Example of a Litchi mission for those on the fence...

[Brockrock]

The camera is set to gimbal follow. I have not tried FPV as I thought this was for goggles. I could be wrong though.

 

[Mainshipper]

I am a believer in the Litchi mission app as it is the easiest to create and execute but still has a lot of flexibility with the settings. It will also continue flying the mission to completion when there is a signal loss. That happened to me twice this summer when flying over water and wooded terrain.

 

[allen123]

Here is a video that I shot yesterday afternoon using Litchi. I have since tweaked some of the waypoints to not 'clip' the shoreline, and I slowed down the mission speed from 20 to 16 MPH. Now I just have to wait for another calm and clear afternoon at just before sunset to send the copter up again with these new settings. Maybe tomorrow.

This is an example of one of the benefits of Litchi. I could never have manually flown this mission as smoothly while at the same time panning and tracking the camera in this way. This is my first YouTube video.

Hi...great work....new to this myself....other than Litchi what were your settings? How much was edited? And...to get it to youtube did you have to compress? What vid editor do you use? Thanks in advance for helping with my learning curve!

 

[NorthcountySD]

Beautiful place. Seem so peaceful watching your work. Very well done

Can I ask how far the mission is and between the first run at 20mph Ann's the 2nd at 15 mph (think I got that right). How much battery was left? Did you notice much difference between the two?

Thanks again for posting!


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[len750]

So, I did a second take yesterday afternoon with some changes to the mission's speed, waypoint locations, and return leg altitude - all mentioned in a post above. Everything came out perfect except for this horizon issue. I did all the calibrations ahead of time including a gimbal cal just prior to sending it up. I also checked the horizon first after a manual takeoff while positioned and hovering near my first waypoint. It was spot on. This tilt issue only seems to be be an issue when the copter is filming AND moving sideways. Anyway, here is the link to the updated version of this mission. No more clipping of the shoreline at certain points, the rotation of the copter as it returns northbound is now to the east rather than to the west into the setting sun, and the natural lighting was at that near perfect moment... Incidentally, I do have a full set of Polar Pro filters, but this was filmed with the stock DJI lens cover only. (manual settings: 1080p/60, ISO 100, 1/120)

Hi John. I have not tried that, nor did I know that was a feature. Is this a combination that I will need to preset in the software, or is this already native? I will try this out. It could be the answer to all of my problems...

So I can fly 'sideways' in Litchi? I have the 2 V+.

 

[Dounin Front]

Hi John. I have not tried that, nor did I know that was a feature. Is this a combination that I will need to preset in the software, or is this already native? I will try this out. It could be the answer to all of my problems...

As jbrown630 said, be sure your gimbal is in follow mode. But I have noticed mine has more trouble leveling when traveling sideways. That C2 and the gimbal wheel suggestion may help. I'm sure you have it perfectly level when calibrating the IMU and gimbal.
The video is really great. 2 questions.

1. Did you use all focus WPs or are there any interpolations?
2. Will you post a screenshot of your Litchi mission?

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Dounin Front]

So I can fly 'sideways' in Litchi? I have the 2 V+.

Yes, if it's not in focus mode.

 

[Larr2000]

Here is a video that I shot yesterday afternoon using Litchi. I have since tweaked some of the waypoints to not 'clip' the shoreline, and I slowed down the mission speed from 20 to 16 MPH. Now I just have to wait for another calm and clear afternoon at just before sunset to send the copter up again with these new settings. Maybe tomorrow.

This is an example of one of the benefits of Litchi. I could never have manually flown this mission as smoothly while at the same time panning and tracking the camera in this way. This is my first YouTube video.

Hi John,

I fly the Inspire 1 with the stock lens too, but use the DJI GO app, this might make me consider Lichti. I have been practicing my cinema shots with both Waypoints and POI, but your shot was far greater in area covered than I would be flying with the Inspire.....Good Job. Slowing down to 16mph helps a lot with rolling shutter, but too you altitude slowed apparent motion down. Good strategy.

Currently Running:
Inspire 1
APP v3.0.0 (Apple)
Aircraft 1.9.1.30
RC 1.7.40
Camera 1.8.1.00

 

[Brockrock]

Wow, thank you all for the great comments and replies. I really appreciate it!
Here is the link to the second mission that I posted (Mystic Seaport II). This is the tweaked version after observing some things that I wanted to change in the first mission - mentioned in a post above.

Mission Hub - Litchi

I filmed this with no lens correction because it was right at sunset and the natural light was perfect. I set my camera settings to manual at: 1080 P @ 60 FPS, ISO 100, 1/120 shutter speed. I film in 1080 P because my 'old' eyes cannot detect the difference between it and Ultra HD, and I also have no systems or monitors that can really present better than this anyway... If I ever did get a request (from maybe the Seaport) for a 4K version of this, I could just change my settings and do a re-shoot. I especially like how the mast tips of the three mast schooner on Schooner Point are illuminated by the setting sun, while the rest of the vessel is shadowed but still nicely lit.

Of the roughly 8 minute mission (and raw video that resulted), I trimmed the first and final leg in post edit, and I increased the video's speed to 1.15x in post as well. I slowed it from 20 MPH in the first shoot to 16 MPH in the second shoot to hopefully straighten out the horizon a bit, and it did help. Then I just sped it up in post. (As a side note on video length, I read an article recently that stated that after testing people's attentiveness to watching what I simply call 'eye-candy' content (meaning videos other than educational content or content with a plot), the magic length is no more than four minutes, thirty seconds. After that, folks lose interest). Right now, as I study options for better video editing software with more features, I am using Windows Movie Maker on a dated Windows 7 laptop. It works, but as I am gaining interest in this hobby, I will be upgrading soon.

I had never used YouTube, but I found the process intuitive, and after saving my edited versions of these missions to my computer, I simply uploaded them as they were.

Another question asked was mission distance, and it was just under 2 miles, and I completed it with 75% battery left. This was pretty much the same for both missions. I am not one to run them down to the teens on a regular basis, and do so only once and awhile for deep cycle purposes with the copter nearby. Even so, with the preparation, setting up and test flying these mission, it was like a three hour ordeal, and that's not including post edit. This hobby to me is about the whole thing, and not just the flying.

The mission waypoints / POI's were all set to Focus Waypoint. I have found this to be the best. If I missed any questions, please PM or remind me here. I appreciate all the interest in this, and I hope this thread - and not just my posts - helps others nail it right!!

 

[Pharm]

Very nice. I love Litchi. Had a great mission planned for early this morning but I was a sluggard. By the time I got up, the winds were already exceeding my personal comfort zone so I had to abort.

 

[Brockrock]

Very nice. I love Litchi. Had a great mission planned for early this morning but I was a sluggard. By the time I got up, the winds were already exceeding my personal comfort zone so I had to abort.

Yip...Probably better to be a 'sluggard' than to take that chance. As was once said very aptly:

 

[Dounin Front]

The camera is set to gimbal follow. I have not tried FPV as I thought this was for goggles. I could be wrong though.

FPV in this case is an effect that tilts the camera when you yaw to simulate the feeling of being inside the cockpit with a fixed camera sitting on the dashboard.
Put differently, it tilts the camera to simulate banking the aircraft.

 

[Dounin Front]

Wow, thank you all for the great comments and replies. I really appreciate it!
Here is the link to the second mission that I posted (Mystic Seaport II). This is the tweaked version after observing some things that I wanted to change in the first mission - mentioned in a post above.

Mission Hub - Litchi

I filmed this with no lens correction because it was right at sunset and the natural light was perfect. I set my camera settings to manual at: 1080 P @ 60 FPS, ISO 100, 1/120 shutter speed. I film in 1080 P because my 'old' eyes cannot detect the difference between it and Ultra HD, and I also have no systems or monitors that can really present better than this anyway... If I ever did get a request (from maybe the Seaport) for a 4K version of this, I could just change my settings and do a re-shoot. I especially like how the mast tips of the three mast schooner on Schooner Point are illuminated by the setting sun, while the rest of the vessel is shadowed but still nicely lit.

Of the roughly 8 minute mission (and raw video that resulted), I trimmed the first and final leg in post edit, and I increased the video's speed to 1.15x in post as well. I slowed it from 20 MPH in the first shoot to 16 MPH in the second shoot to hopefully straighten out the horizon a bit, and it did help. Then I just sped it up in post. (As a side note on video length, I read an article recently that stated that after testing people's attentiveness to watching what I simply call 'eye-candy' content (meaning videos other than educational content or content with a plot), the magic length is no more than four minutes, thirty seconds. After that, folks lose interest). Right now, as I study options for better video editing software with more features, I am using Windows Movie Maker on a dated Windows 7 laptop. It works, but as I am gaining interest in this hobby, I will be upgrading soon.

I had never used YouTube, but I found the process intuitive, and after saving my edited versions of these missions to my computer, I simply uploaded them as they were.

Another question asked was mission distance, and it was just under 2 miles, and I completed it with 75% battery left. This was pretty much the same for both missions. I am not one to run them down to the teens on a regular basis, and do so only once and awhile for deep cycle purposes with the copter nearby. Even so, with the preparation, setting up and test flying these mission, it was like a three hour ordeal, and that's not including post edit. This hobby to me is about the whole thing, and not just the flying.

The mission waypoints / POI's were all set to Focus Waypoint. I have found this to be the best. If I missed any questions, please PM or remind me here. I appreciate all the interest in this, and I hope this thread - and not just my posts - helps others nail it right!!

Question: does filming at 60fps actually help anything if you aren't planning on playback in slow motion? I try it occasionally, but I only speed up in post, so I don't think it helps there and it just uses more resources and space. Hopefully someone more knowledgable than me can answer this. Of course, I only have a P3A.

 

[Brockrock]

FPV in this case is an effect that tilts the camera when you yaw to simulate the feeling of being inside the cockpit with a fixed camera sitting on the dashboard.
Put differently, it tilts the camera to simulate banking the aircraft.

Yeah, that's what I figured. I can see this being a nice affect for some application, but thus far, I have not experimented with this setting.

Regarding your question, I use 60fps because I read or saw this as a recommendation once, along with the concept of setting your shutter speed to be double the fps. That's pretty much why I used 60fps and 1/120 SS in this lighting condition.

By the way, you must have a great time out in CO. Lots to see and film out there.

 

[Steve_in_DE]

Is the Camera in fpv or follow mode?

Sent from my VS987 using PhantomPilots mobile app

I am not the OP here but I am guessing that you are not familiar with Litchi? The flight was done in "waypoint mode", where it flew autonomously.

 

[Dounin Front]

I am not the OP here but I am guessing that you are not familiar with Litchi? The flight was done in "waypoint mode", where it flew autonomously.

I think jbrown 636 may have been referring to the DJI Go setting for the camera. I described it above.
In Litchi, FPV and Follow have a different meaning than in the Go app gimbal settings.

 

[Joe Glenn]

Great job! Also congrats on your first youtube video! It's not a bad place to store your videos for free??!

 

[MacCool]

Question: does filming at 60fps actually help anything if you aren't planning on playback in slow motion? I try it occasionally, but I only speed up in post, so I don't think it helps there and it just uses more resources and space. Hopefully someone more knowledgable than me can answer this. Of course, I only have a P3A.

Thee main advantage of 60 FPS is that you can get good slow motion when you render the video at 30 FPS. Film as in the movie theater is 24 FPS, standard video is 29.96 FPS

 

[Dounin Front]

Thee main advantage of 60 FPS is that you can get good slow motion when you render the video at 30 FPS. Film as in the movie theater is 24 FPS, standard video is 29.96 FPS

I agree it's better for slo-mo, but in most all my clips, I always have to speed them up and there is no benefit there. In fact it just taxes my poor little P3adv, adds to the file size and slows rendering. I'm obviously no pro photographer.

 

[Dounin Front]

I agree it's better for slo-mo, but in most all my clips, I always have to speed them up and there is no benefit there. In fact it just taxes my poor little P3adv, adds to the file size and slows rendering. I'm obviously no pro photographer.

Actually I just noticed that I ended up on the P4 forum. I must have been reading the Week's Most Popular Topics. It might be a different story if I had a P4 or even a P3P.
Those and the Mavic are on my inevitable post crash wish list.