Orbit & Tracking Shots
Why It Matters
Orbits show a subject from every angle. Tracking shots follow subjects through space. Together, they’re the two shot types that create the most dynamic, engaging drone footage. The reason is simple: they involve subjects in motion relative to the camera. Static landscapes are beautiful, but movement between camera and subject creates narrative.
The Orbit (180° Wrap-Around)
The drone circles around a subject while keeping the camera pointed at it. This creates a parallax effect. The background appears to shift behind the subject, creating a three-dimensional feel that no static shot can match.
How Focal Length Affects Orbits
The parallax effect intensifies with tighter focal lengths. If your drone has optical zoom (or you crop in post from 4K), zooming in makes the background sweep more dramatically behind the subject. A wide-angle orbit looks gentle; a zoomed-in orbit looks cinematic.
This is because telephoto compression magnifies the apparent difference in movement speed between the subject (close, barely moving) and the background (far, sweeping past). The greater the focal length, the more dramatic this effect.
Manual Orbit Technique
- Position the drone to one side of the subject, facing it
- Push the right stick left or right to begin lateral movement
- Simultaneously add a small amount of yaw rotation in the opposite direction to keep the subject centered
- The combination of lateral movement and yaw creates the circular path
The challenge: Yaw is the enemy of smooth footage (as you learned in Lesson 3). During an orbit, yaw is necessary, but keep it minimal. The orbit should be primarily lateral movement with just enough yaw to keep the subject framed.
Automated Orbit Options
Most DJI drones include Point of Interest (POI) or Orbit mode:
- Mark the subject on the screen
- Set the radius and speed
- The drone handles the circle automatically
Automated orbits are smoother for beginners because the software manages the yaw-lateral balance. But they’re less flexible. You can’t easily adjust mid-orbit, and the speed may not match what the scene needs.
Tracking Moving Objects
Following a moving subject (a car, a person, a boat) is one of the most cinematic things a drone can do. It’s also one of the hardest shots to execute manually because you’re matching the drone’s speed to the subject’s speed while maintaining framing.
Manual Tracking Technique
Start behind the subject, following in the same direction. This is the easiest tracking angle because the subject moves away from you and you simply match speed.
- Position the drone behind and slightly above the subject
- Match the subject’s speed with the right stick. Too fast and you pass them; too slow and they leave the frame
- Maintain a constant distance so the subject stays the same size in the frame
- Use tiny gimbal adjustments to keep the framing locked
The key skill is speed matching. Practice by following a walking person before trying to track vehicles. Walking speed is manageable; car speed requires significant drone velocity that pushes against cinematic smoothness.
The Side Tracking Pass
Instead of following behind, fly alongside the subject. The drone moves parallel to the subject’s path.
This creates a different feel. The viewer sees the subject from the side rather than from behind. The background scrolls past laterally, creating strong parallax if there are foreground elements.
Pro tip: Start alongside the subject, then gradually swing out in front while pulling backward. This creates a smooth arc that transitions from side-angle to leading the subject, revealing the landscape in front of them.
The Tracking Reveal
One of the most effective professional tracking techniques combines following with revealing:
- Start in front of the subject, camera facing them as they approach
- The drone moves backward at the subject’s speed, keeping them in frame
- Gradually swing the drone to the side, revealing the landscape beyond the subject
- The subject stays central but the background expands dramatically
This technique tells a story: “Here’s a person, and here’s where they are.” The movement serves the narrative.
Active Track Modes
DJI’s Active Track automates subject tracking using visual recognition. On most modern DJI drones, you get several options:
Trace
Locks onto the subject and follows automatically. You don’t control the drone. It tracks and moves on its own. Draw a box around the subject, press go, and the drone follows.
When to use: When you need to be on-camera while the drone tracks you (walking, driving, performing). Or when the tracking path is simple and straightforward.
Profile
The drone flies alongside the subject at a fixed distance, keeping the camera on them from the side.
When to use: Side-angle tracking shots where you want consistent distance and framing.
Spotlight
The camera locks onto the subject, but you control the drone’s flight path manually. The gimbal tracks the subject while you fly the drone wherever you want.
When to use: When you want creative freedom over the flight path but need automated camera tracking. The most flexible Active Track mode for cinematic work.
Active Track can lose the subject, especially when the subject passes behind obstacles, when lighting changes dramatically, or when multiple similar objects confuse the tracking algorithm. Always monitor the screen and be ready to take manual control. Never rely on Active Track near obstacles or over water.
The Stationary Track
For slow-moving subjects (walking, cycling), you can hover the drone in a fixed position and simply let the subject move through the frame. No drone movement required. The subject provides all the motion.
This is the simplest tracking technique and can be remarkably effective. The subject enters the frame, passes through it, and exits. The landscape stays still while the human element provides life and movement.
Quick Check
Q: How does focal length affect the orbit’s parallax effect? A: Tighter focal lengths (zoomed in) magnify the difference between subject and background movement speed, creating more dramatic parallax. Wide-angle orbits look gentle; zoomed orbits look cinematic.
Q: What’s the hardest part of manual tracking? A: Speed matching. Maintaining exactly the same speed as the subject so they stay the same size and position in the frame. Too fast and you pass them; too slow and they leave the frame.
Q: Which Active Track mode gives you the most creative control? A: Spotlight. The gimbal tracks the subject automatically while you fly the drone manually. This lets you choose the flight path while the camera handles subject tracking.
What’s Next?
Orbits and tracking covered. Let’s look at the remaining essential shots: bird’s eye, parallax pass, and stationary.
Pilot Institute — following the action, framing the story.