3DR Solo app · Feature design
Multipoint cablecam
Focus on framing, not flying.
About multipoint cablecam
Multipoint cablecam for 3DR’s Solo lets users set unlimited keyframes in the air to create cinematic shots, without worrying about piloting the copter, by remembering and smoothing the path between them.
Sketches and designs
The first iteration let users tap to add waypoints, with the camera pointing at a fixed angle on each keyframe. That was limiting — users could only think in the X/Y axis, with no reference for what they were actually shooting.
Further user research showed that users think in camera framing, not points in space — their intent was to capture a specific frame from an angle, whether a photo or a video sequence. For the final implementation, users fly to the framing they want and create a keyframe there, saving the X, Y, Z position and camera angle.
Once keyframes were set, moving between them had to be simple and intuitive, and it was critical to communicate where the copter was relative to the next keyframe — especially when filming a choreographed sequence.
