Does the P3S Record Sound as well?

[JB63]

All the aerial footage I've seem online has some 'dubbed' sound track. Granted, no one wants to hear the continuous buzzing (or is it droning?) of the propellers but still, does any of the P3 record sound in addition to video?

As for the annoying prop sounds, I was thinking if that can be 'removed' by using an array of microphones on the drone ... array mics are used in many consumer devices and should be easy to retrofit on the drone. Now, the DSP (signal processing) that is needed here is another story.

 

[msinger]

No, it does not record sound.

 

[Jayfdee]

No sound, if you want the annoying droning then strap a cheap digital recorder on to the aircraft, and sync with your video in post.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8GB-USB-S...-Sound-Recorder-Dictaphone-MP3-Player-/272314

 

[JB63]

No sound, if you want the annoying droning then strap a cheap digital recorder on to the aircraft, and sync with your video in post.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8GB-USB-S...-Sound-Recorder-Dictaphone-MP3-Player-/272314

You obviously did not read the 2nd part of my post ... No, I do not want the annoying props sound ... but was hoping that, with some 'smart modding', one can make the sound half-decent.

 

[rocketflyer]

You obviously did not read the 2nd part of my post

But there's no audio in the first place, as there is no onboard mike on the craft.

 

[JB63]

Here is a thought. How about putting 4 (or 8) microphones at the 8 corners of the 'cube' (legs of the drone), connecting those to a raspberry pi zero (or mini arduino), recording all channels during whatever mission. Then, doing some array signal processing (in post-processing) to remove/minimize the propellers' sound? I know, sounds complicated, but perfectly feasible ... assuming one knows their signal processing and has the means to do this (e.g. Matlab or other matrix computation package). I never said it was easy ... just exploring what can be done.

 

[solentlife]

What sound are you likely to hear up there ? Birds flapping wings ?

About only sound is the props droning on !

I agree that some people music choice leads a lot to be desired - not everyone likes mine for example - but what else apart from some dipstick voice-over !

Nigel

 

[JB63]

What sound are you likely to hear up there ? Birds flapping wings ?
Nigel

Good point ... How about the sound of the surf (waves) hitting the shores, or the water gushing and falling in Niagara Falls ?

But then again, sound is much more difficult to record 'correctly'.

 

[solentlife]

OK - sorry for my sarcasm .... but I have been videoing models onbiard and off - that to be honest 99.999% is prop noise or just awful wind.

To get the surf or waterfall would in my opinion need adding soundtrack separately.

Nigel

 

[JB63]

Thanks. No offense taken. I come to this forum to learn and share my experience (whatever little I know). It seems that 'sound' idea might not be worthwhile after all. It is very useful as well, when the experience of others helps you (me) understand or define better what one is after.

Onto my next question then: How can one reduce the noise from the propellers? Sickle props with a very 'curved' profile?

This is the question I should have asked first: Instead of looking for ways to reduce the noise, why not try and kill (reduce) the noise in the first place? This is really what I do for a living (amongst other things) and should have known better.

 

[solentlife]

I think this question is one that haunts many - I know that I hate the noise I get from some of my electric models. My way then is to reduce the original audio level in post processing and add my own over top.

Propellers are not easy to quieten - you have to remember that prop tips are operating often in near supersonic speed - particularly high kV motor applications. The only way to reduce prop noise is by slowing them down, which means increasing diameter and pitch to compensate. But then that also means changing out the motors to a suitable low kV value.

To do it on the Phantom here ? It would be extremely difficult and I doubt results would be good enough. You would still have wind / airflow induced noise to sort as well.

Nigel

 

[AWD]

I had the need to shoot a scheduled match at the local shooting range recently.

Although getting the video was relatively easy, it just didn't look right in testing without any audio of the guns. Almost pointless video.

So, I grabbed some GoPro videos of the same test stages that were shot and stripped out the audio from the GoPro, added it (synced) to the Phantom video and the test came out perfectly. Well, it came out perfectly on the second try as I had some technical difficulties initially with the GoPro audio.

People who have seen the test video say they wouldn't know it came from two separate recordings.

With the GoPro on the ground and out of the way of the Phantom, the prop noise just blends into the background.

The actual match got cancelled for weather so only my test video remains but I'll be ready for the next one for sure!

AD

 

[JB63]

Neat, would it be possible to post a link to the end result?

 

[AWD]

Neat, would it be possible to post a link to the end result?

Darn! I was afraid somebody was going to ask that.

Anyway, here's the 35 second test to synchronize the audio from a GoPro, located basically next to the Phantom controller on a table and the Phantom video shot from behind the shooter.

As this was only a test to record sound, there are no targets set up but I did hit the berm with all ten shots, so I had that going for me.

Once again, this was only a video for proof of concept and I believe it worked quite well. I'll be ready for the upcoming real match.

AD

 

[JB63]

Darn! I was afraid somebody was going to ask that.

Thank You

 

[solentlife]

I have the Soloshot 3 ordered and looking forward to videos shot with both and combining where suitable.
The SS3 is a ground based robotic camera that will follow a 'chip' carried by a model / person etc. It can auto zoom etc.

I have a remote wireless microphone system ready for it.

As to onboard sound recording with the Phantom - a keychain 808 camera would do that easily and only add a few grams.

Nigel

 

[N017RW]

...As to onboard sound recording with the Phantom - a keychain 808 camera would do that easily and only add a few grams.

Nigel

Recording of what???

4 props?

 

[eatpasta]

You obviously did not read the 2nd part of my post ... No, I do not want the annoying props sound ... but was hoping that, with some 'smart modding', one can make the sound half-decent.

Even if you were able to somehow add microphones to a Phantom in a way to minimize the prop sound, all you're going to hear is wind and props.

I don't think people really understand how much sound pressure change occurs in close proximity to moving props - its significant. Then there is the wind on top of that which is also significant.

I agree with what has already been said in I'm not sure what kinds of sounds you were thinking of getting. Pretty much any sound that you want to get is significantly easier to record and add in post.

If you absolutely have to record sound in some other way, I'm curious to see how you do it but the results are predictable.

If you're interested in recording audio from a subject, just stick an iPhone in the breast pocket of the person in question, record and sync in post....

 

[JB63]

Even if you were able to somehow add microphones to a Phantom in a way to minimize the prop sound, all you're going to hear is wind and props.

I don't think people really understand how much sound pressure change occurs in close proximity to moving props - its significant. Then there is the wind on top of that which is also significant.

I agree with what has already been said in I'm not sure what kinds of sounds you were thinking of getting. Pretty much any sound that you want to get is significantly easier to record and add in post.

If you absolutely have to record sound in some other way, I'm curious to see how you do it but the results are predictable.

If you're interested in recording audio from a subject, just stick an iPhone in the breast pocket of the person in question, record and sync in post....

Thank you. I do understand (I think I do) the fundamentals of sound, be it due to propellers or wind. It is precisely because I work on sound (for a living) that I asked the question, I'm more interested in it from a 'challenge to be resolved' aspect. But, it seems the challenge is much 'bigger' than I had anticipated. Now, I have tried cheaper drones in the past ($100, from Costco), and those record both sound and video. Yes, it's only a gimmick (video is very shaky, because no gimbal, and sound very choppy) but nonetheless, a starting point. The one thing about propeller sound is that it is 'periodic' and linked to the prop's speed. Thus, conceptually, it should be 'easily' removed. Of course, easy depends on how much signal processing one is inclined to invest into this. I'm thinking of a movie I saw a while back where there was a navy helicopter, initially very noisy, and they somehow engaged a 'stealth' mode, and the aircraft became very quiet. Of course, this is a difficult technical challenge but nonetheless, I think one can reduce (not aliminate) the props' sound with the proper sensors (multiple/array microphones) and signal processing.

 

[eatpasta]

Thank you. I do understand (I think I do) the fundamentals of sound, be it due to propellers or wind. It is precisely because I work on sound (for a living) that I asked the question, I'm more interested in it from a 'challenge to be resolved' aspect. But, it seems the challenge is much 'bigger' than I had anticipated. Now, I have tried cheaper drones in the past ($100, from Costco), and those record both sound and video. Yes, it's only a gimmick (video is very shaky, because no gimbal, and sound very choppy) but nonetheless, a starting point. The one thing about propeller sound is that it is 'periodic' and linked to the prop's speed. Thus, conceptually, it should be 'easily' removed. Of course, easy depends on how much signal processing one is inclined to invest into this. I'm thinking of a movie I saw a while back where there was a navy helicopter, initially very noisy, and they somehow engaged a 'stealth' mode, and the aircraft became very quiet. Of course, this is a difficult technical challenge but nonetheless, I think one can reduce (not aliminate) the props' sound with the proper sensors (multiple/array microphones) and signal processing.

One aspect that you're forgetting is the transfer of sound through the solid materials on the Phantom which will most likely be worse than the actual prop sound.

If you're going to try and use some kind of recording device, it's most likely going to have a pair of small condenser microphones which will be even more influenced from this vibration from the chassis of the craft based on their transient response as there is almost no (practical) way to isolate the capsules.

I'm not trying to discourage you from experimenting with this, all I'm saying is that you're going to spend half the time dubbing something over in post.

One thing you could try is once you have recorded something, copy paste your audio track and invert one of the tracks and collapse. The prop sounds being 100% out of phase, it should eliminate most of the noise. Everything else will be out of phase too but most likely won't be as dramatic.