How a Drone Automatically Films a Moving Car Like a Movie Crew

This patent describes a system where a drone automatically films a moving vehicle by receiving real-time vehicle data, predicting its future path, and then flying a pre-planned "movie script" of camera shots relative to the car.

What it covers

The patent describes a drone system that automatically captures video of a vehicle. The vehicle sends its current information, like speed, acceleration, braking, and steering data (Claim 5), to the drone. The drone's controller receives this data and uses it to predict where the vehicle will be in the future (Claim 1). The drone also stores a "scene information database" (Claim 1), which is like a pre-written movie script. This database contains a series of scenes, each specifying a desired camera position and angle relative to the vehicle, and how long that shot should last. Based on the predicted vehicle path and the movie script, the drone calculates its own flight path to achieve each relative shot (Claim 1). It then flies autonomously and adjusts its camera direction and angle to capture the video, even sending the footage back to the vehicle in real-time (Claim 6). For example, a car driving through a scenic route could have a drone automatically film it from various angles, like a side-tracking shot followed by an overhead view, all pre-programmed and executed autonomously.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover drones that are manually controlled by a human operator.
• —Does not cover drones that only follow a vehicle without using a pre-defined "scene information database" for specific shots.
• —Does not cover drones that predict a vehicle's path without receiving real-time traveling and navigation information directly from the vehicle.
• —Does not cover systems where the drone's camera adjustments are not based on both the stored relative positions and the live captured image.
• —Does not cover drones that simply record a continuous, unscripted video without calculating specific flight paths for a series of defined scenes.

The clever bit

The novelty lies in combining real-time vehicle telemetry and predicted future movement with a pre-programmed, time-series "scene information database" that defines relative camera positions and orientations. This allows the drone to dynamically adapt its flight path and camera angles to execute a complex, cinematic shot sequence even as the vehicle's actual path might vary slightly.

Why it matters

This technology could allow car owners or professional videographers to capture high-quality, cinematic footage of vehicles without needing a skilled drone pilot to manually track and frame every shot. It integrates advanced autonomous drone capabilities with vehicle data, potentially making professional-looking automotive videography more accessible for marketing, events, or personal use.

Real-world examples

• 1.Automotive marketing videos
• 2.Personalized adventure travel videos
• 3.Off-road vehicle event documentation
• 4.Autonomous vehicle testing and demonstration footage