Tracking advice

Deacon Blues · Feb 11, 2020

I'm due to receive my Skydio 2 in April. I'm a volunteer photographer with my bicycle club. What would be the best way to track a rider, and by extension a group of riders, apart from handing them the beacon? Here are pics that still photos that show typical scenarios we'd like to have video for.

skydioconvert · Feb 12, 2020

Just a guess but tracking "multiple" targets using a beacon is probably just asking too much of the S2.

As the riders begin to spread out the problem would just get worse over time.

VEGASROBBI · Feb 12, 2020

The Beacon is going to focus on one subject, the guy with the Beacon. So have the Beacon in a central location within the group then follow from a further distance, the SD2 has a pretty wide FOV that can be cropped later.

One gripe I had with the Beacon is the three predetermined distance settings none of which were ideal for me; I find the controller more useful but not ideal on a bike.

SD seems to be responsive to user feedback so far so maybe they can learn from the Yuneec Wizard Wand. With the WW you can set any distance you want from the subject and if you have a second operator with the ST16(in a car) you can put the gimbal in a free mode and pan the camera while in Follow.

Ridefreak · Feb 13, 2020

Actually tracking that group will be a nightmare for the SD2, even with the beacon. The SD2's recognition is pretty poor a discriminating between one similar subject and another. What will happen is you lock it on one person (beacon holder) and another comes close by and it switches to that person for whatever reason. I've had it fly off multiple times following someone else while I was standing still holding the beacon and having the SD2 locked on to me up to that point. I've also had it switch subjects quite a few times as it was following. It's always when there's multiple (possible) subjects doing something similar. Eventually when the incorrect subject gets about 100 yard away the SD2 realizes it's not following the beacon anymore and just stops. RTH works at that point but you have to pull your phone out. I've had this happen multiple times and had to quit riding among groups of people because of this. You never know when it's going to take off following someone else. This has been a complaint from other users also.

VEGASROBBI · Feb 13, 2020

Might be better to use a GPS only tracking drone like the Typhoon or Halo; both have tracking devices that can be used on a bike.

Ridefreak · Feb 13, 2020

IMO in a crowd situation (like a bike race) tethered drone will be better but they have to fly further up.

skydioconvert · Feb 14, 2020

If there were a dedicated chase car in a bike race, how easy would it be for someone in that chase car flying the S2 to easily change a target during the course of the race?

Assume no beacon is being used...

Ridefreak · Feb 14, 2020

skydioconvert said:
If there were a dedicated chase car in a bike race, how easy would it be for someone in that chase car flying the S2 to easily change a target during the course of the race?

Assume no beacon is being used...

Once it's tracking a subject the "+" indication that indicates trackable subjects disappears, you have to hit the stop, point the drone at the new subject, when you see the plus, select the new subject. Possible if the pilot practiced it but if it's possible I think it'd be very difficult. The subjects aren't going to wait around while you get lock.

skydioconvert · Feb 14, 2020

Ridefreak said:
Once it's tracking a subject the "+" indication that indicates trackable subjects disappears, you have to hit the stop, point the drone at the new subject, when you see the plus, select the new subject. Possible if the pilot practiced it but if it's possible I think it'd be very difficult. The subjects aren't going to wait around while you get lock.

Seems like being able to do what you describe shouldn't be that hard to do with future upgraded firmware.

Wish I had the S2 to run a few experiments on even the current firmware capabilities.

VEGASROBBI · Feb 14, 2020

APM had something similar, using Tower multiple subjects could carry tracking device's selectable through the app. No optical but my Solo was an excellent follow drone.

skydioconvert · Feb 15, 2020

VEGASROBBI said:
APM had something similar, using Tower multiple subjects could carry tracking device's selectable through the app. No optical but my Solo was an excellent follow drone.

Sure would like to see the feedback results provided by the survey Skydio seems to have sent current S2 owners.

That "bucket list" is going to help drive whats going to happen and when.

Lon Denard · Feb 15, 2020

skydioconvert said:
Sure would like to see the feedback results provided by the survey Skydio seems to have sent current S2 owners.

That "bucket list" is going to help drive whats going to happen and when.

Yea I got that survey myself.

Deacon Blues · Mar 3, 2020

Thanks for the input, I appreciate it. Fortunately we won't be needing extended length clips, if I can put together a 5-8 second pieces where the group is fairly tight I should be okay. Sounds like it will take a fair bit of practice with the controller.

funonfly · Apr 8, 2020

Deacon Blues said:
Thanks for the input, I appreciate it. Fortunately we won't be needing extended length clips, if I can put together a 5-8 second pieces where the group is fairly tight I should be okay. Sounds like it will take a fair bit of practice with the controller.

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