How to Get Started in Drone Videography

As with any emerging technology there will always be new and innovative uses for drone photography. In the past few years, many businesses, organizations and even individuals have found that using this type of photography can provide them with an advantage. This may be particularly true when it comes to business and competition. As you will soon discover, there are many different types of uses for drones and how they can help the business community. However, before I take you through all of those reasons, I'd like to explain why you might want to use drone photography.

First, let me give you a bit of history about drone videography and what it can do for you and your organization. Aerial photography is the taking of aerial photos using a fixed-wing plane, helicopter or some other aerial craft. Today, platforms for aerial photography have come on significantly and include both fixed-wing aircraft and remotely piloted helicopters, drones, balloons, remote-piloted vehicles, stand-up balloons and vehicle-piloted aircraft. Now, just because drone photography has come a long way over the years doesn't mean that you can't use it today; in fact, you can!

One of the main reasons that you may want to consider drone videography is to take high quality, professional looking aerial shots of your facilities, employees, property or product. Think of what a great asset it would be for a business to have aerial images of their facility or building taken from the air so that they can better understand how safe their policies and procedures are. Likewise, if you run a business that offers tours of your facility or building, having your visitors view your aerial footage can go a long way toward convincing them that you're doing your very best to maintain good safety standards. Additionally, you may use drone photography to simply monitor your employees in action, providing you with an important tool to manage accountability and ensure that everything is running smoothly.

The great news is that there are a wide variety of drone videography services available. There are companies that will fly your helicopter over your property and film everything; there are other companies who will only require you to send them the footage through their software and they will do the rest. Another type of service is called fly scouts and these companies will actually transport the equipment you need to capture their amazing shots. Ultimately, you'll be able to choose the type of service that works best for you. Once you've determined what type of service you'd like to utilize, you'll be ready to find the right equipment and the right locations.

The key to getting the most out of your drone videography shoot is making sure that all of the necessary safety precautions are met. In the past, people may have been injured when filming helicopters or aircraft due to poor weather conditions, bad pilots and even mechanical failure. With new technology though, many of these incidents have been greatly reduced thanks to advancements in protective gear.

The final piece of equipment that you need to rent or purchase is aerial stabilizer gimbals. These special stabilizers enable you to get steady aerial shots no matter what kind of environment you're working in. They work by adjusting the tilt and pitch of your quad so that you're able to capture clean, steady shots that are free of shakes and blurs. This piece of equipment is also essential for fly scouts, as they are needed to keep the camera stable during flight. The stabilized footage can then be edited and transferred to a computer.

When it comes to fly scouting, it's not simply about getting the shot, it's about being safe. Since the majority of drones are not flown above the ground, it's incredibly important that you stay below the heights at which the machines will be operational. Many of the best drone videographers will invest in a helmet with extra protection for the ears and head, as well as extra batteries for their remote controllers. In addition to this gear, you'll also need to wear a flight computer and an airworthy mask - meaning that even the most inexperienced drone flyers are able to participate in drone videography safely.

If you're interested in becoming a drone videographer, it's important to get the right protective gear and learn all about the different kinds of shots a drone can be used for. Some people choose to fly over water, and there are literally thousands of possibilities. Others are more into filming nature, and there are literally hundreds of ways to film from above such as with a snow plow and helicopter. If you'd like to become involved in drone photography, it's important to understand how different kinds of shots can be completed successfully.