Photospheres Part II-- What you'll need to do…

When I first posted this Thread, it was too long for one submission.  I will be posting this thread in sections (Part II-a, Part II-b, etc…) as Replies to this Thread, there are numerous photos that are included, so hold onto your hats and let's get ready for this…

  

For those just joining us, the following Link is what started this Thread and following that Link is Part I

Am I The Only One Who Knows This???

Photospheres Part I -- What you'll need...

As these threads have developed, I've learned that I am not the only one who knows this, but from the response thus far, there are still a whole cadre of folks who want to know.  As I wrote previously, there is little documentation concerning this feature.  

In the DJI Mini 2 User Manual, on page 36, you will find the following reference to "Sphere," but nothing else and the DJI Tutorials on Quick Shots only touches on Dronies, Rocket, Circle, Helix, and Boomerang.

See Attached Excerpt from the User Manual below...

Now, once again, I'm flying the Mini 2 with the DJI Fly App and I'm using an Android Tablet.  So, if you are flying a different Drone and using a different App and a different Device (Smartphone or Tablet), the images may vary from what you see…

End of Part II-a…

  

Starting Part II-b…

Let's go make a "sphere"…  You will need to fly your drone, I made my first Sphere in the Guest Room in the house.  It was a night, I was anxious to try and it had been raining a lot that week.  But I would recommend your yard.  Remember, you must be flying to activate the "Pano" Option

With all your pre-flight checks completed, lift off 6-10 feet for this first one.  The reason I want your drone close to you is so you can see what is happening, it's fascinating…   

Tap your App to activate the Photo Mode (White Circle.

See Photo 2 -- Tap the Rectangle above the White Circle…

See Photo 3 -- Tap the Bottom Icon for Pano…

See Photo 4 -- Tap the Globe Icon to activate the Sphere Mode…

When you Click the Photo Button, whatever is in the center of the photo is where the Sphere will set as the beginning and when you bring up the Sphere, this scene will appear first, so Yaw around looking for the most pleasing view…

End of Part II-b…

Starting Part II-c…

While taking the Sphere, the Drone will yaw a full 360 degrees (one full turn or revolution).  It will not be one continuous turn, but in increments of 45 degrees, shoot 3-photos (High, Medium and Low), yaw another 45 degrees, shoot 3-more photo, for a total of about 26-photos (extras to catch the ground…).

Remember, you may have to adjust the settings on the camera to prevent under or over exposure…

Now, Click the Camera Photo Button, on your controller or the App.  Then do not touch any controls until the session is complete or it will cancel the shot.  The Drone will complete the Sphere very quickly and by standing so close, you can actually watch the Drone do its business and when it is done, the Drone will indicate  "100% Complete" and continue Hovering.

I recommend you do this a couple of times, just for fun…

When you look at the Album, you will see a little Globe Icon under the Spheres.  Tap on one and you will see what is commonly referred to as a "Little Earth"

See Photo 5 -- The Little Earth…

Now, Tap the Screen with the Little Earth…  The Magic happens right then and there…  I hope you are using a Tablet because a small Smartphone screen just does not do it justice…   The DJI Fly App Editor stitched all those photos into a seamless 360 Degree Sphere…

End of Part II-c…

Start of Part II-d…

I have downloaded the "Stitched Photo" down to my Google Drive (Free 15GB Storage in the Google Cloud with your Free Account…) and then looked at it using my computer and its Graphic Viewers and the Photo is a Biggo Rectangle that measures 4096 x 2048 Pixels, not some "Squishy, Ballsey, Thingy…"

Photo 6 -- The 4096 x 2048 Pixels Rectangular Photo, not some "Squishy, Ballsey, Thingy…"

So, if you want to see your Sphere, on your computer, you will need to be running some special software…

Like I wrote earlier, I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 with a 10" screen, running the DJI Fly App so I can peruse that Sphere all I want and see lots of detail, especially with the Zoom Feature.

Well, that's it for this Chapter of "Photospheres -- Part II."  I would not recommend Publishing these first Photospheres in Google Earth yet.  

Just as a warning, if you decide to do one of your neighborhood and you do not take the time to look it over very, very carefully, you might not notice your neighbor's wife is sunbathing out in her backyard and she's topless…

End of Part II-d…  That completes Part II, so hold off until "Photospheres Part III."   See ya soon…

Wow, what a great follow on from Part I.  Your instructions are easy to follow.  Can hardly wait to see what's in Part III.

BTW, loved your warning in Post 4 (about neighbors).  

Hello there LoudThunder. Good day and thank you for sharing these interesting information with us. Great work and thank you for your support.

Anxiously awaiting the part about uploading photospheres. Skypixel has an interface for uploading photospheres, but, as you've pointed out, no instructions. I was able to upload one to Google Photos using the "Share" function in DJI Fly (see attached). Seems like there should be a way to use more of the captured data, but that's probably overkill. Thanks much for putting in the work to explain what DJI hasn't (as far as we know).

Good info!

Great information.