The Drone-pressor is a specialized audio restoration and spectral processing plugin designed for film post-production, broadcast, and field recording cleanup. Unlike a standard compressor or noise gate, it uses AI-driven motion-tracking algorithms to isolate and suppress the specific non-linear acoustic signatures of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

Below are the technical specifications for its primary control parameters.
1. Pitch Take-Off Speed
This parameter controls the sensitivity of the plugin’s tracking oscillator. Because drone motors increase in pitch exponentially during takeoff or rapid maneuvers, a standard static filter would fail to track the sound.
* Specification: A temporal-frequency variable that defines the rate (in Hz/ms) at which the suppression filter can “climb” or “dive.”
* Function: Lower settings are used for stable, hovering drones. Higher settings allow the plugin to maintain suppression during aggressive vertical climbs or “punch-outs” where the RPM spikes instantly.
2. Doppler Effect Remover
This is the “spatial de-shifter.” It counteracts the frequency compression and expansion caused by the drone’s movement relative to the microphone.
* Specification: An inverse-motion algorithm that calculates the radial velocity of the sound source.
* Function: It “un-stretches” the audio in real-time. It identifies the pitch drop (the “Nee-Yum” sound) and applies a compensatory pitch-shift in the opposite direction, keeping the fundamental drone frequency centered so the narrow-band notch filters can remain locked on the target.
3. Drone Size (UAV Mass Class)
The acoustic signature of a drone is dictated by the length and material of its propellers. Smaller drones “whine” (high frequency), while larger drones “thrum” (low-mid frequency).
* Specification: A multi-band spectral profile selector ranging from Nano/Micro (250g) to Industrial/Heavy Lift (25kg+).
* Function: Adjusting this shifts the plugin’s “Attention Mask.”
* Small: Focuses on 2kHz to 15kHz.
* Large: Focuses on 150Hz to 1.5kHz.
4. Optical Metadata Integration (The Camera Toggle)
This unique feature allows the plugin to sync with visual data from the film set or the drone’s onboard feed to improve accuracy.
Parameter: Camera Sync (Enabled)
* Specification: Utilizes an Optical Flow Analysis bridge.
* Function: The plugin “looks” at the video file in the DAW. If the drone is visually moving left to right at a certain speed, the plugin automatically calculates the required Doppler correction and suppression strength based on the pixel-distance from the camera. It automates the parameters based on what is seen on screen.
Parameter: Blind Mode (No Camera)
* Specification: Pure Acoustic Inference Engine.
* Function: The plugin relies entirely on the audio signal. It uses a “best-guess” AI model to identify the drone type and distance based solely on harmonic distortion and the sound pressure level (SPL). This is used for audio-only recordings or when the drone is “off-camera.”
Summary Table for DAW Implementation
| Parameter | Unit | Purpose |
| Slew Rate | Hz/ms | Tracks how fast the motor pitch changes. |
| Shift Comp | Percentage | How much of the Doppler shift to flatten. |
| Mass Profile | grams/kg | Adjusts the frequency “sweet spot.” |
| Optic Link | On/Off | Syncs suppression to visual movement. |
To effectively remove the sound of a drone from an audio track, the “Drone-pressor” needs parameters that address the specific physics of multi-rotor flight. Because drones are moving targets with shifting frequencies, a simple static filter won’t work.
Here are the essential parameters for the removal engine:
1. Fundamental Frequency Tracking (f_0)
Since drone motors spin at variable speeds, the “noise” isn’t a single tone—it’s a moving target.
* Auto-Center: A real-time pitch tracker that locks onto the primary whine of the motors.
* Harmonic Multiplier: Drones produce integer multiples of their base frequency (overtones). This parameter allows you to suppress the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th harmonics simultaneously with a single slider.
2. Blade Count & Symmetry
The number of propellers changes the “texture” of the sound.
* Blade Parameter: Select between Tri-blade (smoother, higher frequency) or Bi-blade (choppier, more aggressive).
* Phase Offset: Adjusts for the fact that four motors are never perfectly in sync, creating a “beating” or “pulsing” effect.
3. Spatial Motion Parameters
These deal with the drone’s physical movement through the 3D sound field.
* Radial Velocity (Doppler Fix): A “Look Ahead” feature that predicts the pitch drop as the drone passes the microphone, adjusting the notch filters before the frequency shift occurs.
* Proximity Gain: An inverse-square law filter. As the drone gets closer (louder), the suppression intensity automatically increases to prevent clipping or “bleed.”
4. Turbulence & “Prop Wash” Removal
When a drone descends or turns sharply, it creates chaotic, low-frequency air turbulence that sounds like “buffeting.”
* Wash-Gate: A frequency-dependent transient shaper that targets the “thumping” air sounds without affecting the dialogue or ambient background.
* Jitter Reduction: Smooths out the micro-fluctuations in pitch caused by the flight controller making thousands of tiny motor adjustments per second.
5. Environment & Occlusion
* Reflectivity Scale: Adjusts how the plugin handles “echoes” of the drone bouncing off buildings or trees.
* Optical Occlusion (Camera Link): If the camera “sees” the drone go behind a wall, this parameter automatically softens the high-frequency suppression, as the wall would naturally act as a low-pass filter.
Summary of Parameter Controls
| Parameter Name | Unit | Action |
|—|—|—|
| Harmonic Depth | dB | How aggressively to cut the overtones. |
| Slew Rate | ms | How fast the filter follows a pitch change. |
| Blade Profile | 2 / 3 / 4 | Matches the filter shape to the prop type. |
| Doppler Ratio | M/S | Compensates for the speed of the passing drone. |