Nowadays, Aerial film or photography is an indispensable resource for the Creative Industries (CIs) since it expands their creative possibilities, such as filming special shots from different angles and heights, which is beneficial for every photographer. Camera men like tilting or panning in movies when filming complex shots. Therefore, in the past, helicopters needed to be rented for filming said shots which resulted in high costs and only financially sound companies could afford them. Or, if the scene didn’t require high angle shots but one from moderate heights, scaffolds, jibs or lifting platforms were usually hired or bought. With the rise of the drone industry and the resulting drop of acquisition costs for drones the CIs are employing more of them for aerial footage since
a) costs are manageable
b) bulky infrastructure can be removed (scaffold, jibs, cable cam,…)
c) drones are less invasive (they just fly out of the set and are removed)
d) drones lower the risks for the camera operator (no need to climb up a scaffold, lifting platform,…)
However, professional drone use by CIs is limited to outdoor applications since existing drones lack a precise, robust and affordable indoor positioning system (IPS), as well as advanced safety features. Positioning systems are essential for drone flights. When filming outdoors drones use a GPS, which not only helps the operator locate the drone and program flight paths, but also helps stabilise the drone and avoid drifting issues. So here is the problem: GPS localisation does not work indoors. Firstly, the signal is too subdued, and secondly the GPS’s precision is far too inaccurate with a meter range margin of error. Nevertheless, CIs would also like to use drones indoors, but current available technology is not safe or not affordable for SMEs. Up to now two possibilities exist; motion capture system, which is very reliable and precise (mm-range) but very expensive (>200,000€) and the vision position system which is very unreliable but affordable. However, its correct functioning depends on its surroundings (transparent or reflective surfaces might cause malfunctioning). Moreover, localisation is just in z-axis and with a maximum altitude of 2.5m.
To overcome these issues, AiRT project will include a new indoor positioning system with cm range precision, an intelligent flight control system, the integration of active and passive safety measures and professional camera control. Also, it will be easy to use and cost-efficient.