoot bling videos, good luck, most people spend hours and hours learning how to fly correctly, before they even attempt to 'follow' anything, Have you registered your drone with the FAA, have you charged the batteries, up dated the firmware on the drone, controller or batteries, have you studied how to activate the 'smart flight controls' are you even allowed to fly in the place you want to film. I suggest you get rid of the drone and get a DJI Osmo and Gimbal its better than a go pro, its better stabilized and it has tracking through the 'litchi" app.

Huh?

Not sure what your problem is but nowhere did I state that I thought I was "going to just be able to pull it out of the box and shoot bling videos".

There is no FAA in the country in which I live.

Obviously I can fly where I intend to fly it. What kind of an idiot would drop $1350+++ without at least confirming that?

As far as "[getting] rid of the drone and [getting] a DJI Osmo and Gimbal its better than a go pro", for real? Do you mountain bike? Do you make videos of your mountain biking? I don't know of one avid mountain biker who is using a hand held gimbal alone, to shoot mountain biking footage. In fact, nobody I know uses anything other than a GoPro. Are you suggesting that I chase my daughter on foot with a hand held gimbal? Or am I to stop biking every now and then and set up for some "drive by" footage?

 

[Dave Maine]

The trick with any video worth showing an audience is preplanning and dedicating time to making the video. This time includes careful shooting the shots you had planned, editing the footage, scoring it with appropriate music and narration, and outputting it to some screen able forum.

The going average for shooting good footage to be edited is 10 minutes of shooting for every finished minute. This means lots of starts and stops and changed angles. Typically, you use each angle for less than 10 seconds, so a half hour video will have around 180 shots. You may get a few less, as some airborne shots may be interesting slightly longer, but not a lot. Having a second camera for point of view shots is a good idea, and another camera on the ground to cover the angles that are better shown there - think bikes vaulting over huge obstacles shot from a low angle.

Making good videos is very satisfying, but doesn’t often result from casual shooting..

 

[mtnbkr123]

The trick with any video worth showing an audience is preplanning and dedicating time to making the video. This time includes careful shooting the shots you had planned, editing the footage, scoring it with appropriate music and narration, and outputting it to some screen able forum.

The going average for shooting good footage to be edited is 10 minutes of shooting for every finished minute. This means lots of starts and stops and changed angles. Typically, you use each angle for less than 10 seconds, so a half hour video will have around 180 shots. You may get a few less, as some airborne shots may be interesting slightly longer, but not a lot. Having a second camera for point of view shots is a good idea, and another camera on the ground to cover the angles that are better shown there - think bikes vaulting over huge obstacles shot from a low angle.

Making good videos is very satisfying, but doesn’t often result from casual shooting..

Agreed. I still have a GoPro Hero 2. They are now at 6, with lots of iterations in between. The editing almost sucked the life out of me. I ended up leaving the GoPro at home after a short while, but have recently re-entered the fray.

I am not planning on public viewings of the finished product. I am trying to capture some good memories for my daughter, that will live on long after me.

I thought that 2 GoPros (3 if you count my Hero 2) plus a Mavic Air, possibly doing little more than getting some QuickShots to supplement the POV footage and some "ride by" takes, would be good enough. Interesting enough for the limited, intended audience at least.

I am still struggling with all of this. Not sure I want to re-enter the whole GoPro madness. I hated using it on the trail, and hated it even more afterwards, during the long, soul sucking editing sessions. If I get into hour long downloads and continual restarts on my MBP, I am going to shoot myself.

It's been a brutally tough decision making process for me, and one which remains unresolved. If it weren't for my feeling that the end of anything extreme on the trails may be over within a matter of years, I would not even bother screwing up our riding with having to capture footage while out there. That said, I think I better at least think about starting now with the footage, especially given what I expect will be a steep-ish learning curve for not only gathering the footage, but editing it afterwards.

PS - unless it is riveting footage, my view is that a ride video should be no longer than 5 minutes. MAX. Closer to 3 would be much better. Comprised of short clips of interesting segments - 10 to 20 seconds each. Anything longer is just horrible to watch, especially if it is largely POV footage.

PPS - it may just be the mood I am in, but this site seems brutal for a lot of things, including editing posts. WHY do I keep getting error messages saying I am sending spam when I try to edit a post? Bizarre.

 

[Aerial West]

Hey guys. New guy here. Are any of you using the Air to capture mountain biking footage? That is why I bought mine. I still have a week to return it if I wish. It sits here in front of me unopened. Not sure how good it will be for this purpose.

I just typed a fairly detailed “Hello Everyone” post in the Pilot Check In sub-forum setting out my situation in much greater detail, and won’t bother repeating it here.

Anyway, if anyone is using the Air for this purpose, I would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks guys.

i havea buddy that does this. the clearer the area, the less tracking is confused. some of his shots are pretty fun.

 

[Dave Maine]

I’m traveling now in Norway, intending to make a video from the trip. This will be my first trip with my Mavic Air. In addition to the Air, I’m carting around a Nikon with an assortment of lenses, which is capable of doing 7K stills and 1080 P video. My plan is to use it all to convey the sense of the trip. Post production will be at least 3 months.

 

[adrianoaurelio]

he potential to work best, using a GoPro Chesty to mount the RC to be used as a “beacon”. I did some more reading and concluded that trying to operate the Pro in this manner was likely a recipe for disaster..

It is possible to use Follow Me in the Air with third party software, like Autopilot - did couple of times before.

And, to be frankly, I was planning to do exactly what you mentioned as a disaster recipe: Chest or handlebar mount of controller when Air follows me.

Why did you find it will be a disaster?

If you fly high enough to clear obstacles.. what would go wrong?

Did you try?

———-

I have made some footage of bike riding before with my spark and Active Track. No RC (just phone mounted on handlebar):

 

[Robothamster]

@adrianoaurelio - you were brave having it active track you under that bridge! Good vid.

 

[adrianoaurelio]

@adrianoaurelio - you were brave having it active track you under that bridge! Good vid.

Heartstopping!!! [emoji4][emoji51]

 

[Robothamster]

I'll post this in here as it's biking related...

I was out on my MTB with my MA in my backpack Sunday so I thought I'd try some Active Tracking, here's a vid I've made with some of the footage:

 

[Robothamster]

Was at Bike Park Wales at weekend, I've edited a little vid with a mix of Mavic Air and GoPro POV footage.