4 ms·

Fireworks filmed with a drone

83 points by harrychenca 12y ago

socaljoe 12y ago
I saw them in Westlake also. Does anyone know what happened to the 2 that didn't fly back?
socaljoe 12y ago
I saw them in Westlake also. Does anyone know what happened to the 2 that didn't fly back?
TheBiv 12y ago
Simply bc the article doesn't add anything of substance that the YouTube video description doesn't, here is the direct link to the creators YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9KZ3jgbbmI&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9KZ3jgbbmI&feature=youtu.be
- kentlyons 12y ago
  And here's the same link I submitted yesterday: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7989869 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7989869
funkyy 12y ago
Well I think soon in every firework show we will see 50 of those flying around and disturbing the view... Its like people that take Ipads to concerts - screw all the people behind me, at least I will have a great recording!
- MozMorris 12y ago
  That's the thing, the recording turns out crap.
- hmsimha 12y ago
  Unless there are literally 50+ of these, they'll most likely be completely invisible. If there are 50+ there's also a good chance of a couple collisions. Given how expensive the drone + camera + transmitter must be, I doubt this is a serious concern anytime soon though.
  - ebiester 12y ago
    They will get less expensive quickly, and you underestimate how dumb someone can be with their toys.
    - hmsimha 12y ago
      In a couple years maybe.. even still they'll be invisible. Which isn't necessarily a good thing when they're falling on our heads. But at least they won't be blocking the fireworks.
- drdaeman 12y ago
  Not sure about the view, but I don't want to be anywhere underneath if one is accidentally hit with a faulty projectile or collides with some other drone.
agumonkey 12y ago
I wished they recorded audio (or maybe it's unfixably loud).
asn0 12y ago
Anyone know where this was shot?
- aaronbrethorst 12y ago
  West Palm Beach a couple months ago. http://m.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-flies-drone-west-palm-beach-fireworks-show-video-article-1.1855843 http://m.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-flies-drone-west-...
couchand 12y ago
This seems like the best use of a drone I have yet to see. Beautiful, a novel perspective that you simply couldn't have caught otherwise.
ljf 12y ago
Stunning, also good this was filmed over water. I'd hate to think what would happen if a firework took out the drone and it hit a person. From that height it would likely do some serious damage. I'm all for commercial drones, I just hope those using them do a proper risk assessment, take steps to prevent injury to people or property and have applicable insurance.
- drdaeman 12y ago
  Just thought about the same. I'm completely unaware about modern multirotor except for the fact they exists and are widely available. What are nowadays typical safety measures in those?
  - ljf 12y ago
    From many of the videos I've seen on YouTube it seems people don't take any safety measures other than hoping that nothing goes wrong. Loads of videos show them flying over crowds, streets and traffic. Many weigh a couple of kilos or more and even from 10 metres that would hurt... I saw someone get their arm/shoulder broken on a Thai beach when a coconut fell on them... I'd say it is currently more luck than design that has prevented a well publicised injury or accident. The shame is that one persons actions could see the whole activity become highly regulated or even banned...
    - drdaeman 12y ago
      I've hoped for something like, say (just wide thoughts) emergency parachutes, or going into autorotation in case of power/comm/control failure...
      - tjohns 12y ago
        Some -- including the one used in the video -- can be programmed to automatically return home (based on GPS) in case of a comm failure.
        12y ago
JTxt 12y ago
Beautiful! It's like a remake of the "skyrocket" Linux screensaver for a nice gpu. http://www.reallyslick.com/pictures/skyrocket.jpg http://www.reallyslick.com/pictures/skyrocket.jpg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA3_pOMdbWU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA3_pOMdbWU (I did find this drone being torture tested interesting/related: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pl2Z9N4Q82g https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pl2Z9N4Q82g)
hhsnopek 12y ago
If this was the drone flying over the Brooklyn, NY Fireworks last night - Awesome job!
hhsnopek 12y ago
If this was the drone flying over the Brooklyn Fireworks last night - Awesome job!
Nogwater 12y ago
There were four quadcopters at the show in Westlake Village, CA last night (well, 4 at one point, I only saw 2 return). I'm pretty sure they were all DJI Phantoms based on the LED placement. They were not invisible. I wouldn't say they were a nuisance, but that's probably just because I was more curious about them than annoyed. Maybe in a few years when the novelty has warn off they will be more annoying. I don't know if they were flown by locals, by the host, or by the fireworks company. I was a bit concerned that the operators flew right over the crowd at the end which seemed unsafe and unnecessary.
- bfwi 12y ago
  I think noise reduction is an important feature do pursue by drone manufacturers. Multicopters are very noisy at the moment.
  - Nogwater 12y ago
    Between the fireworks and the music, you couldn't hear these drones until they were about 50 ft. away and low.
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

83 points by harrychenca 12y ago

socaljoe 12y ago

I saw them in Westlake also. Does anyone know what happened to the 2 that didn't fly back?

socaljoe 12y ago

I saw them in Westlake also. Does anyone know what happened to the 2 that didn't fly back?

TheBiv 12y ago

Simply bc the article doesn't add anything of substance that the YouTube video description doesn't, here is the direct link to the creators YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9KZ3jgbbmI&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9KZ3jgbbmI&feature=youtu.be

kentlyons 12y ago
And here's the same link I submitted yesterday: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7989869 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7989869

funkyy 12y ago

Well I think soon in every firework show we will see 50 of those flying around and disturbing the view... Its like people that take Ipads to concerts - screw all the people behind me, at least I will have a great recording!

MozMorris 12y ago
That's the thing, the recording turns out crap.
hmsimha 12y ago
Unless there are literally 50+ of these, they'll most likely be completely invisible. If there are 50+ there's also a good chance of a couple collisions. Given how expensive the drone + camera + transmitter must be, I doubt this is a serious concern anytime soon though.
- ebiester 12y ago
  They will get less expensive quickly, and you underestimate how dumb someone can be with their toys.
  - hmsimha 12y ago
    In a couple years maybe.. even still they'll be invisible. Which isn't necessarily a good thing when they're falling on our heads. But at least they won't be blocking the fireworks.
drdaeman 12y ago
Not sure about the view, but I don't want to be anywhere underneath if one is accidentally hit with a faulty projectile or collides with some other drone.

agumonkey 12y ago

I wished they recorded audio (or maybe it's unfixably loud).

asn0 12y ago

Anyone know where this was shot?

aaronbrethorst 12y ago
West Palm Beach a couple months ago. http://m.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-flies-drone-west-palm-beach-fireworks-show-video-article-1.1855843 http://m.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-flies-drone-west-...

couchand 12y ago

This seems like the best use of a drone I have yet to see. Beautiful, a novel perspective that you simply couldn't have caught otherwise.

ljf 12y ago

Stunning, also good this was filmed over water. I'd hate to think what would happen if a firework took out the drone and it hit a person. From that height it would likely do some serious damage. I'm all for commercial drones, I just hope those using them do a proper risk assessment, take steps to prevent injury to people or property and have applicable insurance.

drdaeman 12y ago
Just thought about the same. I'm completely unaware about modern multirotor except for the fact they exists and are widely available. What are nowadays typical safety measures in those?
- ljf 12y ago
  From many of the videos I've seen on YouTube it seems people don't take any safety measures other than hoping that nothing goes wrong. Loads of videos show them flying over crowds, streets and traffic. Many weigh a couple of kilos or more and even from 10 metres that would hurt... I saw someone get their arm/shoulder broken on a Thai beach when a coconut fell on them... I'd say it is currently more luck than design that has prevented a well publicised injury or accident. The shame is that one persons actions could see the whole activity become highly regulated or even banned...
  - drdaeman 12y ago
    I've hoped for something like, say (just wide thoughts) emergency parachutes, or going into autorotation in case of power/comm/control failure...
    - tjohns 12y ago
      Some -- including the one used in the video -- can be programmed to automatically return home (based on GPS) in case of a comm failure.
      - 12y ago

JTxt 12y ago

Beautiful! It's like a remake of the "skyrocket" Linux screensaver for a nice gpu. http://www.reallyslick.com/pictures/skyrocket.jpg http://www.reallyslick.com/pictures/skyrocket.jpg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA3_pOMdbWU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA3_pOMdbWU (I did find this drone being torture tested interesting/related: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pl2Z9N4Q82g https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pl2Z9N4Q82g)

hhsnopek 12y ago

If this was the drone flying over the Brooklyn, NY Fireworks last night - Awesome job!

hhsnopek 12y ago

If this was the drone flying over the Brooklyn Fireworks last night - Awesome job!

Nogwater 12y ago

There were four quadcopters at the show in Westlake Village, CA last night (well, 4 at one point, I only saw 2 return). I'm pretty sure they were all DJI Phantoms based on the LED placement. They were not invisible. I wouldn't say they were a nuisance, but that's probably just because I was more curious about them than annoyed. Maybe in a few years when the novelty has warn off they will be more annoying. I don't know if they were flown by locals, by the host, or by the fireworks company. I was a bit concerned that the operators flew right over the crowd at the end which seemed unsafe and unnecessary.

bfwi 12y ago
I think noise reduction is an important feature do pursue by drone manufacturers. Multicopters are very noisy at the moment.
- Nogwater 12y ago
  Between the fireworks and the music, you couldn't hear these drones until they were about 50 ft. away and low.

deleted 12y ago

[deleted]