To some, the Spacial Halo may just look like a giant, helium-filled balloon, but for filmmakers, it’s making it safer to shoot footage inside buildings where there may be a whole lot more in the way compared to the outside world.
A DJI camera is mounted on the undercarriage of a giant balloon, which is powered by helium rather than electricity or batteries. This means if there’s a power failure, it will stay in the air, the camera safely suspended in the air.
Spacial’s Halo was recently demonstrated at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey, where it floated above the heads of hundreds of onlookers.
“It’s basically a robotic cloud,” Alex Chatham, Spacial’s co-founder, told CNBC. “It’s quiet, there’s nothing about it that’s menacing, there’s nothing about it that’s jarring or will put you at unease.
Not only will the camera recording the footage remain intact if there’s a power cut, the Spacial Halo is also pretty much silent, so it won’t disrupt people or the shots either.
Because it uses a completely safe fuel, it doesn’t pose any risk to humans as it flies around, recording video. That makes it perfect for recording at crowded places, such as a music concert or festival. It’s also a lot slower-moving compared to other filming drones, but operates for an average of three hours longer than traditional battery-powered alternatives.
Spacial has already worked with a range of media companies, including CNN, Toyota, ABC, White Girl Rose, Hulu and CBS, with more partnerships planned for the future.
“We’re trying to create a market that doesn’t exist now,” Chatham said.
