In the last several years there has been madness around drone video production and photography. As a videographer, I am constantly asked for drone video footage. At times the drone video footage is appropriate, but at other times the use of a drone is only reflective of an appetite for the latest fad. In this article I will discuss when it is appropriate to use drone for filming or video/photo production, few simple safety rules and regulations, and how to get those cinematic shots.
When to Use drone videography
Clearly, drone footage is highly desirable, and it certainly adds production value simply unavailable to a low budget filmmaker or videographer just a decade ago. However, I can think of only a handful of films in which drone footage was an actual scene. One being Denis Villeneuve’s “Sicario”, where the scene is a convoy of agents crossing the border.
Drone video footage is most effective as an establishing shot or a transition. Realistically, a drone video in the final edit will unlikely be longer than 10-15 seconds. Majority, of scenes in films and corporate / event video productions are composed of medium shots where people either talk to each other or physically interact. For such shots a good camera on a tripod or gimbal will do. A good example of an establishing shot is the clip below
Within a few seconds the viewer has a good idea that the film will take place in a city and during winter. Without a drone, the same information would have to be described using several shots.
An example of a good transition is the clip below where we show few trucks leaving their base and going out on an assignment.
The shots prior to he drone shots convey the story of workers getting ready and shots after the drone shot convey a story of these men at work. The drone shot gives a completely different perspective than the other shots, hence it serves its role as an ideal transition.
Commercial vs Recreational Drone Videography
There are two uses of a drone that clearly have to be distinguished when talking about rules. One is commercial work, where the aerial videographer is getting paid for his/her work. In such a case, the drone operator needs to be certified through FAA (part 107) as an unmanned pilot. For recreational use, such as filming one’s vacation or private party, the pilot only needs to register the drone with FAA and the cost is currently only $5. The FAA has a list of rules that need to be abided by all unmanned pilots. In this article I will point out to three main ones; flight is restricted to only 400 ft, pilot cannot fly 5 miles from the airport, and a drone cannot be flown over people (unless they are crew and have shelter to hide). The first two rules are usually programmed in the drone control application. In other words, the drone will recognize airport controlled air space and will not fly there, and it will not fly over 400 ft. However, the last rule, flying over people is the one that is most often violated by the recreational drone pilots. It is very important to know that the last mentioned rule is also the one that the FAA is most strict about and heavy fines can result from flying over people. Rember, you can get away with it during the operation but the footage does not lie.
In addition to FAA rules, each city/county has its own rules that may restrict drone flight. As Chicago Aerial commercial videographer I understand that city only allows me to fly over the property for which I have written permission to fly over. In a busy city this creates real restrictions. It is also important to mention that drones operate on the same frequency that are used by most wifi systems. Hence flying in highly populated areas with corporate offices (Chicago downtown i.e.) create real risk. There is potential that the drone could lose its frequency and fly away.
Think Simple When Using Drone for Videography
Once the rules are considered and the effectiveness of aerial shot is understood, a drone is a great tool for video and film production. If there was going to be one lesson that I have learned as a filmmaker and a videographer that I would like to pass on to in this article is that of simplicity. Simply, the viewer should be focused on the scene that is framed not to the motion of the drone. Beginner aerial videographers tend to fly too much around the subject they are filming. For example, the first 35 seconds of this clip we have at least 5 changes of direction and pace which in my opinion are disruptive to the viewer.
Yes the effect is cool and the scenery is gorgeous but the abrupt changes in the flight path speeding up and slowing down (in post production) takes me out of the viewing experience. I am more focused on what the drone is doing than the actual scenery. However, lets consider the following drone clip:
In this video we have a change of direction but there is a poetic simplicity to it. First 18 seconds the shot is framed around the human subject and then gently moves to frame the waterfall. This is a well thought out drone shot that frames two subjects continuously (man and waterfall) with no interruption. The last shot is likely most cinematic (1:34 to the end) where the drones simply flies slowly forward.
Conclusion
In conclusion, drones are a fantastic tool for filmmaking and video production. However, the footage is mostly effective as an establishing shot and transitions in the majority of film/video productions. Lastly, drones have potential for high risk and therefore many rules have to be followed in order to assure safety in capturing those stunning shots.
For more information click here
Interesting article. My main concern is once “remote ID” passes it’s just going to get tougher to fly. If you have an article on that, I’d like to read it as well.
I think this will not affect drones made by larger companies like DJI, as they already have integrated GPS tech into their drones. For example, my DJI mavic pro 2 will be warned of restricted areas and things like NATOMS. For custom build drones this will be a death sentence. Many videographers use custom drones that carry their large cameras. This will be a real obstacle for them. Moreover, all videographers will likely have to buy a network plan from say AT&T so it will be an added cost to flying their drones. Thank you Jon for your comment.
Hobby flying can be a lot of fun, especially if you purchase a drone that is built to last for a few years. You can use it for different types of uses and for a long time to come. So, don’t hesitate to shop around and find the right model that meets your needs.
Can you use racing drones for video production as a videographer? They seems to have good cameras on them and they fly much faster.
Hi Nick. Yes you can use racing drones for video production, but as an experienced videogrpaher I would not recommend it. The racing drones are design for fast flying and cutting, and although they do have gimbals, the footage of quick cuts through the air is not easy on the eye. On the other hand, drones that are designated for filming transition smoothly from one position to the other in the air. Although flying a filming drones feels like flying a bus when compared to a racing drone, the footage is smoother and much more cinematic. I talk about this topic in the article. Some of the best drones shots result from very simple flying patterns and and it’s more how the shot is framed. Abrupt changing flying positions are just not cinematic. Of course, there are times when these rules can be broken. For an effect, A shot might have to be fast and abrupt. For example, a scene might call for a first person perspective of a flying aircraft. A racing drone would be ideal for such video or film production need. In fact, DJI came out with a hybrid drone called DJI FPV that flies like a racing drone, yet it is equipped with very good video camera. However, that fast flying footage is something that would rarely be needed in a full video production, and the shots are very fatiguing so you might essentially use maybe 10 seconds of such video footage.