Southeastern Aerial Imaging, LLC

02/12/2026

Here's some aerial footage of the big snow we had a short while ago. Filmed with a DJI Mavic 3 Pro and shot in manual mode using my preferred camera settings. Flew the mission over my pecan orchard and nearby farmland/swamp.

Hope you enjoy.

As part of a technical mission to test the DJi Mavic 3 Pro active tracking capabilities in snow, I also collected what some would consider "cinematic" footag...

02/11/2026

Just published a semi-technical report of our testing of the active tracking capabilities of the DJI Mavic 3 Pro in snow conditions. Snowy conditions cause major lighting (overexposure) issues with sensors and I was curious to see how much the snow negatively affected this particular drone's active tracking sensors.

To sum it up quickly, it was hit or miss when operating on the fourwheeler, but walking tests proved not to be an issue. The tests were performed flying in Manual Mode, used an ND32 filter, and manually adjusted the ISO, EV, etc. for improved imaging. The actual footage turned out great, but perhaps whenever we have another snow, we can retest this drone and also compare it side-by-side to the DJI Mavic 3T and DJI Matrice 30T (both thermal). Those drones are better suited for technical work; whereas, the Mavic 3 Pro is more for getting pretty imagery.

It's not a particularly exciting video and meant more for drone pilots who may fly in these types of conditions. I'll publish another video of the pretty snow very soon. Thanks!

Welcome back to the -LLC channel for another edition of Flying with Matty. We recently had a large amount of snowfall in my area in southeastern North C...

02/04/2026

The recent snowstorm in southeastern North Carolina offered an excellent opportunity for operations training in austere environmental conditions.

The objectives for this training involved adjusting camera sensor settings for use in the snow and determining if the DJI software tracking application was capable of tracking me while underway on a fourwheeler. The easy part was adjusting the DJI Mavic 3 Pro camera sensor settings to work in conjunction with a ND34 filter. I typically collect imagery in DLOG-M and manually operate the camera ISO, exposure, aperture, etc., to get the best possible result. For that objective, I was successful. That said, the tracking system built into the DJI Fly software had some difficulty tracking me while on the fourwheeler, and I chalked this up to being the software's inability to get a good lock due to lighting, the color of the fourwheeler (black) and the color of my clothing (black/dark gray). Interestingly, the drone was able to track me during movements on foot, but it simply could not maintain the lock on the fourwheeler. I played with the EV, but with the same result.

I'm currently processing the video data and will post that on the SEAI YouTube channel either today or tomorrow. I'll include some of my observations. After the snow melts in a few days, I'll return to the same location with similar lighting and re-run the testing to see if we have different results.

Also, stay tuned to this page and the YouTube channel for the after-action results of some upcoming tactical training using the DJI M30T in simulated combat applications. In some scenarios, I will "hunt" individuals who are actively trying to evade my drone, and there will also be discussions regarding how to defeat thermal technology. This is very applicable to LE/MIL and SAR drone operators. Cool stuff 👍

Alright, that's it for now. Stay safe, stay warm.

12/26/2025

10/27/2025

SEAI is expanding our night time operations capabilities by adding a CZI GL60 drone-mounted spotlight to our DJI Matrice 30T SAR sUAS. The light is mounted to the top of the M30T and powered via USB-C port. One of the major functions I like about the GL60 is the ability to keep the spotlight centered on the gimbal view, meaning it tracks the movement of the gimbal. In an operational environment, I am able to hover the M30T then pan the gimbal left/right/up/down and the GL60 tracks that movement. That said, the GL60 can also move independently of the gimbal in the event the situation requires separate movements.

The need for white light illumination became apparent during night time thermal operations earlier this year. The warm environmental conditions were not favorable for thermal detection and PID of targets, often requiring visual confirmation by walking onto the targets with IR night vision goggles or white lighting with handheld/WM lights. The GL60 will provide white light coverage in the event the thermal sensors cannot provide target PID, for the assistance of SAR crews for better situational awareness, and allowing decision makers to have better information when it matters.

In the coming weeks, SEAI will conduct a series of training operations to develop a set of standard operating procedures and test the GL60 in real-world training scenarios. Any videos created during these training exercises will be published on the SEAI YouTube page.

11/16/2024

New video showcasing the DJI Avata 2 in manual mode. My piloting skills have greatly improved over the past few months, especially after downloading the Uncrashed drone simulator on Steam. Super fun and it's a nice break from the traditional way of flying GPS-enabled drones which do all of the work for you. This is like driving a stick shift when the rest of the world is used to self-driving cars.

Equipment: DJI Avata 2, DJI FPV Remote Controller 3, DJI Goggles 3

For inquiries regarding projects, please use the contact information below:
email: [email protected]
phone: 910-734-9338
website: https://seai-llc.com/

Here we are about a month later and I can honestly say I've made additional improvements in handling the DJI Avata 2 in manual mode. I must give a lot of cre...

10/14/2024

Took the DJI Avata 2 out for an evening flight in the front yard. Still training and working at mastering the manual mode (flight mode, not camera mode) for this FPV drone. It's fun to fly, but there's definitely a learning curve. I can practice on my computer using a virtual simulator and my actual DJI Remote Controller 3, and this was the main reason I've been able to progress this well. You'll see that this little drone can do barrel rolls, flips, and high angle dives not possible with GPS drones which have angle limitations. This thing...it'll crash if you don't pay attention. Keeps me on my toes and maybe that's why I like it so much.

Hopefully soon I'll be able to take this drone to some scenic locations and get some great FPV footage.

For inquiries regarding projects, please use the contact information below:
email: [email protected]
phone: 910-734-9338
website: https://seai-llc.com/

Like many of you, I purchased a DJI Avata 2, Goggles 3, and Remote Controller 3 for the purposes of flying in manual mode and making cool FPV footage. It wou...

09/30/2024

As we stated a short time ago, if you are not part of a coordinated SAR operation, keep your drone on the ground. Always check and see if TFRs are up in your area before launching sUAS.

09/28/2024

Reminder to drone pilots NOT affiliated with SAR operations in western NC and Eastern TN....

Keep your drones on the ground. Do not interfere with ongoing aerial operations when lives are at stake.

That's all. Matty, out.

08/27/2024

This morning I filmed the Greenstate Landscaping crew in my backyard pouring the footers which will become the foundation for "The Matropolis", an outdoor pavilion and outdoor kitchen which I named after myself and the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. In keeping with the Greek Revival architectural design of the main house, I am continuing that style with this pavilion, hence why I named it The Matropolis. This video documents the pouring process and the great work by Greenstate Landscaping.

In this video, I flew the DJI Mavic 3 Pro in Manual Mode, 5.1K, 1/60, D-Log M, and color graded the footage in post-processing. Utilitzed both ND8 and ND32 filters, low ISO, and went back and forth between 2.8 and 3.2 aperture settings.

This will be one of many videos documenting the construction process, and demonstrates the advantages for builders and clients, alike, in that there is a detailed record of all progress. This can be utilized on residential projects such as this, or large scale commercial construction which utilizes multiple subcontractors. This can help keep everyone on the same page, on the correct timetable, and help with maintaining a specific budget.

I'm very happy with all of the work Greenstate Landscaping has done for my family for over 40 years. To get in contact with them for your projects, use the contact information below. They work through southeastern NC and SC.

Greenstate Landscaping
2643 W. Carthage Road, Lumberton, NC 28360
910-739-0405
[email protected]
https://www.greenstatelandscaping.com/

This was a fun mission for me to fly and I hope you enjoy the video. Think about incorporating drone video and photography in your next project. Please LIKE the video and SUBSCRIBE to the Southeastern Aerial Imaging, LLC YouTube channel!

For inquiries regarding projects, please use the contact information below:
email: [email protected]
phone: 910-734-9338
website: https://seai-llc.com/

This morning, I had the opportunity to fly a mission at home in which Greenstate Landscaping of Lumberton, NC, poured the footers of what will become the fou...

08/26/2024

A few Sundays ago, the wife was doing a long training run at Luther Britt Park located along the Lumber River in Lumberton, North Carolina. Of course, I took the opportunity to fly the DJI Mavic 3 Pro and collect some footage for a short video.

So, all of the imagery was collected using a single battery, which is testament at how efficient the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is when compared to other, dare I say, "cinematic" drones. Unlike those same drones, this particular drone is capable of collecting 5.1K resolution, so be sure to crank up the quality when watching this on YouTube. Other comparable drones can maybe do 4K quality, but if you want data quality at the next level...5.1K is where it's at.

As always, I shot this footage in Manual Mode, 5.1K, 1/60, D-Log M, and color graded the footage in post-processing. You simply can't get the quality you want when shooting in automatic settings, that's why I only shoot in manual. Hope you enjoy it!

For inquiries regarding projects, please use the contact information below:
email: [email protected]
phone: 910-734-9338
website: https://seai-llc.com/

For this video, I used a DJI Mavic 3 Pro to collect some video imagery of Luther Britt Park, located in Lumberton, North Carolina. The park borders the Lumbe...