ULTIMATE DRONE TIMELAPSES with DJI Waypoints!

Tony Northrup teaches you how to use waypoints with DJI drones and the DJI Fly app (though this can also be done with the Lichi app). This isn't just how to setup waypoints in the software, which is pretty easy. This free drone tutorial shows you how to record video or stills so you can transition from day to night or season to season! Create a video that smoothly shows a building before and after construction!

Here's why it's harder than it seems: waypoints are just not very precise. Each time you play back a series of waypoints, the alignment is a little bit off. Sometimes the drone can be 10 or 20 feet higher or lower than when you recorded the waypoints. Sometimes the camera angle is completely off.

Fortunately, we can re-align them in our video editor by using keyframes and distortions. With just a few minutes of editing, you can perfectly align video clips taken at different times of day to create a single, smoothly transitioning video clip.

Tony shows you how to do this with Final Cut, but the process works the same way with any video editor, including Adobe Premiere Pro.

[above-photo-video]

I've been droning for 5 years and this is the first thing I tried when I upgraded to the Mavic3 Classic. I hope they incorporate an import capability from Google Earth to set waypoints like Litchi does. Tony, thanks so much for doing all of these training videos. I used your part 107 tutorial to pass my FAA test in the Spring of 2018. I am hoping the editing software keeps improving, so it can align all of this through AI.

[brianriebedriveselectric]

Fantastic tutorial. Makes me want to get the drone out this weekend and capture the snow cover for transitions to summer. Thanks!

[vidiot]

I have been trying to do some Hyperlapse Videos Using the Waypoints feature.. With mixed results.. Several times the flight paths have not matched up.. Here is what I have learned.. Take off from the same exact spot.. So the Elevation of the drone is the same each time you launch.. Also the version of GPS used by our drones is not the Full blown military version.. More of a consumer version.. So it is not dead on accurate.. I believe it is within 3 meters?? Which is not a good amount when You are trying to match flights.. Also DJI has told me that changes in Barometric Pressure also effect the repeatability of the flights.. Not sure why that is.. But that's what they have told me.. About 50 percent of the time I have been able to match up the shots in After Effects.. But sometimes it is off by to much and you are out of luck with repeatability..

[tomzphone]

in 10 years? how do you move the waypoints saved data from one controller to a new on in 10 yearS?

[robbinsdrones]

Altitude ( @ 13:50 ) is also dependent on where you launched from - curious if you launched from the same point for both of these, or if you were possibly at a sightly higher altitude for one?

[zulfika_]

what if the route occupied by new tall building? Is it gonna crash?

[vasilisman]

great video! It is possible to repeat again and again multiple waypoints. For example I saved waypoint 1 and waypoint 2. Could I play waypoint 1 & 2
repeatedly until I stop it manual?

[jeremiahis]

30 seconds in and this is exactly the video I was looking for. Thanks.

[kore]

This was absolutely fantastic and I was amazed when watching those drone shots. 😮.
Thank you for sharing your techniques.

[DarkStoneCastle]

'Bout time for another drone video. Need more of these.

[DavidStella]

There’s a series I enjoy watching called Europe From Above that I’m sure has been using drones and waypoints to shoot some of their scenes over time, same way as described here. It’s very neat!

[fvaron]

Absolutely sooo awesome! I’m a timelapse photographer and working on getting my part 107

[lahinchdreamcatcher]

Great tutorial video! Any experience flying in stronger winds over 30kmph and attempting way points and matching clips?

[RealJonSarge]

I really gotta learn how to do this with my Phantom 4. Definietly saved this to do a walkthrough along side you when I'm trying to do this.

Always love the content.

[thesaltydogproductions]

Tony,

I would like to photograph Ledge Light with a drone also. From the angle (Ultimate Drone Transitions) it looks like you are either at Goshen Point or Camp Harkness. Is there public parking available there?

[RobStyles]

Watching at about 1:21 and on that abandoned building... There's an interesting item on the left side of the upper roof around that time...

[michaelk]

How about a video on how to select a drone. What features do
We need. What extra things do we need

[ChrisKendrick]

Great video. Thank you. I really learned a lot from your post flight edit. Wish you did more videos about FCPX.

[petersuvara]

Found this VIA your camera of the year video! Saved for later! Thanks.

[StevenParry]

What is that keypad on the bottom of your drone for?