Hi guys and DJI team,

How often did you have when you back to the computer after shooting interesting objects, insert the SD and ... find nothing on SD? Why this might happens? It's simple. When you think about a flight safety, dealing with a falling application, choosing a distance, angle, speed etc., you forgot about only one thing - to start recording. And what is the result? You have lost unique surveys. In most cases,  repeat the conditions of shooting, the subject and circumstances are impossible.

Anyone who has ever faced this problem, please support me in this request:

DJI Team, please, PLEASE (tons of PLEASE) make in setup setting switch to enable/disable automatic start recording when takeoff.
I think, more then 90% users starts recording before takeoff. If you add this setting in setup, last 10% users can off it when they wants to fly to a filming object without a recording. This simple setting might save many unique footages.

Best regards,
Alex   

Hitting record should be part of the preflight checklist you go over before every flight.
But I understand many people read it but then complete the rest of the checklist and take off and forget to hit record.
In the GO app in the Me section there's a feedback section where you can put in your request.

I wouldn't mind that as an option. Something like "Video recording starts at takeoff"

I usually don't record the entire flight.  I will get up in the air, set up my shot, hit record, hit stop, and find my next shot and do it again.  I guess it depends on what you're going for, but I don't see why it's hard to remember to record, I guess.

I have forgotten to hit that button a coupe of times and It would be a nice addition to be able to have the choice.

DJI-Ken Posted at 2017-5-3 08:18
Hitting record should be part of the preflight checklist you go over before every flight.
But I understand many people read it but then complete the rest of the checklist and take off and forget to hit record.
In the GO app in the Me section there's a feedback section where you can put in your request.

Hello Ken,

Thank you for the answer and the advice.
I like DJI. Your products are very good )
I have 13h air time on 91 flights on P3P and Mavic. 7% of these flights do not have recorded video precisely for this reason. If we can reduce checklist, why not? I think that this is our joint task with DJI.  
I'll send feedback.

BR,
Alex

As one who has occasionally forgotten to hit record, I would also welcome the OPTION.  I normally record from takeoff to landing anyway, but sometimes forget to start and regret it when I get back.  By recording start to finish, it is a lot easier to diagnose what you could have done smoother or even diagnose a problem that you might have had while flying.  If you crash, you've got evidence to study what you did wrong, assuming it was your fault.  Watch the video each time and learn about something you could have done better.  You can always improve.

mjacobson Posted at 2017-5-3 08:51
I usually don't record the entire flight.  I will get up in the air, set up my shot, hit record, hit stop, and find my next shot and do it again.  I guess it depends on what you're going for, but I don't see why it's hard to remember to record, I guess.

Hi mjacobson,
You're absolutely right that it depends. I use the drone in a travel. Very often on a journey, especially if I am part of a group, there is no time for preparing. And certainly there is no time for a second flight. The capacity of a 64GB card is enough for 16 batteries. Therefore, in conditions of limited time, or if I shoot some unexpected event and my own participation in it, I usually write from takeoff to landing. I can choose what will be remain on post-processing. Anyway, having the ability to choose a standard behavior might be better than none. It might satisfy both you and me.

Alx Posted at 2017-5-3 09:21
Hello Ken,

Thank you for the answer and the advice.

I understand and maybe many people can benefit from it.

Haha I have this same problem. I would also think it would be really help out for people who crash their drones. So people don't get the footage. Which kind of sucks if you don't have data from the blackbox to help your case.

Same here, for me it will be important to both record the takeoff  & landing just in case something goes wrong.

Wow, that's a problem I have never had. What I have had happen is I think I hit record or stop but didn't actually, so I've learned to check to see if the countdown timer is moving.

You should add a poll to this post to gauge interest in such a feature.

I think people with the problem should check to see if they have their pants on. There is no video camera in the world that will start recording when you turn it on.

Jenee 2 Posted at 2017-5-3 21:45
I think people with the problem should check to see if they have their pants on. There is no video camera in the world that will start recording when you turn it on.

This is incorrect. GoPros can be configured to do exactly that.

I don't really mind but OPTION is good idea.
FYI, Litchi app has this option.

Ex Machina Posted at 2017-5-3 16:07
Wow, that's a problem I have never had. What I have had happen is I think I hit record or stop but didn't actually, so I've learned to check to see if the countdown timer is moving.

You should add a poll to this post to gauge interest in such a feature.

Ex Machina,
Your problem might be solved in expand way of my proposition. DJI can add one more option. When 'Video recording starts at takeoff' switched on, then enable en option 'Block record button until landing'. If you need to stop recording, you can change this setting during the flight. It looks like a complete solution.

Unfortunately, I do not know how to add a poll to a topic. Maybe the moderator can do this?

Alx Posted at 2017-5-4 00:32
Ex Machina,
Your problem might be solved in expand way of my proposition. DJI can add one more option. When 'Video recording starts at takeoff' switched on, then enable en option 'Block record button until landing'. If you need to stop recording, you can change this setting during the flight. It looks like a complete solution.

No, thanks, that's not very useful for me as I often set up a shot, then start recording for the take, then stop recording to set up another shot, repeat, etc.

As for the poll, you might have to enable the option when you first create the thread? You might also have to have participated in the forum long enough for that option to become available. Cheers.

Maybe it is a male thing but I really can't understand how you can forget to start recording. If you were actually holding a video camera then you make a conscious decision to take some video and you would start recording. The next thing is you will forget to stop recording and shut down the mavic and RC before it has a chance to finish writing the video and then you have another problem. So then you will want DJI to somehow know when you want to stop recording and put that in the app and so it goes on. I would rather they concentrate on something worthwhile.

Jenee 2 Posted at 2017-5-3 21:45
I think people with the problem should check to see if they have their pants on. There is no video camera in the world that will start recording when you turn it on.

Maybe it's a female thing to make ignorant blanket statements and to not understand how automation can be valuable. It's ok, the remote button doesn't have feelings, it won't get lonely.

"There is no video camera in the world that will start recording when you turn it on. "

The Mavic does if using the Litchi app . My Gopro will as well as my Mobius cameras and also my Runcams . The Mobius and Runcams can be set to motion activated also with adjustable sensitivity . I use motion activated on my race drones so they will start recording as soon as I lift off . Might better check if your pants are on if you don't know these things .

Jenee 2 Posted at 2017-5-3 21:45
I think people with the problem should check to see if they have their pants on. There is no video camera in the world that will start recording when you turn it on.

I just checked an no, I didn't have them on.  If only I had an option of "put on pants before leaving the house" this wouldn't have happened.

Also, you were wrong about your statement, so perhaps you could use an option that fact checks your posts before posting

Jenee 2 Posted at 2017-5-4 21:57
Maybe it is a male thing but I really can't understand how you can forget to start recording. If you were actually holding a video camera then you make a conscious decision to take some video and you would start recording. The next thing is you will forget to stop recording and shut down the mavic and RC before it has a chance to finish writing the video and then you have another problem. So then you will want DJI to somehow know when you want to stop recording and put that in the app and so it goes on. I would rather they concentrate on something worthwhile.

I have never held a video camera up to my face with it pointing at a subject and just held it there without recording, so by your comparison the video camera market could do well to also add this option.

DrEMHmrk2 Posted at 2017-5-5 11:38
I have never held a video camera up to my face with it pointing at a subject and just held it there without recording, so by your comparison the video camera market could do well to also add this option.

I think you have misunderstood what I said. I was just saying that you would never hold a video camera without remembering to start recording so why would you do it with a Mavic. I certainly would not advocate video cameras having some sort of automatic recording.

"Maybe it is a male thing but I really can't understand how you can forget to start recording."

It must be a woman thing to never forget something

Are Mavic batteries charged ?
Is remote battery charged ?
Are RC antennas unfolded properly ?
Are Mavic arms unfolded all the way and locked ?
Are Mavic props undamaged and locked in properly ?
Is gimbal guard removed ?
Has RC connected to Mavic and has GPS lock ?
Is IMU and compass ok ?
Do I have RTH set correctly ?
Do I have OA set properly ?
Do I have vision and precision landing set ok ?
Is home point and RC position showing correctly on map ?
Have I checked B4UFly / Airmap / UAS forecast etc for conditions that may affect flight ?
Are there any NFZ warnings / have I contacted the tower if so ?
Is the immediate area safe to take off and fly ?
Has home point been recorded ?
Did I remember to tap to focus ?
Am I checking the Mavic VLOS and watching for other aircraft and dangers while I fly ?
Am I checking the display for signal strength and speed , warnings etc ?
Have I set ISO and exposure correctly for conditions ?
Am I still watching for other aircraft and people while I am focusing on the POI ?
Should I RTH now for battery or wind conditions ?
Is landing area clear to land ?
OH Crap I wasn't recording !!!

Wow you guy's don't seem to have much of a sense of humor --- I fully understood what Jenee 2 meant in her post   

its a very good idea.

Please Mr Mavic, do what Alx asked. Perhaps someone call me stupid but actually facts are there and I forget to tap the trigger much often ! So I beg you to write such an option.
( I am getting older but I always was like that!

Think that's a great idea.  Have been creating videos for decades from the days of VHS tapes and now on digital cameras, and I cannot remember a time when I have forgotten to hit record, but I have done precisely that every 1 out of 4 times with my drone!  So yes, for me, this would be a very welcomed feature.  On a video camera, it's hard to miss the blinking red dot or red light indicating recording status, but when flying a drone, you are constantly checking so many things in bright sunlight outdoors while keeping line of sight that you don't always realise that you were not recording until way too late.

+1 !

This would be ok and a really stupid thing is when you enter advanced flight modes you cannot actually see the record button -  how stupid is that?

He guys! Sorry if my post is out of the subject a little bit, but I need an app to my video calls. My friends records her video calls with the help of AlterCam webcam app. I gonna test it out, but I need more options to compare and choose the one that best meets my needs.

I use a competitor's app that let's you automatically record when you engage the flight plan. It's saved my butt many times.  You are not alone. I've been humbled by this very forgivable faux-pas. You get consumed by the environment (trees? Power lines? and simply forget.

Alx Posted at 2017-5-4 00:32
Ex Machina,
Your problem might be solved in expand way of my proposition. DJI can add one more option. When 'Video recording starts at takeoff' switched on, then enable en option 'Block record button until landing'. If you need to stop recording, you can change this setting during the flight. It looks like a complete solution.

Here's a link to a poll I created "Want the OPTION to auto record video between takeoff and landing?"

https://forum.dji.com/forum.php? ... mp;extra=#pid812979

Alx Posted at 2017-5-4 00:32
Ex Machina,
Your problem might be solved in expand way of my proposition. DJI can add one more option. When 'Video recording starts at takeoff' switched on, then enable en option 'Block record button until landing'. If you need to stop recording, you can change this setting during the flight. It looks like a complete solution.

Here's a link to a poll I created "Want the OPTION to auto record video between takeoff and landing?"

https://forum.dji.com/forum.php? ... mp;extra=#pid812979

I would love this feature.  As of yesterday I hiked in 3.6 miles to a waterfall, I was on a the edge of a cliff face with about 15 square feet of ground space.  I was alone, so no ground crew.  I had an open in the trees about 5 ft x 6 ft, that lead out to waterfall.  So needless to say I was preoccupied with safety and avoidance procedures.  I forgot to hit record on second flight after initial test run....UHG!!!  SO YES, I WOULD LOVE THIS FEATURE

Do you auto record when you turn on your video camera? Do you auto-photo when you use your camera? No.

So please, don't add this gimmick feature. This is not a parrot TOY.

chalde Posted at 2017-7-20 07:53
Do you auto record when you turn on your video camera? Do you auto-photo when you use your camera? No.

So please, don't add this gimmick feature. This is not a parrot TOY.

Then why does GoPro Hero 5 have this feature?  Why does Liche have this option?

BaddogTwo Posted at 2017-7-20 07:55
Then why does GoPro Hero 5 have this feature?  Why does Liche have this option?

For people who shouldn't own a drone in the first place.

chalde Posted at 2017-7-20 07:53
Do you auto record when you turn on your video camera? Do you auto-photo when you use your camera? No.

So please, don't add this gimmick feature. This is not a parrot TOY.

We are also talking about a selectable option in the settings . If you want to use it do or if not don't . Pretty simple . Maybe they should not allow you to turn obstacle avoidance on or off or any one of the 20 other features like critical battery level ?