How To Use GoPro on FPV Drones – Finest Settings, Equipment, Suggestions and Methods

Whether or not you’re a newbie or an skilled FPV pilot, capturing beautiful and easy footage is essential to showcasing your expertise and sharing your adventures. This information will stroll you thru GoPro digicam settings, and I’ll provide suggestions and greatest practices that will help you get essentially the most out of your GoPro when filming your FPV flights. We’ll cowl one of the best GoPro settings from body price, shutter pace, FOV, stabilization, to paint grading, making certain you might have all of the information wanted to create cinematic movies that actually seize the essence of FPV flying.

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To study extra about HD Motion Cameras for FPV, try this submit.

GoPro Choices for FPV

GoPro Hero 13

Product Web page: https://amzn.to/3TSMOyD

Earlier than 2020, GoPro was the clear chief in motion cameras for FPV drones. Nevertheless, lately, DJI has considerably closed the hole, making it more durable to advocate one over the opposite.

Should you prioritize one of the best log profile and essentially the most flexibility in post-production and colour grading, the GoPro Hero 13 stays your greatest wager. Its flat colour profile gives loads of room for tweaking colours to your liking.

Nevertheless, for all the pieces else, the DJI Osmo Motion 5 Professional is very aggressive. It’s lighter than the GoPro, has a extra fashionable design, boasts considerably longer battery life, and delivers spectacular outcomes straight out of the field with minimal effort. Its built-in stabilization is top-tier, the audio high quality is clearer, and it handles dynamic vary and low-light conditions barely higher than the GoPro. Plus, it’s even barely cheaper. See my purchaser’s information right here: https://oscarliang.com/gopro-13-dji-action-5/.

GoPro Hero 12

Product Web page: https://amzn.to/3Erf2bR

GoPro Hero 11

Product Web page: https://amzn.to/3RZnEL7

The GoPro Hero 11 gives two thrilling new options for FPV pilots: 10-bit movies and a 8:7 side ratio picture sensor. This sensor permits for 16:9 and 9:16 cropping, making it ultimate for social media use. The digicam movies in 5.3K and 4K at 60fps and a pair of.7K at 240fps, and options Hypersmooth V5 stabilization and horizon locking. Equipment and ND filters from earlier fashions are suitable.

GoPro Hero 11 Mini

Product Web page: https://amzn.to/3XqMQNu

The Hero 11 Mini is a smaller, lighter model of the Hero 11. It’s barely higher for FPV drones resulting from its diminished weight (about 20g lighter) and $100 cheaper price tag, whereas retaining the identical capabilities and efficiency.

GoPro Bones

Discover the GoPro Bones right here: https://amzn.to/3LpHsaW

The GoPro Bones is basically a stripped down GoPro Hero 10 – it’s lighter and extra compact which makes it extra suited to FPV drones. It gives the identical picture high quality and efficiency because the GoPro 10. It has built-in warmth sinks, and will be powered direct connection from the drone eliminating the necessity for a separate battery. Try my overview for extra particulars: https://oscarliang.com/gopro-10-bones/

360 Cameras

GoPro additionally gives 360 cameras, try this comparability information for extra element.

Finest GoPro Settings

These tables beneath present my greatest settings for the most recent GoPro Hero 11 and 12, however also needs to work properly on older fashions. Video stabilization is crucial for a cinematic look in your movies, you might have three choices: Hypersmooth, Reelsteady and Gyroflow. Hypersmooth is built-in, thus extra handy however gives much less management, whereas Reelsteady and Gyroflow requires additional rendering however permits for personalization. Between Reelsteady and Gyroflow, the previous is paid whereas the latter is free. Personally I choose Reelsteady, I feel it provides higher end in most conditions. Be taught extra about picture stabilization right here right here: https://oscarliang.com/stabilize-fpv-videos/. However Gyroflow additionally produces respectable outcome, study extra right here: https://oscarliang.com/gyroflow/

For Reelsteady & Gyroflow

* Solely use Auto if you’re NOT utilizing ND filter; In any other case, set a set shutter pace for cinematic look.

** The Vast lens setting beneath 8:7 side ratio (or 4:3 in older fashions) are full sensor picture that gives a wider discipline of view than Hyperview/Superview in 16:9. Reelsteady in GoPro Participant will robotically stretch it to 16:9 Hyperview/Superview after rendering.

*** In particular conditions, set ISO Max increased for additional flexibility (e.g., 400 or 1600 in low gentle).

For Hypersmooth

* Solely use Auto if you’re NOT utilizing ND filter; In any other case, set a set shutter pace for cinematic look.

**  In particular conditions, you may wish to improve ISO Max for additional flexibility (e.g., 800 and even 1600 in low gentle). 100 to 200 usually works properly throughout day time.

For Lowlight/Evening Flying

Settings are largely much like these above, with just a few variations. ND filters aren’t wanted/really helpful for lowlight and night time capturing. These settings assume you’re utilizing a GoPro Hero 11 with Reelsteady for stabilization.

* Enhance/lower ISO MAX to your explicit setting.

Decision

Go together with 4K for the very best picture high quality and bitrate. It’s possible you’ll use a decrease decision if you would like increased body price resembling 120fps or 240fps as a result of 4K or 5.6K usually solely permits 60fps. Take into account that increased resolutions end in bigger file sizes and require extra processing energy for modifying and rendering.

FPS

FPS (frames per second) is the body price, it may possibly considerably influences your video’s appear and feel.

Many pilots choose 60FPS for smoother playback on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, whereas others could choose 30FPS. Though 24FPS is standard in filmmaking, it won’t look nearly as good for FPV movies resulting from fast drone actions. For slow-motion footage, think about increased FPS choices like 120FPS or 240FPS, which can require decreasing the decision in older cameras.

Side Ratio

The native side ratio for the most recent GoPro picture sensor is 8:7, whereas older fashions have a 4:3 sensor. Selecting the native side ratio makes use of the complete sensor data. It means that you can export the video vertically or horizontally afterward for various social media platform. Utilizing a non-native ratio ends in cropping on the high and backside of the sensor so it ends in a smaller FOV if in case you have export it in a special side ratio afterward. When utilizing Hyperview and Superview, the picture is dynamically stretched from 8:7 or 4:3 to 16:9.

Should you plan to make use of Reelsteady, it’s greatest to pick 8:7 or 4:3, because the software program will export a 16:9 clip for platforms like YouTube. When utilizing the built-in Hypersmooth stabilization, select 16:9.

Lens

Lens settings decide the sphere of view (FOV) of the picture. The accessible lens choices is dependent upon the digicam and chosen decision/FPS/stabilization settings, which embrace Linear, Vast, Superview, and Hyperview (from the narrowest to the widest FOV).

FPV movies usually use the widest FOV attainable, as a wider vertical discipline of view provides picture stablization extra picture to work with. A wider FOV additionally appears higher for FPV movies. Until you’re utilizing Reelsteady for video stabilization (wherein case, select Vast), it’s really helpful to pick Hyperview (or Superview if Hyperview isn’t accessible).

Hypersmooth

As mentioned on this article, there are two methods to stabilize GoPro movies: Hypersmooth and Reelsteady. Hypersmooth is constructed into Hero 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 fashions and works properly for many purposes. Nevertheless, FPV pilots typically choose Reelsteady, because it tends to supply higher outcomes for FPV movies and is extra versatile.

Should you plan to make use of Reelsteady or Gyroflow, be certain that to TURN OFF Hypersmooth within the digicam; in any other case, depart it ON. The Increase or Auto settings will not be ultimate for FPV, as they will crop the picture a bit an excessive amount of and trigger extreme zooming out and in. These settings, nevertheless, are well-suited for sports activities movies.

10-Bit

Presently, solely the GoPro Hero 11 Black can shoot in HEVC 10-bit, capturing 64 occasions extra colours than its predecessor which is in 8-bit. Whereas the distinction will not be important on a typical pc display screen, 10-bit recording brings motion cameras nearer to skilled filming high quality. You’ll be able to nonetheless choose to make use of 8-bit if desired.

Bit Price

Bitrate is crucial to attain high-quality footage. The next bitrate information extra data from the picture sensor.

The most recent GoPro offers two choices: low (both 45 or 60Mbps) and excessive (100Mbps). I all the time advocate setting the bitrate to excessive. Though this implies larger file sizes, it’s a small sacrifice for preserving picture high quality.

Shutter Velocity

Shutter pace impacts the publicity of your picture by controlling how a lot gentle enters the sensor. It additionally influences the looks of your picture, with sooner shutter speeds producing sharper photographs and slower speeds introducing extra movement blur. A average quantity of movement blur is fascinating in FPV movies for a “cinematic” look.

Should you’re not utilizing an ND filter, you possibly can simply set the Shutter Velocity to Auto, the digicam will deal with it so that you can get a perfect publicity. It’s possible you’ll set Shutter Velocity to a set worth which gives you a extra constant look, however you must use ND filters to get a appropriately uncovered picture. This submit explains in additional element why you must use ND filter and the right way to choose the proper ND.

The overall rule of thumb is to set the shutter pace to 1/60 for 30fps, 1/120 for 60fps, 1/240 for 120fps, or 1/480 for 240fps. Utilizing a decrease shutter pace than the urged worth could end in overexposure and extreme movement blur.

When utilizing a set shutter pace, make sure you equip your GoPro with the suitable ND filter for correct publicity. I like to recommend an ND16 filter for sunny days, ND8 for cloudy days, ND4 for early mornings and sunsets, and ND32 for snowy days.

You will get ND filters based mostly on the digicam mannequin right here:

Should you’re not sure which ND filter to make use of for correct publicity, it’s typically higher to underexpose than overexpose, because it’s simpler to get better element in shadows than in overexposed areas.

EV Comp

EV Comp stands for Publicity Compensation. Usually, you possibly can depart EV Comp on the default setting (zero).

When the digicam adjusts publicity, it appears on the complete picture and calculates a mean worth for the present publicity, bringing it up or all the way down to a center gray worth.

Adjusting the EV Comp worth tells the digicam to both brighten or darken the picture from the optimum publicity it perceives.

Should you’re filming a topic that’s darker or brighter than the background and depart EV Comp on the default setting (0), your picture could seem overexposed or underexposed. On this case, you’ll wish to modify EV Comp. Nevertheless, for FPV, we usually movie the whole setting, so there’s normally no have to make important changes.

White Steadiness

White stability determines the colour temperature of your footage, it’s essential for capturing correct colours.

Until you’re filming indoors the place gentle sources (e.g., halogen gentle bulbs) may alter the setting’s colour unnaturally, one of the best vary for it might be round 4500K to 5500K in out of doors setting.

Auto white stability can work successfully more often than not, however skilled customers normally set it manually to match the scene, as a result of there may be cases the place the Auto settings is simply off which compromises the general look of your footage. Setting it to a set worth ensures constant white stability, and means that you can advantageous tune it later in post-production. For instance, you might use 4500K when capturing on a sunny day or 5500K on a cloudy day. Should you’re unfamiliar with adjusting white stability in submit, be at liberty to simply set it to auto and let the digicam to deal with it for you and save your self some headache.

Some advocate utilizing the ‘Native’ white stability and correcting it in submit. Nevertheless, in my expertise, utilizing ‘Native’ can generally end in a boring coloration that’s difficult to right afterward.

So, right here’s how I usually do it to attaining good trying colours: First, test what the ‘Auto’ setting appears like. Then, choose a white stability stage that emulates the identical look. This manner, the white stability stays locked, versus randomly altering all through the video because it does in ‘Auto’ mode.

ISO

Advisable Setting: At all times set ISO Min to 100, and modify ISO Max based mostly on lighting situations (100, 200, 400, and even 1600 are acceptable values; I normally go along with 400)

ISO is the digital enhancement of sunshine sensitivity in your digicam’s picture sensor. It helps modify the publicity of the picture by amplifying the sign. The next ISO will increase gentle sensitivity, which improves visibility in low-light environments, but it surely additionally introduces and amplifies digital noise, leading to a grainier picture.

For one of the best outcomes, preserve your ISO settings as little as attainable to attenuate noise and keep picture high quality.

When setting ISO Min and Max, you’re establishing a spread of ISO values the digicam can use, fairly than fixing the ISO worth. For instance, if the minimal ISO is 100 and the utmost is 1600, the digicam can use ISO values from 100 as much as 1600, relying on lighting situations.

A excessive ISO Max offers flexibility, particularly when utilizing a set shutter pace, as ISO turns into the first manner the digicam adjusts publicity. Nevertheless, if you would like essentially the most constant and clear picture attainable, it’s greatest to maintain your ISO Max as little as attainable given the lighting situations.

When capturing outside throughout the day with out flying beneath timber or in shadows, set ISO Max to 100 for essentially the most constant picture. Should you do fly in shadowed areas, you possibly can set the ISO Max increased, resembling 400, for added flexibility. Should you’re flying out and in of a home, for instance, you possibly can even set the ISO Max to 1600 to account for the altering lighting situations.

Sharpness

The excessive sharpness setting in GoPro cameras will be overly intense and unappealing. By setting sharpness to low or medium, you might have the pliability to regulate sharpness in post-production utilizing a video editor to attain the specified stage.

Colour/Profile

In older GoPro cameras, this selection is named “Colour”, within the new Hero 12 it’s referred to as “Profile”.

GoPro gives two colour choices: Regular (aka Commonplace) and Flat (aka Log). Select Flat/Log colour if you happen to plan to paint grade in post-production, in any other case select Regular/Commonplace.

• Flat/Log – Retains extra picture element and suppleness, enable higher freedom for colour correction and colour grading in video modifying software program
• Regular/Commonplace – Produces vivid colours and excessive distinction

Flat/Log Colour is good for individuals who plan to paint grade their footage in post-production. It retains extra picture element, offering extra flexibility when adjusting colours and distinction. Nevertheless, Flat Colour footage will not be designed for direct consumption. Should you’re new to creating FPV movies and unfamiliar with colour grading, you might wish to keep on with Regular/Commonplace colour for now.

Studying colour grading can considerably improve your movies when finished appropriately. To get began, think about using an expert video editor, resembling DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, or Last Minimize Professional X. I’ve a tutorial that will help you get began with Davinci Resolve: https://oscarliang.com/how-to-use-davinci-resolve/

In case you are new to paint grading, try my newbie’s tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/color-grade-fpv-videos/

Spot metering

Spot metering is a helpful setting that enables the digicam to make use of a selected portion of the display screen to resolve the publicity stage. This may be useful in difficult lighting situations. As an illustration, with a backlit sky, the digicam may underexpose the bottom, making it look too darkish. By utilizing spot metering, you possibly can drive the digicam to show based mostly on the sunshine stage of the realm that issues most to you.

High Suggestions

Getting SD Playing cards

Be sure to get SD card that has respectable write pace. With a sluggish card your GoPro recording may cease randomly and even gained’t report in any respect. It’s necessary to grasp the pace class of SD playing cards, and the pace requriement for the actual decision you propose to make use of with the GoPro.

You’ll be able to study this in my SD card tutorial, the place I can even recommend some nice playing cards to your GoPro: https://oscarliang.com/sd-cards-fpv/#GoPro-and-Different-HD-Cameras-4K-Movies

Importing to Youtube

YouTube compression can negatively have an effect on your video high quality, inflicting quick movement and detailed parts like grass and leaves to seem pixelated. To make sure one of the best outcomes, comply with YouTube’s pointers for exporting and importing your movies.

Importing movies with excessively excessive bitrates gained’t enhance high quality, as YouTube compresses them anyway. It’s greatest to let your video editor deal with the compression to keep away from points.

One helpful tip is to “upscale” your video when exporting it in your video editor. Since YouTube retains increased bitrates for increased decision movies, exporting a 1080p or 2.7K video in 4K can enhance playback high quality. For instance, YouTube limits 1080p movies to a 12 Mbps bitrate, whereas 4K movies can have as much as 68 Mbps. 60fps movies additionally retains increased bitrate than 30fps movies.

Utilizing a GoPro Dummy

Whereas practising or tuning your drone, you won’t be recording each flight. Utilizing a GoPro dummy can defend your precise GoPro from injury throughout non-recording flights.

3D-print a GoPro dummy in TPU and fill it with cash, steel weights or rice to match the load of your GoPro. This ensures constant weight distribution, which impacts your drone’s efficiency and management really feel.

Utilizing a GoPro dummy means that you can keep consistency in your coaching with out risking injury to your precise digicam throughout crashes.

To weight your dummy, think about using “wheel stability weights,” accessible in 5g and 10g items: https://amzn.to/3GDHCYd. Alternatively, you should use cash, chains, rice, or different weights that match contained in the dummy.

Widespread Points

GoPro Battery Not Absolutely Charging

In case your GoPro battery stops charging at round 80%-90% (and even 70-80%), the problem may be associated to the charger. When utilizing a strong third-party charger (e.g., an Apple charger or one with Energy Supply capabilities), and the battery by no means reaches 100%, attempt utilizing a much less highly effective, non-Energy Supply or Fast Cost suitable charger, resembling one with a 5V 2A output. Alternatively, you possibly can attempt charging your GoPro battery utilizing your pc’s USB port, which also needs to work successfully.

Conclusion

In conclusion, organising your GoPro for FPV flying is crucial to seize beautiful and easy footage. By following the suggestions and suggestions on this information, you possibly can optimize your digicam settings and make sure the greatest outcomes to your FPV movies. Keep in mind, follow makes excellent, so experiment with completely different settings and use the correct instruments to boost your FPV flying expertise.

Edit Historical past

• Mar 2017 – Article created.
• Mar 2018 – Added sections “Shutter Velocity” and “Importing to Youtube”.
• Jan 2020 – Up to date GoPro listing, added settings for Hero 7.
• Might 2020 – Added settings for Hero 8 and included separate settings for Reelsteady.
• Oct 2022 – Up to date product hyperlinks and settings.
• Jan 2023 – Added “High Suggestions” and “Widespread Points”.
• Apr 2023 – Added greatest settings for Lowlight/Evening.
• Jan 2025 – Added GoPro 13 to the product listing.