One of the most exciting advances in aerial photography over the past year or two has been drone-high-flying cameras that enable you to master general subjects' unique perspective. The cost of taking the camera in the air has dropped dramatically recently, and I guarantee you won't be disappointed if you decide to go down this road. Aside from the fantastic pictures, you will be captured; they are also great fun!
As with the latest technology, there is a wide range of drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) on the market. In general, like camera equipment, how much you are willing to spend determines the quality of the camera on board, as well as the flying features of the drone itself. Here are some deficient cost models that will take lots of necessary pictures up to big boys' toys that will happily take your precious DSLR to the skies. You can even add your GoPro to some units that will take advantage of the camera gear you have. A company has many models that have a large percentage of the market - DJI. The Phantom range of their drones is the first choice for many people, and although they make some high-end models, the Phantom 3 series models are the most popular drones in the world, for a good reason.
A significant advertising feature of most drones these days is their ease of operation. "Fly Street of the Box" is a general term you will see, and in fact, it is very accurate. Please charge the battery, download the app to your smartphone, set it on fire, and you're done.
However, it must be mentioned that as straightforward as flying is, common sense and care is a big part of the flight. It is recommended that you start with some limitations in your space, quickly set up on the smartphone app that operates the drone. This usually limits you to the maximum altitude you can fly and the extent to which you can send drones.
Always start in a high open space, such as a local oval or park, and spend time gaining a sense of control before you think about pressing the shutter button. Always be aware of your position in the affairs around you.
Because these cameras usually have wide-angle lenses (equivalent to 20 mm) and make the wrong decision when positioning near objects such as trees and buildings, especially if looking at a smartphone screen is your priority. It's easy.
Rules And Regulations
Most countries have rules to follow, and not all of them can be mentioned here; they are usually like:
- Drones should always be in the line of sight (LOS) - this means you should be able to see it.
- Maximum height of 133 meters (400 feet)
- Never fly in groups of people
- Respect the privacy of others
- There is no flight anywhere near the designated airports and other no-fly zones in each country
- It is recommended that you check with your local air safety authorities for specific details in your area.
A few months ago, I flew over my local train station, looking for the perfect picture in the evening, like the light that illuminates the tower on this historic building every evening. Happily flying for five minutes or more, I saw two local policemen coming down to me. My first reaction in these situations is to evaluate their response to the drone flight, and if there are any concerns, I immediately bring the machine down.
Unfortunately, the drones are receiving some negative publicity in the press. The crash did not help the man who landed on the lawn in front of the White House in Washington in early 2015. Fortunately, these two policemen were very interested in what I was doing. By showing exactly what I was seeing on the screen and explaining the whole procedure and the care I was taking in not flying directly from any people, they took a very positive attitude.
I think it is essential to fly with this attitude in mind. And one more thing about flying in public places; you need to be prepared to be the centre of attention because people are usually quite interested in your work!
It is tempting to think that air imaging will be a new place to make some money from your photography. Again, this is another area where laws vary from country to country, and you should look for the certification you may need to do paid aerial work in your area.
Amazing technology
Today's drones have some fantastic technology that has revolutionized aerial photography or aerial photography service. By connecting your smartphone to your handheld remote control unit, you can see exactly what the drone sees on the screen. This leads to perfect structural adjustment.
Camera controls are extensive - auto or full manual control, RAW capture, even time-lapse.
The drone will hover in one place with fantastic stability, like an air tripod! You can get your hands out of control, and the drone will stay in that position.
The philosophical flight options. With an average flight time of 20 minutes per battery charge, the drone can detect when your battery is running low, and it will go into RTH mode (back home). Makes drones come back to you! If, for some reason, the light bridge connection between the remote control and the machine itself is lost (this can happen when flying behind buildings or trees), RTH has activated again. Another great use of the RTH feature is that when you lose sight of the drone, which is very easy to do once you are a short distance away, you can fly by pressing the RTH button. The camera will happily return to you when you find out.
Aerial photography
When you first start flying, get home, load your photos, and be amazed at the fantastic scenery you've got. In my first few weeks of flying, everything I took was thrilling. However, I quickly realized that aerial photography is no different from other forms of photography - it's still about light! Instead of just moving randomly, I started chasing light and conditions again, which has always been the power of my landscape photography.
As a landscape photographer, I am always aware of the weather conditions and their offerings. What's more, as a drone pilot, you have to keep in mind the weather forecast. Drones are not something you fly in high winds (unless you have this fantastic view of life in front of you!) And you will find yourself looking for more calm weather than any other condition ۔
At present, most of the drones do not have a built-in camera anywhere near the standard for which you use your ground-level camera. However, the images I've been able to capture are amazingly good. Although only 12mps, you can shoot a RAW file gives you more options to work with later. Jpg files are also surprisingly good, especially if you are flying in a good light.
Even when shooting in low light, the quality has been outstanding for such a small camera unit, and the camera's stability at 300 feet can be quite remarkable. You can shoot panorama images so that you create something unique when you go down to sea level. And why not try 300 feet intermittently ?! I have photos printed up to A3 size (approximately 12 12 × 16), and you will be strongly pressured to say that they were taken with a 12 MP camera.
I should also mention that most drones these days shoot high-quality video, even up to 4K, which produces impressive aerial footage. In fact, in 4K resolution, it is possible to take a high-quality frame from the video directly.
Unique scenes
One thing you will love is the great patterns you find in the landscape when viewed from above. Drones allow you to go into areas where most planes and helicopters are not allowed to go below 300 feet. Google Maps makes a great starting point for finding places that seem worth seeing.
It hits your camera at the end of the ten-foot pole (yes, I did that a few years ago).
As a landscape photographer for many years now, I can't recommend extreme aerial imaging as a unique way to incorporate this different aspect into your photography. Everyone you share your photos with will be amazed and fascinated, and don't forget how much fun it is. If you ever get tired of it, you can try raising sheep with your drone - yes, it's done!
Have you tried any drone or aerial photography yourself? Please share your tips and photos in the comments below.
