High Speed Tracking Shot

I need to track a motorcycle travelling at about 90 mph. It has to be 1080 24P. I am thinking of maybe a mini-helicopter??? It has to cover about an 1/8th of a mile. The bike will be flying about 25-30 feet high and I want a birds eye view of that. Any idea where I can find such a thing?

Raoul Germain
DP
Los Angeles

>I need to track a motorcycle travelling at about 90 mph. It has to be >1080 24P. I am thinking of maybe a mini-helicopter? It has to cover >about an 1/8th of a mile. The bike will be flying about 25-30 feet high >and I want a birds eye view of that.

I don't know about helicopters, but contact doggicam systems at 818-845-8470. They may have a rig to suit your purpose. I just saw a demo reel of theirs and they have killer footage of motorcycles.

Dan Coplan
Cinematographer / DIT
www.dancoplan.com

The radio-controlled helicopters don't appear to be outfitted with 1080p/24 camera heads. Flying speed would also be an issue unless trailing the motorcycle is okay.

The best option may be an inexpensive helicopter shooting out the front or side using this new aerial mount I recently tested for DV magazine.

www.aerialexposures.com ... I believe they have a rental outlet in LA - it should be on the website.

The alternatives would depend on the situation - Skycam or a rail system could work in an enclosed environment like a stadium. Impossible of course for motocross.

Robert Goodman
Photographer/Author/Helicopter fan
Philadelphia, PA

Depending on your budget you might want to go with Spydercam or Cablecam. They have put in rigs that cover thousands of feet and have the capabilities to reach excessive speed.