Auto tracking an aircraft

[jtbourke]

Hello.  I am a member of the US Aerobatic team.  We use video to record our practice flights.  Here is a sample: Rob Holland Competition "Free Known" Practice - YouTube

I'm wondering about ways to reduce shake.  One thought would be to zoom out a bit and then put the video through a process where it would automatically clip around the aircraft using motion tracking and zoom the video back up.  We'd lose some resolution but that's ok.

Is there any way to automate this kind of process?

Jim

[R Neil Haugen]

Well, you could try "zooming out" just a bit in the original shooting, then in PrPro, try Warp Stabilizer. That might work pretty well.

Past that, I think AfterEffects may have more tools to use for this.

Neil

[Ann Bens]

Its going to be tricky as the plain now and again is up at the edge of the frame.

Might want to cut those sections out.

[R Neil Haugen]

I think that example just isn't usable, for the reason you mention. They'd have to use this as a Learning Experience moving forward. As the suggestion of "zooming out" in the future by the OP.

I think what they need to end up with is a complete view of the entire acrobatic routine for critique purposes. This example ... isn't really usable for cleaning up.

Neil

[jtbourke]

Yes the plane is too near the edge of the frame.  That's why we would zoom out.

What we are looking for is a crop window that follows the aircraft in the frame, providing a stabilized image.

Jim

[idar_lettrem]

Use a tripod next time and leave it from there.

I  really like it as is - authenticity it is called!