Hi everyone, I’ve had a phantom 4 for a few weeks and took a night flight the other day. Can’t quite get the iso right, but would appreciate feedback from experienced guys on settings and tips!

Link to video here -

Jake

Sorry didn’t mean to post twice

First thing i would have to say is cut the length down to just a few minutes.
The video itself was very well done i think but it kinda looked like you were repeating scenes ie flying past the church steeple multiple times is a liitle to much.
The music was very good and the editing was well done.
As far as iso settings are concerned well there is no set position for any of these settings it will purely depend on you the videographer and what you want to achieve from your videos.
I guess your settings will be greatly influenced by the mood you are trying to create with your video. Think of it as creating a work of art,  its what you see that matters the most.

Well done and hope to see more of your videos soon.

I agree with Hellsgate, perhaps a couple of commercials in the middle somewhere. But the film is good, it even makes Colchester appear attractive, well much better than the cold wind and rainswept memories of a visit there in my childhood. I find the mood right, and it is a competent piece of flying.

Thanks for the feedback, yeah I did think the steeple was a bit over done! I’ll endevour to keep it a bit shorter in future!

Dockater, Colchester is one of Britain’s fastest growing towns with a current population just shy of 190,000 it’s certainly worth a visit again! Make it the summer though!

Many thanks again

Nice but a bit naughty ;-) be aware of the Drone rules and regs when flying in the Uk

Jakey boy Posted at 2018-1-13 07:29
https://youtu.be/1_FaeIXtuf4

Nice video!

DEUCEDOG Posted at 2018-1-14 02:35
Nice but a bit naughty ;-) be aware of the Drone rules and regs when flying in the Uk

Thanks, i think the camera makes it look like I was closer than reality, although I probably was 20m away from buildings at times... oops...

But in fairness as I was looking up at the drone, I noticed how high I actually was over the town, the camera is quite deceiving, when flying FPV you think ‘woh! I’m close’ then you you look up and are like ‘wow, I’m not close at all’

I know what you mean about appearing closer than you are in reality  but  flying over a heavily populated area ( and at night ) is what i meant , fly safe and we can all carry on flying

DEUCEDOG Posted at 2018-1-14 06:31
I know what you mean about appearing closer than you are in reality  but  flying over a heavily populated area ( and at night ) is what i meant , fly safe and we can all carry on flying

Yeah that’s why I said in the description that I know the area like the back of my hand, I was very cautious, but of course it does take great care to fly at night

Looks good, nice control...colors seemed good to me, but I'm no "expert"
Agree with those above, it needs to be and should be much shorter...a couple of minutes at the most

There’s some great footage there dirty bird!

By full auto, are you talking camera settings all on auto?

Thanks

Jakey boy Posted at 2018-1-14 08:32
Yeah that’s why I said in the description that I know the area like the back of my hand, I was very cautious, but of course it does take great care to fly at night

I’m new to this so forgive me if I’m wrong, but don’t you have to stay >500ft from built up areas meaning that overflying a town centre like this is very much a “no no” without a licence and caa approval?

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-1-14 13:57
Looks good to me.  I generally record night scenes in full auto as it seems to achieve good results.  I do suggest limiting to 30 fps as using 60 fps will double your ISO  & make for extremely grainy video.  This was recorded by a P4 in 1080x30 fps full auto:

https://youtu.be/BUsqqH99FVU

You are a "mad man", but that is some fantastic video! I would have been sweating the battery life the entire flight.

GDMills Posted at 2018-1-14 14:52
I’m new to this so forgive me if I’m wrong, but don’t you have to stay >500ft from built up areas meaning that overflying a town centre like this is very much a “no no” without a licence and caa approval?

[view_image]

Yep that's right but some don't think air safety regs apply to them !! shame they will give us all a bad reputation

DEUCEDOG Posted at 2018-1-15 03:01
Yep that's right but some don't think air safety regs apply to them !! shame they will give us all a bad reputation

I'm glad that I understand the rules.  The problem will come when somebody flying in total disregard for the Air Regs (like this example) has a problem and causes damage or harm to others.  There will be a knee jerk reaction and all of us (responsible or otherwise) will end up with far more onerous restrictions than currently apply.

GDMills Posted at 2018-1-15 03:44
I'm glad that I understand the rules.  The problem will come when somebody flying in total disregard for the Air Regs (like this example) has a problem and causes damage or harm to others.  There will be a knee jerk reaction and all of us (responsible or otherwise) will end up with far more onerous restrictions than currently apply.

The restrictions are already here with the Geo fencing etc and the uk Gov are already looking at other ways  to restrict flying , i live 4miles from Gatwick and last summer the runway was closed twice ( not by me ;-) ) because a drone was spotted on the flight path!! no wonder there is pressure for tighter regs . i also find it harder to get permission from land owners to take off and land because of all the bad press,  i find myself traveling further from home and even abroad to fly .... it's a shame but i'm seriously thinking of ditching Arial photography  altogether

DEUCEDOG Posted at 2018-1-15 05:31
The restrictions are already here with the Geo fencing etc and the uk Gov are already looking at other ways  to restrict flying , i live 4miles from Gatwick and last summer the runway was closed twice ( not by me ;-) ) because a drone was spotted on the flight path!! no wonder there is pressure for tighter regs . i also find it harder to get permission from land owners to take off and land because of all the bad press,  i find myself traveling further from home and even abroad to fly .... it's a shame but i'm seriously thinking of ditching Arial photography  altogether

Such a shame people won't just follow the rules so that we can all have fun safely..

Nice footage.

I'm glad you think it's a joke.  Unless the OP has a commercial license and approval for that flight from the CAA he is potentially screwing it up for all of us should something go wrong.  Looking at the other videos he has posted.  They ALL break the UK Drone Safety regulations.  

Awesome....let's all laugh about it until drone flying by amateurs is banned

GDMills Posted at 2018-1-15 06:56
I'm glad you think it's a joke.  Unless the OP has a commercial license and approval for that flight from the CAA he is potentially screwing it up for all of us should something go wrong.  Looking at the other videos he has posted.  They ALL break the UK Drone Safety regulations.  

Awesome....let's all laugh about it until drone flying by amateurs is banned

Well said   

GDMills Posted at 2018-1-15 03:44
I'm glad that I understand the rules.  The problem will come when somebody flying in total disregard for the Air Regs (like this example) has a problem and causes damage or harm to others.  There will be a knee jerk reaction and all of us (responsible or otherwise) will end up with far more onerous restrictions than currently apply.

I think in my case, coming with a lot of RC experience (though new to drones) I flew with great care and attention, with substantial knowledge of fr local area, I was also higher than it seems in the video, however, I will in future fly higher and adhere to regulations.

In my defence I wasn’t aware, untill now, that you needed to be that far away from buildings etc. I honestly (and it’s your choice whether you believe me or not) thought that I only needed to be 50m away from buildings and people.

Admittedly at times I was closer than 50m, but I do think the regulations need to be clearer for new flyers.

And then there is the age old ‘lets Push the limits a bit for some great footage’ thrown in, and that, I’m afraid is taken too far by many, but in my case I believe I flew safe and sound

I’m certainly not one to be stupid and risk injuring someone etc.

Most of the footage on YouTube isn’t very very close to buildings, so it seems everyone is taking the regulations with a large pinch of salt... your right though, it will take an accident for things to change, and I believe it doesn’t really matter what height the drone is at, if it fails at any height over a town or city, it’s gonna be bad!

Jakey boy Posted at 2018-1-15 08:53
I think in my case, coming with a lot of RC experience (though new to drones) I flew with great care and attention, with substantial knowledge of fr local area, I was also higher than it seems in the video, however, I will in future fly higher and adhere to regulations.

In my defence I wasn’t aware, untill now, that you needed to be that far away from buildings etc. I honestly (and it’s your choice whether you believe me or not) thought that I only needed to be 50m away from buildings and people.

Meant ‘is very close’ not ‘isn’t’

How do you edit posts??

Jakey boy Posted at 2018-1-15 08:58
Meant ‘is very close’ not ‘isn’t’

How do you edit posts??

There's no way to fly legally over a built up area in the UK like Colchester or Wivenhoe unless you have a commercial license and CAA approval.

You have to maintain 500ft clearance so even at max legal altitude you would still be 100 ft below that flying over head.

You cannot fly the drone legally above 400ft AGL.  You cannot fly the drone within 500ft of a built up area.  Therefore any overflights - like yours and the others on your channel - break the UK Drone Code.

If something went wrong and damage/injury etc were to occur as a result you would not have a leg to stand on.

Please - for all of our sakes - fly within the UK drone code.

GDMills Posted at 2018-1-15 09:09
There's no way to fly legally over a built up area in the UK like Colchester or Wivenhoe unless you have a commercial license and CAA approval.

You have to maintain 500ft clearance so even at max legal altitude you would still be 100 ft below that flying over head.

Based on those regs, I’ll sell the drone!

Crumbs. What good are they for exciting videos and memories if you can only fly them in fields and the like...

Never mind! You best get telling the 1000’s of drone uses who fly even closer Than I did! But for me, those regs defeat the object of flying a drone.

There’s even a video on YouTube of a guy who flys his drone in Colchester, and launches it from various places in the town to take photos, you’ll see it, Just search for it on YouTube.

To me that’s far more dangerous, but he also, needs telling.

My sentiments, don’t take offence, but I will now consider selling up because they are some tight regs that really take the fun out of flying...

H&S gone mad!

Hey Ho, it was enjoyable while it lasted.

Jakey boy Posted at 2018-1-15 09:16
Based on those regs, I’ll sell the drone!

Crumbs. What good are they for exciting videos and memories if you can only fly them in fields and the like...

That's entirely up to you.

I'm more amazed that you're flying it without reading the UK Drone code...!

I'm sure the chances of a problem flying the way you do are remote but imagine a scenario where your drone throws a prop off while over the town, a 1Kg projectile dropping from 400ft will very likely damage something or somebody if you are over a built up area.

The flight data files will show that you were not flying in accordance with the regs.

You will not have a leg to stand on.  So I prefer to think of it as protecting yourself.

GDMills Posted at 2018-1-15 09:51
That's entirely up to you.

I'm more amazed that you're flying it without reading the UK Drone code...!

I thought you had to be 50m away and that was that...

I’ve just been skimming through YouTube and I cannot find one video of people flying in the uk over cities that are obeying the regs. So I’m not the only one who’s been ignorant to the rules.

There are guys flying over Colchester castle within about 20metres.

Guys flying over the dart ford crossing, London Bridge, the London eye Etc etc,

The list goes on, so it seems there’s no hope, of evey man and his dog is flying like this, then it won’t be long before drones are banned completely.

I fully understand the safety aspect of it all. And in my job H&S is taken seriously, but I’m my opinion, my flight was very well controlled and safe. But I will concede that the rules are the rules, and now you’ve enlightened me, it has made me re think whether or not to keep the drone, because as far as I’m concerned flying over farmers fields is extremely boring!

The reason I got the drone was from seeing the amazing cityscapes and night flys from drone uses. Turns out there all flying illegally. Such a shame.

I think there should be a mandatory license to prove your competence, then you should be aloud to fly within 50m of anything. That’s never going to happen... oh well...

Jakey boy Posted at 2018-1-15 10:06
I thought you had to be 50m away and that was that...

I’ve just been skimming through YouTube and I cannot find one video of people flying in the uk over cities that are obeying the regs. So I’m not the only one who’s been ignorant to the rules.

And how do you edit posts? I keep making spelling mistakes on my iPhone keyboard and then can’t correvt then after I’ve posted!!

Jakey boy Posted at 2018-1-15 10:06
I thought you had to be 50m away and that was that...

I’ve just been skimming through YouTube and I cannot find one video of people flying in the uk over cities that are obeying the regs. So I’m not the only one who’s been ignorant to the rules.

You could always take your license and then it's pretty easy to get CAA approval for the kind of flights you want to do.

GDMills Posted at 2018-1-15 10:10
You could always take your license and then it's pretty easy to get CAA approval for the kind of flights you want to do.

I was under the impression that the license was for paid work only?

Jakey boy Posted at 2018-1-15 10:06
I thought you had to be 50m away and that was that...

I’ve just been skimming through YouTube and I cannot find one video of people flying in the uk over cities that are obeying the regs. So I’m not the only one who’s been ignorant to the rules.

Taking Colchester Castle as an example, you can certainly take off from the open park to the north (unless there's a crowd there for an event) and fly around a lot of the castle itself - just making sure that you don't over fly the houses to the South, East and West.

It just makes the planning more important.

Your video of Wivenhoe is lovely - all of the shots taken from when you were flying above and along the river and the opposite bank to the town are perfectly legal I believe.  

Jake nobody wants to  take away the fun in our hobby but we all have to share the airspace safely , drone users are not the only ones to bend the rules ... i was in my back garden last summer to be overflown by a heli at no more than 200ft , he was that low you could read the logo on his shirt lol  . The CAA are trying to keep the airspace over the uk safe for all  but the number of near misses just keep going up and i can see the day when if you wish to fly your drone you will need to gain  a permit ... is that a bad thing ?
Btw chill about the spellin  i understand what your saying

Thanks for all the info, none of my frustrations are aimed at any of you, i just feel it a bit of pity that so many regulations mean so much excellent footage will be impossible...

I appreciate there needs to be regs, but I just feel a competency test and some changes mom sense should be enough, as well as some limits on distance, height etc

Jakey boy Posted at 2018-1-15 11:12
Thanks for all the info, none of my frustrations are aimed at any of you, i just feel it a bit of pity that so many regulations mean so much excellent footage will be impossible...

I appreciate there needs to be regs, but I just feel a competency test and some changes mom sense should be enough, as well as some limits on distance, height etc

Common sense* arghh! iPhone keyboard!!!

DEUCEDOG Posted at 2018-1-15 10:46
Jake nobody wants to  take away the fun in our hobby but we all have to share the airspace safely , drone users are not the only ones to bend the rules ... i was in my back garden last summer to be overflown by a heli at no more than 200ft , he was that low you could read the logo on his shirt lol  . The CAA are trying to keep the airspace over the uk safe for all  but the number of near misses just keep going up and i can see the day when if you wish to fly your drone you will need to gain  a permit ... is that a bad thing ?
Btw chill about the spellin  i understand what your saying

I walked around Thirlmere in the Lake District back in October and witnessed a chap flying his drone up to a few hundred feet altitude out over the water.

Not breaking any rules.

However Thirlmere is one of the busiest low level training routes for military aircraft which often fly across the water at 200ft altitude or lower if they’re breaking the rules.  Not such a clever place to fly a drone then...

This is why local knowledge and clear visual line of sight are essential as a Tornado hitting a Phantom at 400 knots flying at 200ft would quite possibly ruin the crews morning and cost them the jet and possibly their lives.

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-1-15 19:53
"Please - for all of our sakes - fly within the UK drone code."

Ever noticed those whose only contribution is to quote rules & scold others generally offer a portfolio of little to nothing in the way of interesting material?  

It would be tough for me to have contributed more as I got my first drone on Jan 2nd.

Before I did however I did a lot of reading and research to ensure I knew where and how I was permitted to fly it in the UK.

I see that as being mature, responsible and minimal risk to others, myself and my drone.  If everyone plays by the rules we all get to play for longer.
Sadly some people are selfish, immature and irresponsible and will, I have no doubt, screw it up for everyone else in due course.

That’s some awesome flying and footage  dirty bird, are you using range extenders? If so which ones?

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-1-16 06:26
If you insist on religiously obeying every rule your portfolio is unlikely to improve as you will never fly further than a few hundred feet lest you violate the VLOS rule.  

https://youtu.be/K-Ct5V2YK1M

I'm quite comfortable with that.  I come equipped with a moral compass.  It points the right way.

Yours may need calibration.......

GDMills Posted at 2018-1-16 09:38
I'm quite comfortable with that.  I come equipped with a moral compass.  It points the right way.

Yours may need calibration.......

GD Mills, out of interest, what do you hope to film/photograph with your drone? Have you got any footage I could see?

I’m genuinely interested, as I want to see what footage guys that obey all the regs come up with.

Al I can find on YouTube is people flying close to buildings and what not. So I’m waiting to see footage of people flying by the letter of the law...
Also, has anyone seen the footage of the dude in Miami who chases cruise ships, AMAZING! but illegal? It’s a shame the best footage is always going to be illegal...