Drone photography has so many potential applications, it’s hard to know where to begin. We’ve known about military applications for years. Police use drones for surveillance and to track fugitives; firefighters send UVA’s into dangerous and inaccessible locations to find and fight fire. Within the civilian commercial and private sectors, the use of drones for photography is growing, but still in its infancy.
For many years, cameras were added to drones using custom mounts. These days, many quadcopters come equipped with extreme action cameras that can produce high definition still and video images.
Best drones for photography
The availability of inexpensive and yet stable flying drone for aerial photography has inspired an array of commercial and personal uses. These unmanned aerial vehicles provide amazing maneuverability that allows aerial photography and videography in locations and situations that have been impossible before now.
The versatility of drone gives the photographer complete creativity limited only by resources. But even budget-friendly drones come with excellent cameras. Knowing that necessity is the driving force behind invention, we can expect better and cheaper models to appear on the market as demand for drone photography expands.
Even a photographer with no previous piloting skills can easily learn to handle a small quadcopter. All it takes is practice. If you’re worried about crashing too much, buy one of the cheaper models and practice your flying skills until you gain confidence to pilot a more expensive camera drone. Flying in a straight line is fairly easy and a good place to start.
Give yourself plenty of room before you start learning to turn and fly in circles. Never forget the basic safety rules and use common sense when flying. The most important rule is to keep your quadcopter in sight. Loss of attention for even a second, or a jittery control movement, can send your drone into the dirt. Don’t get too close to buildings or people. Your car insurance probably doesn’t cover quadcopter property damage.
Best drone for real estate
Drone are the most stable platforms for aerial photography preferably for real estate . But you will need to practice to eliminate vibrations and shakiness in flight. Some quadcopters come with brushless stabilizing gimbals that can make a big difference in stability for video applications.
First Person View (FPV) is a popular aspect for droner photography. With real-time streaming from the camera to a local viewscreen, you can become a virtual passenger on your drone. The power of FPV shouldn’t be abused, however. The temptation to go beyond line of sight (LOS) is huge. Use caution. There are often hidden hazards that you can’t see with FPV. You’re the pilot, so use good judgement flying your UVA.
Commercial applications for quadcopter photography are limitless. Real estate and weddings seem to be the most common purposes for drones right now. People are wowed by the incredible vantage points and beautiful scenery produced by aerial photography. A simple web search reveals the abundance of videos made using camera drones.
If you decide to produce drone photography for commercial purposes, be sure you research any necessary licenses before you start. Also know that you may need special permission to fly and film at night. As with any nighttime activity, the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle after dark comes with its own set of challenges.
Drone photography is a growing activity with both commercial and personal applications. Whether you want to film a wedding or sell your house, put a quadcopter into flight and see what you can do.
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