Aerial Video is ILLEGAL?! Hands-on: DJI Phantom Quadcopter : Indy News

DJI Phantom Quadcopter: amzn.com/B00AGOSQI8/?tag=griff...
Griffin sees the DJI Phantom Quadcopter in flight, and finds out, is aerial videography illegal in the U.S.?
Music by Kevin MacLeod and Chris Zabriskie
VIDEO LINKS
Phantom over L.A.: • DJI Phantom: Go Backwards
Phantom over Niagara Falls: • DJI Phantom - Niagara ...
CineDrone by Tom Antos: • CineDrone
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Moguler Made playlist: • Playlist

[@indymogul]

I've seen a lot of names used-UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), multicopters, drones. I can definitely understand defining them as drones. Military drones are also unmanned, but operated by a human remotely.

[@kryptonking2295]

although i only make videos for fun and have only been doing it a very short time this channel has helped me alot redo old videos find alot of ppl for inspiration just wanted to say cheers for the help and thank you

[@cjromberger5020]

Great information! Thx for sharing this!

[@falcore91]

I like that you gave extra attention to tricks on how to yield better video output without needing a mulit-grand dedicated solution.

[@5Dragon23]

Very nice and informative drone vid. Than you Griffin.

[@einsteincreative]

Wow, I didn't know you were the one that created this product. I heard and read all about it but just stumbled here by accident. Just wanted you to know that I am excited to get mine given the way I plan on using it as a number four camera, I think this (and whoever created the gopro, I have a couple for sports shots) is straight up a genius in my book. Way to go. I don't even have it yet and I'm already thanking you. Good job!!! People like you who allow us on a budget to get the shots we otherwise couldn't do without spending a fortune. Which I've done already. This thing pays for itself in one day. Looking forward to it and I hope I get the hang of using it.

[@DroneGirl1]

Hey guys I am from Ireland! I have a drone myself and love sharing my videos on KZbin! It is brilliant technology! Love flying around Ireland castles, bridges, rivers, Irish sea ! :) Thanks be to God no restrictions in Ireland, yet.

[@GiveEmHellMCR]

Hey Griffin I tried Sriracha for the first time today and loved it! Lucky I already donated to you in aticipation of me loving it.

[@natalramos4988]

Great video man im just waiting for my quad and hopefully uploading some videos also. Warm greetings from Puerto Rico.

[@mcgriddlefarts]

I'm more impressed by the people who make amazing quad videos with toy or hobby grade, not so much the pros with their high price Riggs

[@delaneypratt]

@anigamor Thank you for the suggestions, I will definitely look into the spot locator you spoke of. Cheers :)

[@chempranav]

Thanks for featuring quadcopter & legal issue related to its flying. I was mesmerised by these drones when I first checked the footage on youtube.

[@indymogul]

Why is today's episode online later than usual? See that crash footage at 2:50? It literally crashed Final Cut Pro! More on that in a special video tomorrow.

[@ZASurvivalist]

This is so awesome

[@indymogul]

Problem is every SD card is a little different. I've had poor performance with Class 6 cards in my Hero2, and even a Class 10 card failed in my Hero3, when I attempted to record 1080 in Protune mode.

[@BENOITLE1610]

Excellent

[@climid]

Griffin, i have a phantom with my bro but were having trouble with the goPro 1 because it doesnt have a view screen, how did you guys get over did with the goPro 3 in the video?

[@johnmcnamara9422]

This video was great!

[@TheDanzman1211]

Nice. I will look into IndyMogul.

[@00bluemoose]

You're the man Griffin!

[@Paulsbikeandboard]

the 60 fps or a high shutter speed setting (if you could do that manually on a gopro) will help with the jello effect. especially after stabilizing in post.

[@Mrthenitoman]

The company that owns the phantom said they will have the quadcopter with gimbal included I saw it at the NAB in Las Vegas, and the footage looks awesome

[@mitchell2820]

just ordered one today!

[@laurenswitte8483]

How do you corrected the wide angle view of te gopro? (Sorry for bad english :)

[@bakersfieldmusicnow]

be safe have a great trip.!!

[@KWTMedia]

Nice video guys, whats the title of the music used for the flight at 2.06?

[@ConnorHamiltonThomas]

What music did you use for the flight at 2:06? Thanks!

[@nickfury1279]

My question is, why is it illegal to take aerial video for commercial purposes using a remote-controlled aircraft? It's perfectly fine to do it with a full-sized, manned aircraft. But the moment a camera-equipped RC aircraft comes into play, everyone loses their minds!

[@tstuff]

Because those helicopter companies wrote the rules. You would be surprised how many laws stopping smaller companies from doing something cheaper and easier are blocked by bigger companies buying politicians.

[@tstuff]

That and they can be dangerous if people do not take some safety precautions first.

[@nickfury1279]

tstuff Yeah, drones can be dangerous if you use them improperly and fly recklessly, but if you know what you're doing, they're actually pretty safe to use. Which is more dangerous in a crash? A tiny, camera-equipped RC aircraft, or a full-sized, manned airplane or helicopter? Besides, RC drones are easier and considerably less expensive to operate than manned aircraft.

[@tstuff]

I think the rule is stupid about this. Most people spending more then $1000 are going to be careful with their equipment. I think maybe a small business insurance policy would be good for anyone flying them just to cover themselves and equipment in the event of theft or damage. That and on occasion unforeseen things can happen. If you drop one of those on a car you should be prepared to cover repairs. Outside of that it looks like it would be fun to get into this. I was looking at one rig that runs about $4000 and has a monitor on the controller and the camera video image looks much better then this.

[@AirsoftReviewerHD]

Griffin, If I use kevin macleod or machinimasound music on a monetized video and I give them credit will that be legal?

[@LANDSEAAIRCANADA]

Thanks !

[@RDGCreation]

I wanna be a filmaker but i don't have the money do you suggest that i shoot with my iPod tuoch 4th gen and spend my money on lights or buy a really cheapo camera(my budget it's 100€)?

[@DirtyMikeOG]

Great video. I'm using a phantom as well and edit my own work. I do use it for commercial use but I am definitely not a criminal lol.

[@Invadingpenguins]

Sweet, thanks man.

[@indymogul]

Me, no. But that's because I know I'm not great at flying RC stuff. Maybe later, if I had some free time, it would be a fun hobby.

[@einsteincreative]

Personally, I can't wait to get mine. I do videography (both professionally but also for fun like everyone else) and there are rules in my city (philly) BUT if your serious about doing city aerial, or doing a pro ariel shot over a high populated area, you can shoot that stuff from a helicopter (rentals are everywhere) using what's called a "gyro stabilizer" (helicopters are very shaky) which is too much to buy but you can rent one or not depending on if you need total pro end product...after effects warp stabilizer is good enough if your not going for total pro (I say why not always though) but the better the original shot is the better it will be in post no matter how skilled you are in after effects or final cut etc. I can't wait to buy this thing to use because of its endless applications of going where "even no helicopter can travel". I imagine with a lot of practice flying and controlling, knowledge and of course creativity, we can all start shooting like Hollywood without the price tag. As for the legalities, are you serious?..... I'd be way more concerned with smashing it in attempting on getting my shots than a police officer saying "Hey you can't do that here"..lol..Great invention! Bravo to the inventor of this. Thank god for Kickstarter right? Peace.

[@hatterasislandphantomphoto246]

I am trying to start a business doing Aerial Videography/Photography and this is something I did not know about not being able to charge for services and this concerns me at the moment. On the other hand there are websites that I have been to that charge so I need to research this better any suggestions on a site?

[@WizardofTacoma]

I'm planning on getting into the hobby, I want to use it for a platform for aerial photography. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of money to be able to invest. Would like to find something with an onboard camera, that has more than seven minutes of flying time. What would you recommend for someone buying their first bird.

[@SillyEddyPhotography]

Does the GPS and "return to sender" functionality of this quadcopter make it a drone though? It is able to maintain flight or fly to a waypoint without a controller.

[@indymogul]

That is a giant property, right? Not my house! It's in a rural community outside Bloomington, Illinois.

[@mantasjarasauskas1640]

Nice drones, thanks

[@dphotos007]

I have flying RC planes for years and I am a member of the AMA. The insurance is not cover business pursuits and you have to follow the AMA safe flying recommendations and knowingly flying over people is not recommended so the insurance will not be valid. You can visit the AMA website for all the rules.

[@UnaFamiliaSalvadorena]

hi i have a question..my husband recently brought a drone. we uploaded a video using footage from the drone and today i looked on my dashboard and monetization was blocked on that video? i was just wondering if yo might know why? is it illegal to post drone footage on your videos?

[@timamaclennan]

as long as you keep in line with the guidelines it is fine but, it is illegal to make money using the footage, unless you have certification from FAA (usa) or CIA (UK). Hope this helps :)

[@gunriot3326]

Is it possible to correct the very round view of the gopro ?(i am not very good at english :) )

[@delaneypratt]

I have the phantom and I have a gopro black edition. It's a great setup and the phantom is VERY VERY easy to use straight out of the box.

[@joseluisrubio3447]

Thts awesome drone!!

[@indymogul]

Ladies and gentlemen, Matt Edwards! If you have any detailed questions about RC or piloting the Phantom, he's your guy!

[@travis7864]

Where did you get the 400' altitude and 1/4 mile from an airport information? The FAA's AC 91-57 "encourages voluntary compliance" [sic] with the 400' altitude ONLY when flying within 3 miles of an airport. You'll find more information about the 400' limit on the AMA's web blog from 3/8/2012.

[@PhotosRFun4Me]

Can you please provide the make and model of the lesser expensive copter and camera that was used for learning? Thanks!

[@PhotosRFun4Me]

Sorry, just replayed video and I must have looked away the first time I watched it and I now see the info right there on the screen! Thanks for the info!

[@kimfootball]

I don't have one but it's just fun to watch this kind of videos :)

[@HarryCarey]

that's really cool

[@wedgie502]

i just did some research on the current FAA regs regarding model aircraft and UAS. it seems that their regulations contradict each other, because according to (Public Law 112-95 Sec 336 (c) (2) February 14, 2012), there are no altitude restrictions for any model aircraft so long as they are flown outside a five mile radius of any active airport. yet other FAA sites say 400 ft limit and the AMA states 400 feet within a three mile radius. can we make up our minds here please?

[@MileCreations]

Purchased this myself a months back. The air authority people in Australia told us that even $1 on KZbin is illegal. In my opinion that still falls under a hobby so we should be allowed to earn money on KZbin. Licences here are several thousand dollars but that is meant to change soon and once it has I'll have tonnes of videos up!

[@HumanitySkateCo]

what settings do you use on warp stabilizer?

[@Matter923]

Being an RC junkie, I would like to mention that drones and RC aerial vehicles are not the same. Drones can not be used for commercial. RC quadcopters can, if the operator is in control for the duration of which it is being used commercially. A drone by definition, (call me out if I'm wrong, I haven't actually checked the legal def. ) is an autonomous aerial vehicle that is unmanned. People have been putting cameras on rc helicopters for ages and that was never illegal.

[@funnyflix2]

My experience says to use your iPod and save for a nicer camera. There's a FilmRiot episode that talks all about iPod/iPhone filmmaking, i recommend checking it out. It's called: "Shoot a Film With an iPhone and FiLMiC Pro!" My reason for the iPod is you get the capability of 1080 at 30 (or 24 with the App covered in the episode) fps, which isn't easy to find in such a low priced camera. If you invest the money into lighting, you'd be surprised at what your iPod can do. Hope that helps. :)

[@LittleW00d]

At the BVE Expo in London this year I met up with the company that makes the quadcopter and a few of the companies that fly them. There's good money to be made with these R/C helicopters. However they have said that you need a license to show that you're capable of flying the thing safely in the UK, of course you're limited to 400ft and can only fly it within visual range.

[@rcartelian]

"Flyaway" Naza ? Your suggestion might be a good idea, since i mounted a gimbal to. I think will be the first think i will do today. Sorry for Your lost.

[@HowBizarreChannel]

What a great tool for real estate videos!

[@bigdaddykahuna1]

Where'd you get your Cube cam?

[@melvoid]

Yeah, I bought a Phantom too, right after losing a much cheaper one in the woods near my house. Sad thing is, it's within maybe a hundred yards of my door, but I can't fine it. Good news is, I've had the Phantom for a month and it's still in my possession.

[@Ben7seven7]

There is no 400 foot max altitude limit enforceable law current on the records by FAA. It's only a suggested guidance. And it's for flying within 3 miles of an airport.

[@spamsfilms]

One thing you could do with go pro footage to make it look good is the fix the fish eye effect, it helps make the stabilisation look good :)

[@KlausEnser]

if you would like to see the Phantom using the new Gimbal stabilization system: look for DJI- Phantom - Zenmuse h3-2d Gimbal that works more than perfect. No more stabilization afterwards is necessary!

[@RedCornStudios]

There were new FAA rules a few years back. Basically they say now if you are paid to shoot aerial video/photo it's "illegal". To be honest though it's so fuzzy and not enforced it's hard to say do/don't do this.

[@myfriendmoses]

I have a computer setup to be able to control my R/C chopper, It's much easier with a joystick to get the nice smooth flights. It also sends back a live feed for FPV

[@Cyberdactyl]

This may have already been mentioned, but vibration will travel through ANY link in the connection. While he DOES have moon gel under the large pad, he has simple rubber 'washers' for his screws. Screws which are attached DIRECTLY to the quad, pretty much defeating most efforts at isolation. Also, if you DYI a multirotor instead of off the shelf RTF (ready to fly) overpriced quads, you can lift ANY camera WITH a gimbal for under $600.

[@alwaysfurther]

very good video, fat thumbs up! best wishes from germany. Martin & Daniela

[@joanevans9508]

Let me get this straight. In the USA you can own as many guns as you want and carry them around, even into a Starbucks in some states, BUT commercial use of a quadcopter is illegal? I can understand keeping them away from airports and where there may be low flying aircraft, but WTF? No commercial use? Weird.

[@chefkendranguyen]

I have a idea for using one, but I don't have an extra $1300 lying around, nor do I know how to fly a RC. But it looks cool.

[@caseykreicar]

sick

[@timmyj2008]

For the same money, 3DRobotics Arducopter is a bit more flexible, though has a much higher learning curve to start. The modular nature of the arducopter makes it much easier to repair in the event of a crash. I've crashed my $1000 arducopter from 350ft, and only had a $95.00 repair...and some really cool crash video to boot! My only advice to those of you who pick up RC flying is to be sure to trust your equipment enough that your instinct isn't to kamikaze when something unexpected happens.

[@warriorcycles1569]

awsome

[@PhinioxGlade]

In Australia this drone when a camera is attached is classed as a UAV. You need a licence for commercial use, it requires training from the manufacture of the drone. These laws are years old and designed for much larger UAVs.

[@indymogul]

Testing out the DJI Phantom quadcopter, and finding out, is aerial videography really illegal?

[@MOHAMEDLAHMER1953]

I like that

[@Rickycooke1gmail]

i want one but cant afford, i know where to get one cheap though as a rtf. ps fck the government for this law.

[@chicoh22a]

Ricky Cooke XHELI.COM,they have it in all prices,im thinking in getting one ;)

[@jasonfeldman7009]

Ricky Cooke Fk the government? really? You're only saying that because it's restricting something YOU want to do. But when someone else is kept from doing what they want - to protect YOU- it's perfectly okay to have government regulation right? Drones are very neat, hell, I want one, but I also know that there has to be regulation in place to protect innocent lives / property. Like rules in general aviation that keep aircraft away from people/property, or minimum clearances - you can't have people drone flying all over the place. Even with ballistic recovery devices, mark my words, there will be people killed by falling drones. And malfunctions can easily put a drone and a plane full of people on a collision course... Trust me - I know.. I am a pilot of 24 years! Drone users today don't even know what a sectional chart is - but the FAA will make sure they will have an aviation map on hand before flying. And like in air shows = the drones should have vectors away from people - not toward/over. Imagine how you would feel if your kid was killed by a falling drone? Would you say "aww shucks, I understand, it's cool and all - so no, I won' be pressing charges or suing" - no - I don't think so. I bet most people would be calling the police / lawyer if a drone even nicked their paint on their car - let alone fall on it and cause damage. Government could speed up the process no doubt, but I for one think drones should be used very sparingly. Before you know it amazon will have thousands of these things buzzing all around the place - and whats good for the goose..... I am guessing they are the gander! There are a lot of different types of failure, engine failure is but one. Radio failure needs to be addressed further... and they better have a fail safe signal to drop em if needed. There needs to be protection not just around airports, but around instrument approaches, you may know where the local airports are (there are more than you think by the way) but do you know where the step down fixes are? Do you know the clearances? Now, if only we were able to get the government to restrict it's own use of drones - now that would be something!

[@NelsonStJames]

Jason Feldman Actually it just shows how wimpy our society has become. When I was growing up, you had ham radio, model rocket clubs, RC model planes, and the gov't saying "America needs flyers". Heck, you had people designing aircraft in their barns. Now you've got a generation that doesn't get to experience any of that stuff. If you want to regulate it, fine, I'm completely down with that, but it really feels they're just jumping on the little guys that don't have a big lobby behind them like the NRA, when I pretty sure more innocent people are harmed by stuff we wouldn't dare try to restrict than a quadcopter. Then again, we also have a much less responsible (and stupid) population than we had in the past, sure you'd have idiots using these in ways they weren't intended to, but you've got people doing stupid things now with everyday household appliances. Are we going to ban everything? At some point we're going to have to get back to teaching personal responsibility again.

[@triathl33t]

Depends on the camera, even a Class 10 card is not fast enough for a hacked GH1/GH2 unless it is rated even faster.

[@rickmasters818]

I was thinking of getting a more expensive Quadcopter but after watching this video I have changed my mind & am going to go with the DJI Phantom

[@lovejohntaylor]

Thank you for reply and yes, I am from Australia. CASA here had told me, that our rules were taken over from the states. To bring Australia in line with the FAA rules. Currently I undergo all the paperwork, to use my UAV-3000, as a bush fire spotter and mapping plane. Its a nightmare I can tell you. Go to hobbyking and check out my UAV-3000 3 meter wingspan Reaper MQ-9 and perhaps to your FAA website?

[@indymogul]

Matt recommends Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) insurance to cover liability issues that could arise.

[@BeActiveBros]

shot at 0:13 looks like it's out of Wolf Wall Street, the party scene.

[@edimarsteintrex450]

I would like to ask, I need ham license to use my goggles, making short flights in parks with 5.8ghz. Thanks

[@gder01]

what are your hobbies aside from dslr related stuff.

[@themyrohy]

can you tell me where i can buy it ?

[@cmccormick1121]

Unfortunately, FPV (First Person View, which was mentioned), is also illegal in the U.S. now. Unless you are being paid for it, and have a permit, you cannot use FPV. Even with a spotter, the FAA wants pilots to be looking directly at the aircraft. Also, for operating RC aircraft within 5 miles of an airport, operators have to notify the tower, even if the drones are flying under 400ft (full size aircraft cannot fly under 500 feet, and usually don't get under 1000 unless they're landing).

[@FxNitr0]

Seen houses like that makes me wanna have a family to buy one. what state are these houses in?

[@VestedUTuber]

That's the whole "quarter mile" clause, where airliners are flying through the otherwise "safe zone" of 400 feet. That area is off limits to all aircraft that aren't landing or taking off regardless of certification. If it were entirely as you say, I would have been locked away in a maximum security prison years ago for flying a Blade 120SR (a small, limited range RC heli) outside for five minutes in my front yard - which happens to be within a mile of an approach path.

[@bdesaw]

The rules regarding how you may place objects in the sky (flyable airspace) are laws in the sense if you violate those "rules" you will find yourself incarcerated, or with "legal" problems. There are certain areas of airspace you cannot enter with a remotely piloted vehicle. Endanger civil/commercial aviation with a RPV, RC, AP vehicle and you will see the similarity between "Rules" and "Laws".

[@FangsCPO]

Just do a google search and you'll find all kinds of distributers. They are worldwide so check the listing carefully. Good Luck!

[@MacAttack001]

Without getting into the weeds...the GPS flight feature would be the crossover point between an RC vehicle and a drone. As photobart1 points out, the 400 feet elevation limit is another critical factor especially if the flight data is being recorded...and what isn't being recorded these days.

[@indymogul]

Yep-that's exactly how royalty-free music is intended to be used.

[@mathward456]

my friend has the exact same one!!

[@Matter923]

Yeah, I feel politicians/lawmakers leave a lot of vagueness for there purpose. Ultimately, things start getting questionable when GPS auto and thing like ArduPilot are used. For film making purposes I would suggest using it as a model aircraft and that is allowed to be used commercially, since I haven't seen any autonomous flight videos that would fit the likings of this community.

[@SVELFARO]

Multirotors sure have made aerial video a lot easier, helicopters require much more skill, and it hard to get a steady shot on an airplane. Thanks for a another great vid.

[@jamesarrowfilms]

Hey could you link me to the fundraiser for that guys "first-person flying machine"?

[@97nicke]

Subscribed!

[@ronshow100]

last year I had the idea if inventing something exactly like that, only the idea. but then now I see it existing

[@ryanthekill8films]

Hey Griffin Could you send me the Video with the Soundtrack so i could you use for my Up coming film?

[@chrislanclos4013]

what about those drones that went into wtc tower 1 and 2

[@VestedUTuber]

From the FAA website: Do I need to get approval from the FAA to fly a model aircraft for recreation? No. FAA guidance does not address size of the model aircraft. FAA guidance says that model aircraft flights should be kept below 400 feet above ground level (AGL), should be flown a sufficient distance from populated areas and full scale aircraft, and are not for business purposes.

[@Thep660]

Ur goin to Thailand? O CRAP! Wow welp I hope I see ya there :D

[@indymogul]

It's the FAA!