Camera Drones: a necessary tool of 21st century photo-journalism, but concerns remain

Camera Drones: a necessary tool of 21st century photo-journalism, but concerns remain
Advertisement
Online English lessons Phnom Penh Tutors 1

Just as drones have grown to play an important role in military, humanitarian relief, and information gathering, so to have they quickly grown to become an indispensable tool for news photographers. .

Light weight, easily deployed and relatively affordable, the number of camera drones, or more accurately unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), being used by media organisations, agency, and freelance photo-journalists around the world has increased exponentially over the last two years. Particularly by those covering dangerous events, or where an overhead view will provide a different perspective from that obtained on the ground

Such has been their rise in popularity that not seeing one used to cover protest rallies, sporting events, and conflict situations today is more of a rarity than the reverse.

A camera drone used by Australian ABCs Australian Story captures an otherwise impossible camera angle of former prime minister Bob Hawke
A camera drone used by Australian ABCs Australian Story captures an otherwise impossible camera angle of former prime minister Bob Hawke

No longer do police or military roadblocks put up around major incidents mean that media organisations are denied the very images and vision that news hungry consumers demand.

Likewise law enforcement or military personnel can no longer act with impunity inside cordoned off areas, with the odds of an almost silent camera drone overhead recording the action below increasingly likely.

Australia’s national broadcaster, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), is just one example of where camera drones are playing an increasing role in news gathering.

ABC: three day training course

To ensure they are used responsibly, as well as skilfully, the ABC has developed a three-day training course for camera operators working on its news and current affairs programs.

Likewise in the UK the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is making increasing use of camera drones, with a team from its Global Video Unit, part of BBC World Service Language Services, responsible for their operation.

Whereas once camera drones required familiarity with complex remote control (RC) units and had an almost arachnida appearance, in the last year more affordable and streamlined prosumer camera drones have appeared in increasing numbers.

This photo from a camera drone captures tear gas exploding in front of anti-government protesters in Bangkok
This photo from a camera drone captures tear gas exploding in front of anti-government protesters in Bangkok

When Chinese manufacturer, DJI, delivered the first fully integrated drone, camera and smartphone application solution capable of being flown and recording photographs or video straight out of the box late last year it brought camera drone capability into the reach of freelance and agency photo-journalists, citizen journalists, and small town newspapers everywhere.

No longer were aerial photographs or videos the exclusive domain of large media organisations with big amounts of cash to throw at chartering helicopters.

With an increasing number of camera drones being launched into the sky, governments the world over have been scurrying to impose restrictions and regulations on their use.

While users of camera drones in developed countries have quickly found themselves subject to a wide range of regulations and requirements, in many areas where photo-journalists work and where camera drones have the potential to significantly improve journalists safety, “regulations” and “laws” are dependent on the mood of any officials that may be present.

With anti-government protests in Bangkok last year taking on an increasingly violent and desperate fervour as the then government of Yingluck Shinawatra refused to bow to demands to cede power to an unelected “people’s committee”, The Establishment Post, for who I am currently the deputy editor and Thailand and GSM editor, decided that in the interests of safety (mine) that we should purchase a camera drone.

DJI Phantom 2 vision – reality falls short of hype

A camera drone provides journalists with a clearer perspective of the situation on the ground
A camera drone provides journalists with a clearer perspective of the situation on the ground

At the time the logical choice appeared to be the then recently released DJI Phantom 2 Vision quadcopter.

Boasting a total out-of-the-box ready-to-fly solution for about US$1,200, the DJI Phantom 2 Vision came with a 14 megapixel, 140 degree field of view f2.8 camera for still images, with the ability to also record 1080 HD video.

Supplied with a 5200mAh LiPo battery delivering about 20 minutes of flight time, a built-in automatic return-to-home function, and best of all an Android or iOS app.

Still images and video are stored on a micro SD card inserted into the back of the integrated camera. Full first person view (FPV) is transmitted back to a handphone (or Apple tablet) attached to simplified remote control (RC) unit up to 300 meters way. This, in theory enables out of view flight.

It was also claimed that photographs taken while the Phantom 2 Vision was in flight could be sent back to the smartphone or tablet and shared immediately on social media networks.

FPV over WiFi problematic

Over eight months our DJI Phantom 2 spent more time at the dealership for service over faulty WiFi than in our office
Over eight months our DJI Phantom 2 spent more time at the dealership for service over faulty WiFi than in our office

The whole thing sounded awesome and exactly what we were looking for, except for one thing. The realities didn’t live up to the claims or the slick marketing and promotional videos the company flooded YouTube, photography and RC hobbyist forums and websites with.

Rather than FPV of up to 300 meters our experience was that FPV, which is transmitted over WiFi, started to be lost at distances as short as 50 meters.

This problem remains. On a recent assignment the author encountered a Thai news crew using the latest Phantom 2 Vision+ with an iPhone 5 experiencing FPV loss at as little as 30 meters. This despite operating in an open area with few other smartphones or forms of interference about.

And while transferring photos taken by the Phantom 2 Vision is in the air is technically possible, it requires turning off the WiFi and activating the phone or iPad’s 3G mobile data network and then transferring the image, all the time leaving you without FPV from your somewhere hovering camera drone.

On the unit we purchased we could not get this function to work, with all attempts to have 3G activated at the same time as WiFi disabling the WiFi link.

Unresponsive to flight commands

A hexocopter with a GoPro 3 used by T News TV Thai Live
A hexocopter with a GoPro 3 used by T News TV Thai Live

Our DJI Phantom 2 Vision also experienced total control lock-out, refusing to obey any flight commands while hovering 50 meters (164 ft) above a group of protesters, raising concerns that the 1.180 kilogram (about 2.6 lb) device might eventually plummet from the sky causing injury to those below, the company having developed a reputation for  “fly-away drones“.

Anyone who follows @photo_journ on Twitter will be more than familiar with the problems we had not only with the Phantom 2 Vision, but the appalling lack of after sales service and support received from DJIs Hong Kong and American offices.

In the first eight months of ownership our DJI Phantom 2 Vision spent more time sitting in the service department of the reseller than it did in our office, while a constant stream of tweets and emails to the vendor were ignored.

DJI ignored problems

A quadcopter camera drone used by the Royal Thai Police
A quadcopter camera drone used by the Royal Thai Police

Likewise pleas for DJIs director of aerial imaging and Phantom Vision promoter, Eric Cheng, to engage with us to work through the problems were also ignored.

Photo opportunity after photo opportunity were missed due to reliability issues on the Phantom 2 Vision we had purchased, while promises by the reseller that the defective unit had been returned to Hong Kong for service repeatedly turned out to be fabrications of the reseller’s imagination.

The matter finally came to a head when we told DJI and our reseller that we would file legal proceedings within 24 hours if the unit wasn’t immediately exchanged for a Phantom 2 Vision capable of doing everything claimed in its promotional material, or taken back and our money refunded.

We received (most) of our money back the same day.

Defective products are one thing, but a vendor who ignores complaints from users, especially professional users, is best ignored when it comes to making a purchasing decision for a product to be used in the course of work.

Chinese-style after-sales service, ie., none, is best left to Chinese consumers who one can only presume, are used to it.

 

 

Feature photos DreamQii

 

 

Related 

The following two tabs change content below.

John Le Fevre is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer and editor.

He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.

He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.

In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.

Most recently he was the Thailand editor/ managing editor of AEC News Today . Prior to that he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.

In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.

Opinions and views expressed on this site are those of the author’s only. Read more at About me

If you enjoyed reading, please share using these options below.

Make a comment

Your email address will not be published.