Orion Otte has taken his Skydio 2 to some incredible locations. From the 14ers of Colorado, to peaks of Peru, his S2 has seen it all. In fact, it's probably one of the most well-traveled Skydio 2's in the community. Orion's footage is proof that anyone, no matter their piloting skill, can capture unbelievable shots through the power of autonomy. Today I'm excited to introduce Orion to the community and share some of his cinematic Skydio 2 footage.
Tell us who you are and what you are most proud of accomplishing.
My name is Orion Otte and I have been exploring the mountains for decades. I have completed all the Colorado 14,000 foot peaks and have started to climb 20,000 ft peaks around the world. I have done photo blogs and POV videos in the past to share my experiences with friends, however now with Skydio 2, I can capture the scale of these mountains and add extra gravitas to the these marvelous locations. I see professional creators using the Skydio 2 and doing amazing work, I am nowhere near their level, but Skydio 2 still provides amazing videos that I could never achieve on my own.
Do you have experience flying manual drones? If so, How has Skydio been different?
Prior to Skydio 2 I didn’t even attempt to own or fly a drone to capture my adventures. The places I travel require me to concentrate on the trail and not on piloting a drone, until Skydio 2 that was simply not a possible.
How did you get involved with Skydio?
I have been tracking the progress of Skydio since the R1 and when the Skydio 2 was introduced it was the perfect drone Venn diagram; a stunt pilot with eyes in the back of it's head, a Hollywood cinematographer shooting in 4K60, good battery life, light enough to take backpacking, and all for reasonable price. I was SOLD!
What is your favorite activity to pair with your Skydio 2?
I enjoy hiking to high altitude locations for my physical and mental health, with my Skydio 2 in tow I can share the spectacular views and solitude that nourish me. I spend most of my time hiking alone with Skydio 2 because for some odd reason my friends don’t want to schlep a 70 pound pack to 12,000 feet in winter then spend a few nights in sub zero temperatures to reach a summit.
What is your favorite video that you've shot with your Skydio 2, what do you love about it?
It is not the most kinetic, however, I was solo rock climbing Colorado’s Wetterhorn Peak’s East face in winter, I had to be mindful of my crampons and ice axe placement so that I would not fall and slide down 1000 feet, thus I could not be piloting a drone. It was cold, high winds, high-altitude, and Skydio 2 was capturing the moment. When I shared the video with my friends they could fully understand some of the things challenges I face on my adventures, filming not being one of them.
What is your favorite Skydio Skill, Tip or Trick to help other users get great content?
Tip #1: Let the Skydio A.I. fly! Set the skill you want (Dronie, Orbit, etc) and then let Skydio 2 do it's thing while you do yours. When you watch the video you will all the incredible footage that you would never have thought to capture, all without stressing over the shot.
The Beacon is amazing, it has analog control buttons that I can quickly access to change the camera angle or change skills, even while wearing gloves, which is orders of magnitude better than trying to fiddle with my phone. My favorite skill is the low level Dronie.
Using the Drag & Drop function on the Beacon to set the drone low to the ground. To do this, press and hold the Skydio logo on the Beacon and use it as a wand to place the drone low so that the horizon will be in frame (the key to the perfect shot). Then double tap the Skydio logo on the Beacon for an Instant-Dronie that stays close to the ground, thereby capturing you and the great vista behind you. This is best for wide open spaces.
Where do you prefer to share your Skydio content and what type of content do you enjoy posting?
YouTube has all my Skydio videos of me hiking, climbing, and Jeeping (is so a word) which makes it easy for my friends around the world to watch the long videos in 4K, though I have been asked to start posting on IG, so stay tuned.
Anything else you would like to share?
The more I use the Skydio 2, the more I want to share with others these beautiful visual diary entries of my adventures.
