Camera drones (lore)

Camera drones are a device that uses autonomous drones to take pictures or video. They are most well-known for their usage among capsuleers, who require them to see outside their ships. However, camera drones of many shapes and sizes exist, capable of everything from filming holovids to covert surveillance.

History

Early capsuleers were forced to interface directly with ship scanners, which were combined to paint a virtual image in the capsuleer's mind. This, however, proved too stressful for most capsuleers, and an alternate solution was sought.

Camera drones were first created by the Gallente, in response to the damage hull-mounted cameras received during battles, particularly from energy-based weaponry. Early drones were bulky objects that were fitted with engines and had poor reaction times. However, as drone technology advanced, so too did that of camera drones.

Adjusting them for capsuleer use was the first priority. Originally only a single drone was used, but this provided a flat field of vision and meant tight maneuvers relied less on capsuleer skill and reflexes and more on incoming telemetry data from the ship's sensors. This was solved by the addition of a second drone. Working in tandem with each other, these two drones can provide a stereoscopic view and can quickly focus on any object around the ship.

The second major adjustment was removing the drones' engines. Because the drones rarely needed to venture far from their ships, it was realized that ship-based electromagnets could quickly adjust and reposition the drones with pinpoint control, much faster than onboard engines could, without affecting stability.

Finally, as with most military technologies, camera drones were adapted for civilian uses. Thanks to miniaturization, they have been reduced in size, some capable of fitting into the palm of the hand. These have found their way into private hands, though often only for professional uses.

Uses

Capsuleer Vision

The most common camera drones are used by capsuleers to allow them a visualization outside their ships. These consist of a pair of cameras in a housing, which are controlled by on board computer systems. They are typically cylindrical in shape, to allow for telescopic views of distant objects. Many have magnetic fins or other protrusions that allow them to be controlled more precisely.

The drones have a very weak AI which usually point themselves at the ship they are attached to, though they can rotate and zoom in on any object within a rough radius of 150km. This AI control can be easily overridden by the capsuleer, whenever they wish to view a specific object.

Capsuleers typically carry a large number of drones, as despite precautions they can still be destroyed. The drones are fairly cheap for a capsuleer, however, and come in large quantities as a standard part of any ship purchase.

Entertainment Industry

Miniaturized camera drones have come into wide use among the entertainment industry, particularly in the mass-produced Gallente sector. These drones are smaller than those used on capsuleer ships, typically being about the size of a human head. These drones utilize a weak, heuristic AI that automatically take shots from different angles. The drones automatically select their shots, with different drones tasked with capturing wide angles, close ups, and different performers. They are expected to select the proper angles based on lighting, the actions of the performers, and a myriad of other conditions.

These drones are especially popular on vids produced on a budget. They are cheaper than hiring a camera operator and catch a large number of shots all at once, which can then be spliced together in editing. However, many more artistically inclined directors have decried their use as dehumanizing the process and creating vids that all appear to be shot in the same style.

Security and Surveillance

Camera drones are used in the security industry to provide guards with mobile eyes. They are tied into sensor systems and, when something suspicious is detected, are deployed in large numbers and congregate on the location. From there, they can transmit images and video directly back to a central area, providing security forces with advanced information. Additionally, they can tail fleeing intruders a great distance, making it much simpler to track and subdue them. Because of their maneuverability, speed, and numbers they are difficult to disable or shake.

Smaller drones are used as surveillance equipment. These drones can be quite small, though any smaller than the size of a lemon quickly become prohibitively expensive, relegating their use to government and corporate work. Regardless of their size, these drones can be programmed to tail individuals, scope out a location, or even sneak into buildings. They provide video, still images, and sound recordings, and are programmed to avoid detection utilizing advanced posture recognition software. To an observer, they would be seen to dart out of view just as a person turned to look for them.

However, many technologies exist to counter the use of drones in these ways, from flack that clogs their engines to EM pulses that disable them to counter-drones which detect and ambush camera drones.

See Also

• Chronicle: Camera Drones
• Chronicle: Innocent Faces
• Chronicle: Invisible Waves
• Information and entertainment
• Item technology