A Ballet of Humans and Quadcopters
Introduction
If you’re anything like me—or the auto-correct function in my word processor– you’re not sure what quadcopters are exactly.To remedy this immediately, have a look at the following rather amazing video:
Is that cool or what? Like the Arthur C. Clarke quote stated at the beginning,
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
And that video sure does look like the work of magic. Instead, it’s just what Mr. Clarke said it was: advanced technology. Those fantastical quadcopters are just what they sound like: helicopters with four propellers. There are some additional technical differences between them and helicopters, but basically, they perform the same movements, only quadcopters can do so with much better accuracy and steadiness, as you can see from the video. They are controlled remotely by computers, each one autonomous from the rest.
The applications for these little drones are frankly mind-boggling. The video above was made for entertainment purposes and while it was mighty impressive, think of how these devices could alter our understanding of the world if used by leading scientists and engineers, or how they might save lives in disaster rescue, or on the frontline of a battlefield, or to scout reconnaissance across enemy lines without putting any lives in harm’s way. But back to the realm of entertainment and marketing: think of what can be done if you attach a camera to a quadcopter. Think of the amazing footage you could capture! In fact, have a look yourself.
It’s unlike any footage I’ve ever seen. It has a strange beauty that could be used to tremendous effect by the right film director. And that’s where I see the greatest potential for this technology: in filming some of the most remarkable advertisement videos ever made. Think about it: video ads—whether geared for the web or television – have changed little over the years. Perhaps the biggest difference is the volume they’ve been turned up to; it’s a verified fact that commercials have gotten louder over the years, despite regulations.
That’s what quadcopters have from the FCC which deems it illegal. Soon, advertisers and marketing departments all over the country will have to find new ways to attract customer’s attention. And in this fast-paced, multi-tasking world we all live in, where we expect our internet to be lightning fast at all times, our videos to be in pristine HD at all times, and our smartphones to react correctly to the slightest touch, perhaps what we all need is something to slow down the pace of our lives, if only for a few minutes. The test footage above is from one quadcopter equipped with one camera. Think of what a creative team could do with a dozen, two dozen quadcopters, all acting independently, all equipped with HD cameras. Again, the possibilities are mind-boggling. But like the first clip— created by teams from Cirque du Soleil, ETH Zurich, and Verity Studios —has shown the filming of quadcopters themselves is compelling enough. A person only has to think of how to prominently display a logo on one (or a swarm) of these drones and how to safely fly them near large groups of people and the advertising world will have a better marketing tool than the Goodyear Blimp itself. With the expertise of a video chef guiding the process, these aerial spectacles can be tailored to captivate and engage audiences like never before.