A new partnership for those that want to be immersed into a world with new angles, from where they stand, and above.

When you think about 360 degree videos, you will begin to realise that there are different variations and more than just one way of doing it. In fact, there are many possibilities in producing 360 degree videos from pretty much everywhere and every perspective in the world. One of these perspectives is from the sky. How many times have you dreamt of flying? A very common dream, isn’t it? So, suppose you want to stop dreaming and start flying with Virtual Reality and 360 degree video.

360dgrees.com has recently entered into a partnership with In Motion Aero, which gives you the opportunity to experience an event, venue, or activity from a bird’s-eye perspective, in any and all directions. We decided to ask Thomas Gerrard, Creative Producer and Google Street View Virtual Tour Photographer of In Motion Aero, a few questions about this incredibly innovative technology.

Thomas, how can you explain the magic of this technology?

“As image capture and manipulation techniques and technologies constantly evolve, we see improvements in performance, practicality and capability. 360 Video is a new form of media which offers end users unique viewing experiences, allowing them to watch a video captured from all directions; up, down, left or right. We have worked alongside 360dgrees.com, a 360 degree video and VR production company, to develop a heavy lift unmanned aircraft (‘drone’) solution capable of carrying 360 camera systems and capturing 360 video from aerial perspectives”.

What are the benefits in using 360 Aerial video?

“If we compared it to traditional ground based or hand-held video cameras, 360 Aerial Video allows creatives and consumers to capture scenes, and shoot from angles, which were previously thought to be impossible or impractical. 360 Video cameras which record the entire panoramic view in 360 degrees from a particular point, provide for a more dynamic and immersive viewing experience. Whilst the transport/mounting system (the ‘drone’) is able to hover, or move in any direction in 3D space (X, Y, Z) to position the camera over or close to the action or subject(s) being recorded”.

There are many advantages in using 360 Aerial video. 80% of the human brain’s sensing information is obtained from the eyes. Preemptive Perspective is a significant advantage. Consider potential clients/prospective buyers wanting to gather a “taste” of your product. Whether you are in an experience or adventure industry, tourism, or marketing a particular product, your future clients will already be ⅔ of the way into commitment as the immersion not only displays your product which advocates innovation, but evokes emotion.

Tell me a true story of a person who tried it and was fascinated by it.

“The Cronulla Sharks NRL team recently engaged us to shoot a 360 Aerial Video for them. They were fascinated at the results of super high quality and stable footage. 360 Aerial Video is not a particularly common capability or service at this point. Only a select number of certified UAV operators around the world have tried it and succeeded – including us! I believe this is mainly due to the difficult and inherent production staged required; including the use of heavy-lift Remotely Piloted Aircraft in conjunction with specially designed and optimised 360 video camera systems, and advanced image manipulation and processing (stitching) techniques”.

What are your plans for the future? What will be the next step?

“The plan for the future is to produce a series of 360 Aerial Videos for different industries to showcase a variety of shooting solutions and possibilities. These videos will provide a basis for further marketing the service and will include scenes captured from the drone and 360 camera system. The next step will involve capturing and embracing the improvement and evolution of the 360 AV system as a whole, new image systems and equipment, as well as any applicable popular trends in the creative industry and leading with a strategic marketing approach”.

Tell me more about the partnership with 360dgrees.com: what do they have in common and what is the main difference between them?

“The main difference between our two companies is capability. Our partnership with 360dgrees.com exists as we compliment different technological and skill-based capabilities to deliver a single product. With 360dgrees.com, In Motion Aero can now offer a product solution for 360 degree video clients as we now have access to the industry leaders with the particular professional technology and skill. Similarly, 360dgrees.com have access to fully licenced and insured Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), which enable them to capture the world in a unique dimension. What the two companies have in common is a thirst to create high quality, innovative and immersive media for a multitude of industries which can benefit from the technological/skill-based capabilities we have to offer”.

Let’s also ask Ivan Ghirlanda, General Manager for 360dgrees.com:

“I believe the partnership between us is all about providing a new opportunity in the market. You can hire a drone company or you can order a 360 video but having both from a single provider is quite unique. Unique because not many companies have the skills and capabilities that we have, actually no one in Australia can compete against us.

This is why I truly believe we have created something special around such innovative technologies like drones and 360 immersive videos. We are still in the early stages of this new era as we have to do more R&D and explore new opportunities in order to grow and expand our footprint in the Australian/Asia market”.

The production and distribution of 360 Aerial Video are not easy tasks; it is a very unique field and what can make the difference, in my opinion, is the level of quality of the final video which enhances experience.

Thomas, how is it possible to record these special videos? How many people do you need?

“360 degree videos are videos that have been shot with specialised circular camera rigs that record the entire 360 degree, panoramic view from a particular fixed point in space. Shooting this type of panoramic footage results in a semi-interactive video where viewers can click and drag to adjust the viewpoint around a single point as the video plays back. Whilst performing 360 AV services, the aircraft must be operated by a licenced Remote Pilot (UAV Controller) and usually an observer/spotter is used to assist the pilot with situational awareness of the aircraft and it’s flying environment. As our CASA Approved Chief UAV Controller, Will Stamatopoulos is responsible for the authorisation and oversight of our Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAS) operations with safety as the first priority. A single 360 video camera technician/operator (from 360dgrees.com) is also required to separately configure and operate the 360 degree cameras mounted to the aircraft”.

Are there any curious anecdotes about In Motion Aero that you would like to tell us about?

“We have previous experience working alongside QANTAS Engineering and Trust Power to demonstrate and provide UAV service capabilities in relation to commercial visual inspections. This was some of the most fun I have had as a camera operator and creative producer. We have also worked with Transport for NSW, capturing on-going progress and promotional footage of the Sydney Metro Northwest rail ($8 Billion dollar) project”.

What we believed as “impossible” fifty years ago is now possible and real. We can finally experience what it is like to be a bird and watch the world from its perspective. Nothing will be “out of sight” with 360 Aerial video and In Motion Aero, from above, to below sea level.