DJI, the world's leading drone manufacturer, offers a range of intelligent flight modes that can help drone pilots capture stunning footage and images. One of these modes is the DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode, which allows the drone to orbit around a selected object or location, capturing stable and smooth footage from a unique perspective. In this blog post, we'll discuss the DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode in detail and explore its features and benefits.
Point of Interest was a real success and is until today a really good reason for buying drones made by DJI. Have you ever tried to film somebody or something in a perfect circle? It can be tricky to fly consistently at the same speed while circling.
Summary:
What is DJI Point of Interest mode?
DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode is an advanced flight mode that allows the drone to automatically orbit around a selected object or location, creating a smooth and stable 360-degree view. This mode is ideal for capturing cinematic footage and images from unique and captivating perspectives.
The DJI Point of Interest flight mode started with the Mavic and Phantom 4. What makes Point of Interest so powerful is it puts your DJI drone on an automated flight path, allowing you to focus on capturing cinematic footage and breath-taking drone shots. It became a staple of the DJI App and equipped several drones since launch which we will ocver later in this post.
How does DJI Active Track mode work?
Before starting the Point of Interest intelligent flight mode, its best to know how it works. First, you will need to use your drone to define your point of interest by:
Fly above your desired subject
DJI uses the GPS built into the drone to define the point of interest. When you activate point of interest, the current location of your drone becomes the centre of the circle it flies around. Take your time for this important step as it your drone's reference.
💡 Its best to keep the camera pointed straight down. This will help ensure you are directly above your subject and not off to the side because the camera was at an angle. Use a centre point indicator to align your drone above the centre of your subject.
Activate the point of interest intelligent flight mode
Tap on the intelligent flight modes button (the controller icon) and select Point of Interest. It is the icon that an arrow flying around a mountain.
You have already flown above your desired subject, so tap “Record POI” at the bottom right of the screen. Back your drone away from your subject to create a radius. The minimum radius is 5m. Once you have your altitude and radius set, you can tap “apply” in the bottom right of the screen
💡 Bring your camera up while you are setting your radius so you can get an idea of what the shot will look like. Also good to know, lower-altitude shots are great for showcasing a subject from the ground, such as for buildings, while higher-altitude shots are best for landscapes. .
Configure your drone's flight direction and speed
After you tap apply, your drone will automatically begin to fly counter clockwise around your filming subject at 3 km per hour. You can drag the slider to the right to fly faster in the counter clockwise direction, or you can drag the slider to the left to fly in a clockwise direction at your defined speed. You can pause your drone at any time while it is on its flightpath by tapping the pause button. This can be helpful if you need a moment to reframe your shot, or to prevent your drone from automatically colliding with a building or obstacle.
How to use DJI Point of Interest mode?
To use DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode, follow these steps:
Connect your DJI drone to the remote controller and turn on both the drone and controller.
Launch the DJI app on your mobile device and connect it to the remote controller.
Ensure that the GPS signal is strong and the drone's sensors are calibrated before takeoff.
Select the Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode from the flight mode options in the app.
Select the object or location you want the drone to orbit around by tapping on the screen or using the joystick.
Adjust the altitude and distance settings as needed for your shot.
Launch the drone and let it orbit around the selected object or location while you focus on capturing stunning footage.
When the orbit is complete, safely land the drone and end the flight mode in the DJI app.
Here are 4 techniques to make your circling flight a little more cinematic and the effect you're trying to get out of your movie.
Pull Back and Up Start low to the ground and close to your subject, then gradually pull back and up. Your drone will appear to spiral up and away from your subject, creating an awesome reveal. When creating your video, you can play this sequence in reverse appearing as if your drone is landing perfectly circling your subject.
Fly Up and Tilt Down Flying up while tilting down will make it appear as though your drone is spiralling up and above your subject. Go as smooth as possible for the best results.
Tilt-Up Simply tilting your camera up while in Point of Interest mode can create a cool reveal of your subject. Try this simple move from a variety of heights and see how it looks!
The Sweeping Motion Set a large radius for your point of interest and make your altitude reasonably high. Then adjust your speed as you see fit. Perfect for showing the surroundings of a building for e.g.
See below one of our POI flights made in Cambodia (see full movie here)
Benefits of DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode
Captivating footage
DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode allows you to capture captivating footage and images from a unique perspective. By orbiting around an object or location, you can create stunning and dynamic shots that are impossible to achieve with other modes.
Smooth and stable shots
DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode produces smooth and stable shots, as the drone automatically adjusts its altitude and distance from the object or location. This feature ensures that the footage is clear and free from jerky movements.
Easy to use
DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode is easy to use, even for novice pilots. Simply select the object or location you want the drone to orbit around, adjust the altitude and distance, and let the drone do the rest.
Time-saving
DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode is a time-saving feature, as it eliminates the need for the pilot to manually control the drone's flight path. This feature allows you to focus on other aspects of your shoot, such as camera settings and composition.
What to be aware of when using DJI Point of Interest?
Drone Speed
The default speed for this mode is 3 km per hour. Now that seems slow but and you will be tempted to go faster but keep in mind that you can always fast forward while editing your video. We highly recommend keeping it slow while filming while keeping an eye on your battery level.
Sensors
If your drone isn't equipped with side sensors, then its your job to be aware of what around it while circling. Always keep your drone in sight and try to stay clear from any high obstacles such as electric poles or roofs for e.g.
Which drones have DJI Point of Interest mode?
DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode is available on a range of DJI drones, including the DJI Mavic, DJI Phantom, DJI Inspire, among others. If you're looking to capture stunning and dynamic footage and take your drone flying skills to the next level, consider using DJI Point of Interest Intelligent Flight Mode. With this feature, you can create footage that is sure to impress and captivate your audience.
Compare All DJI drones in one place and choose the best one for you here
✅ We hope this blog post helped you understand a more about this DJI intelligent flight mode. If you want to learn more, check out all our tutorials. Please leave a comment or update Drone Forum when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone! Have fun and safe flying!
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