This news item caught my eye.
“DJI has expanded the feature set of the Phantom 2 Quadcopter line by giving it the ability to map out a route and automatically fly it. Using Ground Station, shooters will be able to create a route full of way points in order to let the quadcopter fly automatically from one point to another, and allow the shooter to concentrate on getting the shot. And it’s just what the pilot ordered.”
It reminded me of some of my thoughts on – what I was then calling a quadcopter but would now be a drone – how these flying camera platforms were going to evolve.
From my September 2012 summary post on drones after my Solar Odyssey exposure to Hoverfly and quadcopters in general:
I expect we’ll be able to automatically take off and land, but more importantly, be able to fly a pre-programmed path, hitting the appropriate way points and camera focus. It’d probably be possible to simply walk (on the ground) the path you want the camera to take, set and altitude and timing, and leave the rest to the camera/quadcopter to deal with.
Now DJI are one step closer with their new GroundStation. Not quite walking the route but automating it significantly. I still think it takes practice with these flying camera platforms to become very fluid but the technology will make it easier, and available to all – if their popularity doesn’t end up making them regulated to the point of uselessness.