This blog shines our spotlight on the 2014 April NAB Convention in Las Vegas Nevada. As a leading video production company located in Carlsbad, California, Bizvid Communications likes to visit the National Association of Broadcasters convention yearly and report on interesting trends and products. While we had seen this before, one gadget that really caught our attention deals with aerial videography. For about $1200 one can purchase this DJI Phantom 2 Vision flying camera drone for sensational visuals.
Imagine capturing footage from high above your subject matter and incorporating that with ground level video in post production.
Like many other drones, the Phantom 2 Vision is a radio-controlled quad-copter that connects with Apple’s iOS ecosystem of devices. But unlike many other options, it includes a dedicated physical controller, a stabilized HD fish eye-lens camera, GPS positioning for steady flight and emergency returns, and a Wi-Fi booster to aid connectivity with an iPhone or iPad at long range.
The physical controller is powered by four AA batteries, which allows for precise and comfortable control. The left stick controls ascent and descent by pushing up and down, while the “yaw” of the drone can be rotated left or right accordingly. The right stick controls forward and backward motion, as well as strafing left or right.
The HD video can be recorded at 30 frames per second in 1080p, or 60 frames per second 1080i. DJI says that a variety of lens filters are “coming soon,” allowing users to remove lens distortion caused by the current fisheye.
Perhaps most impressive is that the Phantom 2 manages to accomplish all of this on an advertised flight time of 25 minutes on a single battery charge. And while you wouldn’t call the Phantom “small,” it is portable enough to easily fit inside a backpack with the propellers removed.
They say that flying is a breeze and that you’ll soon be zipping around, doing low flyovers, going under obstacles and bringing it in for a safe, soft landing…while capturing some unbelievable footage.
While BizVid does not own this equipment, if you have a project that could benefit from this type of video, we know how to get one. Thanks for joining us in this blog.