FPV formation flying

[Oscar]

This is my first time doing FPV formation flying.  The experience is very rewarding.  @sihinch @Gil.E and myself flew the FPV together this evening. 

It doesnt need to fly fast.  The glider is a perfect FPV plane to fly.  Today, the wind is light and the sunset view is spectacular.  I look forward to do more formation FPV flying.

Video to follow (Simon, Gil - please upload to GoogleDrive or OneDrive and send me the link)

[Andy Hoffer]

Wow!  This must have been fun for the spotters with three very similar planes flying in formation.  I guess the fins/rudders and bottom wing markings were distinctive enough to avoid confusion?

Looing forward to seeing the video(s).

Andy

[sihinch]

Half the time it was us telling them who was who! 

[Oscar]

@Andy Hoffer, all the spotters know which glider is Simon.   

The only one that fly a glider like a Warbirds / EDF Jet.

[sihinch]

I'm in the process of sending the videos to Oscar, but here are some screen captures. 

[Andy Hoffer]

Wonderful photos!  The light just before sunset is magnificent.   

I particularly like the composition and framing in "Oscar and Simon 2".  Way to go guys.

Andy

[Oscar]

Instead of showing the boring FPV glider flight footage, let me use a different way to show you our flight.

Enjoy!!

https://youtu.be/t4tAt7V_Jas

[Andy Hoffer]

Why does this feel like a Warwings flight with @bweaver  

Andy

[bweaver]

Great video Oscar, you really caught the sense of the moments...

[Oscar]

Why does this feel like a Warwings flight with @bweaver  

Andy

Andy - You are right.  It does look like Warwing flight.   

Will this one better?

https://youtu.be/GPO3KrvCLX8

[Andy Hoffer]

Beautiful Oscar!  I really like the flow of this new video.  Your taste in background music is always so thoughtful.  It captures the mood perfectly.

(Could you tell us the name, composer and musician for the sound track?)

Thanks for sharing your FPV flight.

Andy

[Oscar]

/quote]

You are welcome. I am glad you like it.

I got this from...

https://www.youtube.com/user/esoundtraxmusic/featured?view_as=subscriber

[sihinch]

Amazing video Oscar.  Thanks so much for editing and preparing it.

Flying with you and Gil on Monday is one of my TEMAC highlights - of all time. 

[Michael]

Amazing flights and video!

Beautiful!

[Gil.E]

Great Video Oscar!
Thank you for collecting and editing all the little moments from the 3 cameras into a single beautiful montage.

The Encyclopedia Britannica defines formation flying as: "Two or more aircraft traveling and maneuvering together in a disciplined, synchronized, predetermined manner". In that respect, not too bad for the first attempt, but clearly more practice and training is required before our DJI HD Squadron is ready for its first air show performance 

After only a couple of evenings trying out the new HD FPV gear I am completely convinced the next logical progressive step is to have the camera mounted on a Pan & Tilt gimble linked to an head tracker.

There is almost no point in turning the entire aircraft at the direction of your fellow flyers just to get a brief fliting glimpse (unless you are flying an armed warbird and harbor less-than-friendly intents). It would be much more natural, and possibly disorienting, just to move your head/gaze towards your formation leader or wingman and let the camera view follow your head movements.

I have some ideas about how to do it, which I would like to try out in plastic (preferably red) before this summer is over 

See you in the air.