Photographer needs some advice!

[IBP]

Hey everyone,

I just stumbled upon your forum and so I'm not familiar with the workings of it, but I'm hoping you guys might be able to guide me in the right direction. I'm actually a photography student and I am coming up with a new idea for a project. My dilemma is that I want to fly a speed-light and trigger it remotely from he ground. There wouldn't be any camera fly,ing just a strobe and transmitter to trigger the strobe. My whole lighting setup would weight about 23 ounces (about 630 grams) ready to fly. I was noticing that the Phantom 2 is only rated to about 300 grams of payload? I would prefer not to spring thousands of dollars on a set up that I will only use for 4 months, but i'm hoping you guys can help guide me in the right direction to something that might be able to lift something like this. Like I said, I'm super new to the whole UAV/Drone (I don't even completely know the correct terminology), and I would love some advice!

Thanks!

 

[IBP]

I'll also note that I am a pretty novice pilot ( I would be the one flying it, everyone take a few steps back!!!!), I have flows a few RC helis in the past, but that was a while ago. So something easy to fly would also be a plus. I know there would be some modification to the system to make my stuff fit on, that's not a problem for me, I have enough zip-ties and duct take to tape an elephant to the ceiling!

 

[SteveMann]

Welcome to the forum.
Please put your location in your profile, there may be other Phantom owners near you who could help.

What is the power source for your Speedlight? You may be able to reduce weight by using the Phantom battery, although at a shorter flight time.

 

[IBP]

I'm in Bozeman, MT. Kind of way out there, but worth a shot!

The power source for the speedlight is all internal. I adjust all of the settings while its not he ground then I use a trigger to fire it. The links are of the strobe as well as the trigger that will fire the strobe. The weight stated earlier is the combined weight of both of the components together.

http://www.all-things-photography.com/w ... 0_back.jpg
http://www.gr8tfate.com/wp/wp-content/u ... s-ii-2.jpg

 

[ThePhantom]

Use a lightstand or a boom pole. Unless you fly a 400ws strobe, you'd be plagued by problems with hard shadows, trying to keep your drone steady, and the risk of the drone hitting your subject. Unless you really have to, I would recommend against it.

**Powerful speedlights are heavy, add the triggers..then you have a small tank.

 

[IBP]

I am a photographer by trade, I'm quite familiar with the problems with the light aspect of something like this. I do have a few tricks up my sleeve to solving the shadows issues, I just need to get the light to fly! I'm trying to light very unique subjects that you couldn't reach with a boom or lightstand, light a ice climber 45 meters up an ice climb at night. The drone would just need to reach an altitude and aspect that i would need then to hover while I trigger the strobe. Its digital so If it doesn't work the first time, I can try it again and again and again and again...

I have a habit of pushing what is technically possible with technology and i'm trying to find my next kick and this is something I would really love to figure out. I'm just not willing to invest thousands of dollars into the flight aspect of the project, I've already done that with the camera gear! I realize I have a small tank on my hands once its all together, that's why I'm here hoping you knowledgeable people can tell me where to look for something that would lift a payload of this size.

 

[SteveMann]

Look at this post:
http://www.phantompilots.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=33079

I don't think that an ice climber at night would appreciate a strobe. The LEDs in the link above would be a lot lighter than the Speedlight.

 

[IBP]

This is not the first time I've used high powered strobes on athletes, including ice climbers and white water kayakers, at night. I have some friends with giant brass.... well you know the rest. I did see that post, its not really what I need though, thats a continuous light, I need an very short duration, otherwise we're going to start having issues with motion blur with things that are moving. Still looks sweet. I have some high powered LED's from a previous project that could do the same effect after this other project is done with.

 

[IBP]

I've found proof that it's possible!

https://fstoppers.com/aerial/lighting-l ... drone-9537


It looks like a Phantom to the best of my limited knowledge, can anyone enlighten me which one it is?

 

[IBP]

Scratch that, it says in the description! Answered my own question.

 

[hardy_83]

Well, I am not in photography field but I think, photography is an art which needs complete knowledge. You know my friend is a Port Macquarie Photographer and he has given me some tips regarding photography that’s why I have some knowledge of photography.