Tyto Robotics provides an in-depth overview of the rolling shutter, or “Jello,” effect in drone cameras, where UAV vibrations and the process by which sensors capture frames cause wobbling and distortion in footage.
Excess vibrations, caused by propeller and motor imbalances, lead to instability, reduced flight efficiency, and image distortion. While gimbals help absorb micro-vibrations, high-frequency vibrations may still pass through. Imbalanced propulsion systems accelerate wear on mechanical components, creating a positive feedback loop of vibration that spreads throughout the drone.
The Jello effect occurs when vibrations interact with the rolling shutter readout method of a CMOS sensor, which captures images line-by-line. Drone movement during capture can shift the scene before the sensor reads the bottom of the frame, resulting in distorted and inaccurate video.
Operators can reduce rolling shutter effects by decreasing shutter speed, adjusting light filters, or applying post-filming stabilization software.
Upgrading gimbals or balancing propellers can also improve video quality. Tyto Robotics specifically offers a dynamic propeller balancing system to correct imbalances and achieve precise ISO-grade balancing.
Alternatively, global shutters can be used, capturing entire frames simultaneously rather than sequentially, which reduces the Jello effect. However, this technology is expensive and difficult to integrate.
DSLR cameras can also use mechanical shutters. This includes focal-plane shutters, which use two curtains that move across the sensor to control the exposure, as well as leaf shutters, using overlapping blades that open and close from the sensor’s center.
DJI’s Phantom 4 RTK and Mavic 3 series drones use mechanical shutters to eliminate CMOS rolling shutter effects in surveying and mapping applications. However, excessive vibration reduces the MTTF of the shutter’s moving parts, making the camera susceptible to degraded performance.
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