A Camera Car Makes RC Drifting an Exciting Watch

A talented camera car operator can help capture the intensity of motorsport activities in a way that a static camera simply cannot. The same sentiment applies regardless of the size of the vehicle, as the team at kpopRC on YouTube has just proved with their drift-ready RC camera truck.

Just like with their full-size counterparts, there are a ton of RC car owners who dedicate their free time to getting sideways. Most RC cars are capable of throwing a slide down here and there, but there’s a whole market centered around hardware to make the task easier. And while it is enjoyable to watch the mini machines spinning tires from eye level, it’s not quite as immersive as a street-level view. The team at kpopRC resolved this by creating a custom camera rig for one of their RC frames, masking it in a truck body.

Initial tests involved a non-motorized crane arm, which brought some stylish shots but lacked the control required for some Gymkhana footage. The crew then designed and engineered a moveable boom arm for improved shot selection, effectively doubling the complexity involved. This was done through the use of a number of servos, which help lift, rotate, and stabilize the arm as it tracks the cars chasing behind. It’s basically how these sorts of things work on real shoots.