Basic drone question at DVinfo.net

Urban Skargren · June 1st, 2015, 08:19 AM

Hello.

I am new into drones (or octocopters) and I am researching to possibly buy one.

The main purpose would be to rent flying services, sell stock footage and complement footage to short films.

I see there are a lot of ”Gopro level” drones out there (incl Phantom 3), but the question I have is if the image quality is enough for professional work? Can it stand up to the bigger drones which can carry DSLR or Red cameras? Of course the quality is not the same, but can it compete? I saw a reel for the Phantom 3, but it is hard to determine if the quality of the image is really high.

Nate Haustein · June 1st, 2015, 09:32 AM

Yes. It is quite good for the price when used properly. Carrying a full-sized camera is in a whole other world skill-level & cost-wise when it comes to multirotor systems. A theatrical film, for example, is entirely different, but for a good number of projects, I think the gopro/phantoms can hold up. Especially if you're just starting out, flying a $5,000+ DSLR craft is agonizingly stressful.

Roger Gunkel · June 1st, 2015, 09:40 AM

There are many different options depending on what level of quality you are looking at and how much money you want to spend. A DJI Phantom with GoPro 4 will give you 4k footage and you can get started for less than $2000, if you want to look at quads capable of carrying DSLRs and Red cameras etc, then the cost of everything starts escalating into many thousands and up into tens of thousands of dollars if you have that kind of money. Also 'Professional Quality' can cover a wide range depending on end user, so news coverage may accept a lower quality than documentary work would. You really can't expect a Phanton and GoPro to match the quality of a heavy duty quad with a Red camera and 3 axis gimbal both for stability and image quality, but I would consider starting small to get used to flying and filming techniques.

There is then the matter of learning to operate you quad in a safe and sensible manner, both to protect your high investment and safety of people and property around. Many countries require an official operators licence for unmanned aerial vehicles and usually strict operating guidelines, but what the requirements are in your own country I don't know.

As a phantom and GoPro flier for my own enjoyment, I wish you luck and hope you keep us informed of progress. I would also suggest you join the RC Groups forum as they have a massive forum for quads of all types.

Roger

June 1st, 2015, 08:19 AM	#1
Urban Skargren Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Medellin, Colombia Posts: 225	Basic drone question Hello. I am new into drones (or octocopters) and I am researching to possibly buy one. The main purpose would be to rent flying services, sell stock footage and complement footage to short films. I see there are a lot of ”Gopro level” drones out there (incl Phantom 3), but the question I have is if the image quality is enough for professional work? Can it stand up to the bigger drones which can carry DSLR or Red cameras? Of course the quality is not the same, but can it compete? I saw a reel for the Phantom 3, but it is hard to determine if the quality of the image is really high.

June 1st, 2015, 09:32 AM	#2
Nate Haustein Trustee Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 1,313	Re: Basic drone question Yes. It is quite good for the price when used properly. Carrying a full-sized camera is in a whole other world skill-level & cost-wise when it comes to multirotor systems. A theatrical film, for example, is entirely different, but for a good number of projects, I think the gopro/phantoms can hold up. Especially if you're just starting out, flying a $5,000+ DSLR craft is agonizingly stressful. __________________ Nate Haustein PXW-FX9 / FCPX www.flightcreativemedia.com

June 1st, 2015, 09:40 AM	#3
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Basic drone question There are many different options depending on what level of quality you are looking at and how much money you want to spend. A DJI Phantom with GoPro 4 will give you 4k footage and you can get started for less than $2000, if you want to look at quads capable of carrying DSLRs and Red cameras etc, then the cost of everything starts escalating into many thousands and up into tens of thousands of dollars if you have that kind of money. Also 'Professional Quality' can cover a wide range depending on end user, so news coverage may accept a lower quality than documentary work would. You really can't expect a Phanton and GoPro to match the quality of a heavy duty quad with a Red camera and 3 axis gimbal both for stability and image quality, but I would consider starting small to get used to flying and filming techniques. There is then the matter of learning to operate you quad in a safe and sensible manner, both to protect your high investment and safety of people and property around. Many countries require an official operators licence for unmanned aerial vehicles and usually strict operating guidelines, but what the requirements are in your own country I don't know. As a phantom and GoPro flier for my own enjoyment, I wish you luck and hope you keep us informed of progress. I would also suggest you join the RC Groups forum as they have a massive forum for quads of all types. Roger