Bruce A. Johnson

A 1981 graduate of the Boston University College of Communication, Bruce A. Johnson got his first job in broadcast television at WFTV, an ABC affiliate in Orlando, FL. While there, he rose through the ranks from teleprompter operator to videographer, editor, producer and director of many different types of programming. It was in the early 1980's that he bought his first computer - a Timex/Sinclair 1000 - a device he hated so much, he promptly exchanged it for an Atari 400. But the bug had bitten hard.

In 1987, Johnson joined Wisconsin Public Television in Madison as a videographer/editor, and still works there to the present day. His responsibilities have grown, however, and now include research and presentations on the issues surrounding the digital television transition, new consumer technology and the use of public television spectrum in homeland security. He freelances through his company Painted Post MultiMedia, and has written extensively for magazines including DV and Studio Monthly.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Live From NAB:  A Video Helicopter For $300?

No, That Isn’t A Misprint

I love the odd finds at NAB.  You can get highly sophisticated massage chairs, straps that keep your spine straight, a brain massager fetchingly named “The Tingler” and more, but at least the DigitTronics video helicopter might conceivably qualify as a video tool.  The one on sale here features counter-rotating lift blades (no tail rotor), 2.4Ghz wireless control, and a tiny wireless video camera that has a claimed range of 1000 feet (best practice:  divide that by 10.)  Still, for a show special price of $299, it had a long line of potential pilots pulling out the plastic.

I’ve been flying radio-controlled fixed-wing planes for quite a while, and the one piece of wisdom I can offer is this:

“You can trim a plane to fly itself, but a copter is always trying to kill you.”

But give it a shot.  I might.

PS:  Don’t hate me for the video - I shot it with a Canon still camera.


Cameras •
Hardware •
NAB 09 •
Production •
Tips • (1) Comments • Most recent comments by: nobinkhands, • Permalink


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