Advice on How to Shoot a Bridge 247.5' tall about 2,000' Out

[CC Rider]

I'd like advice on the best approach to achieve what this thread title describes. It's a new bridge, attractive, over an important and busy nearby inlet 100' deep, that I'd like to get video and snaps of.

I know I can attain faster flight speeds by flying the H without GPS - which I've never done yet - but which would probably come in handy just getting over there and up there faster to start filming. However, is that a perilous risk, flying without GPS for this reason and in this setting or distance? I'd like to do an orbit around it from just the right height, showing the river meeting the Atlantic via the inlet. I have plenty of ideas about this shoot, but since it's a bit beyond my experience, comfort zone and knowledge of the Typhoon's capabilities, I thought it best to seek some advice before I plan too far.

As far as flying concerns I have about this project beyond the usual ones, I'm also curious about the effect the environment may have with my equipment, i.e., the onboard electronics and sensing systems, etc. There will obviously be a great deal of steel around and plenty of reflective water around, too, about 45 feet below the bridge span itself. (As an aside, how safe would it be to fly under the bridge side to side? I know GPS would probably be cut off, so would that be a situation the H is built to handle?)

I'm probably underselling the H's abilities to myself, but I admit to still being a bit skitterish when I see it fly a certain distance away from me, despite what I've seen and read and know what is to be the truth about its range. By no means have I pushed my H's envelope yet. I know that is a situation I have to overcome.

So, any advice out there about how to go about doing this? Thanks in advance.

 

[PatR]

Too far to see the H, turning off GPS for speed over distance kills a battery quickly, and all the metal is an unknown but my experiences with simple rail road tracks would have me avoid it unless considerable distance was maintained.


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[CC Rider]

All true and valid points that point out well why I asked for advice first. Thank you for not letting me fly into a problem. Perhaps treading slower and finding out for myself what the aircraft's capabilities and limitations are would serve me best. It would have made for some awesome video, though!

 

[Steve Carr]

It will fly about 29-30 mph with GPS on. I would never fly that far away without GPS. Just too risky and might be the last time you ever see it. You should also make sure you know how to fly using the green arrow. If I were to attempt this flight I would plan on doing it in several flights over a period of days and stay with manual control to get your video. It would obviously be better to find a closer launch location. If the bridge is in use you need to be concerned about a possible crash as well. And verify that flying near the bridge doesn't violate any local rules. It's always better to get permission and that is easier to get if you are a very experienced pilot.

 

[CC Rider]

Again, very good information that you have passed on. I am pretty comfortable flying with the green arrow, almost like IFR flying, but I have zero experience flying without GPS. I know GPS does a whole lot for a drone pilot, and now I know flying without it is something I probably need to still grow into. And yes, not breaking any local rules is a must, as is having the experience for what you are about to undertake.

Methinks I'll cancel this flight and find a more down-to-earth project that doesn't involve possibly losing my H. Thanks, again, for the solid advice.

 

[PatR]

Try to be a lot closer?


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[samsflite]

I agree, I don't get why you have to fly 2000ft to get to the bridge? Find a closer launch spot and don't get too close to the bridge. Keep the typhoon your side of the bridge so if all goes wrong you can safely bring it back home without fear of hitting the bridge or losing sight of it. I would only fly under the bridge if I was standing down at waters level on the bank and could clearly judge the typhoons position. I would turn gps off for that move definitely.
As you said, you need to get comfortable flying without gps first. GPS is fantastic but shouldn't be relied upon, learning to fly well without it will also open you up to getting shots that others can't/lose their machines with.

 

[CraigCam]

I agree, I don't get why you have to fly 2000ft to get to the bridge? Find a closer launch spot and don't get too close to the bridge. Keep the typhoon your side of the bridge so if all goes wrong you can safely bring it back home without fear of hitting the bridge or losing sight of it. I would only fly under the bridge if I was standing down at waters level on the bank and could clearly judge the typhoons position. I would turn gps off for that move definitely.
As you said, you need to get comfortable flying without gps first. GPS is fantastic but shouldn't be relied upon, learning to fly well without it will also open you up to getting shots that others can't/lose their machines with.

I've been shooting a construction crane all summer. I've gotten used to the real scale of my position relative to actual proximity of boom
And guy lines. I use the Q500 for this mostly as I trust it more around all that metal. Last night, I got one of the looks I've been tentative on before. I'm aware how risky it is being close to so much iron so I'm hesitant to push the H as close as I can with the Q.

I would not fly your bridge shot without multiple test shots that provide a clear plan of approach and escape. Once you've established what your comfortable with, you can then push your own envelope and get closer.


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[Atomic08]

CCR...Good advice from all...especially from CraigCam...I feel if you where more of an experienced pilot you would not be asking about flying that distance. (no offense as I don't know you) but for me, 2000 ft would not be an issue in my area. If you launch from an area slightly above the bridge you should have no problems as long as you have LOS. I see you are from Delaware in the northeast so this time of year is bland. I would wait til late spring when everything is more colorful and plan a flight with the sun behind the H and on a slightly cloudy day. The reflection of the blue sky and clouds reflections in the water make for a nice background. You will also have time to practice and prepare and get a Great Video and Photo !
Like This (not mine)

and This (Not Mine)

 

[CraigCam]

Agreed. I use bland days to practice for that better light as I try to get airborne everyday. I found this app called PhotoPills that is all about planning your shot. I need to find out what the closest equal to the CGO3 is and I'm assuming it'd be a Sony given the sensor chip.


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[CC Rider]

Trust me, no offense taken. My comparatively little measure of time of drone flying is what it is and remains irrefutable, the status of which does not affect me emotionally whatsoever. And you're right: if I was a more experienced pilot I wouldn't be asking others for help on this project. However, I unabashedly am not a more experienced pilot. I have less experience than the fine folks out there who are endlessly providing the answers to those of us who are posing questions in this Forum.

But isn't that one of the functions of a Forum such as this, for people with less experience to seek out advice from people who possess more, especially those who have vital, irreplaceable experiential knowledge to pass along to those coming up behind them? In my opinion, this would be one of this Forum's primary functions. No offense.

The reality is I HAVEN'T approached a project such as this before, and so I brought my concerns of the flight distance, the environment, etc., to the Forum seeking advice. Apparently it was a valid question because I received a variety of responses ranging from (and I am paraphrasing here): "Probably best not to try it," "Try it but with great caution," to "It can be done! Do it like this!"

Obviously the choice remains to be mine.

Also, just a FYI, Delaware is NOT located in the Northeast. Delaware is located in the Mid-Atlantic region. Totally different regions, environments and weather due to our close proximity to the impressive Chesapeake Bay to the West and the mighty Atlantic Ocean to the East, while lying south of the snowbelt region. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some folks would call Fargo bland whereas others call it their beautiful home.

Where I live is not bland at all, even during this time of the year. I took some great shots and footage on New Year's Day at a local National Wildlife Refuge. Plenty of wide, bright blue sun-filled skies, an incredible crisscross of clear blue/green waterways, high wispy clouds far above all kinds of green and colorful native vegetation, wetlands and white sandy beaches and wooded trails, with all sorts of critters flying and herding beneath my H on a 60F degree day.

Dorothy was right. There's no place like it.

 

[Atomic08]

CCR...Sorry I don't know parts of the countries proper regions, but here in Upstate NY it is just bland this time of year ! Lucky you have blue skies ! Would love to see your Wildlife Refuge footage,, maybe a link if you have a Youtube site !
I wouldn't mind giving you some tips if you want,( as I am sure others would as well) if you want to post the bridges location. If you are in the Chesapeake Bay area a members on one of the forums is DirtyBird and has plenty of videos of that area, maybe he can help you. Search for his posts.
When I fly and Video, I usually fly by using only my screen on the ST16 to position and set my angles. (I don't know if you are confident enough to do that), but I would suggest to practice using that method.After i get the video I want, I just use the RTH and then land and review the footage.

 

[CC Rider]

Thank you so much for your offer to help. I can certainly use it!!

The bridge is officially called the Charles Cullen Bridge, located at the Indian River Inlet in Southern Delaware, near the town of Bethany Beach, DE. It is over 2,000 feet long and rises to 247.5 feet in the air and is named after a prominent Delawarean. (As a personal aside, that is also whom I am named after. I'm Native American and my great-grandfather Chief Wynikako, born in 1852, needed a white friend during those days to attain anything in the world and he found that in the friendship he developed with prominent local lawyer Charles Cullen. Wynikako had 13 children, most of whom died due to Indian-prone diseases, and he named his last child - who was my grandfather - after Cullen in honor of his white friend, using his entire name followed by my family's adopted English surname. So I'm a modern-day Indian named after an old dead white guy and a local fairly new bridge!)

The Inlet was made larger by a major hurricane in 1962 when I was a boy. It's 100 feet deep beneath the bridge because of ocean scouring of the sea floor, allowing large vessels access to the Atlantic Ocean and a route to the popular Delaware Bay from Cape Henlopen all the way up to Philadelphia. Once further North, they can sail West via the canal to Baltimore, which local folks used to do years ago to sell seafood and vegetables when shipping was the main form of transport. The route is still a major one for oil barges and general shipping.

My launch site would be at the base of the bridge in a nearby state park. I could probably get closer, too. I just have to scout out the area a little better. Because of the surf, the area attracts surfers year-round, which is crazy to me since the idea of purposely being in ice-cold water in January or February kinda makes me shrivel up inside.

So that's my plan. Any suggestions or advice would be welcomed. It would make for some outstanding shots and footage, and at dusk they shine special colorful lights on the structure that would be great to capture and do a slow dissolve on at the end, perhaps starting the production with the Sun as it rises above the bridge in the horizon.

Thanks for responding to me and reading this far, and thanks in advance for any help you can give me.


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[CC Rider]

P.S. I don't have my video footage edited down yet of the National Wildlife Refuge I was at on New Year's Day, but here is one of my snapshots of it. It's called Prime Hook NWR, one of two such refuges in the tiny State of Delaware, located near the town of Milton. This State is a major stopping point and fly-over for most of this hemisphere's migratory birds, especially waterfowl.

We are packed here during the summer with tourists seeking out our beaches, the birdwatchers flock here in the autumn in droves, winter time is our only relatively quiet time, and then spring brings in the folks looking to get back outdoors at our flower shows, fishing tournaments and more. Thomas Jefferson coined Delaware "The Diamond State" early on because, he said, "It was small but precious."

And now you know more about Delaware than you probably ever wanted to!

 

[Tuna]

I'd never make your first flight in an area be the one where you're trying to capture final footage. Too much pressure, too many unknowns. Go and fly for pleasure (and additional experience) then review the footage later and see what works, what angles give you good light or interesting shapes and so on. It's also worth just checking out first light or sunset to see how that works with the landscape.

The other thing to consider (carefully) is whether Cable Cam might help you. On the plus side, you can plan out the positions and motion to get the locations you want and then (optionally) control the camera during the flight. That saves you having to be camera man and pilot at the same time and can give smooth, consistent movement. On the minus side, you get less control over speed, and have to be very careful about altitudes - the barometer in the Typhoon can drift quite a lot during a flight and that means you have to plan with large margins of error and be prepared to abort at the first sign of trouble.

 

[CC Rider]

Very helpful advice, thank you so much. It DOES make sense to first scout out the airspace - just as I scout out the lay of the land before any takeoff - before going in with the idea of capturing what I have in mind my first flight there. And as you say, I can also definitely use the experience just in doing this, maybe even flying without GPS which I have not yet done.

I think I will probably layout a rough storyboard to go by to be more efficient in my flight approach and shooting schedule. Being efficient, to me, would be key to maximizing my flight and filming time. It's a big structure and I'll have to take quite a few flights up to properly capture it.

I can understand the pros and cons of using CCC, however that would free me up to focus on my shots, which is an attractive advantage to me. I will have to try out that Smart Mode tool as I have also not used the CCC feature, either. In fact, I haven't used any of the Smart Mode features yet.

I've mostly been flying in Angle Mode using GPS in all kinds of situations and environments, various altitudes and distances. I haven't landed using RTH or had much reason to use OA or RS, either. I've mostly been practicing piloting, landing, flying in large spaces and confined spaces, and trying to learn how the H handles in different situations.

I feel like I can make the flight itself. I'm quite comfortable with the ST16 and the Typhoon. But I know there's usually an unexpected surprise in store for first-timers attempting anything, and I appreciate the expertise more experienced flyers have and can impart knowledge to others with. So thanks for the lesson.




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[Tuna]

The biggest problem when things go wrong is the 'mental freeze' that tends to make you keep on doing the same thing hoping that the outcome will change. Our nephew was showing us his drone over Christmas, and when it took off into the distance, all he could do was keep on trying to fly against the wind. Having a quick check list to get out of such situations is meant to help - GPS on, Angle mode, gain altitude if necessary, land as soon as possible. Similarly, in CCC mode, the first thing to do is to know how to cancel the playback. We've had more than one pilot post on here who's crashed in CCC because the instinctive action is to try to control it with the sticks - which can just speed up the CCC route.

Anyway, I'm really no expert, just a bit further along the learning curve. A few runs with GPS off have been very rewarding - in still conditions, it's very easy to control.

 

[Atomic08]

Another thought to consider in your flight plan is to get the best altitude for the best view of the bridge..
Once the best view In your opinion...
Keep that in mind for future flights...
If you take multiple flights through the year, you can plan for a seasonal time lapse video..
In all flights, plan on the position of the sun for the best color !
For me, by habit, I always fly in angle mode and use RTH
I am comfortable with RTH and watch the arrows

 

[CC Rider]

Thank you so much for the good advice and for sharing your experience. I'm going to follow it.

I really like the idea of capturing the bridge over a span of time. It would depict it in its seasonal changes: lots of pleasure boats there and car traffic during the summer, frozen ice caps in the lonely Inlet during winter caught in very different light, the bridge's seasonal light displays that they change throughout the year, even July 4th fireworks displays over the bridge in the distance at night from the many nearby seaside towns that celebrate the holiday. Your advice has greatly augmented my concept and scope of this project.

Thanks, again, for helping to get me pointed in the right direction. Like with anything people create, if the foundation isn't solid and complete then everything can crumble. I now have a better foundation to build on. I appreciate your help.


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[CraigCam]

Thank you so much for the good advice and for sharing your experience. I'm going to follow it.

I really like the idea of capturing the bridge over a span of time. It would depict it in its seasonal changes: lots of pleasure boats there and car traffic during the summer, frozen ice caps in the lonely Inlet during winter caught in very different light, the bridge's seasonal light displays that they change throughout the year, even July 4th fireworks displays over the bridge in the distance at night from the many nearby seaside towns that celebrate the holiday. Your advice has greatly augmented my concept and scope of this project.

Thanks, again, for helping to get me pointed in the right direction. Like with anything people create, if the foundation isn't solid and complete then everything can crumble. I now have a better foundation to build on. I appreciate your help.


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Here is a link to a Q500 shot I did the other night. It's actually a test shot of 4K on the camera as I finally got my new iMac that's 4K and my adobe account all working. I did not tittle or add music as I'm just learning premier again. I have flown this crane multiple times and tried the overhead straight run before. I'm pretty happy with this shot considering I did it with an ST 10 monitor.

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