How to fly a drone front of a forward moving car?

[lomposlapos]

How to shoot a forward moving car (or boat, person, etc.) from the front (ie, the drone flies backward front of the car)?

Tracking from the top/above, from behind, form the side works well, could not figure our how to do from the front.

 

[Robert Prior]

Use spotlight mode to keep the camera aimed and fly backwards yourself.

 

[lomposlapos]

fly backwards yourself.

Not an ideal solution on routes that worth shooting at. This needs to be self-tracking like all the other tracking modes. So this is confirming that there is no such built-in function?

 

[Meta4]

How to shoot a forward moving car (or boat, person, etc.) from the front (ie, the drone flies backward front of the car)?

It's pretty easy to just fly backwards in front of the target and shoot manually.

 

[lomposlapos]

It's pretty easy to just fly backwards in front of the target and shoot manually.

I understand, that it is doable manually, but was wondering if there is a dedicated function for this.

Manual flying would not work (if I am the driver) in roads like this:

https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/04/road2.jpg?quality=75&strip=all

...or with me walking forward

 

[GFields]

I understand, that it is doable manually, but was wondering if there is a dedicated function for this.

Manual flying would not work (if I am the driver) in roads like this:

https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/04/road2.jpg?quality=75&strip=all

...or with me walking forwar

Correct; or least in the USA, You cannot fly from a moving vehicle if you're the driver

 

[Robert Prior]

Not an ideal solution on routes that worth shooting at. This needs to be self-tracking like all the other tracking modes. So this is confirming that there is no such built-in function?

AFAIK, not implemented.

Would be more difficult than following, too, because it would have to anticipate that you were going to turn a corner and maneuver accordingly.

I suppose the in-front-of shot could become a to-the-side-of shot when the car turns, then gradually move to the front again as the drone overtakes the vehicle, but being consistently in front looking back would require foreknowledge of the car's movement.

Your best bet might be to have the pilot in the passenger seat. They could still use Spotlight to keep the car in the frame, if it helped. (I think it would, but haven't tried it.)

 

[HoozierDroneDaddy]

Even if it were legal, It would be a risky unsafe action. Your going to take your hands off the controls of a boat or vehicle why you fly the drone. Whose controlling the vehicle to prevent an unforeseen emergency/accident?

 

[BigAl07]

You're asking the aircraft to predict/anticipate your path so it can make inflight adjustments and stay ahead of you. That's probably asking more than that AI is currently able to do.

 

[SpitFire]

Welcome to the forum, from Chicago the Windy City.

 

[skybanditpictures]

Sit in the back of a vehicle with an opening like a pickup truck or SUV that has a lift gate you can open and just hold the drone. Seriously. I work in TV/Film and have been asked to both follow and lead cars with actors. Works great, is way safer, and you can go for miles. When following, I’ve mounted the drone to the hood with heavy duty suction mounts.

 

[Hilux]

I've always done it with a secondary driver, and manual control.

 

[Donnie Frank]

How to shoot a forward moving car (or boat, person, etc.) from the front (ie, the drone flies backward front of the car)?

Tracking from the top/above, from behind, form the side works well, could not figure our how to do from the front.

Have you tried "Lead Me" mode?

This video is older. At the time "Lead Me mode" was in beta and only available for the Inspire 1, but I believe it is now available for all DJI models.

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D

 

[Donnie Frank]

Use spotlight mode to keep the camera aimed and fly backwards yourself.

This suggestion requires actual pilot skill. Are you nuts?

D

 

[cneedelman]

Sit in the back of a vehicle with an opening like a pickup truck or SUV that has a lift gate you can open and just hold the drone. Seriously. I work in TV/Film and have been asked to both follow and lead cars with actors. Works great, is way safer, and you can go for miles. When following, I’ve mounted the drone to the hood with heavy duty suction mounts.

Good idea, when I've suggested holding the drone for a particular shot, rather than flying it, the director, who is my friend will say, What's the fun in that!

 

[lomposlapos]

Thanks for the answers. So there is not an option to do both, drive the car or boat and record it from the front from a fixed distance.

 

[Felix le Chat]

How to shoot a forward moving car (or boat, person, etc.) from the front (ie, the drone flies backward front of the car)?

Tracking from the top/above, from behind, form the side works well, could not figure our how to do from the front.

Hang an INSTA360 (or similar 4K 360° digicam) from the belly of the drone and fly forwards in front of the vehicle. K.I.S.

 

[MS Coast]

Thanks for the answers. So there is not an option to do both, drive the car or boat and record it from the front from a fixed distance.

One person driving the boat or car while simultaneously flying the drone is not a good option no matter what the relative position of the drone is.

 

[AMann]

Passenger pilot works best and makes it legal. My goofy brother came along and did this- he was the pilot while I drove:

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