ULTRA, Heavylift + INS: What does it mean for camera cars?
Our Mission
In our journey to democratize remote arm systems, MotoCrane ULTRA has lead the revolution and united the #motocranefamily. ULTRA was announced almost 2 years ago, and it has changed the remote arm industry forever. There are more MotoCrane ULTRAs working in the world than any other single remote arm system. The list of agencies, production companies, projects etc. using ULTRA is growing every day. Despite this success, we have not throttled back on innovating the platform, and expanding the capabilities of ULTRA.
We’ve released a new accessory for ULTRA every 3 weeks since December. From providing 3000 watts of power from V-Mount batteries, to boosted payload capacities, and dual gyro stabilization systems- we’ve been innovating at an exciting rate.
Like any new and disruptive technology, MotoCrane has been the rightful subject of excitement and skepticism since we launched in 2017. If you’ve tracked our progress from the beginning, you’ve seen us empower our customers and address the skeptics with longer, stronger, faster, and more stable remote arm systems.
With the latest advancements, how does ULTRA stack up?
MotoCrane ULTRA has been widely adopted because it’s a high-performance, sustainable solution when the capacity, size, and bulk of a “Russian Arm” may not be required. With Heavylift + INS Advanced Stabilization, ULTRA owners can now offer even more competitive tracking vehicle packages to their customers- especially when in direct competition to systems 3–4x the cost.
Heavylift
65lbs/30kg payloads- because who doesn’t like bigger lenses?
It’s important to maximize the payload potential of ULTRA so more projects can benefit from its performance, portability, cost-effectiveness, etc. That goes double for rigs working with larger stabilized heads like the MoVI XL, ARRI SRH-3, and Flighthead Mini.
Sometimes we’re working with projects that have strict optical requirements- not allowing us to use primes or smaller zooms like you would for a drone, cablecam, or handheld. As projects select which remote arm system they’re going to use, it’s important that ULTRA represents creative freedom- not limitation. Heavylift is a bolt-on reinforcement kit that increases ULTRA payload capacity to 65lbs- exceeding that offered by the Russian Arm Mini. Learn more about Heavylift>
INS Advanced Stabilization
10x frequency response for Lift-axis stabilization.
If you haven’t heard about INS yet, it’s really exciting. A standard ULTRA is fitted with a high-performance 9-axis AHRS sensor, larger 1kW Lift motor, and new tuning interface for a massive increase to arm stabilization on the Lift (tilt) axis.
Justin Squire (MotoCrane’s Chief Technology Officer) has led the charge on INS research and development for more than 8 months. We’ve learned heaps and developed a system that offers great flexibility for various terrain scenarios. INS effectively minimizes lens parallaxing on uneven terrain. This works in conjunction with the Passive Isolator for handling a large bandwidth of incoming disturbance frequencies. “Russian Arms” commonly tout gyro-stabilization as a way of distinguishing their technology from ULTRA. INS Advanced Stabilization closes the gap. Check out INS>
Leading the revolution
In every corner of our industry, technology has created the rise of high performance, sustainable tools. Digital cinema was once the sworn enemy of celluloid film, but it is now the standard. Our mission has always been to lead the advancement and democratization of this great tool without compromising performance, safety or any other aspect.
If you have any questions about remote arms, MotoCrane, accessories, or just want to talk shop- feel free to call me at +1.651.705.6155. You can also email MotoCrane at contact@motocrane.com.
-Zachary Nelson, CEO
