Have any of you used or experimented with flying your Mavic while in spotlight mode?  In theory it sounds brilliant to lock onto a subject so that it stays in frame while you focus on piloting the drone around for cinematic effect.  However, if your subject moves and or you pilot the Mavic in anything other than a straight line, things get crazy.  Once you initiate Spotlight Mode all the directional controls are locked/fixed according to the direction the Mavic is facing at that moment.  So if your Mavic is facing due east, due east will now always be forward on the forward stick regardless of which way the Mavic ends up facing later on.  

In other words, if the subject moves, thus causing the Mavic to rotate while keeping the subject in frame, you will be surprised to find that your controls do not correspond to the way your Mavic is facing, but rather the way it was facing when you started Spotlight.  Once the Subject has moved off the original line, it becomes very confusing to try to pilot the Mavic because all the directions are now irrelevant to subject and drone.  They are based on a initial posture that is now long gone.  This is "Course Lock" in spotlight mode.  Unless there is something wrong with my Mavic, I believe this is standard when using Spotlight Mode.  It seems it would be much more intuitive to maintain actual flight controls relative to the posture of the drone.  

  

  

Do you guys know of anyway to lock onto a subject and have the freedom to control the aircraft as it actually faces?

  

I had the same question awhile back. I have learned to live with it and it actually gives you a non linear (not a straight line or circle) filming perspective. It does arcs and all sorts of crazy paths. But it is smooth which is good. I would just say learn to use it and get some killer footage because I doubt even an experienced pilot can achieve the kind of flight paths this mode provides.

OhOhDrone Posted at 2017-6-13 07:56
I had the same question awhile back. I have learned to live with it and it actually gives you a non linear (not a straight line or circle) filming perspective. It does arcs and all sorts of crazy paths. But it is smooth which is good. I would just say learn to use it and get some killer footage because I doubt even an experienced pilot can achieve the kind of flight paths this mode provides.

I agree some great shots can be obtained, however how do you ever consistently steer the aircraft?  Once everything moves from it's original location forward is no longer forward.  It may be that pushing the stick forward causes the Mavic to fly in a diagonal line or reverse for example.  I just can't see how you can keep directions straight in your head once it is no longer oriented the way it was when you started.  I am also wondering if we are talking about the same thing.  I am wondering if mine is working correctly.  Example: If I set up the drone facing me.  I enter spotlight mode locking onto myself.  I walk clockwise 90 degrees.  The drone rotates to keep me in frame.  I then push the stick that would normally go forward.  The drone moves sideways rather than forward.  If I want the drone to actually go forward towards my new position I have to move the stick to the side.  Is that what happens with you guys?

Sounds like Active Track might be the mode for you.

Well Spotlight is an Active Track option.  It is one of three Active Track options.  The other two do not offer as much user input.
Perhaps Spotlight just does not get used much.  I'm trying to figure it out.  I cannot understand why course lock would be the default over native control.
Would love to hear from others that have figured out how to use it effectivley.

Jmuir Posted at 2017-6-13 08:14
I agree some great shots can be obtained, however how do you ever consistently steer the aircraft?  Once everything moves from it's original location forward is no longer forward.  It may be that pushing the stick forward causes the Mavic to fly in a diagonal line or reverse for example.  I just can't see how you can keep directions straight in your head once it is no longer oriented the way it was when you started.  I am also wondering if we are talking about the same thing.  I am wondering if mine is working correctly.  Example: If I set up the drone facing me.  I enter spotlight mode locking onto myself.  I walk clockwise 90 degrees.  The drone rotates to keep me in frame.  I then push the stick that would normally go forward.  The drone moves sideways rather than forward.  If I want the drone to actually go forward towards my new position I have to move the stick to the side.  Is that what happens with you guys?

Yes I don't really care about the heading so I normally would hold it in one direction, say right, on the control stick and slowly move it to the up/down position based on the trajectory. It works well for me and an example is when I am actively tracking someone paddle boarding. I would have the drone acquire the subject, have the subject start moving and then I move the stick. I aim for a 10-15 sec of good clip before I change position. I have to change the position because the drone is either flying too far or too close to the subject. When that happens, I invert where my current control stick position is. That is how I have been using spotlight. I always try to use multi dimensional trajectories (more than one direction in 3 planes) since it holds the viewer's attention better.

Jmuir Posted at 2017-6-13 09:58
Well Spotlight is an Active Track option.  It is one of three Active Track options.  The other two do not offer as much user input.
Perhaps Spotlight just does not get used much.  I'm trying to figure it out.  I cannot understand why course lock would be the default over native control.
Would love to hear from others that have figured out how to use it effectivley.

Ah, sorry, I fixated on the moving target problem and completely missed your main point. It does sound confusing.

OhOhDrone Posted at 2017-6-13 10:13
Yes I don't really care about the heading so I normally would hold it in one direction, say right, on the control stick and slowly move it to the up/down position based on the trajectory. It works well for me and an example is when I am actively tracking someone paddle boarding. I would have the drone acquire the subject, have the subject start moving and then I move the stick. I aim for a 10-15 sec of good clip before I change position. I have to change the position because the drone is either flying too far or too close to the subject. When that happens, I invert where my current control stick position is. That is how I have been using spotlight. I always try to use multi dimensional trajectories (more than one direction in 3 planes) since it holds the viewer's attention better.

So do you experience the same thing I describe (stick commands are related to the drone's starting position rather than its actual position)?  Want to confirm there is nothing wrong with my equipment.

Do you have any links to video with this mode? I'm pretty curious to see it

Jmuir Posted at 2017-6-13 12:51
So do you experience the same thing I describe (stick commands are related to the drone's starting position rather than its actual position)?  Want to confirm there is nothing wrong with my equipment.

There isn't anything wrong. I asked the same question you did because I had the same thoughts that there was something wrong. I couldn't quite explain how the controls affect the mode but you did a great job describing it in your original post.

Anyways here was my post about it and you can see even DJI was stumped. But I have learned to use it for some cool dynamic perspective.

jamesw Posted at 2017-6-13 13:21
Do you have any links to video with this mode? I'm pretty curious to see it

I will look for what I have, they would be unedited. Or if the OP has one that would be great too.

Jmuir Posted at 2017-6-13 12:51
So do you experience the same thing I describe (stick commands are related to the drone's starting position rather than its actual position)?  Want to confirm there is nothing wrong with my equipment.

I also forgot to mention that you should couple movements from both sticks for that great random arcs. If you think of 10-15s of movements from the mavic you will find this option quite interesting. At least I hope you do. I got annoyed/worried at first but have grown to love it when I needed it. I would never use it in enclosed spaces where I don't know how it would react.

Jmuir Posted at 2017-6-13 12:51
So do you experience the same thing I describe (stick commands are related to the drone's starting position rather than its actual position)?  Want to confirm there is nothing wrong with my equipment.

Nothing is wrong.  It does a course lock with Spotlight; making it useless for anything you THOUGHT you'd use it for.

Get the DJI Goggles.  You have a tremendous amount of gimbal control with the tracking features.  You can 360 a 'target' very easily if you are situationally aware of 'stuff.'   

Great posts.  For now I guess I will use it for what it is.  Keeping it to 10-25 second clips will help.  The million dollar question in my mind is, Why?  Why is course lock the preffered flight mode, the only flight mode, when using Spotlight?  How is it superior to controlling the drone naturally.  It seems you could get all the shots that Course Lock flight would offer and more.

For me the course-lock is a feature. It enables you to do great fly-by while keeping the subject framed. In the following video I used it several times:  The opening scene along the ridge and the pull away at 0:56.



Try using the active-track profile mode to achieve a more "free flight" mode.

I don't think the Active Track including spotlight modes are intended for you to control the Mavic at the same time. That would be pointless. Either let the Mavic do its job in that mode or if you want to make changes, then turn the mode off and fly the Mavic yourself.

Jenee 2 Posted at 2017-6-13 22:03
I don't think the Active Track including spotlight modes are intended for you to control the Mavic at the same time. That would be pointless. Either let the Mavic do its job in that mode or if you want to make changes, then turn the mode off and fly the Mavic yourself.

I disagree that it is pointless to fly the drone while using spotlight mode.  There is a element of dificulty in manuvering the drone while keeping a subject in frame simultaneously, particularly when obstacles must be avoided.  To me spotlight has the greatest potential.  There are numerous dynamic shots you could capture if you were free to pilot the drone while knowing the subject was always in frame.  My great confusion is why  course lock is coupled with spotlight mode.  I assume there is some great benefit to this.  I have tried to discover it, but it elludes me.  I will continue to use spotlight mode as is, it just takes a great deal of practice to control the drone once your controls get switched around and are no longer relevenat to the drone or the subject.  Frankly, it is unsafe.

i love spot light, if you orient the quad before engaging it and know your targets path its a wonderful tool.
i think the  OP would find profile fits his expectations a little better

courselock has been around for ages. Since the Wookong FC. and I think Naza as well (can't remember now) and I find Spotlight to be very useful while flying. If you want a trick, squint your eyes after engaging spotlight and make the rig blurry, and just pilot the dot without paying attention to the front or back... the rig is following a subject so it's going to need to pan to kep that subject in frame. So squint and fly the dot in any direction you want, Problem solved.

Jmuir Posted at 2017-6-16 04:17
I disagree that it is pointless to fly the drone while using spotlight mode.  There is a element of dificulty in manuvering the drone while keeping a subject in frame simultaneously, particularly when obstacles must be avoided.  To me spotlight has the greatest potential.  There are numerous dynamic shots you could capture if you were free to pilot the drone while knowing the subject was always in frame.  My great confusion is why  course lock is coupled with spotlight mode.  I assume there is some great benefit to this.  I have tried to discover it, but it elludes me.  I will continue to use spotlight mode as is, it just takes a great deal of practice to control the drone once your controls get switched around and are no longer relevenat to the drone or the subject.  Frankly, it is unsafe.

I agree with you!  I thought it would lock on an image and allow me to pilot it via normal stick motions. Example, I wanted to be able to fly my MP while my son rides his dirt bike on a track. I can't realistically both fly the drone and turn it and keep the camera aimed at him...he will be moving too fast.

I wanted the MP to keep the camera aimed no matter where I flew the MP, within reason of course.  Via this tact, I thought I could fly above, behind, to one side, then the other....all via me flying the MP...all the MP would have to do is keep aimed at me, just like it does in follow me.

Seems like the best I can do is have it 'course lock' on a diagonal path (the track is kinda a figure 8) and fly it back and forth in a straight line on that 'course'.  Will that work??  Haven't been able to test it yet, hence the inquiry.

Thanks!  

dmac1 Posted at 2-10 09:51
I agree with you!  I thought it would lock on an image and allow me to pilot it via normal stick motions. Example, I wanted to be able to fly my MP while my son rides his dirt bike on a track. I can't realistically both fly the drone and turn it and keep the camera aimed at him...he will be moving too fast.

I wanted the MP to keep the camera aimed no matter where I flew the MP, within reason of course.  Via this tact, I thought I could fly above, behind, to one side, then the other....all via me flying the MP...all the MP would have to do is keep aimed at me, just like it does in follow me.

You should also be able to fly left and right as you travel that 'course'. Have a look on youtube for Mavic Pro course lock, there are a number of good demonstrations there.

Jmuir Posted at 2017-6-16 04:17
I disagree that it is pointless to fly the drone while using spotlight mode.  There is a element of dificulty in manuvering the drone while keeping a subject in frame simultaneously, particularly when obstacles must be avoided.  To me spotlight has the greatest potential.  There are numerous dynamic shots you could capture if you were free to pilot the drone while knowing the subject was always in frame.  My great confusion is why  course lock is coupled with spotlight mode.  I assume there is some great benefit to this.  I have tried to discover it, but it elludes me.  I will continue to use spotlight mode as is, it just takes a great deal of practice to control the drone once your controls get switched around and are no longer relevenat to the drone or the subject.  Frankly, it is unsafe.

You're right on, Jmuir: Actively flying while in spotlight mode both creates really cool footage yet is very disorienting as a pilot due to this courselock-like setting it takes on. Like, you can swoop down on a subject as you approach then pull up as you pass, keeping it in view the whole time and creating a nice cinematic effect. I just find I have to figure out what the right stick is doing first, through trial and error. Then I just tell myself, for this shot, "right is back; left is forward." I'm guessing the reason it's set up this way is because the camera cannot turn on a 360-degree axis, so in order to keep your subject in the center of the frame, the drone itself has to be free to move.

I agree to the merits of the current spotlight mode, but they should add the option for "course lock" and "relative/standard" controls.  This as an option would instantly clear up confusion for users and the programming would basically be achieved in less than 10 minutes .  I like the option for both modes, because I need to track objects while flying around obstacles and when controls switch and invert relative to craft it is extremely confusing.