Orbit Shot Orientation

Derek · Jan 9, 2017

Hey there, Soloers/ites/rians(?)!

I'm wondering if this is possible with the Orbit feature but I haven't been able to get this to work the way I'm attempting. Is there any way to rotate the Solo so that it's facing **away** from the orbit center point. I have a client with a very large piece of property that we're going to survey and we'll need a shot orbiting towards the center of the property but also a shot near the center of the property pointing outward to show the surroundings. Every time I've attempted to do orbit and adjust yaw so the drone is facing away from the center point, the shot overrides it and spins it back around as soon as I start moving. I've been able to get a decent shot under manual control, but it would be much nicer if I could get a smooth, circular orbit of the surroundings.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas?

Maddog · Jan 9, 2017

I don't think so with the 3DR app, but I think you can do using Tower. That's a whole different issue, but you need an Android device to run Tower. Available for free from the google play store.

You would need to set up an autonomous mission with a Region Of Interest waypoint near the center of the property. I think you can approach that waypoint so that Solo will be pointing outward as it orbits, but I'm not sure.

I know you may not be familiar with Tower. There is a great YouTube video done by one of our members on using Tower.
I'll try to locate it when I get back home, but you can try searching for it in the meantime.

Derek · Jan 9, 2017

Ok... It's a shame that this isn't possible with the Solo app from 3DR. I'll look into Tower. I have a spare Android phone I can test on.

Mauiwind · Jan 9, 2017

How about a cable cam route that has multiple points surrounding the center area? Obviously, you keep the orientation of solo pointing camera away from the center as you program the inverted orbit route. Another possibility is a panorama from center point, transposed to an interactive, mouse controlled file.

Ed Beck · Jan 9, 2017

Mauiwind said:
How about a cable cam route that has multiple points surrounding the center area? Obviously, you keep the orientation of solo pointing camera away from the center as you program the inverted orbit route. Another possibility is a panorama from center point, transposed to an interactive, mouse controlled file.

The only problem with this approach is that the camera would lock on a point and trail behind the turn until it gets to the next point.

Why not park Solo over the center and use the left control to yaw your way in a circle?

Pushjerk · Jan 9, 2017

Ed Beck said:
Why not park Solo over the center and use the left control to yaw your way in a circle?

I first though ROI in Tower, but might be tricky keeping the camera positioned smoothly.

Ed's recommendation above really seems the most sensible. Easy enough to get a nice stable pan with the cam fixed in position.

**For super smooth and stable stick control, consider "pinching" as opposed to "thumbs". For more details, google RC/Drones pinching vs thumbs, or something like that.

Sid nguyen · Jan 10, 2017

U can definitely turn the camera away in an orbit shot. I was orbiting my house when I saw a flock of birds. I turned the camera away from my house and towards the birds. I started the orbit going counter clockwise really low then climbed high. When I saw the birds I turned the camera counterclockwise and raised the gimbal. Colin explains it in a video on how to tighten the circle and move camera away.

Maddog · Jan 11, 2017

Sid nguyen said:
U can definitely turn the camera away in an orbit shot. I was orbiting my house when I saw a flock of birds. I turned the camera away from my house and towards the birds. I started the orbit going counter clockwise really low then climbed high. When I saw the birds I turned the camera counterclockwise and raised the gimbal. Colin explains it in a video on how to tighten the circle and move camera away.

Did you have to hold the camera pointing out or did it stay there once you pointed it?

Sid nguyen · Jan 11, 2017

It stayed with the birds. I believe I just used left stick and gimbal left pointer finger up.

Sid nguyen · Jan 11, 2017

Here is the video

Ed Beck · Jan 11, 2017

The best (not easiest) way to shoot out in a tight orbit is a manual maneuver using a pan (left stick) combined with a side strafe (right stick) in the same direction as the pan. It's a good maneuver to learn because it gives a more natural looking pan than panning with the left stick alone.

You can adjust the diameter of the orbit with the controls. The more side strafe relative to pan the wider the orbit.