Drones Raced Across The Finish Line at The Portimão Circuit
Visualskies champions Duncan Lees and Ross Dannmayr took to the Portimão race track for our friends at Untold studios. Sadly, although they were not in the cockpit of an F1 car, they were equipped with high-end drones, LiDAR systems and the need for speed. With the data collected we were able to build a high resolution textured model of the 4.6km track and deliver it within the week. All of us at Visualskies are very excited to be a part of this high octane sport and the video showcasing our work may have already graced your television screens on F1 race days.
There was no cruising on the capture days and much like the track, Ross and Duncan had to navigate hairpin bends, fast corners and chicanes to make sure our data was number one on the podium. Continue to scroll for more highlights.
A driver is only as good as the team behind them. This is where our bespoke relationship with our partners at Untold Studios is essential. Quick response times combined with level headed handling all contributed to winning the race.The sophisticated pipeline we have developed at Visualskies for handling data allowed everyone involved on the project to deliver the work within the week to our clients. Ultimately we got on the front of the grid and crossed the line to take the chequered flag; with the picture below to prove it.
The Algarve International Circuit is bustling with teams practising out on the track all day. This meant the production was only allowed to shoot after they had packed and gone in the evening. For capture of Photogrammetry and LiDAR, this is not suitable race day conditions, meaning Duncan and Ross had to be there at the break of dawn for an installation lap, then resuming in the early evening until 5am. They would then debrief the data, refuel and prepare for round two. As I mentioned before, they are champions after all.
Speed is a key element to scanning as much as it is to F1. TV advertisements and the VFX involved are shot to the same standard as high budget film productions. However, the commercial sector is much like Lewis Hamilton’s impressive lap time of 1:16.65; quick, precise and with no room for errors. A looming release date meant our crew could not afford to take our foot off the throttle. With over 200 LiDAR positions and multiple kilometers to cover they had to gain some traction to complete the job in two days. This was a task that our race crew are expertly trained for.
