Video taping a golf course

tca · Nov 26, 2018

Here is what I am going to do and I would like some suggestions........
I live on two golf courses and I am going to video the courses going from hole #1 through hole #18 on each course..........

There are "no trees" on either courses but lots of water.........most of the holes are "straight"...there are few who have a dog leg to the right...

I will be using my Mavic Air.........what I would like to know is:

What flight mode / modes would be best to use

What altitude should I fly at

and any other suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks

JC

Mossiback · Nov 26, 2018

tca said:
...I will be using my Mavic Air.........what I would like to know is:

What flight mode / modes would be best to use

What altitude should I fly at...

I would pre plan a mission in Litchi, ending each hole with an orbit around the green. Altitude would be just high enough to view the fairway as you fly over it. Plan each hole as a separate mission.

tca · Nov 26, 2018

Thanks.......

I am not familiar with "Litchi"....can you please tell me about it.

53-63-6f-74-74 · Nov 26, 2018

tca said:
Thanks.......

I am not familiar with "Litchi"....can you please tell me about it.

Litchi for DJI Mavic / Phantom / Inspire / Spark
There are many posts here about Litchi and it is preferred by many as a near-substitute for Go4. The main feature it adds to your toolbox is the ability to design flights using Litchi Mission Hub, or Google Earth (which I prefer for initial flight paths and elevations), and fly them autonomously from take-off to landing, without any input from the user, or even without any connection to the remote control whatsoever. There is also the ability to virtually fly a mission using Google Earth, with the help of Namirda's free software called Virtual Litchi Mission, available HERE. Using this software you can virtually fly a mission, make changes, fly it again, etc. until you have the POV, gimbal pitch, and elevation changes that work best for your project, then just go to the site and press the 'go' button. If you are in the US and intend to use your video for commercial purposes, or give it to the course for their use (whether for free or for pay), then you will require a Part 107 certification.

neggy · Nov 26, 2018

or bring a friend with you that has a Part 107 cert

buddb55 · Nov 27, 2018

I work at a golf course and have flown it many times, so many that the golfers are now waving when they hear the drone. I use Litchi for the hole by hole flights. I've included a link to my YouTube video of the back nine.

Jackcutrone · Nov 27, 2018

Don’t see how that could be done legally unless you get a line of sight waiver from the FAA. And if a completed automated flight have the additional issue of potentially flying over people.

Rickolas · Nov 27, 2018

Jackcutrone said:
Don’t see how that could be done legally unless you get a line of sight waiver from the FAA. And if a completed automated flight have the additional issue of potentially flying over people.

How exactly would that need a line of sight waiver? You could be following underneath it maintaining LOS?

Jackcutrone · Nov 27, 2018

I suppose you could in a golf cart but don’t think you could keep up walking

buddb55 · Nov 27, 2018

Jackcutrone said:
Don’t see how that could be done legally unless you get a line of sight waiver from the FAA. And if a completed automated flight have the additional issue of potentially flying over people.

I follow the drone in a golf cart as not to lose sight and keep an eye on the golfers.

Jackcutrone · Nov 27, 2018

Good plan. Couldn’t tell from your original post.

dwill405 · Nov 27, 2018

I have used Waypoints in Go4. I flew the Mavic to each point following it in a cart. When I was done collecting data I flew it back to the tee and started the run, following as fast as I could with the cart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnfaDm4sguk

DanMan32 · Nov 27, 2018

Isn't it interesting how we use old terms for new technology? It's probably been a decade or more since I used video tape.
A friend would call audio CDs 'tapes'.

Ebarmy2 · Dec 23, 2018

dwill405 said:
I have used Waypoints in Go4. I flew the Mavic to each point following it in a cart. When I was done collecting data I flew it back to the tee and started the run, following as fast as I could with the cart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnfaDm4sguk

How do you set these points? I am new to this and I have not had a chance to play with the go4 app in its entirety.

tca · Dec 24, 2018

When taping the course did you use way points and go hole by hole? I know you said you used Litchi.....is this a good program for this.....

buddb55 · Dec 24, 2018

tca said:
When taping the course did you use way points and go hole by hole? I know you said you used Litchi.....is this a good program for this.....

Litchi is fantastic for repeating a flight over and over. I used Virtual Litchi Mission (Windows only I believe) and Google Earth to test the missions out before heading to the course.