How to shoot a hyperlapse with the DJI Mavic 4 Pro

To shoot a hyperlapse on the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, tap the Shooting Modes icon in DJI Fly, select Hyperlapse, choose a hyperlapse mode, set the parameters, and tap the shutter/record button. The drone takes photos at your chosen interval and compiles them into a short video. Tap the exit icon or press Stop on the controller to end it, and the drone hovers. For smooth, flicker-free results, lock exposure in Pro mode and leave at least two seconds between the shutter speed and the interval.

The Mavic 4 Pro hyperlapse workflow in DJI Fly. Locking exposure and white balance is what prevents flicker in the finished video.

What Hyperlapse does

DJI describes Hyperlapse as taking a set number of photos at a fixed interval, then compiling them into a video a few seconds long. It suits scenes with movement: traffic, drifting clouds, shadows crossing a valley, and sunrises and sunsets.

Choosing a hyperlapse mode

DJI Fly lists the modes available for your drone and firmware when you open Hyperlapse. On DJI's current drones these are typically:

Free: you fly and aim while it shoots. Good for static timelapses.
Circle: orbits a subject you select.
Course Lock: holds a fixed direction, optionally aimed at a subject.
Waypoints: follows a path of points you set.

If a mode isn't listed in your app, update DJI Fly and the aircraft firmware.

Recommended settings

Interval: 2 s for fast clouds and traffic, 3 to 5 s for slow light changes like a sunset.
Length: plan on about 25 photos per second of finished video. A 10-second clip needs around 250 frames.
Exposure: Pro mode, fixed ISO, shutter, aperture and white balance. Auto settings cause flicker.
Photo size: 25 MP frames are plenty for a 4K or 6K hyperlapse and fill the card far more slowly than 100 MP.
Keep the original frames if the app offers it. RAW frames let you deflicker and grade on a computer.

Which camera to use

28 mm Hasselblad: widest view, cleanest files, and an f/2.0 to f/11 aperture for slower daylight shutters.
70 mm: compresses a skyline or mountain range behind the foreground.
168 mm: dramatic for distant subjects, but any wind drift between frames shows. Save it for calm days.

Motion blur for light trails

Stop the Hasselblad camera down to f/5.6 or f/8 and add an ND filter to slow the shutter in daylight. At dusk you can reach half a second or longer without filters. A 1-second shutter needs at least a 3-second interval.

Repeatable routes and day-to-night

DJI's manual notes that Waypoint Flight routes can be saved and flown again at different times to capture seasonal and day-to-night changes. Plan the route in daylight, check the curve between waypoints doesn't dip toward obstacles, and set obstacle avoidance to Bypass or Brake.

Safety notes

Pick a static subject well away from the drone. Don't select people or moving cars.
Set RTH altitude above every obstacle before you start.
The Mavic 4 Pro's vision sensing works down to 0.1 lux and its forward LiDAR helps in near darkness, but plan night routes as if sensing might fail.
Night flying has extra rules. See can you fly a drone at night.

Common problems

Flicker: auto exposure or auto white balance was on.
Shaky result: wind moved the drone between frames. Use the 28 mm camera or wait for calmer air.
Short clip: not enough frames. Increase length or shorten the interval.

For the rest of your setup, see best Mavic 4 Pro settings, or shop the DJI Mavic 4 Pro.