Gopro + Garmin Pilot: Gauge Overlays

Sinistar

Sinistar

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Display name:
Brad
TLDR: I am not even sure if having these gauges overlaid on the videos is useful or not. However
I figured it out this afternoon and thought I would include the steps if it helps anyone else.

When you see gauge overlays in aviation videos they always appear to be using at least 1 VIRB camera along with their Gopros. But I always figured Garmin Pilot was saving enough log data to create these gauge overlays. And It is. It is called a G-Metrix (GPX) file. I (incorrectly) thought Garmin Pilot only started logging once a user configured speed+altitude threshold was exceeded however it does start the log data prior to that so a full takeoff is actually captured. I am not a ForeFlight user however I think it can export GPX files as well. I normally use Adobe Premier so there is a advance example to overlay the gauges using that editor.

Simple Example:
This one has a rural airport takeoff, transition from climb to cruise, flying in the Bravo near KMSP and a landing at the downtown St.Paul airport (KSTP). Nothing special, just a wing shot and a pair of gauges for speed and altitude

Instructions start here...

Getting the GPX File:
  1. Log into fly.garmin.com (same user name and password as you GP subscription)
  2. Click on the "LOGBOOK"
  3. You will see a listing of all your logged flights.
  4. Click on the "Details" link on the far right
  5. You can see all your data including the AHRS if you have it.
  6. On upper right side click on 'Download'
  7. Select the GPX file and save it someplace where you can find it.
  8. You can also export them from the app itself.
Using Garmin's Virb Edit To Get Started:
  1. Download and install "Virb Edit" (free) from Garmin's official website
  2. Run the program
  3. Select "Create Video" and give it a name.
  4. The screen will switch to "Import Clips & Photos"
  5. Click on the little down arrow to import
  6. Select "Import Other"
  7. Browse for the Gopro clips that correspond to this flight. You can even add video clips from other cameras, phones, etc including VIRB :)
  8. The selected clips will show up in the "Media Gallery"
  9. Drag these clips down onto the timeline (bottom area of the editor). You will see the first frame of the clip in the preview window (Upper left area)
Adding The Gauge Overlays:
  1. Select the "G-Metrix" menu option (far left side)
  2. Click the "G-Metrix button"
  3. Click the "Import G-Metrix..." button
  4. Click the "On My Computer"
  5. Find the GPX file you initially downloaded
  6. You will see your flight path overlaid on a map
  7. Click the "Use this log" button (bottom of screen)
  8. You will now see the default Speed and Elevation gauges overlaid on the screen.
  9. Scub the timeline bar back and forth and you can see the gauges updating.
  10. You can drag these gauges around, delete them, replace them etc.
  11. You will also want to align it to the clips you are using
  12. Select the "G-Metrix Synch" down near the bottom
  13. First advance the movie clip to a a good synch location (takeoff roll, etc)
  14. Then drag the red circle along the map path to that same point.
  15. Select "DONE"
  16. You can now export the video (upper right corner).

Advanced Example:
What If You Use Another Video Editor? As mentioned earlier I use Adobe Premier and want to do my editing there. So here is what I did:

Create A Re-useable Green Screen background
  1. Go to Paint or any other bitmap editor.
  2. Create a new image that is 1920x1080 (or whatever resolution you are filming in).
  3. Using the paint fill tool drop in a solid color. It must be a color you won't have in your gauges. This will be the "Key" color and is often green.
  4. Open up Adobe Premier and create a new project. Make it a 1080p 29.97fps (or whatever resolution you will be editing).
  5. Import the green image you just created.
  6. Drop it on the timeline
  7. Right click on the clip in the timeline
  8. Select 'Speed/Duration' from the menu
  9. Enter a fairly long duration (I just did one for 3hrs which would be the longest flight)
  10. Export the Media as a MP4 with the same settings as your gopro video
  11. This can be reused for other gauge overlays as long as it is longer than the actual flight log.

Overlay The Gauges On A Green Screen:
  1. Go back to Virb Edit
  2. Import this file video clip instead of the actual flight videos
  3. Drag this clip onto the empty timeline
  4. Select the G-Metrix and synch both to the start.
  5. In Virb Edit you can "Trim-Right" at the clip location right where the G-Metrix data ends to cut down on the export time.
  6. Export this video
Overlay Green Screen Gauges Into Adobe Premier:
  1. Import the green screen gauges clip into your project
  2. Drop it over the video you are working on.
  3. At this point all you will see is the gauges overlaid on a green screen
  4. Under the "Effects" Panel select Video Effect / Keying / Ultra Key
  5. Drag it onto this green screen clip in the timeline. You still won't see your underlying video yet.
  6. Under the "Effects Controls" panel find the "Ultra Key" effect parameters panel.
  7. Click on the tiny little dropper
  8. Click somewhere on the green area of the screen
  9. Now you should see your gauges overlaid on your clip. Any transparency in the gauges should also work.
  10. Finally, use the "Motion" parameters to move them to where you want them on the final edit.
 
That makes my head explode...my brain is too full of other crap, sucks getting old.

I’ll just WATCH videos instead of make them. Well, I do make them, it just looks like an amateur videocam from the 1990s. Makes me appreciate all the work everyone puts into making nice videos.
 
ktup-flyer said:
GoPro has built in gauge overlays. Speed, altitude, g meter, gps track, etc
Click to expand...
Yes I already knew that and probably should have pointed it out. I usually leave the gopro gps off to save battery and I dont edit in their editor. I guess this was more of a "Hey your Garmin Pilot is logging this stuff too and there is a way....a rather tedious way...to get it there".
 
Sinistar said:
Yes I already knew that and probably should have pointed it out. I usually leave the gopro gps off to save battery and I dont edit in their editor. I guess this was more of a "Hey your Garmin Pilot is logging this stuff too and there is a way....a rather tedious way...to get it there".
Click to expand...
The desktop GoPro editing software is painful to use. It's somewhat tolerable on a phone
 
I appreciate this guide. I didn't know that it could be done that way. The GoPro app leave a bit to be desired and I shoot in Protune and use custom LUTs so I want the info overlaid much later than the GoPro app processing....
 
One thing I did in the gauges that people probably didn't notice was the airspeed. Its is so standard to use computed ground speed. But I actually used computed 3D speed instead which gets interesting as you descend and you get an idea of the actual speed through the air.
 
I’m trying to figure out if the G3X I’m putting in my kit plane will send actual airspeed (not GPS-derived but measured by the air data computer) to a Virb. The marketing literature claims “superior aviation data” will transfer but I can’t find any information about precisely what that includes. Does anyone here happen to know?
 
iamtheari said:
I’m trying to figure out if the G3X I’m putting in my kit plane will send actual airspeed (not GPS-derived but measured by the air data computer) to a Virb. The marketing literature claims “superior aviation data” will transfer but I can’t find any information about precisely what that includes. Does anyone here happen to know?
Click to expand...
I don't know much about Virb other than using their editor last weekend. How would the Virb actually receive this data - Bluetooth or Wifi. And if so what would it hook up to...does the G3X have wifi or bluetooth out.

Maybe someone here with a G3X and Garmin Pilot could log on to flygarmin and see if that data was captured by the tablet. I see AHRS data on the logs online so you would think if AHRS from a non-primary GTX345 is logged why then wouldn't their Virb get it. Of course maybe the Virb gets everything from its own GPS?
 
Sinistar said:
I don't know much about Virb other than using their editor last weekend. How would the Virb actually receive this data - Bluetooth or Wifi. And if so what would it hook up to...does the G3X have wifi or bluetooth out.

Maybe someone here with a G3X and Garmin Pilot could log on to flygarmin and see if that data was captured by the tablet. I see AHRS data on the logs online so you would think if AHRS from a non-primary GTX345 is logged why then wouldn't their Virb get it. Of course maybe the Virb gets everything from its own GPS?
Click to expand...
The Virb can record “G-Metrix” data and overlay it from a variety of Bluetooth devices such as heart rate monitors. The G3X can control the Virb start/stop and the GMA 245 can send audio to it. I think both of those are through Bluetooth. I’ll probably get a Virb to document my test flying either way because of those two features. But if it also can log air data, it would be even more useful. The alternative is to make my own overlay out of the logged data on the G3X SD card. But the work to synchronize the video and data would be annoying if there is already a channel for it.
 
Page 2 of this document (https://www8.garmin.com/automotive/pdfs/VIRB-Ultra30-specs.pdf) indicates connectivity with the G3X and FlightStream 110/210. But I think all of the data (speed, pitch, roll, elevation, etc) all come from the Virb's built in GPS and altimeter. Still cool though to be able to start and stop the cameras via the tablet vs smart remotes or reaching to them.
 
Sinistar said:
Page 2 of this document (https://www8.garmin.com/automotive/pdfs/VIRB-Ultra30-specs.pdf) indicates connectivity with the G3X and FlightStream 110/210. But I think all of the data (speed, pitch, roll, elevation, etc) all come from the Virb's built in GPS and altimeter. Still cool though to be able to start and stop the cameras via the tablet vs smart remotes or reaching to them.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that link! Finally a list of parameters that transfer. No air data, after all. But still the remote control and audio from the panel would be very handy. Sorry for threadjacking.
 
No problem, its all related. What bugs me is that the flygarmin actually shows the AHRS on the log page and animates it as the flight track moves. But the G-Metrix doesn't include it...weird.
 
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