Our Java Post Aerial Photography crew took advantage of some clear weather earlier this week to put some flight hours on our Freefly ALTA UAV.

We wanted to see how the ALTA would handle when carrying our Blackmagic 4K Cinema camera, which is heavier than another camera we commonly fly: the Panasonic 4K GH4. We also expect to take delivery of our new the RED RAVEN camera very soon, and we're excited to start flying that camera, as well.

The crew headed off to some fields outside the city to conduct the control tests. If there's one thing rural southern Saskatchewan has lots of, it's wide open spaces in which to conduct UAV flights.

With the naked, white, not-yet-custom-striped Java Post Aerial Photography vehicle in the background, our primary UAV pilot Jack Tunnicliffe kneels next to the UAV unit. Including the Blackmagic 4K Cinema camera, lens, and Gremsy gimbal, the total launch weight hovers (pardon the pun) around 13.6 kilos (30 pounds), close to the maximum safe operational payload.

Here's a closer look at Jack and the ALTA UAV & Blackmagic camera combination. Our UAV tech/camera operator Trevor Bennett reports that the prop wash (the downward thrust of air) from the ALTA propellers was so powerful it kept blowing our landing mat across the field. "We could make our own alien crop circles with this thing," exclaimed Trevor.

A "dronie" of Jack and Trevor giving the ALTA flight controls a workout.

To view some examples of work done by Java Post Aerial Photography, CLICK HERE.