How to Produce Professional Aerial Video, Part 2: Choosing a Gimbal and Capturing Stable, Usable Shots

Monitoring the Shot

Let’s now shift our attention from the actual gimbal to how we are able to monitor our shot from the ground. So you have a camera that in most cases will have an HD video/picture output that you can tap into. Our challenge now becomes getting this signal to a monitor so that we can see what the camera is seeing while we’re flying and operating the gimbal. There are several solutions to this challenge, but before we get into them, let’s detail the different components of the generic video downlink system.

Attached to your gimbal or copter is a video transmitter of sorts that will wirelessly transmit a signal. As part of your ground station, you have a receiver that’s set to the same frequency as your transmitter and plugged into a video monitor that you and/or your gimbal operator can use to monitor what the camera is seeing. You will need a way to power both the transmitter on the gimbal and the receiver/monitor on the ground.

Most folks are using analog video downlinks because the price is right and the range is awesome. We are, however, starting to see some HD systems like the Bolt 2000 and the Paralinks Tomahawk that transmit zero-latency HD footage hundreds of yards.

Monitoring Solution 1: The SD Option

Solution 1 is an analog solution where we come out of the camera HDMI port into an HDMI-to-SD converter, then out of the converter as an SD signal to the video transmitter and subsequently transmit to the SD receiver attached to the monitor. Your video will be a standard-definition picture capable of allowing you to frame your shot.

There are several different flavors (frequencies) of video transmitters, each with its advantages. Generally the lower the frequency band the greater the range and ability to transmit in and around obstacles while at the higher-frequency bands you get a much higher-quality picture. The popular frequency bands are the 900mHz, 1.2gHz, 2.4gHz and 5.2gHz.

In most cases, you’ll find your copter radio control on the 2.4gHz band while the video will be utilizing one of the others. You’ll find there are more options available to you in the 5.8gHz range than the others. Most antennae that come with your transmitter and receiver will be calibrated for that particular frequency band and be of the whip antennae style.

Antenna choice is a topic worthy of its own forum and can have a dramatic effect on the performance of your system. No matter what antenna you choose … never operate your video transmitter without an antenna attached as this will ultimately burn up your transmitter. There are a number of monitor/receiver combinations that are all in one and offer a simple approach to attaching the monitor to the copter and/or gimbal transmitter. Depending upon the antennae and transmitter power (wattage), these systems are capable of some pretty impressive range well in excess of a mile and more.

A Very Important, Often-Overlooked Consideration

The FCC requires you to have a ham radio operator’s permit when operating a transmitter with power in excess of 100mw. This would pretty much preclude the operation of many of the video transmitters being used today. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to obtain the “technician” level of ham radio operators permit needed and there are several very good study sources that you can locate with a quick search on the web.

Monitoring Solution 2: HD via WiFi

Solution 2 is an HD solution that uses WiFi technology to transmit the video signal. It can transmit an HD signal to an HD receiver and monitor on the ground. In the lower-price spectrum (sub-$1,000) these systems have a limited range of around 300-500 feet, while at the higher end (multiple thousands) will have a range of 2,000 feet or so. Let’s face it: There is truly no substitute for an HD signal when monitoring your HD camera image, but it currently comes at a hefty price.

Paralinx Tomahawk Real-Time HD Wireless Transmitter System

Monitoring Solution 3: HD via LightBridge

Solution 3 is an HD solution that is relatively new to the scene. Light Bridge by DJI is an innovative HD video monitoring solution that provides for ranges of up to 1 mile or more. It combines your 2.4gHz radio transmitter signal and low-latency 2.4gHz video transmissions from 2 different camera sources with discrete encryption technology that keeps them from interfering with each other.

LightBridge

At the present time, this system is compatible only with DJI flight controller systems such as the A2 and the NAZA v2. Because Light Bridge uses only a 100mw transmitter, you do not need a ham radio operator permit to use it.