Top 5 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Drone

Two of the main benefits of owning a drone is the ability to capture and record aerial video footage and drone photographs. For first time drone pilots and new hobbyists, getting the best results can be a bit challenging. Drones are advanced pieces of technology and, without knowing how to properly use one, you may not be using the tool to its full potential. Here are 5 quick and easy ways to get the most out of your drone.

Drones are perfect in producing high-quality aerial photos and video footage. As a starter, you need to learn and hone your piloting skills in order to perfect the skills needed in capturing high-quality images and video.

For experienced drone flyers, you may do some of the things suggested below already however the tips and suggestions in this article may help you take your hobby to the next level.

Here are our top 5 ways to get the most out of your drone

Scout the location you aim to fly the drone

Before you fly your drone, first of all, do your research on the location.

Drone photography is all about knowing and understanding your surroundings well.

This will help you to know all the essential things that are found in the area, the things you are going to capture (including how to plan to maximise battery time) and the objects you need to avoid.

Google Earth

Google Earth is a useful, free tool that can help you, plan where you will be flying your drone and spot good potential photographs. Google Earth has a 3d function, and hence you will be able to see the area in details. By knowing this, you will know what the best angle and location for each photo will be.

Altitude Angel: Guardian App – App Store & Google Play

Guardian is a companion application for Altitude Angel users offering quick and easy access to essential drone safety data while on the move.

Using your location, Guardian supplements your normal due-diligence activities by displaying no-fly zones and ground hazards for a growing number of countries around the world, completely free of charge.

Altitude Angel: Drone Safety Map

Drone Safety Map spans over 40 countries, providing accurate, real-time online updates to aeronautical and ground hazards; helping you to plan and conduct your drone flights more safely. It’s perfect if you’re planning your flight ahead of time, or if you want to research an area before your flight.

AIRMAP for Drones – App Store & Google Play

Get real-time feedback of airspace rules and conditions pertaining to your flight specifications, with national rulesets for 20 countries, including Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States.

PolarPro Drone Photography app

The PolarPro app is useful to determining the weather, KP Index and windspeed at any given location. It also tells users when the golden hour is so they can plan their shoots better.

Use the autopilot flight modes

New comers to the world of drone photography may find it challenging to use the manually fly comfortably at the same time to control your camera.

However, there are some drones that allow you to pre-plan your flights before you start, and it can complete automate your flight. The beauty with autopilot is that it will enable you to concentrate on your camera work whilst the drones does all the flying.

There are some drone that allow two users to connect to 1 drone. This will enable 1 person to fly whilst the other to control the camera. With this feature, it is best to play up to your skills and allow the better pilot to fly and the better photography to capture.

Plan your shot

Even if the weather is good for drone flying, the secret of capturing a high-quality photo is to shoot an image that has all the right composition.

This is where taking your time and planning comes in. 

Ensuring your drone is in the right place, at the right time will get you better shots (on average) than those who do not pre-plan.

As good drones have a flight period of around 21 to 35 minutes, it’s good to plan on how to capture and take your shots before you take a flight of the drone.

Some people may use the PhotoPills app to help them in planning.

With the app, there is a drone module that will allow you to scout your landscape and help you in planning how to take shots precisely.

With it, you are able to get a field view, and are able to know how the shot will look. The app will also allow you to download some information that you might use later.

Put your focus on specific techniques

One of the best methods of being a skilled drone photographer is to be a master of specific techniques.

It is worth remembering that whilst you can master some techniques, you can’t be the master of everything.

There are various techniques you can learn and be a master in it, for example, long exposure shots, practicing bird’s eye, orbiting, hyperlapses, tilt shift, among other.

When you take your drone out, practice a few specific techniques and get better at them as opposed to trying your hand at everything.

Measure your skills over time by going back and reviewing your photos you have taken.

Make use of the more advanced camera setting

As a first drone user, utilize the default setting.

In most cases, the default method is able to adjust depending on the environment and give out an outstanding performance. But as you become an experienced photographer, you may need to use different settings in order to have a better outcome.

Take your time and experiment in the camera setting.

There are so many drone cameras settings available; you need to adjust your ISO, shutter speed, white balance, among others.

There are drones that have burst, single shot, among others.

Learning how to use all these settings and finding a good environment you can practice is helps These advanced skills can help you with your abilities in drone photography and videography.

Conclusion – top 5 ways to get the most out of your drone

In order to be a professional or an expert drone photographer or videographer, you need to take your time to master the skills required.

Being able to produce quality aerial photos takes time, and it requires a lot of practice.

You will require to learn how to have a perfect shot and be able to control your camera correctly. Put your attention and focus on learning techniques, plan your shot prior to your flight.

It is good to learn how to use the advanced setting on the drone and camera. By doing this am sure you will be able to improve your drone skills and have an image retouching result.

In this article, we have discussed the top 5 ways to get the most out of your drone. There are other tips that you can use. Always ask the drone experts to know more about drone skills.

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Featured image: Thank you to Thiago Japyassu for use of his image via Pexels.