Drone filming and pilot needed.

Hello everyone.
CavefestUK are currently looking for someone who owns a drone capable of recording HD footage. The camera must be on a gimble to ensure best quality and stable footage. It may also be very helpful if you have editing skills.
We are trying to create a video to accompany the release of our new and improved website. A short film about 60 seconds long is required and specific shots will be required also. Filming will take place in Burrington coombe,
If you are interested in helping us make this happen, please feel free to contact Neil asap.

07464790952
cavefestuk@yahoo.com

Thanks again.
Neil
 
Permission has now been obtained from the Langford Estate to fly the drone in Burrington coombe.  With this new advancement in hand, could i ask again for volunteers to assist us with a short ariel clip or two.
Thanks again.
Neil
 
My drone skills aren't the best.  Perhaps I should have a test flight in Charterhouse Cave first and let you know how I get on  :spank:
 
notdavidgilmour said:
My drone skills aren't the best.  Perhaps I should have a test flight in Charterhouse Cave first and let you know how I get on  :spank:

Im guessing you have CAA approved certificates
 

SamT

Moderator
Wasn't Mark Wrights lad have a business doing industrial inspection using a drone??

(or did I dream that)  :blink:.
 

2xw

Active member
It's worth noting that if you want a CAA licensed pilot who will also do editing etc you're asking someone to do between ?1000 and ?1500 worth of work for free. Whilst volunteers do a lot in the caving community how much is too much, and when does it become taking the piss?

If you lose the CAA and video editing requirement you might get a hobbyist who just happens to own several thousand pounds of kit, I guess.
 
2xw said:
It's worth noting that if you want a CAA licensed pilot who will also do editing etc you're asking someone to do between ?1000 and ?1500 worth of work for free. Whilst volunteers do a lot in the caving community how much is too much, and when does it become taking the piss?

If you lose the CAA and video editing requirement you might get a hobbyist who just happens to own several thousand pounds of kit, I guess.

To be fair, we are only asking for the footage. We will do all the editing etc. The airport have confirmed that we are able to film. An up and coming pilot, or hobbyist would be ideal as we do intend to credit them throughout our online network.
We wouldn't ask anyone to do it completely free, but without taking the p155, i could cover fuel and lunch or something like that.
 

Mark Wright

Active member
SamT said:
Wasn't Mark Wrights lad have a business doing industrial inspection using a drone??

(or did I dream that)  :blink:.

My son Liam does have a drone but only for playing with. Vertex Air is a division of Vertex Access who's offices are next door to our old training centre at the Magna Centre in Rotherham. Vertex Air do industrial inspections and the like. Phil Wolstenholme works for Vertex Access.

They certainly wouldn't do it for 'exposure' as unfortunately exposure doesn't pay the bills. The prices mentioned by 2xw are more realistic.

Mark
 

Mark Wright

Active member
Just a thought,

What if the hobbyist drone pilot crashes the drone whilst filming for CavefestUK and causes ?20K+ worth of damage to someones property?

I doubt anyone would offer drone flying insurance without the pilot holding the required CAA qualifications.

Mark
 

Mark Wright

Active member
Liam crashed his the first day out. He flew it too close to the telephone transmitters (like it tells you not to do in the instructions) at the top of the Magna Tower and they interfered with the drone signal sending it off in an uncontrolled spin. It ended up smashing a few blades, the very expensive gimble and a brand new Go Pro. Luckily it crashed into the steel stair case but could easily have landed on any of the 50 or so cars that were parked within 50m of the crash site.

I worked on one of the Gadget Show programs many years ago and there was a 2 man team working out of a VW transporter van with a R/C helicopter and camera system. It must have been 2m across the blades. Very impressive flying. I never got to the hovering stage with mine before it crashed into a tree, right next to someones car!

There was a similar Drone team when we filmed with Tony Robinson down Eldon Hole. They had some fancy ideas about flying their enormous drone down the entrance shaft. They spent some time hovering close to the top but decided to send us down with a Go Pro each instead.

This was a very fancy drone they had built themselves. They reckon it had cost around ?25K to build. Thats just the cost of the drone, the camera was extra. 

BCAs got loads of money its frightened of spending, why don't they pay for a lot of drone footage from all over the country, as well as CaveFestUK, that can be used in future advertising campaigns and available to download to members of all ranks? I've seen a fair bit of the Castleton catchment from my paraglider along Rushup Edge but I'd love to see some good close footage of all of it.

If a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing right. Unfortunately that usually always involves having to pay for it.

Gavin Newman would be my first port of call.

Mark 
 

Duncan Price

Active member
Mark Wright said:
Gavin Newman would be my first port of call.

Gavin flew his quadcopter in Wookey Chamber 3 to film us diving - the footage is used in his DVD "The Tunnel".  I've flown my little quadcopter around 20 and along the tunnel to 9.  It only and the chances of it casing damage to anything or one are slim.  Not up for a long flight down the Coombe.

Rob Franklin, Keith Savory and Marcus Blatchford are all qualified pilots.  Marcus has posted a lot of good footage of Mendip from the air - in particular the Charterhouse area.  He is heavily into photogrammetry.  Here's one of his shots of Cheddar Gorge.
 

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andrewmcleod

Well-known member
Personally I think that drone footage might be 'cool' but really not that important and I'm sure Cavefest could manage to run an event without it...
 

ILT

Member
Hobbyist with PLI - yes, they exist. I have significant insurance cover for flying my various UAVs.

Come the end of November the majority of UAV owners will be required to register their UAVs (which the CAA are going to nobble us for). That is completely separate from the actual PfCO required by anyone using the equipment (or footage/photographs) for commercial purposes.

Disadvantage for this project is the distance...... and that I am clueless about video (I use the UAVs for stills photography and photogrammetry).
 
Thank you everyone for you comments and advice.  Needless to say, im still looking for ideas and helpers, and indeed willing pilots.
Eventually i will post the dates for the flight so maybe we might see some of you there.
Thanks again
 
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