⚓ Experience of Shooting at Karnataka NMPT Port: Data Safety Overcomes Disaster Risk

Introduction: The Unseen Risk in Immersive Filming

Every single project is a masterclass in execution, but some shoots teach lessons you never forget. My experience filming at the Karnataka NMPT (New Mangalore Port Trust) Port was one of those indelible chapters. It was a rigorous exercise in learning, planning, and most importantly, risk mitigation in the high-stakes world of 360° Virtual Reality filming.

The foundation of any successful shoot is compliance. We meticulously prepared a complete shoot script and storyboard, but critically, we secured all necessary official permissions from the Port Authority and the Police Department for drone operations. Safety and compliance are the non-negotiable foundations of every professional project, especially near restricted coastal zones. Reference Link: View the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules for drone operations and airspace safety in India.

Flashback: The Lesson Learned in Assam

Professional preparation is always reinforced by hard-won experience. I carried a major lesson from a previous project with ONGC:

The Assam Eagle Incident: My drone was severely damaged during an unexpected eagle attack, leading to a frantic scramble to recover the memory card from the wreckage. That terrifying incident fundamentally changed my approach. It taught me that while the hardware is replaceable, the client's footage is the project's soul.

That memory—the fear of data loss—became the guiding principle at the NMPT Port.

Facing the Challenge: The Deep Blue Threat 🌊

At NMPT, our ground-level 360° footage was beautifully captured using the professional Insta360 Pro 2, giving us stable, high-resolution immersive views. The ultimate challenge, however, lay high above the sea.

Our objective was capturing breathtaking aerial 360° drone shots over the vast ocean and port facilities using a DRONE WITH INSTA360 X4. The risk was enormous:

The Sea Challenge: "If the drone fails and falls into the sea, we don't just lose the drone and the camera—we lose the most valuable thing: the DATA."

Unlike on land, where you might recover a damaged memory card (as we did in Assam), there is effectively zero chance of recovering anything from the corrosive deep sea. This time, we simply could not afford to take that risk.

Smart Precautions to Protect the Data 🔒

To guarantee zero data loss, we deployed a robust, real-time backup strategy during the shoot itself. It was simple, highly effective, and required constant vigilance:

• Memory Card Rotation: After every single flight, while changing the drone battery, we immediately changed the memory card as well. This ensured that the footage from the completed flight was instantly secured.

• Dedicated On-Site Backup: I arranged for one helper who was dedicated solely to onsite backup. As soon as I landed the drone, he would remove the card and copy and secure the footage to an external drive before we launched the next flight.

Instant Backup, Instant Peace of Mind

Instead of waiting until the end of the day, when a simple office accident could erase 8 hours of work, we took immediate, continuous backups during the shoot. This routine minimized risk, maintained crucial peace of mind, and ensured that no matter what occurred over the unpredictable sea, our hard-earned footage was always safe. Reference Link: Read more about the unique risks (like wind, compass interference, and total loss) of flying drones over water.

Conclusion: The Golden Rule of VR Filmmaking

Every shoot brings a new challenge and a deeper lesson. The NMPT Port project not only delivered stunning aerial 360° visuals but also reinforced one golden rule that defines our commitment to clients:

"In filmmaking, especially in VR and drone shoots—data safety is as important as the shoot itself."

The 360 vr photography team is built on applying these lessons to provide reliable, high-quality, and risk-mitigated immersive media solutions for every project.

🎥 Video Link Suggestion

Given the focus on the risk of shooting over water, here is a relevant, illustrative video clip (using a publicly available source) that highlights the inherent challenges of drone operations in a marine environment:

• Video Suggestion: DRONES: Flying off boats THE SAFE WAY

  • Note: This video demonstrates safe practices for flying near water, reinforcing the professional preparation discussed in the blog post.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What was the main challenge of shooting at Karnataka NMPT Port? The biggest challenge was capturing aerial 360° shots over the sea using a drone. If the drone fell into the water, we risked losing not just the drone and camera, but also the valuable data—with no chance of recovery.

2. How did you ensure data safety during the drone shoot? After every flight, we changed both the drone battery and the memory card. This allowed us to secure the footage instantly and avoid losing any data if an accident happened mid-shoot.

3. Which camera and equipment were used for the shoot? We used the Insta360 Pro 2 for ground-level 360° filming and a professional drone setup with an Insta360 X4 camera for capturing 360° aerial footage.

4. Why was instant data backup important? Instant backups prevented a total data loss in case of drone failure over the sea. Our helper was on-site to copy footage after each flight, ensuring full protection of every shot.

5. What was learned from the ONGC shoot experience? The previous drone damage from an eagle attack taught us the crucial importance of real-time data safety and precautionary planning, which we successfully applied to the high-risk environment of the NMPT Port.

6. What permissions were needed for this project? We took official drone flight permissions from the Port Authority and local police, ensuring full legal and safety compliance before flying near restricted coastal zones.

7. What is the key takeaway from this project? Always plan for data security first. The NMPT Port shoot reminded us that in VR filmmaking—saving your footage is as critical as capturing it.

Contact 360 vr photography

• Website: 360vrphotography.com and 360vrphotography.in

• Contact Number: 9920322366

• Name: Viral Gala