In addition to Action Training Systems’ (ATS) high quality production cameras, the ATS film crew has been using GoPro cameras as well as their most recent addition, the DJI Phantom 3 Professional Drone camera.
The Phantom 3 is an unmanned craft, operated on the ground by a pilot using radio controls. The video feed from the drone to the ground is live and received using a dedicated monitor, smartphone or tablet. These cameras can capture outstanding aerial footage and are fast becoming one of today’s “must have” photo accessories.
“We try our best to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to innovation in fire and EMS training” said George Avila, ATS Owner/CEO, “Not only are we able to provide our customers with a new visual perspective, operating the Phantom 3 camera is a lot of fun. Our production team has enjoyed using this camera and we believe it will be a great resource in upcoming production shoots.”
幻影3能够捕捉优越的必要lity, high angle footage. This will be a great resource for upcoming series, such as the updated version of Action Training Systems’ Aerial Apparatus series. Training officers will now be able to show an additional viewpoint when using the ATS training programs. Staying current with production techniques, getting a variety of angles and being efficient on scene is important to the ATS production process. The production team has also been using multiple GoPro cameras to obtain video footage for series such as Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Vehicle Extrication, and Driver/Operator: Pumping Apparatus.
“We are excited to be using the GoPro cameras in places where we couldn’t use our regular production cameras. In the past there have been constraints due to size or lack of mounting possibilities for the camera. The GoPro alleviates these problems. In our Vehicle Extrication series, using a GoPro inside a wrecked vehicle provides students with a more comprehensive perspective of the extrication procedure. We have also been able to capture underwater footage of police search and rescue divers, inside cockpit of a medivac helicopter, the cab of a pumper or ladder truck and also to show under carriage shots of vehicles,” said Peter Schneider, of the ATS film crew. “This new technology has allowed us to obtain a variety of viewpoints and high quality footage which improves our production process and helps to enhance our customer’s training.”
GoPros and drones alike have been great tools to improve efficiency in both production and training. Aside from enhancing and providing new vantage points for ATS training programs, drones have also found their use in actual emergency operations. Many Fire/EMS departments across the country have seen the value in the use of drone technology. Drones have been used to help manage emergency scenes because they have the capacity to provide unique incident intelligence, aiding in firefighting efforts and giving valuable perspective. After an incident, the footage is available for both incident reporting and future training.
There has been some debate of potential legal concerns with the use of drones within the fire service. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) purports to ban the use of drones for any purpose other than pure hobby and recreation unless it has granted authority to use one. ATS is taking the necessary measure to make sure they are compliant with all FAA regulations. In addition the ATS drone will not be used during live fire or EMS incidents, only during organized training drills. Action Training Systems will continue to stay current with new technology and gather the highest quality video footage with the hopes of increasing overall efficiency in your fire and EMS training.
