THE WHOLE WORLD MOVES BEHIND THE SUBJECT.
The aircraft moves around the circle while the camera continually faces the selected subject. The whole flight path—not merely the starting position—must be clear.
WHAT POINT OF
INTEREST DOES.
Point of Interest—usually shortened to POI—is part of DJI’s FocusTrack system.
- Spotlight keeps the camera pointed towards the subject while I fly.
- Point of Interest automatically flies Zoom around the subject.
- ActiveTrack follows the subject as it moves.
With Point of Interest, Zoom handles the orbit, aircraft heading and camera tracking together. My job is to choose the composition, set a sensible speed and remain responsible for the aircraft and surrounding airspace.
Automation flies the circle. It does not replace the pilot.
WHICH MODE DO I NEED?
The aircraft, subject and camera lock use the same scale in every panel. The movement—not the label—is the important difference.
A CLEAN ORBIT STARTS WITH
A CLEAN PIECE OF SKY.
I never select the subject and immediately press GO. First, I inspect the intended flight path. If practical, I fly a slow manual circuit or examine the area carefully from a safe position.
- Trees and overhanging branches
- Pylons, cables and aerials
- Buildings, chimneys and lamp posts
- Rising ground
- People entering the area
- Birds
- Anything thin or poorly lit
The Mini 4 Pro has omnidirectional obstacle sensing, but thin branches, wires, reflective surfaces and poor lighting can still cause problems.
CHECK THE ENTIRE CIRCLE.
Obstacle sensing is assistance—not magic. Check all 360 degrees of the proposed route before starting POI.
FROM HOVER
TO HERO SHOT.
POSITION ZOOM
Fly to the height and distance from which the orbit should begin. Climb slightly above the subject, angle the gimbal down and leave more sideways space than first seems necessary.
FRAME THE SUBJECT
Place one strong, clearly defined subject in the camera view: Vanilla, Torque, a church, a monument, trees, a rock formation or a stationary vehicle with permission.
SELECT THE SUBJECT
Tap the recognised subject marker or drag a selection box around the subject. When FocusTrack appears, select POI — Point of Interest.
CHOOSE THE DIRECTION
Choose clockwise or anticlockwise for the best background and light. Remember that a complete orbit can carry the lens from beautiful side-light into direct glare.
SET A SLOW SPEED
Begin slowly. Fast movement rushes the background and exaggerates every correction; slow movement creates a calmer, more expensive-looking shot.
The viewer should notice the scene—not the drone showing off.
PRESS GO
Press GO and let Zoom establish the orbit from its current height and distance while keeping the selected subject framed.
START RECORDING
Wait briefly for the movement to settle, then record at least one complete orbit. Extra footage gives you clean sections to choose from in the edit.
SIX DELIBERATE ACTIONS. ONE CLEAN START.
Place Zoom at the planned height and distance.
On a phone, swipe the controller screen or use the buttons. The illustrations explain the sequence without copying DJI Fly artwork.
MY STARTING
POINT.
Locking white balance prevents the colour changing as the aircraft travels between sunlight and shadow. Avoid unnecessary digital zoom: a wider view looks smoother and gives the landscape room to move.
BUILD DEPTH INTO THE ORBIT.
Nearby objects move across the frame more quickly than distant ones. This parallax is what gives a good orbit its three-dimensional quality.
ONE CIRCLE.
THREE REASONS TO USE IT.
THE CLASSIC HERO ORBIT
Use a medium distance, climb slightly above the subject and perform one slow complete orbit.
VANILLA · TORQUE · BUILDINGS · LANDMARKSTHE REVEAL ORBIT
Let a tree, wall or hillside partly hide the wider view, then orbit in the direction that reveals it.
CLEAR THE COMPLETE ROUTE FIRSTTHE RISING ORBIT
Establish the orbit, then add a gentle climb so the shot develops into a wider landscape reveal.
A RAPID ASCENT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE DRONE REMEMBERED ANOTHER APPOINTMENTWHEN A GOOD ORBIT
GOES BAD.
01Flying Too Close+
A tight orbit looks faster, makes tracking harder and reduces the available safety margin.
02Orbiting Too Quickly+
Speed removes elegance. Slow the movement and let the background glide.
03Trusting Obstacle Avoidance Completely+
Sensors are assistance. Thin branches and wires can remain difficult to detect.
04Forgetting the Wind+
During an orbit, the aircraft meets the wind from different directions. Keep enough battery to complete the shot and return safely.
05Watching Only the Screen+
The picture may look magnificent on the RC 2, but the aircraft must remain in direct sight while the surrounding airspace is monitored.
06Recording Only One Version+
Record clockwise and anticlockwise attempts. The background, light and overall feeling can change considerably.
STOP. HOVER.
ASSESS.
To end the orbit, tap STOP in DJI Fly or use the controller’s Flight Pause button. The automated orbit will stop and the aircraft will hover, allowing me to assess the situation.
If the composition is wrong, tracking becomes uncertain or anything enters the flight path, stop the movement, reposition and begin again.
There is no prize for bravely continuing a bad shot.
WATCH IT
IN ACTION.
No autoplay and no dead black boxes. You choose when YouTube loads, and every lesson keeps a direct fallback link.
DJI MINI 4 PRO — FOCUSTRACK
DJI’s official Mini 4 Pro tutorial page includes the FocusTrack lesson covering Spotlight, Point of Interest and ActiveTrack.
WATCH THE OFFICIAL DJI TUTORIAL →HOW TO USE POINT OF INTEREST FOR CINEMATIC FOOTAGE
A practical Mini 4 Pro demonstration covering POI setup, orbit direction, speed and cinematic use.
WATCH THE POI WALKTHROUGH →POINT OF INTEREST — COMPLETE GUIDE
A detailed explanation of Point of Interest across current DJI aircraft, including the Mini 4 Pro.
WATCH THE COMPLETE GUIDE →YOUR
MISSION.
Choose one safe stationary subject in a large open area and record:
Back home, watch the clips without music. Look for changes in speed, tracking accuracy, horizon movement and lighting. Choose the smoothest five to eight seconds for the finished edit.
NEVER FLY A CIRCLE MERELY
BECAUSE THE DRONE CAN.
Choose a subject, a background and a reason for the movement. When all three work together, Point of Interest stops looking like an automated flight mode and starts looking like cinematography.
Fly better. Shoot better. Come home with footage worth keeping.