QUADCOPTERS: THE SKY IS THE LIMIT
As technology advances in everyday devices, it also continues to improve in the filmmaking industry. A tool, called a quadcopter, has been developed and is highly popular for consumer brands as well as those who want to establish aerial shots and use various angles throughout their film.
The four rotor copter uses two fixed clockwise and two counter-clockwise propellers to levitate the aircraft. With the ability to mount your camera onto the copter, you can capture aerial shots similar to that which a helicopter or crane would be able to achieve. The slick, model base design of the quadcopter allows for the creation of smooth shots and easy maneuverability throughout shooting.
There are various opportunities to use a quadcopter throughout filming, and they are perfect for capturing the grand scale of events, following action over distances, or even setting the scene with iconic landscapes. With the ability to capture views from hundreds of feet above, you can bring a new perspective and meaning to your work. It may be hard to get used to the settings of the quadcopter but once you understand the modules, the imagery captured by the camera could take your vision to a new level- literally!
As quadcopters are continually being developed and improved, they can be compared to using a helicopter and crane. For obvious reasons, the quadcopters are more affordable and simpler to navigate. Most include transmitters to help stabilize the copters and they don’t create vibration movements. Quads will also fit into tighter, smaller areas and normally have a longer flight time. Although some do prefer the helis because of it’s ability to capture more of an aerial view from greater height, the quadcopter is perfect for those who want a less expensive, easier option.
A question that is certain to arise as the development of quadcopters increases, is whether or not they can match the same quality results as a helicopter, and will these new technologies eventually lead to the helicopter industry fizzling out. The demand of helicopters may decrease as each new device is created, but helis and cranes are unlikely to be out of business just yet; while they are comparable, quads and helis still provide the structure to capture the more difficult takes. The future may see the popularity of quadcopters supersede that of helicopters, but there will always be filmmakers who prefer one over the other.
While the quadcopters are a better economical option, they do have safety precautions every flyer needs to be aware of. The most important is to be extremely cautious around the propellers when they are in motion. The blades move at a fast speed and if they come into contact with you, they can cut through your skin. In addition, if you’re a novice at flying copters, there is the possibility that it may crash. Depending on how hard it hits the ground, the frame of the quadcopter is likely to get the most bruising. Luckily, it is affordable to replace if the damage is not extreme. One last thing to consider is to purchase insurance for your copter. If your copter fails for any reason, or if there is loss of control mid-flight, it can cause a lot of damage; whether it be free falling and crashing on the ground or into a windshield of a car. It is better to be safe and prepared than to not have any coverage.
At this point in time, the regulations for flying a copter are that they cannot be flown near an airport, be used to create money and they cannot exceed over 400 ft from the ground. You also cannot invade others’ privacy by using the copters. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been implementing these rules to ensure the safety of the civilians and guidelines for those controlling the drones. Over the next 10 to 15 years the legalities of unmanned drones are going to be hugely controversial.
As the new innovative designs of quadcopters are being developed, they have a universal use and are being employed as a delivery service in big companies such as Amazon. They have created their newest form of airmail, 30 Minutes Prime Air, which is delivering parcels from a quadcopter. Despite their ambitions being high and trying to create a new use of the copter, the process is said to be impractical. While the technology for their strategy to work is in place, the regulations for aircraft are not. In the United States, Amazon had stated that their quadcopters will be ready by the FAA in 2015. With this in mind, their new innovative approach to using the quadcopter could be extremely successful in their plan to deliver parcels within 30 minutes. With this new invention, there are a few downsides. One being that for the Amazon’s Prime Air service, if a copter is carrying an expensive and valuable parcel, someone can easily track the copter in the sky and take it down by various, criminal acts. Also, the quadcopter service may only work in rural areas where private land is available whereas in a more urban setting, if you’re setting a parcel down on the street filled with houses next to each other, someone could easily snatch the package. Even though this is not an ideal situation, it is certainly something Amazon needs to consider before going forth with their creation.
Whether the quadcopter is being used for filmmaking or even mail service, it is forming into an innovative device that is universal to all different kinds of industries. It will be interesting to see what other companies use the quadcopters for and how they utilize and personalize the quadcopters to work for them.
