The addition of cameras to drones may have forever changed the way many industries work. They can be used to control areas that were previously impossible to see, such as pipes when checking security, they can be used to maintain control of police situations, such as riots and protests, and are even used in movies. Be aware next time you watch a movie, normally the video will start in the air like a plane and then it will move giving the viewer a wonderful aerial shot that will be remembered.
Most of the drones that are available today come with a built-in camera and a high-quality one. If you have an older quadcopter and are looking to hook up a camera of your own, then a ‘GoPro’ camera is a good option. However, you should consider the vibrations from the drone, as this will affect the quality of the photos you take. as well as the videos you record. Integrated cameras offer much more reliable quality on a consistent basis. Before shooting your first video, you may also want to invest in a transmitter that will allow you to increase your connectivity range when flying, as well as stream live video from your drone.
You may look at some photos that have been taken with a drone and compare them to yours and wonder how come they look so good and yours is barely classified as a photo. Here are some tips to remember when taking photos or recording videos from your drone!
Firstly, your camera is likely to get hit by the wind while airborne, so be sure to use a shorter lens to counteract this. If you combine a short lens with a fast shutter speed, you’re likely to see dramatic improvements in your photography right away. A good rule of thumb for receiving the best quality is around 1/1000th of a second at 200mm and 1/500th of a second at 100mm. These combinations will allow you to take crisp, sharp photos no matter the conditions.
Another great tip when shooting from your drone is to set your camera to high contrast if haze becomes a problem (which it often is). If the problem is really bad at the point where you get black and white video, you might want to shoot with a red filter as well. Normally using any kind of filters like ‘UV’ and ‘Haze’ tends to make the image quality worse when airborne, but the red filter will help add color.
Of course, it’s important to have fun when you’re trying to shoot with your drone, but you also need to be sensible at all times. Do not go outside on your first day without having ever flown a drone before because this can be quite dangerous. Also, think about where you are flying your drone; avoid flying near an airport where you could be causing serious trouble. It all comes down to confidence and this will come with practice. The more you practice, the more you’ll learn and therefore the better your pictures will be!