Yet capturing the lions from an up-close, ground level posed obvious risks, both to the safety of Nichols’ team and the welfare of the Vumbi pride they were following. They could have easily photographed the lions from afar with standard telephoto lenses, butNational Geographic had a more innovative solution in mind — one that involved aerial drones, robots, and infrared lights. And the results, published last week in an online gallery and interactive website, are nothing short of astounding.
After extensive trials and testing, Nichols and cinematographer Nathan Williamson sent a small, remote-controlled robot into the field to capture images from within inches of the lions. The camera-equipped “mini-tank” was manufactured by SuperDroid Robots, a North Carolina-based engineering company that specializes in bomb-defusing robotics. As the tank patrolled the ground, snapping the Vumbi pride from a bug’s-eye view, a German-made MikroKopter drone took to the skies, capturing aerial shots with an “off-the-shelf” Canon camera. Nichols and Williamson, meanwhile, were stationed in a customized Land Rover parked nearby, capturing wide shots from the floor of the car, and controlling the robot and drone remotely.
via The Verge
Image: Michael Nichols/National Geographic
