Handheld Telemetry Camera for Android
Not every session has a spare mount, and not every telemetry recording needs vehicle-motion gauges. VelocityCam's Handheld HUD is built specifically for recording while holding the phone: it drops pitch, roll, and G-force in favor of GPS-based performance metrics that make sense whether you're standing still, walking, or riding along as a passenger. It is free, it is one of the app's core HUD profiles, and it is captured, played back, and exported through the same pipeline as mounted recording.
What the Handheld HUD shows
Handheld trades mount-relative pitch and roll for GPS-derived performance numbers, arranged as four matched gauge pairs on the side of the screen. Tap either side gauge to cycle through its pair; whichever value is showing when you start recording is the one saved with that session for playback and export.
- SPEED pair: Max Speed / Average Speed
- BEST RUNS pair: Best 10-Second Average / Best 30-Second Average
- MOVEMENT pair: Course / Distance From Start
- SESSION pair: Recording Distance / Recording Duration
- Live GPS status and elapsed recording time
- The active gauge pair is preserved with the recording for playback and export
Who records handheld
Passengers who want footage without reaching for a mount, spotters walking a course or dock, boat passengers riding along rather than driving, and anyone doing a trackside or ride-along recording all fit the Handheld workflow. It's also useful any time a mount simply isn't available — a quick clip still comes with real GPS speed and distance attached, not just video.
Recording handheld
- 1
Choose the Handheld HUD and wait for GPS
Select Handheld from the HUD profiles before recording. As with mounted recording, VelocityCam waits for a GPS lock before allowing you to start.
- 2
Pick a gauge pair, then record
Tap either side gauge to cycle to the value you want showing — Speed, Best Runs, Movement, or Session. Whatever is active when you tap Record travels with the session.
- 3
Play back and export as usual
Handheld sessions use the same synchronized playback and export pipeline as mounted recordings. The saved gauge pair reappears automatically; there's no HUD to rebuild.
Free — Handheld is a core HUD, not an add-on
- Handheld HUD with all four matched gauge pairs
- GPS-based Max Speed, Average Speed, Best 10s, and Best 30s
- Recording Distance, Recording Duration, Course, and Distance From Start
- Synchronized playback with the recorded gauge pair preserved
- Original, landscape, vertical, and square exports with the HUD baked in
- Quick Share to major social apps and the Android share sheet
Pro adds analysis, not new Handheld gauges
- Advanced session statistics
- CSV telemetry export
- GPX and KML route export
- Watermark control (standard, custom text, or none)
- Session notes and activity types
Local-only, same as mounted recording
Handheld recordings and GPS telemetry stay on the device with no account and no cloud upload. Exporting or sharing a clip only happens when you choose to do it.
Device requirements
- Android 10 or newer
- Compatible rear camera (front-camera switching before recording, where supported)
- GPS hardware
- Motion sensors for pitch, roll, and G-force on mounted recording
- Free storage for recording and export
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a phone mount to use Handheld?
No. Handheld is designed specifically for recording without a fixed mount. It uses GPS-based performance metrics instead of the mount-relative pitch, roll, and G-force used by mounted recording.
Does the Handheld HUD show pitch, roll, or G-force?
No. Those gauges depend on the phone holding a stable, known orientation, which a handheld phone doesn't have. Handheld instead shows GPS speed and distance-based performance metrics.
What are the matched gauge pairs?
Handheld's two side gauges each cycle through a pair: Speed shows Max Speed or Average Speed, Best Runs shows Best 10-Second or Best 30-Second Average, Session shows Recording Distance or Recording Duration, and Movement shows Course or Distance From Start. Tap a gauge to switch between its pair.
Which gauge pair gets saved with the recording?
Whichever pair is showing on each side gauge at the moment you start recording. That state is saved with the session and reproduced automatically during playback and export.
Is it safe to record handheld while driving?
No. Handheld recording should be done by a passenger, a person who is stopped, or an operator who is safely positioned to record where it's lawful and safe to do so. VelocityCam does not make handling a phone while driving safe, and nothing in the app is designed to encourage it.
Is Handheld a Pro feature?
No. Handheld is one of VelocityCam's free HUD profiles alongside Classic and Minimal. Pro adds advanced statistics and export formats on top of it, not new Handheld gauges.
Install VelocityCam and start recording
VelocityCam is open for testing on Google Play. Install the test build on any Android 10+ phone, record a real session, then tell us how it went.
Get notified about the public release
Open testing is live. Join the VelocityCam update list and we'll email you when the full public Google Play release becomes available, along with a small number of important major-update announcements. No daily emails and no spam.
Related VelocityCam pages
The full picture of mounted and handheld recording on Android.
The mounted-recording counterpart, with pitch, roll, and G-force.
Recording on the water, including handheld options for passengers.
Mounted recording for riders, plus notes for pillion passengers.
How GPS speed is captured and rendered into the exported video.