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You're reading from  Building Multicopter Video Drones

Product typeBook
Published inAug 2014
PublisherPackt
ISBN-139781782175438
Edition1st Edition
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Author (1)
Ty Audronis
Ty Audronis
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Ty Audronis

Ty Audronis has been called a "technology-age renaissance man." Hes a professional drone pilot, post-production specialist in the entertainment and media industries, a highly experienced interactive game developer, and an accomplished digital artist. Hes worked for companies ranging from frog Design to California Academy of Sciences in roles where hes worn many hats. Tys been programming software and games since 1981 (when he was 8 years old) professionally. He majored in Computer Generated Animation and Visual Effects in college (where he won Best Animation for the entire CSU system a Rosebud Award). His music and sound design have been the soundtrack on several major productions; he has also served as a visual effects supervisor on feature films and was the supervising editor and animator for award-winning science visualizations. He has been building drones since the days when sensors and components had to be torn out of cell phones and game controllers. Ty is also a mentor, having taught many interns his skills, and speaks regularly at venues including Interdrone. He also serves on the advisory board for the Society of Aerial Cinematographers and for Genarts (now Boris) Sapphire.
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What to expect for your budget…


This greatly depends on what your final purpose is. As technology gets better, cameras get smaller and capture more stunning detail with less bulk.

Setting realistic expectations

Depending on how old you are, you might remember Betacam SP cameras: the last of the great SD analog cameras. They could cost anywhere from 50,000 USD to 150,000 USD and up. Yes … this much for one analog SD (720x486) camera that needed a muscle-bound cameraman to carry it. Compare this to the modern DSLR cameras, and you realize that the gargantuan relic is nothing better than a doorstop today. The lesson: bigger is not always better.

If your goal is to carry a giant cinematic camera (such as a RED Scarlet), let me stop you right there. Even the DJI Spreading Wings S1000 (which, according to reports, has overcome all of the problems the S800 had)—a gargantuan octocopter that will run you upwards of 6,500 USD (without a radio or most of the other necessary accessories)—doesn't work well...

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Building Multicopter Video Drones
Published in: Aug 2014Publisher: PacktISBN-13: 9781782175438

Author (1)

author image
Ty Audronis

Ty Audronis has been called a "technology-age renaissance man." Hes a professional drone pilot, post-production specialist in the entertainment and media industries, a highly experienced interactive game developer, and an accomplished digital artist. Hes worked for companies ranging from frog Design to California Academy of Sciences in roles where hes worn many hats. Tys been programming software and games since 1981 (when he was 8 years old) professionally. He majored in Computer Generated Animation and Visual Effects in college (where he won Best Animation for the entire CSU system a Rosebud Award). His music and sound design have been the soundtrack on several major productions; he has also served as a visual effects supervisor on feature films and was the supervising editor and animator for award-winning science visualizations. He has been building drones since the days when sensors and components had to be torn out of cell phones and game controllers. Ty is also a mentor, having taught many interns his skills, and speaks regularly at venues including Interdrone. He also serves on the advisory board for the Society of Aerial Cinematographers and for Genarts (now Boris) Sapphire.
Read more about Ty Audronis