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How to photograph the solar eclipse with a drone (because you’ll want to on April 8!)

Posted March 27, 2024 by Dronerator

The solar eclipse is coming soon, and budding photographers are waiting to document it. But even better than just a standard camera is if you photograph the solar eclipse with a drone. After all, witnessing the sun momentarily veiled by the moon offers a dramatic celestial display.

On April 8, 2024, a solar eclipse will grace North America, offering drone photographers in the U.S. a prime opportunity to take their eclip se photography to new heights. Here’s everything you need to know about photographing an eclipse (and more specifically, how to photograph the solar eclipse with a drone), as well as the best places in the U.S. to view the eclipse, and when to watch.

With the right plan, settings and gear, you could create an aerial timelapse, like this epic video from the 2019 solar eclipse.

How to photograph a solar eclipse

Before diving into the aerial realm, let’s establish some foundational eclipse photography practices. Regardless of camera choice, safety is paramount.

Never look directly at the sun

If there’s one takeaway from this article, it’s purchasing eclipse glasses.

Don’t look at the sun unprotected, even during a partial eclipse. This will result in damage to your eyesight, including high potential for permanent damage and even blindness.

To protect your own eyeballs, wear eclipse glasses. These are super cheap — you can typically find a 6-pack of eclipse glasses for less than $10 on big retailer sites like Amazon or B&H Photo. Ensure the pair you buy is ISO-certified to the 12312-2 standard. That means it blocks 100% of harmful ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiation while filtering out greater than 99.99% of intense visible light, making it safe for direct solar viewing.

Get the right gear

Beyond those glasses for you, you’ll need filters for your camera. And while all photographers will need special filters, drone photographers are up to an especial challenge. Here’s what you’ll need:

Invest in a solar filter

Now that you’ve protected your eyes, you’ll need to invest in a proper solar filter specifically designed for your camera lens. These filters dramatically reduce the sun’s intensity and protecting your camera sensor. If you are looking through the rangefinder (though you likely wouldn’t with a drone), this would also be critical in protecting your eyesight. Even still, don’t look through an unfiltered digital camera using its live view, as you’re still focusing concentrated, unfiltered sunlight through your camera’s sensor.

Depending on your camera, solar filters usually cost between $50 and $100, though you can even find cheaper (aka lower quality) models, which might not be terrible if you intend to use it just once anyway.

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro with Freewell ND2000 Filter.

Some solar filters are designed for specific lens sizes. However, other cheaper filters are a bit of a one-size-fits-all situation. With most drones, you’ll likely need to rely on one of those one-size-fits all filters, though there are a few custom filters that DO work for certain drones.

For example, Freewell’s ND2000 filter is designed specifically for the DJI Mavic 3 Pro and Pro Cine drones. It costs just $30, and can reduce light by 11 stops.

What about typical ND filters?

Neutral density (ND) filters are a commonplace tool used on all sorts of cameras, but especially drone cameras, when shooting in bright situations like direct sunlight. They essentially act like sunglasses for your drone, reducing the light that enters the camera. The right ND filter can dramatically improve your photo quality.

A solar filter is effectively a type of ND filter, albeit much, much darker. If you don’t have a solar filter (it doesn’t fit your drone’s camera lens, you can’t get your hands on one in time, or it’s just too expensive), your next best bet is filming with the darkest ND filter you have (which means picking one with a higher stop). An 8-stop is good. A 10-stop is better.

For example, DJI’s standard Mini 4 Pro filter set includes three filters: ND16, ND64 and ND256. With that, an ND16 would reduce light by four stops (or 1/16). Meanwhile, the ND256 filter is a neutral density filter that reduces exposure by 8 stops.

A solar filter is better, but a ND filter might at least be your best alternative. It’s far more ideal to have a real solar filter (so order one if you can). That said, a 16-stop or higher filter might at least be sufficient (but again, use these at your own risk).

Pay attention to your camera settings

A filter alone is not enough to make your photos work. Not only must you pay attention to your camera settings, but you need to get them right in tandem with your filter. When photographing an eclipse, plan to switch your camera to manual mode. And, be prepared to adjust exposure settings based on the phase of the eclipse.

When it comes to exposure, bracketing is your friend. The rapid change in light levels during the eclipse demands a flexible approach.

Take multiple shots at varying exposures to ensure you capture the perfect balance between the darkened sun and the surrounding landscape.

What about a hyperlapse?

For an even more mesmerizing effect, consider creating a hyperlapse of the eclipse. A hyperlapse condenses time, allowing you to compress the entire eclipse into a captivating video sequence, perfect for capturing the sun’s dramatic unveiling. Here’s how to tailor a drone hyperlapse specifically for the eclipse:

Capture the progression: The key to an eclipse hyperlapse is capturing frames throughout the entire event, from the first sliver of the moon covering the sun to the peak of the eclipse and back.
Adjust intervals: During totality, when the sun is completely obscured (within the path of totality), you can extend the capture interval to capture the dramatic change in light on the landscape. Conversely, during the partial phases, shorten the capture interval to capture the moon’s steady progression across the sun’s face. This will create a smooth transition effect in the final video.
Consider your flight path: You have a few flight path options. For example, you could program a course lock hyperlapse that tracks the sun’s movement across the sky. That would result in a hyperlapse showcasing the sun seemingly shrinking as the moon covers it.

You might also ditch shooting the actual sun. Focusing your hyperlapse on the land below could allow you to show the moon’s shadow arriving. Everyone else will have their cameras pointed at the sun anyway, so let your drone get a view that no one else could possibly get. Plus, this angle also enables you to avoid having to shoot your drone straight into the sun!

Plan your flight

Now, let’s address the unique challenges and opportunities presented by drone photography during an eclipse. Here’s what you need to consider:

Get a spotter to maintain line of sight: Unlike a grounded camera, maintaining a visual on your drone while looking up at the eclipse can be tricky. Consider using a spotter to help you keep track of the drone’s position, especially during critical moments like totality. And, make sure your spotter has those eclipse glasses, too.
Have sufficient battery power: Be mindful of battery life, especially during longer eclipses. Factor in pre-flight checks, positioning, and the actual capture time when calculating your flight duration. Remember, you’ll need enough battery power for a safe return landing.
Know where it’s legal to fly: Know it’s legal to fly your drone in your planned destination. For example, you’ll need permits if flying within a National Park or other restricted airspace. Not sure if you can legally fly in a specific area? Check out my guide to where you can fly drones legally.
Map your flight path: Plan your flight path beforehand, taking into account wind direction and potential obstacles. Aim for a position that offers a clear view of the eclipse and the surrounding landscape you wish to capture.
Practice: With a solar eclipse, you get one shot. Before the big day, practice flying your drone in similar conditions, particularly focusing on maintaining control while looking upwards.
Consider multiple drones: If you’re looking for an excuse to buy a new drone, this might be it. If you want to have the drone in the air for the full eclipse, you’d need that solar filter. However, a filter is not needed when the sun is completely obscured by the moon during the totality portion of a total solar eclipse. Given that, it might also make sense to have a drone without the filter in the air, too.

And of course, plan for totality. Depending on where you are, totality might not last for very long (perhaps not even more than a minute or two). Factor this limited window into your overall flight time and — if relevant — your hyperlapse settings.

The best place to fly drones during the April 2024 solar eclipse

This specific eclipse on April 8 will be a partial solar eclipse, visible across most of North America. The path of totality, where the moon completely covers the sun, will stretch diagonally from Texas to Maine. Those positioned within this path will witness the most dramatic light changes.

Expect totality to begin in Texas at 1:27 p.m. local time (CT) and to end in Maine at 3:35 p.m. local time (ET). Outside of the U.S., expect great views on Mexico’s Pacific Coast at about 11:07 a.m. local time (PT). Here are some major cities, and the time of partial eclipse to totality, according to NASA:

Location	Partial Begins	Totality Begins	Maximum	Totality Ends	Partial Ends
Dallas, Texas	12:23 p.m. CDT	1:40 p.m. CDT	1:42 p.m. CDT	1:44 p.m. CDT	3:02 p.m. CDT
Idabel, Oklahoma	12:28 p.m. CDT	1:45 p.m. CDT	1:47 p.m. CDT	1:49 p.m. CDT	3:06 p.m. CDT
Little Rock, Arkansas	12:33 p.m. CDT	1:51 p.m. CDT	1:52 p.m. CDT	1:54 p.m. CDT	3:11 p.m. CDT
Poplar Bluff, Missouri	12:39 p.m. CDT	1:56 p.m. CDT	1:56 p.m. CDT	2:00 p.m. CDT	3:15 p.m. CDT
Paducah, Kentucky	12:42 p.m. CDT	2:00 p.m. CDT	2:01 p.m. CDT	2:02 p.m. CDT	3:18 p.m. CDT
Carbondale, Illinois	12:42 p.m. CDT	1:59 p.m. CDT	2:01 p.m. CDT	2:03 p.m. CDT	3:18 p.m. CDT
Evansville, Indiana	12:45 p.m. CDT	2:02 p.m. CDT	2:04 p.m. CDT	2:05 p.m. CDT	3:20 p.m. CDT
Cleveland, Ohio	1:59 p.m. EDT	3:13 p.m. EDT	3:15 p.m. EDT	3:17 p.m. EDT	4:29 p.m. EDT
Erie, Pennsylvania	2:02 p.m. EDT	3:16 p.m. EDT	3:18 p.m. EDT	3:20 p.m. EDT	4:30 p.m. EDT
Buffalo, New York	2:04 p.m. EDT	3:18 p.m. EDT	3:20 p.m. EDT	3:22 p.m. EDT	4:32 p.m. EDT
Burlington, Vermont	2:14 p.m. EDT	3:26 p.m. EDT	3:27 p.m. EDT	3:29 p.m. EDT	4:37 p.m. EDT
Lancaster, New Hampshire	2:16 p.m. EDT	3:27 p.m. EDT	3:29 p.m. EDT	3:30 p.m. EDT	4:38 p.m. EDT
Caribou, Maine	2:22 p.m. EDT	3:32 p.m. EDT	3:33 p.m. EDT	3:34 p.m. EDT	4:40 p.m. EDT

Just know that if you haven’t planned your travels to those major areas yet, don’t wait. Hotels are filling up. For example, Chase Travel data shows that Dallas is experiencing a 9.8x year-over-year increase in hotel travel during the solar eclipse. Meanwhile, there’s a 7.3x year-over-year increase in hotel bookings to San Antonio during the solar eclipse.

Of course, while Texas is a huge spot to watch the eclipse, consider other destinations, such as upstate New York. The Adirondacks sit in the path of totality of the eclipse, creating the perfect setting to view the eclipse.

The 2012 annular eclipse with west of Lubbock, Texas.

You might also watch it aboard a cruise (check with your cruise operator to ensure drones are okay to bring aboard). Major cruise ship operators including Princess Cruises and Holland America Line are running cruises with routes specifically around the path of totality. For example, on Holland America’s sailing that departs March 30 from San Diego, cruisers will watch it from the sea outside of Mazatlán, Mexico.

According to travel-booking company Navan, the most popular eclipse-watching locations on the path include:

Austin, TX
Dallas TX
Columbus, OH
Montreal, QB
Indianapolis

When are the next big eclipse events?

If you’re not able to film the April 8 eclipse with a drone, there are other big events coming up.

Expect another solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026 in the Arctic, which could be a compelling place to fly (yes, I’ve flown drones in the Arctic, too). Expedition cruises in the Arctic are setting their schedules and routes early to align in the path of totality for that August 2026 solar eclipse. For example, AdventureSmith Explorations is running a 14-day Arctic trip featuring astrophysicist Paul Sutter as a special guest. Meanwhile, you could head from Spitsbergen to Northeast Greenland on another 14-day offering from the same company.

The post How to photograph the solar eclipse with a drone (because you’ll want to on April 8!) appeared first on The Drone Girl.

Preparing to fly: the ultimate drone flight checklist

Posted February 27, 2024 by Dronerator

Whether you’re engaged in a fun hobby or a business venture, a day of drone flying requires thorough preparation and planning. The Drone Girl team has crafted a comprehensive guide to ensure your flying experience is smooth and enjoyable. So with that, here’s your ultimate drone flight checklist.

Use this guide and checklist to avoid common mishaps, like driving 30 minutes to your flight site only to realize you’ve forgotten your memory card (a mistake I’ve unfortunately made myself, inspiring this guide).

And here’s the text version of our checklist, below:

3 Days Before Your Drone Flight

Schedule Time: Reserve 3 to 4 hours in your calendar. Depending on your schedule’s flexibility, this may need to be done well over 3 days before the flight. Remember to factor in travel time to your site.
Flight Authorization: Ensure you’re authorized to fly in your chosen airspace during your flight time. Recreational drone pilots can use an FAA-endorsed B4UFLY app, powered by approved service providers.
Location Scouting Using Google Maps: If unfamiliar with the location, scout it using Google Maps. Look for a flat takeoff area and plan your shoots, being mindful of obstacles like telephone wires and trees.
Weather Check: Repeatedly appearing on the checklist, it’s crucial to check the forecast for rain, wind, clouds, and temperature, as these will impact your flight.

1 Day Before Your Drone Flight

Software and Firmware Updates: Check for updates, which typically enhance your flying experience but may be time-consuming. Most updates take 5-15 minutes.
Charge Everything: Ensure all drone batteries, your controller, and phone are fully charged to avoid shortened flights. Check out our guide on LiPo battery ownership and use.
Format Your SD Card: It’s best practice to reformat your memory card before every flight, allowing more efficient data writing.
Inspect Your Drone: Examine your drone for readiness. Check propellers for damage, ensure the gimbal is correctly aligned, and clean the lens with a microfiber cloth.
Weather Check (Again): Weather can change rapidly, so keep an eye on the forecast.

The Day of Your Drone Flight

Pack Your Drone Bag: Adopt the habit of repeating “drone, batteries, SD card” as you prepare to leave. Double, or even triple-checking never hurts.
Enjoy Your Flight: Now that you’re fully prepared, it’s time to enjoy your drone and capture those beautiful shots.

Want this as a printable to carry in your own drone bag or to hang in your office? Click the file below to download the full version:

The-Drone-Girls-flight-checklist Download

The post Preparing to fly: the ultimate drone flight checklist appeared first on The Drone Girl.

How to connect DroneMask 2 with RC Pro — without spending a bunch of money

Posted February 23, 2024 by Dronerator

The following guest post about connecting DroneMask 2 with RC Pro was written by Vilde Wettergreen, CEO of Immerse Optics. Immerse Optics makes the DroneMask 2, which is a pair of goggles that can turn almost any drone into an FPV drone.

Immerse Optics began with a vision in 2016: to revolutionize the way we experience media. From the MovieMask to the MagiMask, our innovations have continually pushed the boundaries of personal cinema and AR. However, it was the unexpected embrace by drone enthusiasts in 2021 that truly set our course towards refining the first-person view (FPV) flying experience. By the end of 2021, MagiMask was rebranded to DroneMask.

The drone community’s discovery of the MagiMask’s potential was a pivotal moment for us. MagiMask found its true calling in the skies, offering drone pilots a way to fly in full-screen FPV immersion with any camera drone, without the common issue of light and glare interference. This serendipitous alignment with camera drones not only propelled our sales but also affirmed our belief in our lens technology’s unique value and versatility. The DroneMask is universally compatible with any camera drone where the pilot relies on their smartphone as the display. When we launched in 2021, the RC-N1/N2 controllers were the top choices among camera drone enthusiasts, positioning us as the go-to option for anyone looking to get an FPV flying experience with their regular camera drone.

How the DJI RC changed the drone landscape (and created a challenge for DroneMask)

With the launch of the DJI RC in May 2022, we observed the drone flying landscape shifting. The DJI RC’s integrated screen and lack of cable output for video transmission presented a compatibility challenge for our DroneMask. This was a setback, considering the effort we had put into making the DroneMask an optimal FPV solution for camera drone pilots. Despite this, we remained committed to offering the best cinematic FPV flying experience on the market.

How to make DroneMask compatible with DJI RC PRO

Today, the DroneMask is predominantly utilized by pilots operating drones with RC-N1/N2 controllers, as well as those flying drones from Hubsan, Xiaomi, Autel, Parrot, or Skydio. Yet, it’s undeniable that DJI dominates the consumer drone market, and also among DroneMask users.

Recognizing DJI’s trend towards drones with integrated screens, we are happy to highlight how you can connect your DroneMask wirelessly with the RC PRO, as this controller has an HDMI out. This premium controller, which debuted in November 2021 as a successor to the Smart Controller, is compatible with a wide array of DJI drones. It offers enhanced features and performance, though at a premium price. Connecting the DroneMask with the RC PRO is a straightforward and efficient process.

What you need to connect DroneMask wirelessly with DJI RC Pro

DJI Raven Eye (a wireless transmitter)
HDMI cable between Raven Eye and RC Pro
Mobile device with DJI Ronin app
A DJI drone with RC Pro
DroneMask 1 or 2

With those things, the next steps are quite simple:

Simply connect your RC PRO to the Raven Eye using an HDMI cable, then slot your smartphone with the Ronin app into the DroneMask.
The video feed from the RC PRO is wirelessly transmitted to your smartphone housed within the goggles via the Ronin app, enabling RC PRO pilots to enjoy a high-resolution, wireless, and immersive FPV experience.

For RC Pro pilots seeking a more cost-effective connectivity solution, we’ve received valuable feedback highlighting ApowerMirror as an efficient alternative. This app enables you to cast the display from your RC Pro to your smartphone via its hotspot feature, offering a more budget-friendly option for enhancing your flying experience with the DroneMask.

YouTube tech tutorial personality Xavier Arthur shared how to do exactly that in his YouTube video tutorial here:

But that’s not Arthur’s only piece of advice. He has another, more cost-effective method for connecting the DroneMask with the RC Pro. He recommends using an app called nExt Camera, which he has used with an Android device. This app allows users to connect their smartphone to the RC Pro controller via an HDMI to USB C adapter, using a long cable. This setup enables the smartphone to display the image output from the RC Pro through the cable, via the app.

A key limitation to be aware of when connecting the DroneMask with the RC Pro (rather than the RC-N1/N2) is the inability to interact with the encased screen. For adjustments or changes, users must operate directly on the RC Pro screen.

What’s next for DroneMask?

In the ever-evolving landscape of drone technology, the one constant is Immerse Optics’ unwavering commitment to providing you with unmatched immersive experiences. Whether navigating the skies with a standard controller from your preferred camera drone brand or leveraging the sophisticated features of the RC PRO, our DroneMask ensures the ultimate FPV experience is easily within your reach.

For North American customers, we suggest buying the DroneMask 2 from Amazon. There, it costs just $179 and can typically arrive in just one day. That’s $20 compared to buying it directly from DroneMask.com. For a slightly cheaper (yet older) product, consider the previous model, DroneMask 1. It comes without cables, adapters, and screen access holes, and costs $169 on Amazon. Both DroneMask 1 & 2 are also available on Amazon Canada and Mexico, shipped from our U.S. storage facility.

-By Vilde Wettergreen, CEO of Immerse Optics

If you’d like to submit a guest post, contact The Drone Girl here.

The post How to connect DroneMask 2 with RC Pro — without spending a bunch of money appeared first on The Drone Girl.

How to make a panoramic photo with your drone

Posted January 22, 2024 by Dronerator

Making a panoramic photo with your drone is one of the best ways to take what’s already a soaring scene and make it even more immersive. Though they can be tricky to make yourself, software like Adobe Photoshop, Panovolo and even DJI’s own apps can make generating a drone panorama a headache-free experience.

Panoramic photos are those ultra-wide shots that can sometimes even appear as a 360-view of the landscape. And while there are some cameras designed to specifically take panoramas such as the Insta360One, it’s more likely that panoramas are “manually” made. In the case of making a panoramic photo with a drone, a series of photographs are combined or “stitched” together to generate a single, wide panoramic image.

In fact, some drones have built-in software programs that allow them to automatically generate panoramas. But even if you have a drone with built-in panoramic software, using it might not be the best move.

Manually making a panoramic image — as described by the steps in this guide using special tools — can often provide even more details thanks to using multiple large images. That means digital views can zoom in ultra–tight, or quality is better if printing. The tools described below also tend to allow for more control over the photo’s composition (as opposed to leaving it up to the automated tool on your drone).

Your ultimate guide to making panoramic images with drones:

Have the right gear — including a great camera drone

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro and Cine are two of the best drones for making aerial https://amzn.to/3V9TKqOpanoramas. Photo courtesy of DJI.

It goes without saying that — in order to make a high-quality panoramic image — you’ll also need a high-quality camera drone. Check out my guide to the best camera drones.

If you’d rather save a click, my recommendations are:

Each of the above options from DJI come with automatic panorama shooting modes that you can select from when connected to your DJI smartphone or tablet app. Just note that there are a few limitations, particularly on the recommendations that have multiple cameras. For example, the medium tele-camera on drones such as the DJI Air 3 and Mavic 3 Pro do not support Panorama. In those situations, you’d need to use other software on your computer to stitch and generate panoramic photos (we’ll share those software options below).

Use DJI’s built-in panoramic software (the easiest option)

Annoyingly, the Autel Evo Lite+ does not offer automatic panoramas in-app (which might add on to the reasons why DJI is absolutely dominant in the consumer drone space).

Delightfully, DJI does. You can find DJI’s panoramic software within your drone’s app, which is designed to be intuitive to use. Simply navigate to the Panorama portion of the app. From there, you can select from a view unique panorama shooting options that produce various effects, which typically include Sphere, Wide Angle, and 180° panoramas.

For example, Wide on the DJI Mini 2 SE produces more of a fish-eye effect, seen in this sample image provided by DJI:

Meanwhile, 180° ends up to be an overall wider shot with less image distortion. See DJI’s provided image below to compare the 180° vs Wide panorama shooting mode:

There are downfalls to using DJI’s in-house panoramic photo tool. Not all DJI drones are compatible, and as mentioned above, some cameras on otherwise-compatible drones may not be.

Of course, you obviously can’t go this route if you’ve got a non-DJI drone. And sometimes you just want to have more control than what DJI allows. With skill, a manually-edited panoramic image will turn out far superior.

So with that, here are your next option for making a panoramic photo with your drone:

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Take photos manually with your drone and edit them separately

Who needs DJI’s automatic panorama software when you can do it the old-fashioned way?

You can take a series of photos with your drone, and then stitch them using software tools later on. There are some tips to follow when going this route:

Ensure your photos overlap sufficiently: Ultimately you’ll be stitching your photos together, which means you’ll need sufficiently overlap so you have enough wiggle room to ensure they align. In general, try to take enough images so that they overlap by approximately 40%.

In total, expect to have taken between 20-30 images for a smooth panorama.

Keep the image style consistent: Generally speaking, stick to the same camera settings when shooting all the photos that will comprise your single panoramic photo.

That means sticking to one focal length if you have a zoom lens, while not changing other settings such as aperture (assuming your camera allows for an adjustable aperture) or exposure.

Keep your images level: With ground photography, the recommendation is to shoot all your images using a tripod with a rotating head to ensure the camera height is consistent throughout.

With drone photography, making panoramas is arguably easier, especially since today’s drones have simple-to-use features like altitude lock that will maintain the drone’s position. You simply yaw right or left to see the full scene all around you.

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Use the right drone panoramic photo software

Once you’ve got your images, it’s time to turn to editing software to put them together into one glorious panorama. Here are my recommendations for the best drone panorama software:

The Photomerge tool in Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is considered the top-of-the-line when it comes to photo editing software. It’s the most advanced and allows for the most autonomy so you can modify your photos exactly how you want.

Within Photoshop is a tool called Photomerge, which combines several photographs into one continuous, panoramic image. It’s super easy to use. Simply select File > Automate > Photomerge.

From there, you’ll select the image files you intend to use and you’ll be directed to choose a few custom settings including the layout option, whether distortion should be corrected and whether vignettes should be removed.

Learn more about using the Photomerge tool in Adobe Photoshop.

The biggest drawback here? Photoshop is expensive. It’s sold on a subscription basis, with an annual subscription usually going for $264 per year. If you’re frequently making drone videos too, you might consider going all-in and purchasing Adobe Creative Cloud. Creative Cloud unlocks the entire collection of Adobe creative software such as Premiere Pro, which is a must-have for video editing, and other artistic tools such as Illustrator and InDesign.

Panovolo

For software that’s tailored specifically for drone panorama image stitching (and a lot cheaper than Photoshop), consider Panovolo. At just $29.99 for the year, it’s a bargain compared to Photoshop’s $264 price tag.

This relatively-new software launched in December 2023. With it comes state-of-the-art image analysis thanks to the company’s optimization algorithms that uses the position and orientation information saved by the drone.

The final product? A geometrically accurate panoramic image.

The software offers multiple customization options and accommodates both DNG (RAW) and JPEG images. Once it’s ingested your image, select from a wide array of panorama types, including spherical and cylindrical. There’s even the stereographic style, which you might recognize via those “small planet” images.

And it doesn’t stop once your panoramic photo is made. From there, Panovolo makes it easy to share to social media or integrate with maps. For example, you can pinpoint the exact locations where images were captured on a 3D map.

It’s available on macOS 12 (Monterey) or newer, as well as Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. Download Panovolo here.

Other tips for making a panoramic photo with a drone

Shoot in RAW format: This gives you more flexibility for adjustments in post-processing.
Use a neutral density filter (ND filter): ND filters are a must-have drone accessory to control exposure in bright conditions, preventing blown-out highlights. Learn more about how ND filters can improve drone photography.

Practice! The more you fly and experiment, the better your panoramas will become.

The post How to make a panoramic photo with your drone appeared first on The Drone Girl.

Vision Assist: DJI Air 3, Mini 4 Pro get impressive upgrade (and it’s free for existing owners)

Posted January 12, 2024 by Dronerator

An impressive new upgrade has been rolled out to the DJI Air 3 and Mini 4 Pro drones — and customers who already own those drones don’t even need to purchase a new model to get it. DJI recently rolled out Vision Assist, which is a firmware allowing you to see live views from the drone’s front, back and side directions.

Up until now (as is the case on most drones), you could only see what the drone’s main camera sees. That’s about to change once you accept the firmware update, which simply entails connecting your drone to the accompany app, powering it on, tapping “Update” and letting it load (which typically takes about 10 minutes).

Once you have the new firmware update installed, you can use the Vision Assist tool by tapping the screen, which allows you to switch the Vision Assist view and see obstacles from various directions on the flight.

Why Vision Assist matters

Vision Assist is set to be a game-changing feature for many drone pilots. With it comes the ability to take more advanced, automatic shots where drones can twist and turn in all sort of directions. Particularly in places where it can be difficult to track the drone, such as flying between trees, it’s generally risk to yaw the drone for fear of losing the drone’s direction. Obstacle avoidance can only go so far in protecting the drone from a crash.

With the ability to, see what’s on, say, the side of the drone, you can now have the drone fly sideways while ensuring with your own eyes that there’s nothing in its way.

The proof is here, as some drone pilots have already had access to it. That’s because the same exact Vision Assist tool was already rolled out in a firmware update for the higher-end Mavic 3 drone, which was offered back in September 2023.

This latest software update also further solidifies why the DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Air 3 have the top spots in my guide to the best camera drones of 2024. In particular, many pilots have wondered about the differences between the DJI Mini 4 Pro vs. Mini 3 Pro, and this firmware update is among the clearest differentiators

Heck, Vision Assist is a reason that someone might argue that the DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Air 3 are even better than some of DJI’s highest-end drones, like the Inspire 3 or Matrice line. Of course, these are just a fraction of the cost. The DJI Inspire 3 starts at more than $16,000, whereas the DJI Mini 4 Pro goes for just $759 and the Air 3 is $1,099 (of course, the DJI Inspire 3 does have far other, better features so it’s not entirely a fair comparison).

Expect this technology to appear in future DJI product launches.

Other changes with the December firmware update

Firmware updates are a somewhat common occurrence to keep products up-to-date with minimal bugs. But this is among the most substantial firmware updates, with it bringing significant changes to both the DJI Air 3 and Mini 4 Pro drones. Besides Vision assist, other new additions with this release include:

Auto mode for ActiveShots 360°
Vision Positioning and Obstacle Sensing switch
Digital zoom for 12MP photo mode
Sphere Panorama for the medium tele camera (on DJI air 3 only)

To get those new features, you’ll need DJI Fly v1.12.4 or later (which means you might have to run a software update in addition to the firmware update). See the full DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Air 3 December release notes.

The post Vision Assist: DJI Air 3, Mini 4 Pro get impressive upgrade (and it’s free for existing owners) appeared first on The Drone Girl.

Last-minute Christmas gift ideas for dronies

Posted December 21, 2023 by Dronerator

Christmas is less than a week away, and you might have a dronie in your life in need of some last-minute Christmas gifts. Sure, it might be too late to order a drone in the mail and have it arrive in time for Christmas. But there are plenty of other gift ideas that don’t require online shopping — and some of them are even free or cheap.

Here are my best last-minute Christmas gift ideas for dronies:

Photo prints (starting at $0.17)

Here’s a gift that might cost less than a dollar: prints of drone photos. A drone photographer would surely appreciate a printed copy of one of their pieces. Print to the size and quality that fits your budget (and maybe throw in a frame too.

While Amazon Photos makes photo printing supremely easy (you simply upload a photo file to their website, select the size and type of print you want, and type in an address), those might not ship in time. Though, you can also head to some Walgreens, Target or Fedex, and they can print out photos instantly, or within a few hours for you as well.

This gift idea is unique, personal and budget-friendly.

Drone landing pad ($15-17)

Here’s a gift that’s super affordable and should apply by Christmas: the Ruggard drone landing pad.

Ruggard offers two sizes, and both are on sale over at B&H Photo. The 22″ version is $10 off, down to $15 (from $25), while the 30″ version is an even bigger $18 off, down to $17 (from $35).

And both of these pads are currently in-stock as of publication time and able to be shipped within two days. If you place an order of $49 or more, shipping is even free.

Touchscreen Gloves ($6-10)

These touch screen gloves are super affordable — and this particular brand ships quickly. If you’re really shopping last-minute, you might need to head to a brick and mortar store. Luckily, you can typically find touchscreen gloves at most major big box retailers like Target or Walmart.

Touchscreen gloves are imperative for drone pilots in the winter so you can keep your hands while still being able to use your touchscreen (which drone flying often requires).

Drone Pilot Ground School Part 107 test prep

Drone Pilot Ground School’s Part 107 test prep course (starting at $299)

Given that this is a digital gift, no shipping delays or supply change shortages will be a problem here. Gift your favorite dronie the gift of knowledge!

If you have a loved one who flies drones for fun, they can turn their hobby into a money-making business. The Federal Aviation Administration requires that any commercial drone operator pass its Aeronautical Knowledge Test to earn a drone pilot’s license. To pass that test, I recommend enrolling in a Part 107 online training course like Drone Pilot Ground School. Their digital offering includes hours of video lectures, practices tests and a concise cram sheet.

While their basic FAA testing course is usually $299, you can use coupon code DRONEGIRL50 to save $50 and bring your price down to just $249).

If you’re willing to spend more, Drone Pilot Ground School offers more robust and comprehensive offerings that include phone support and full-on flight training.

DARTDrones Online and virtual classe (30% off)

In a very similar vein to Drone Pilot Ground School is DARTdrones. Once again, this gift doesn’t demand any sort of shipping, nor does it require wrapping.

Their Part 107 test prep courses make for a fantastic digital gift, and can be done on your own time. And, if you want to gift something a bit more interactive, DARTdrones offers that too. There’s also virtual versions of both Part 107 Test Prep and Basic Flight training, but those ones are held live.

And for drone pilots seriously seeking to up-level their skills, consider one of the more advanced live (yet still virtual) courses including an Inspections workshop, which teaches experienced Part 107 pilots how to safely and effectively maneuver their aircraft in order to gather and analyze aerial inspection data.

Adobe Creative Cloud subscription ($450)

Here’s another idea of a digital gift that’s incredibly valuable.

For drone pilots who take photos or videos, they’ll want an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, which is a suite of software including Adobe Premiere for video editing, Lightroom and Photoshop for photo editing, and Dreamweaver for website design.

This gift is super last-minute friendly. Once you check out, you’ll near-instantly get an email with a link and instructions for how to download it sent to your inbox within minutes. It’s discounted to just $450 on Amazon. That’s more than 30% off the usual $660 list price.

Other Christmas 2023 drone deals that are too good to pass up

Here are a few other INCREDIBLE deals. Unless there’s some sort of Christmas miracle, you’re unlikely to actually get these delivered by Christmas. However, if Santa gave you some Christmas money that you’re looking to spend, or you’re okay exchanging belated Christmas gifts, consider these awesome drone deals:

DJI Mini 4 Pro Drone Fly More Combo with RC 2 and Memory Card + Landing Pad Kit

This decked out kit usually costs $1,226, but it’s more than $100 off at just $1,099. In fact, according to B&H Photo, this is their top-selling drone kit. But perhaps it’s a little too popular for its own good. It’s temporarily out of stock, with expected availability within 7-10 business days.

This deal is best found at B&H Photo — and is far better than similar offerings elsewhere. For example, the $1,099 version of the DJI Mini 4 Pro kit sold by Amazon gets you the Fly More Combo but nothing more — meaning no bonus memory card or landing pad kit. However, if you DO want a DJI Mini 4 Pro and need it by Christmas, buying it on Amazon is your best bet, as free two-day shipping is an option.

DJI Mini 2 SE Fly More Combo Drone

According to B&H Photo, this is the retailer’s best-selling ‘budget pick’ drone. It’s always under $500, but right now it’s an additional $40 off, down to just $449.

With the DJI Mini 2 SE comes a more affordable version of the Mini 2. It offers 36 mph flight speed, up to 6.2-mile OcuSync 2.0 video transmission, QuickShots and panorama intelligent pre-programmed flight modes.

Autel Robotics EVO Lite+ Premium Bundle

While it retailers for $1,259, Amazon is offering an incredible $280 coupon, which is applied at checkout, for this drone kit, the Autel Robotics EVO Lite+ Premium Bundle. That’s an incredible deal, putting it below the milestone $1,00 price point at just $979 once the coupon is applied.

As it’s the Autel Robotics EVO Lite+ Premium Bundle, it also includes bonus goodies such as an SD card, ND filters and a shoulder bag, among other accessories.

What ideas do you have for a last-minute Christmas gift for a drone pilot? Share your thoughts (including items you’d actually want!) in the comments below. Who knows? You could help another Santa out!

The post Last-minute Christmas gift ideas for dronies appeared first on The Drone Girl.