DJI Go Easy? Go Hard?

Depends.

The information architecture of the DJI Go app is seemingly very easy…

…if you have a drone.

There is really no use for one to download the app unless an owner of a DJI drone. The app itself is made for live playback while in flight and for editing and sharing the video once finished. However, There is also an in-app link on the homepage to Skypixel, a social media platform for drone enthusiasts to post, comment, and share on each other’s videos. Before I got my own drone, I thought this content was really cool so I frequently visited it to learn more about angles and videography techniques. I would add that the only down fall of this app is that it is in a million different languages as the app does not translate any of it for you. It makes it a little confusing but you are there for the cool videos and not the words, I guess.

Each of the home screen options are very easy to navigate through. The app includes the  ‘Equipment’ tab where the pilot’s device is waiting to be paired.  Next is the ‘Editing’ tab where the videos and photos are awaiting editing. To the right of that is the Skypixel link that was explained above. Finally, the last tab is the ‘Me’ tab containing the pilots’ settings, forums, and DJI store for purchasing accessories. Located on the right side of the app is the tutorial menu. It has step-by-step tutorials on flights, the app, and other settings in the remote control.

Easy right?

Wait until you pair the device…

Once the device pairs, the entire screen changes where there are more options than many advanced pilots get a little confused about. This is called ‘Camera View.’ Remote control mode, aircraft battery, flight mode, compass settings, gimbal status, home point settings, and it keeps on going and going. This is where the user interface begins to get tricky. There is a plethora of YouTube videos and tutorials on the web that help inexperienced flyers get more familiar with the options.

I believe that this is what makes the app so innovative. The advanced flight options gives the user full control of their creativity and flight experience.

DJI Go Sitemap

 

Which way do I ‘GO’?

It is no question that there is a significant amount of competition in the drone industry. It is growing so quickly that one single defining factor has the potential to change the entire game of profits. Pricing, usage, video quality, and even portablility have a huge impact on the competitiveness of these companies. It is incredibly easy to find forums and blogs that give potential buyers and users to compare these factors to find exactly which drone fits their needs and uses.

DJI is the largest and most successful player in the drone industry thus far. They possess some of the most popular models such as the Phantom and the Inspire. DJI drones come in several different styles that allow one to explore and capture the world they live in. Accessories, apps, and attachments even further this possibility by making the drove even more capable and user friendly.

GoPro has been a rapidly expansive firm in the portable videography industry and they really wanted a slice of the pie. GoPro has been known to be used as the attachment camera device for many models of drones. However, in order to compete with this growing drone industry, they had to eventually come up with their own. The GoPro Karma was released in 2016 and became their first drone model. The Karma can be used as a drone or a handheld GoPro, unlike many of the DJI models.

Enough about the drones and let’s get to the good stuff… the editing apps.

The DJI Go app is, quite frankly, one of the single most important accessories to the drone. The app allows pilots to attach their mobile device to the remote control as they utilize the features in the app. The Intelligent Flight Mode includes the ‘Follow Me’ mode where the pilot can have the drone follow he or she where ever they go. A pilot can also create a pathway for the drone to fly and it will go to each point the pilot placed on the map. After doing most all of the video editing in the app, the pilot can immediately upload it to their social media sites, SkyPixel, or even go Facebook Live while still in flight.

Unlike DJI, GoPro has three separate apps that are used for their video footage. They have ‘Capture,’ which is used for playback, preview, and quick sharing video. ‘Quik’ is GoPro’s editing software that allows one to make quick edits to their videos. There is also ‘Splice’ where one then downloads the videos from their GoPro onto their computer and are then allowed to do further editing that is not available in the ‘Quik’ version.

While all of the apps together do very similar things, it is for certain that the DJI Go app is absolutely more advanced than the GoPro apps. This does have the opportunity to create a lot of user confusion for some newer videographers, however, the three apps that a user must go through with the GoPro apps creates too many steps from filming to finished product. When social media marketers are looking for a platform to use for their campaigns, efficiency and cost is key. With the ability for all of the editing and sharing to be done in one app such as DJI Go, it saves time and money.

Images from Google Images

 

Drones do exactly what now??

Did you ever get hit in the back of the neck with a paper plane in middle school?

What about fly a Styrofoam model plane through your uncle’s backyard he gave you on Christmas Day?

Drive a remote control car with a camera attached to it into your sister’s room for the ultimate blackmail material?

Well, you’re getting closer.

A few of these things are exactly the basis of what all photographers and hobbyists’ are raving over… drones.

Drones have long been used in some form since World War I . The development of these military drones ceased for a long time because there was simply no need for them. In the early 2000’s, the United States began to utilize them in the war against Afghanistan, specifically in the hunt for Osama Bin Laden.

Today, the use and population of the drone is growing faster than most anyone could have imagined. They are deemed as one of the most high-tech gadgets in the market today. These devices are being used by various professional photographers, videographers, news teams, and advertisers. Looking for the next cool sport? ESPN has begun televising the Drone Racing League tournaments (yes, racing.) on various of their networks. The footage of the drones can be seen in movies, broadcasts, commercials, viral videos, weddings, and even Facebook Live events all around the world. The popularity of this device has also brought deep concern wih government officials and aircraft controllers. Privacy becomes limited to many with ease of these gadgets to virtually be able to fly places where they may not be welcomed or safe for aircraft.

Aerial footage has become one of the most trendy and potentially viral ways for marketers to advertise. It is relatively inexpensive in the long run and the applications and editing software capability with these drones virtually allow them to edit and post their message moments after they film it.

This is the idea behind the DJI Go app.

This application is for use with the most popular professional and consumer drones on the market today. The pilot uses the app on their mobile device to see, control, film, and edit the footage all in live view. The quality of video and capabilities all depend on the model of the drone, however, the idea behind it all is the same… you are flying a camera through the air on a super mini airplane device.  Pretty cool, huh?

The huge spark in popularity and portability of these drones allows for this app to take off and explode through the masses of drone enthusiasts. While technically the market for drones is still in the ‘niche’ phase, there are so many untapped markets that are still curious.

For example, I am going to compare DJI drones and the DJI Go app with how it fits in the Gartner’s Product Life Cycle.

The technology or innovation trigger is where there is a new product or idea that is introduced to the market. The idea of the drone itself has been well since World War I but the commercial and professional use of the drone really started as an idea back in the last 50 years. DJI, a Chinese-based company, was launched in 2006.

The Peak of Inflated Expectations phase is when the product is starting to become well known in existence. While starting to become more widely used in the professional world for film and television, drones began to become a viral phenomenon all over social media and the internet. This created the knowledge and desire for commercial and casual users to emerge in the market.

In the Trough of Disillusionment, the product begins to go through trial and error. When commercial drones began to become more popular, there were highly inexperienced pilots that were flying their drones in the paths of air traffic, government buildings, and other unsafe air ways. This caused a major concern for governments worldwide and began to place tight restrictions on drone air travel and pilots. The US government even in some states required that in order to fly a drone at all one must have their pilot’s license.

The Slope of Enlightenment phase is when the product begins to become more widely understood. The DJI fleet of drones and aerial video equipment has grown significantly through the years. Even with the strict enforcement of governments, lobbyist groups began to get together to support and protect these products and make them more widely available. Private and public industries such as energy, environmental, construction, and mining have discovered the essential and potential uses of drones and how they can make their specific industry more safe and efficient. With the very specific integrated technology in the DJI Go app, these groups can have better control over the flight of the device and can gain insightful information.

Through my research, I do not believe that the drone industry, DJI, or the DJI Go app have quite reached the Plateau of Productivity phase. This is the phase where the product has become widely accepted and adopted mainstream. While DJI and the industry are becoming very successful and well-known, it do not think that it has reached its fullest potential.

Follow my blog on a journey to research more about the DJI Go app, the drones, and how social media marketers and influencers can use these devices in a way that can be the future of social media advertisements.