Appreciation Post: I-69 UAS Video

Overview
I find great interest in watching unmanned aerial systems (UAS) videos as they offer an opportunity to observe flying maneuvers, media effects, and transitions. The video linked above features a majority of imagery captured with UAS and skillfully integrated with animations and still shots. Although I was not involved in its creation, I believe it to be an excellent example of how UAS can be used to enhance the awareness of large infrastructure projects.

With that said, I have a few critiques that I would like to share.

Figure 1: Critique items

Assumptions

Based on the video, it appears that the UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) utilized an orbit maneuver, as well as general tripod maneuvers, to capture footage of the project. There were a few instances where the aircraft appeared to change direction, and a couple of camera pans were used. In order to create the before and after transitions, it is likely that a saved waypoint mission was utilized. This would require the pilot to have a good understanding of the project, as predicting how the target will look before it is built can be challenging. The advantage of using a saved waypoint mission is that the aircraft can be flown at the same altitude, speed, and direction, making editing the transitions significantly easier.

Conclusion 
Overall, the UAS content in the video effectively highlights the assets and progress of the project. As someone who has worked on marketing projects on a smaller scale, I can appreciate the amount of effort required to edit the footage into a cohesive less-than-five-minute video. Video editing is an equally important skill, and the use of icons, map animations, and effects in Adobe Premiere Pro are details that bring the series of small videos together, completing the still videos and drone content.