Flight Videoing

F

fukhar

Pre-Flight
Joined
Jun 13, 2011
Messages
33
Display Name
Display name:
Fukhar
any good ideas on videoing flights from the cockpit? i would like to capture both the intercom audio and some of the engine's sound (i heard that people do that by using earbuds as mics and putting them inside the headset).

what is a good video solution? the gopro and contour hd look nice, but lets say you mount them in the cockpit, isn't it boring to have the same view point the entire flight? maybe its worth noting that i use a yoke mounted iPad which maybe combined with a possible solution..

i just want to video my flights for fun to have as a souvenir. any good ideas / examples on how to achieve this?

thank you very much!
 
Last edited:
He best solution I've found is the Drift HD camera. It supports a audio patch accessory when combined with a splitter cable from aircraft spruce will capture all you cockpit audio. It'll use up to a 32g SD card and records 170 degree field of view.

Here's an example of the drift hd 170 camera:

http://vimeo.com/17049546

And here's an example of wearing it attached to my hat:

http://vimeo.com/20108616

Good luck with it.
 
fukhar said:
any good ideas on videoing flights from the cockpit? i would like to capture both the intercom audio and some of the engine's sound (i heard that people do that by using earbuds as mics and putting them inside the headset).
Click to expand...

Yup, that's exactly how you do it. Bonus: It's also the cheapest way to do it.

I don't currently own a POV camera so I mount a standard video camera using a tripod with two of its legs in the front seat back pockets and the third leg extended to the rear seats. Works great.

what is a good video solution? the gopro and contour hd look nice, but lets say you mount them in the cockpit, isn't it boring to have the same view point the entire flight? maybe its worth noting that i use a yoke mounted iPad which maybe combined with a possible solution..
Click to expand...

The real trick to great video is to use multiple cameras and edit the footage together. I'll probably end up collecting several cameras over time. I think one looking out the front, one looking out each side, one looking at the panel and one looking back at the pax (5 total cameras) would be enough. :D
 
flyingcheesehead said:
The real trick to great video is to use multiple cameras and edit the footage together. I'll probably end up collecting several cameras over time. I think one looking out the front, one looking out each side, one looking at the panel and one looking back at the pax (5 total cameras) would be enough. :D
Click to expand...

+1 I do love those videos with multiple cameras.
 
I also need to come up with a decent mounting system. Im thinking about something like we use in the race cars but so it can be moved around. I need a good fixed mount so there is no chance of dropping it or its gone! Here is an oldie I just hand held the camera..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O5w2-JsLeM
 
Last edited:
I honestly don't mean to offend anyone, but I myself find flight videos somnastically boring unless the aircraft is either crashing, flying perilously close to something it ought not to fly perilously close to or doing aerobatics in and out of the clouds, which it also shouldn't do. That is, if you are obeying the rules of the FAA and good sense, your videos will be boring after about 30 seconds.
 
I've been tempted to try a timelapse along with audio edited out of liveatc.
 
steingar said:
I honestly don't mean to offend anyone, but I myself find flight videos somnastically boring unless the aircraft is either crashing, flying perilously close to something it ought not to fly perilously close to or doing aerobatics in and out of the clouds, which it also shouldn't do.
Click to expand...

+1

The "here's me doing pattern work, uncut" videos on youtube were marginally interesting when I had just started my training, but unless there is a prop strike or something, I don't have the patience to watch someone fly a complete traffic pattern at 1x speed (I saw that video before my first solo XC and felt terrible for the guy).

But I'm certainly guilty of posting flying videos that meant something to me but bored my friends to tears...
 
steingar said:
I honestly don't mean to offend anyone, but I myself find flight videos somnastically boring unless the aircraft is either crashing, flying perilously close to something it ought not to fly perilously close to or doing aerobatics in and out of the clouds, which it also shouldn't do. That is, if you are obeying the rules of the FAA and good sense, your videos will be boring after about 30 seconds.
Click to expand...

Clearly you just don't have much appreciation for how exciting and filled with drama the pattern flying is for these guys that post those videos. I hear them on the radio all the time on nice weekends making calls like "CAMBRIDGE TRAFFIC!! CESSNA 234!! WE'RE... WE'RE TURNING DOWNWIND!! TURNING DOWNWIND FROM THE CROSSWIND!!!" With all the drama in their voice of starting a bombing run over Berlin.

Heck, when I hear someone with that much drama in their radio transmissions, it makes me want turn on my video camera to start recording what's going to happen next :)
 
eMKay said:
I use a GoPro HD Hero, drilled a hole in the waterproof case, and taped an ipod earbud to it. With a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter into the intercom. The audio only comes out of one earbud so just one is taped to the camera.
Click to expand...

Very inventive (and nice videos). :yesnod: I generally record the audio separately and have to match it back up in post.

BTW, what mount are you using for the GoPro Hero HD, and where are you mounting it in the airplane? Pretty good perspective and vibration seems to be fairly minimal. Vibration is the most difficult thing you generally have to deal with, it seems, when recording video in the cockpit.

I do have one piece of advice for you on the sound since you're using the sound out of the GoPro with your setup. Do you hear the play in mount make a rattling sound on rotation (or other high vibration times)? GoPro has a rubber noseplug looking thing (that may have come in your kit, depending on which one you purchased) that will dampen this. You can see more info on it here: http://vimeo.com/9338138 I don't think they sell it alone, but it comes with some kits and some mounts. BTW, mine is white (came with the motorsports kit). Not sure what, if anything, the different colors mean.
 
Simple solution, spend the money and K.I.S.S.

http://sportys.com/PilotShop/product/15727

I got the NFlightcam with the ram mount kit and Universal mount adapter (don't forget this as you're screwed without it). The camera can also be mounted on a headlamp's elastic headband. I just slip it over the passenger seat headrest to get more of a cockpit perspective.

They have a GPS version, too.

Just plug into the passenger headset jacks, mount wherever, slide the switch, and you're "on the air".

I'm very happy with it. Picture quality and sound are great without that annoying engine drone.

At home, just pop out the memory card, insert into the computer's card reader, and you're making a movie in no time at all. I love it!

I'd share a clip, but it's just some longwinded student pilot doing take-offs and landings. :D
 
flyingcheesehead said:
The real trick to great video is to use multiple cameras and edit the footage together. I'll probably end up collecting several cameras over time. I think one looking out the front, one looking out each side, one looking at the panel and one looking back at the pax (5 total cameras) would be enough. :D
Click to expand...

"Flying Wild Wisconsin" coming this Fall!

[Just make sure to include a ditzy, but very cute, girl into the vids and it'll be a sure hit. Lord knows, you've got a bunch of 'em in that state! Speaking as a former FIB. :wink2:]
 
Last edited:
That NFlightCam is a great idea (love the GPS option, too), but in my experience, that particular lipstick camera they use does awful, awful things with the prop. All CMOS based cameras (almost all small cameras these days) are subject to some level of prop artifacting, but some are way worse than others. NFlightCam is one of the worst...which is too bad, because like I said, keeping it simple is definately a great idea. Bravo3...do you see the horizontal wavy lines on your recordings from the prop?

If I used that camera in a piston single (tractor anyway), I would only use it pointing somewhere other than over the nose. If it's sufficiently wide angle, maybe it would make a good panel cam, and with the GPS add-on, could be really nice addition to some other camera.
 
billwil said:
That NFlightCam is a great idea (love the GPS option, too), but in my experience, that particular lipstick camera they use does awful, awful things with the prop. All CMOS based cameras (almost all small cameras these days) are subject to some level of prop artifacting, but some are way worse than others. NFlightCam is one of the worst...which is too bad, because like I said, keeping it simple is definately a great idea. Bravo3...do you see the horizontal wavy lines on your recordings from the prop?

If I used that camera in a piston single (tractor anyway), I would only use it pointing somewhere other than over the nose. If it's sufficiently wide angle, maybe it would make a good panel cam, and with the GPS add-on, could be really nice addition to some other camera.
Click to expand...

Yep, I do get the artifacting, but only a little bit. It seems to be most bothersome at taxi and low rpms. I think I read that there's a fix for that, but I can't recall what. Perhaps changing the resolution or something else perhaps. You've gotten me inspired to research this bug.

Since I don't care about broadcast quality, it's not a biggy for me. The simplicity of use, no spaghetti bowl of cords, and decent radio/intercom make it work for me.

I agree that aiming out the side window to see the sights would probably be more interesting for people (especially non-pilots) to watch anyway.

BTW, I enjoyed your SPC podcasts #24 & 25 the other day. It was fun to follow along with the sectional in ForeFlight. I'm less intimidated about flying to Tucson/Ryan now. :thumbsup:
 
Last edited:
steingar said:
I honestly don't mean to offend anyone, but I myself find flight videos somnastically boring unless the aircraft is either crashing, flying perilously close to something it ought not to fly perilously close to or doing aerobatics in and out of the clouds, which it also shouldn't do. That is, if you are obeying the rules of the FAA and good sense, your videos will be boring after about 30 seconds.
Click to expand...

They're generally MUCH better if there's lots of editing involved. But that's hard work.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
They're generally MUCH better if there's lots of editing involved. But that's hard work.
Click to expand...

At the risk of starting a flame war, I'll just say it's not very hard if you own a Mac that comes with iMovie included. It's a very simple but pretty powerful editing platform that'll do everything you'll likely ever need.

When I got the latest version of iMovie, it came with these automatic movie trailer maker templates. As more of a joke than anything, I picked one of these called the "Love Story" theme and started dropping flying video in to it. The whole editing process took me maybe 30 - 45 minutes and I published it on Vimeo for my friends. Easy peasy.

One of them apparently sent it in to the IAC and they published it in the enews "In The Loop." Here's the link to the newletter and the video is the "Featured Air Show."

http://www.eaa.org/intheloop/issues/1104.html
 
I used a timelapse app to cut 45 minutes of XC dullness down to 1m30s of XC dullness. I should have shot landscape, since pillarboxing reduced the resolution substantially. ~1fps source material played back at 15fps is a little choppy, but at $2, the price was right. Didn't get around to splicing in the atc audio, maybe next time.

 
PittsDriver said:
At the risk of starting a flame war, I'll just say it's not very hard if you own a Mac that comes with iMovie included. It's a very simple but pretty powerful editing platform that'll do everything you'll likely ever need.
Click to expand...

No flame war here - And the new-ish iMovie is the easiest, fastest method of editing I've seen too, but...

When I got the latest version of iMovie, it came with these automatic movie trailer maker templates. As more of a joke than anything, I picked one of these called the "Love Story" theme and started dropping flying video in to it. The whole editing process took me maybe 30 - 45 minutes and I published it on Vimeo for my friends. Easy peasy.
Click to expand...

45 minutes to make a 1 1/2-minute video still doesn't fit within my definition of "easy" but maybe I'm just lazy. ;)
 
billwil said:
Very inventive (and nice videos). :yesnod: I generally record the audio separately and have to match it back up in post.

BTW, what mount are you using for the GoPro Hero HD, and where are you mounting it in the airplane? Pretty good perspective and vibration seems to be fairly minimal. Vibration is the most difficult thing you generally have to deal with, it seems, when recording video in the cockpit.

I do have one piece of advice for you on the sound since you're using the sound out of the GoPro with your setup. Do you hear the play in mount make a rattling sound on rotation (or other high vibration times)? GoPro has a rubber noseplug looking thing (that may have come in your kit, depending on which one you purchased) that will dampen this. You can see more info on it here: http://vimeo.com/9338138 I don't think they sell it alone, but it comes with some kits and some mounts. BTW, mine is white (came with the motorsports kit). Not sure what, if anything, the different colors mean.
Click to expand...

I just mount it on a tripod strapped down with the seatbelt in back
 
Well, it looks like the NFlightCam has a new and improved model that eliminates the artifacting and even has a removable audio cable for recording ambient sound--plus an aluminum housing. Great . . . what to do with the older model?

If I feel like coughing up a cool $599, I guess I could have one camera for recording over the nose/cockpit perspective and use the old FlightCam for side window shots.

http://sportys.com/PilotShop/product/16638

They have a pretty nice video demo on the above page link. That Aviator Lens seems to do the job of creating a clean view over the nose now.
 
Bravo3 said:
Well, it looks like the NFlightCam has a new and improved model that eliminates the artifacting and even has a removable audio cable for recording ambient sound--plus an aluminum housing.
Click to expand...

I suspect that their "Aviator Lens" is really just a neutral density filter. Skip to about 3:15 in this video to see the effect of an ND filter on a GoPro:

http://vimeo.com/22302989
 
Probably the only interesting thing I can think of that happens during normal flights are the reactions / audio from inexperienced passengers. I'm sure everyone of you has some great stories that would be great to have on camera.

I'd like to get some video of what my instructor had me practicing during my checkout in a new aircraft. Basically we just did alot of landings in different configurations and stalls, but really had some fun with "simulated engine fire emergencies"

Start directly above the numbers at pattern altitude, pull the power and make a full flaps, full slip 360 degree turn at maximum flap extension speed. when you finish your 360 you're all lined up to land! Of course its smart to have a pilot (in this case instructor) in the right seat to watch for traffic and make radio calls while you are concentrating on the descent.
 
1200AGL said:
I suspect that their "Aviator Lens" is really just a neutral density filter. Skip to about 3:15 in this video to see the effect of an ND filter on a GoPro:

http://vimeo.com/22302989
Click to expand...

Interesting video...I might try that adapter on my GoPro HD. I think, though, that the "Aviator Lens" must include some sort of circular polarizer, though, rather than just ND filters, because it appears to have directionality (notice the angle meeter in the side of the lens). With the adapter on the GoPro, though, it would be easy to experiment with both. Thanks so much for the link.
 
billwil said:
Interesting video...I might try that adapter on my GoPro HD. I think, though, that the "Aviator Lens" must include some sort of circular polarizer, though, rather than just ND filters, because it appears to have directionality (notice the angle meeter in the side of the lens). With the ad apter on the GoPro, though, it would be easy to experiment with both. Thanks so much for the link.
Click to expand...

I think the Contour HD camera has ring to control the video orientation and the marks might be for that. I know because my CFI filmed a couple of my glider rope break drills with his Contour HD and he had to fix the orientation in iMovie both times: the video was turned 90 degrees in one case and it was upside-down in the other. They could have added a polarizer, too, though.
 
Oh...didn't know that. I bet you're right. I have a go pro and since they use firmware to flip the video, I just assumed contourhd does the same thing. Since the contour is round, it makes since to leave it infinitely adjustable.
 
I have a friend who has the contour hd camera. It takes excellent video and it is also neat that it stores GPS data with the video. I believe the camera is around $400.00.
 
PittsDriver said:
He best solution I've found is the Drift HD camera. It supports a audio patch accessory when combined with a splitter cable from aircraft spruce will capture all you cockpit audio. It'll use up to a 32g SD card and records 170 degree field of view.

Good luck with it.
Click to expand...

That splitter cable is also available from Rat Shack for about half the price.

Thanks,

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
That splitter cable is also available from Rat Shack for about half the price.

Thanks,

Jim
Click to expand...

Be careful with this, though. The levels from the panel generally have to be attenuated down to mic input levels to work with an audio recorder/video recorder. Just splitting the audio will usually produce very poor,or even unusable results (depending on the flexibility of the recording device). I am not aware of a Radio Shack 1/4" splitter that also attenuates the levels appropriately. If I'm wrong, please provide a link (I want one). You could cobble together various cables, adapters, etc., all from Radio Shack to do this, but now you're close to the same price with a bunch of parts to keep track of.
 
I use an attenuating cable to a digital audio recorder. The results are way WAY better than the earbud-in-the-earcup stuff.

I believe it's 30 dB of attenuation and the Line level input on the recorder with the recorder set for AGC Limiting turned on to avoid accidental clipping if I set the input gain pot on it too high. Might be 20 dB. It's labeled on the cable but it's out at the hangar.

Unfortunately it's not labeled with the sma shop that made it. It was cheap compared to the thing Aircraft Spruce sells.

Flawless results, even when I screw up the level. Nice. About the only thing that bites me now is forgetting to switch the recorder from pre-pause to record, or if the batteries die. I could fix the latter with ship's power. The former just needs to go on my checklist.
 
I've done that, too, Nate. In fact, I've tried almost every method of recording, I think. :). I know you know this, but keep in mind that Line Level input is much higher than mic level, and most consumer recorders and video cameras only support mic input. So for people using a device that does not support line level, the attenuation will need to be much higher.

Also, the "much better" qualitator in your post is very subjective. Many people don't like the very "sterile" sound recording straight out of the panel. Most of my recordings for the Student Pilot Cast were done this way, and it was probably not the best option for sound overall(but was for simplicity as a student pilot). Many people prefer to have some natural ambient sound which generally makes it sound more organic and real. That's one of the reason people use the earbud method. Probably the most flexible option is to use a recorder that records at least two channels and take one channel for the audio panel and the other hooked to a mic in the cockpit to record the ambient sound (engine, squeak of the tires, etc.) and then mix them in post. This option is the the most complicated and expensive, though.

Another option, and one I've been using lately with good results, is to use a powered mic in the earcup to record both the ambient and direct panel sound at the same time. It's not flexible, as you need to get the mix right during recording, but I use lightspeed Zulus, and getting the mix right is the same as setting the volume to my comfort in the headset, so it works out okay. It's very simple, which is why I like it. I use an Olympus mic that is intended to record phone conversations, so it fits in your ear like an earbud, but records on the outside of the ear. It is powered, though, and requires that the recorder support 5 volts of power for plugged in mics. There are a LOT of ways to do this well.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express
 
Good point on the "sterile" audio without ambient noise. I've been meaning to fix that.

I've been meaning to get serious about shooting video and pulling ambient off of the video audio track. Recently I've been too busy (and also a bit demotivated - you heard it here first, was intending that to be an upcoming episode) to get audio shows out anyway, so video is way back-burnered.

I don't want to give the impression that the earcup thing isn't creative and *really* inexpensive with reasonably good results. The audio rig to get the overly-clean audio was about $150, all-in. So the earbud thing is great if the budget isn't that high.

I just want to start with that "clean" audio and then add the ambient if / when desired.

I don't go overboard though. I can't get the alternator whine 100% out of the audio on our 70s Cessna with god-awful ground loops galore before they learned the positive effects of a single-point ground. ;)

That noise is forever tied in my brain to older Cessna electrical systems, whereas probably someone flying newer Cessnas doesn't like hearing it.

So there's a large measure of subjectiveness and emotion-invoking stuff in our brains in what a recorded cockpit should sound like. ;)
 
denverpilot said:
I use an attenuating cable to a digital audio recorder. The results are way WAY better than the earbud-in-the-earcup stuff.
Click to expand...

Vehemently disagree. I don't like the cable-to-the-panel recordings at all. Might as well stay home and listen to LiveATC - The cockpit experience includes all the sounds, and having an ANR headset with the earbuds leaves you with a much better experience for the listener. You can hear a bit of engine noise, so you can hear power changes. You can hear a bit of the air rushing past the airplane so that you can have some idea what the airspeed is. You can hear the tires on landing. You can hear the stall warning and any other tunes, tones, beeps, vocal annunciations, or whatever.

It's the difference between "radio traffic" and "cockpit audio." Like Bill said, it's possible to do this with multiple mics and mix it in post, but even that won't be as good as the earbud trick IMO - The other noises don't sound the same without a headset as they do with, so even if you attenuate everything properly it still won't be what you hear in the cockpit. The earbud trick records exactly what you actually hear when flying the plane (isn't that what we're trying for?), and does so cheaply and easily (maybe that's the problem ;)).
 
Why use an ANR headset then? ;)

I agree, as I said to Bill, that intercom audio is too sterile, and I'd want to fix that in post.

I've always wondered what a stage floor mic (flat panel variety) would sound like, sitting on the glareshield. Probably too much vibration for that.

Mixing intercom with a lavalier mic might work well too.

I love experimenting more than putting out shows even, really. Maybe it's time to round up all the mica in the house and do a flight test.

I'd gaffer's tape a mic to my butt, if I thought it would give good audio. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top