Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time
After having recently announced both the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom, DJI has now announced the new Mavic 2 Enterprise. DJI is turning the Mavic name from more being than just a single drone into a whole range of products focused on different tasks
Despite the name, though, the Mavic 2 Enterprise is not aimed at seeking out new life and new civilisations, nor boldly going where no one has gone before. It’s designed for more practical aerial video uses in non-filmmaking industries.
When it comes to filters for drones, the first name that usually springs to mind is PolarPro. But just as PolarPro break out into the world of “real cameras“, the big names in filters seem to be targeting drones. This time, Tiffen is expanding their drone filter range with new filter kits for the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom, DJI Mavic 2 Pro, DJI Mavic Air and DJI Inspire 2.
University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) recently published a video showing what happens when a drone hits the wing of an airplane. DJI claims that the video is unrealistic, misleading, and damaging to the company’s reputation and to the drone industry in general. Consequently, they demand that UDRI withdraws the video immediately.
We have seen a fantastic visualization that shows us the chaos a single drone can cause when flying near an airport. But what would happen if a drone actually hit an airplane? Researchers at the University of Dayton Research Institute teamed up with Sinclair College National UAS Training and Certification Center to find out. In this video from Aviation International News, you can see what happens to both the drone and the airplane when they collide in mid-air.
Shooting down drones in the USA has been a thing for a while. Or at least, attempting to. And while there may be circumstances under which civilians are allowed to shoot down privacy-invading drones, the US government wants their chance, too.
Congress has now passed the FAA Reauthorization Act, which will allow them to “disrupt”, “exercise control”, or “seize or otherwise confiscate” drones that they perceive to be a “credible threat”. But it is not without objection.
DJI has just announced that they have been approved to offer Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) services for professional drone pilots. The FAA set up LAANC this year to help professional drone pilots operate within controlled airspace.
The FAA has been putting DJI through a “rigorous test and validation of DJI’s technology capabilities”, resulting in their seal of approval as a UAS Service Supplier. This allows DJI to offer their customers near-real-time authorisation to fly in controlled airspace near airports.
We’ve seen tech that lets you control a drone with body movement and with facial expressions. And now, the engineers at New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have teamed up to create a new tech that lets you control a drone with your eye movement. With a pair of eye-tracking glasses, you can tell your drone where to fly simply by moving your eyes.
If you’re in a market for a drone, there are many options to choose from. DJI launched Phantom 4 back in May this year, and two versions of Mavic 2 were launched a few weeks ago. In this video, Parker Walbeck gives you an in-depth comparison of the DJI Mavic Pro 2 and the Phantom 4 Pro. So in case you’re wondering which one to buy, or if you should upgrade from a drone you already own: this video is for you.
When you first get a drone, every single video you shoot looks amazing. At least to you, the person who made it. Because you made it. But after a while, when the initial buzz has worn off, you look at your footage and perhaps feel a little deflated. It wasn’t as good as you remembered it being. So, you need to push yourself. Use drones in a more interesting way. Use them to tell a story.
In this video, Dirk Dallas of From Where I Drone walks us through five cinematic drone techniques. Each can be used to help tell a different part of your story and connect with the viewer in a different way. And, they’re visually impressive manoeuvres, too.
Announced only a few days ago, the Mavic 2 drones already have their first reviews appearing. This one’s from the folks at We Talk UAV. They take out the Mavic 2 Pro and put that 1″ 10Bit Hasselblad camera to the test. DJI gave themselves a tough act to follow with the original DJI Mavic Pro or even the Mavic Pro Platinum, but it looks like they’ve actually outdone themselves.
You can find out more about John on his website and follow his adventures on YouTube and Facebook.
can change a lens mid-rappel, swap a memory card while treading water, or use a camel as a light stand.
To see more of his work please visit his studio website blurMEDIAphotography, or follow him on Twitter, 500px, Google Plus or YouTube.
JP’s photography is available for licensing at Stocksy United.
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