The web has been flooded with aerial photographs that take your breath away. The least they usually cause is a «Woooow!” And it is that they are so fascinating that it is difficult not to succumb to their charm. A few years ago, achieving aerial photography was only within the reach of a privileged few who took to the skies. Now, with drones, everything is much easier and more affordable. In fact, it has become so popular that finding these photos is almost our daily bread. Although, let’s face it, they still amaze us, right?
And that makes you terribly want to get hold of a drone, of which there are many types and prices, and start capturing snapshots from above.
From here we encourage you to do so. It can become an incredible task that you enjoy a lot. Now, better read these tips first because if you don’t, the flight experience can turn into a nosedive. In a figurative and also literal sense.
Legislation
I will start here because I think it is one of the most important points and the one that is probably least thought about. And not taking it into account can bring you much more serious problems than not achieving the photograph you want.
Before flying any drone, it is important that you know what they are the laws that regulate airspace and the use of drones. For example, in Spain, this issue is regulated by the AESA (State air safety agency). Here is a short summary of the rules in this country.
Each country has its own regulation, in some it is more restrictive or more advanced in terms of implementation, in others they are still working on it, there are others with more loopholes, etc. For this reason, it is very important that, before launching to fly a drone, you find out what the laws or regulations of the place where you intend to do it are. Whether you go to take pictures with him or not ;).
On the other hand, and as you can see in the previous image, it is not the same whether you are going to give it a recreational or professional use. When informing you, keep this in mind.
Before continuing, I am going to make a small clarification, because you have probably read about RPAS and you are wondering what it means:
- Drone: colloquial way of calling any unmanned ship.
- UAVs: “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” or what is the same, unmanned aerial vehicle (autonomous or remotely piloted). When it includes its associated system it is called UAS.
- RPA: “Remotely Piloted Aircraft”, remotely piloted aerial vehicles. If it includes the associated system (such as the control station) it is called RPAS.
This is merely informative, in case you see the acronym and you don’t know what it refers to, you don’t need to get a master’s degree on the subject either ;).
Security
Security is closely linked to the previous point. You you are responsible for your drone and any damage you may cause with it, personal or material. That is why it is very important to respect the rules and be extremely careful.
What drone do I buy?
Once you are clear that you have to start taking safety and regulations into account, you can start thinking about which drone to use to take your photographs from the air.
This topic is also worth thinking about a bit, because as much as it gives you the budget to spend 500 euros on a drone, to begin with, it is highly recommended that you buy a cheap drone to practice with and that it does not hurt if you crash it. Because this is very likely to happen if you have no experience. Then, if you like them and you get the hang of remote flight, you can jump into another device that better meets your technical requirements in terms of photography.
my first drone
Potensic Mini Drone. Small and light, quite resistant to falling and easy to use. Battery life about 5 minutes. Ideal for higher flyers youths.
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1 new since €60.810 2nd hand
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Syma X5C. Cheap, easy to repair and find spare parts. The battery has a little more autonomy than the previous one and it is also easy to handle. In terms of price quality, the relationship is unbeatable. Video duration approximately 10 minutes.
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2 new since €68.090 2nd hand
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one more step
You are going to keep it out of the reach of children, it is not the first thing you fly, you want the application in Spanish and you are looking for value for money. Watch this:
DJI Ryze. Very good stability, it can be flown indoors and it records photo and video, although it does not have a memory card.
From Dji (Designer)
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9 new since €109.0017 2nd hand from €77.32
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Advanced users
Once you’ve practiced with a cheap drone and crashed it a few times, if you’re still bitten, want more and the budget is tight, check out one of these:
Potensic T25 GPS Drone. auto return and follow function, camera of 1080P, or 9 axis gyrospace.
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You save: €4.15 (3%)
4 new since €161.590 2nd hand
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Professional level
Ok, you already have the controlled flight, you are an experienced crew member and, furthermore, for whatever reasons, you need professional quality. Your drone may be one of these:
DJI Mavic Pro Fly More Combo. 3-axis stabilizer, 4K video at 30 fps, easy to use. 12 MP camera that also shoots in RAW. Maximum speed of 64 Km / h, flies up to 7 km. A marvel.
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0 new1 2nd hand from €699.00
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DJI Mavic Pro. About 30 minutes of flight, stabilized camera that records videos in 4k. It is the favorite of many photographers and filmmakers. If you want to record on video this is probably one of your best options.
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0 new2 2nd hand from €599.00
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0 new2 2nd hand from €599.00
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These are just some ideas, search compare and find yours. But remember that the most expensive is not always the best, but rather the one that meets your needs while adapting to your budget. You don’t want to start the house from the roof 😉 .
photography tips
Now some general tips to introduce you to the world of the drone.
- As I have already told you, when buying, it is better first to buy a cheaper one to practice and not give you a heart attack if it crashes and you run out of it.
- If you have the option, get a battery pack, the flights do not last long and you may be left wanting more.
- Practice a lot before trying to achieve a good photograph, you will first have to concentrate all your energy on flying, then on flying and taking the photo.
- It is not necessary to risk with a pilotage to the top gunyou will achieve better snapshots if you ride smooth.
- Avoid, of course, the rain.
- Before flying, please clean the glass.
- Clouds at a medium height will be your best allies.
- Try to give depth to your photos by photographing elements in different planes.
- Try aerial photos, as long as your drone’s camera allows it.
- Whenever you can shoot in RAW.
- Take care of the composition of the image as in any other type of photography.
- Plan to take into account the sun or its position and the weather.
- Study the place first.
- Remember to review the rules and legislation.
- Get inspired, here’s a little appetizer.
- Be careful with the shadow of the drone ;), unless you want to include it in the photo for something… That’s why planning is essential.
- Also try low-flying, a way to differentiate yourself from aerial photography that can be achieved from a helicopter or similar that can’t go too low. In the middle point is virtue 😉 .
- Try to convey emotions and sensations, harmony, chaos, loneliness…
- Try to achieve compositions based on color, geometry, look for abstract photos, patterns, lines, textures, symmetries, contrasts, shapes…