Aerial photography has gone mainstream. Before, only professional photographers are able to take aerial shots of landscapes, events, real estate, etc. but now that everyone practically owns a drone, they can take stunning photos from the air with just a click of a button. In 2016, hobbyists purchased 2.2 million personal and commercial drone units. That number will multiply in the next couple of years.
But before you make a run to the park with your drones, make sure you’ve got this handy checklist with you:
Bring more micro SD cards
Some photographers decide to bring higher-capacity SD cards. Don’t go this way because even if the SD cards can store a lot of photos, depending on one SD card is dangerous for the whole project.
When the card gets corrupted, the whole project will be compromised. Instead, bring more SD cards, so you can save more photos in different storage locations. If one SD card gets corrupted, only the photos saved in that card will be affected.
Plan your route before the flight
This is an easily overlooked step for first-time pilots, but it is important to plan your route before you fly for aerial photography. Before making your first flight, you need to check your route. Will it be in the park? Will there be any obstructions?
Will there be buildings, landmarks, and trees that could obstruct the view? Pay special attention to the position of the sun during your flights because lighting subjects are one of the first important lessons that photographers need to learn.
Charge all the batteries
Your drones are not the only ones that would need a change of batteries during the flight. The camera batteries can get discharged, too, as well as the batteries in the lights, the mics, the laptops, the remote controls, and the transmitters. If your equipment is not battery-equipped, you need to check if there are electrical sockets in the venue where you can plug in your equipment.
Check new laws and regulations
It’s wonderful to see people adapting to this new drone hobby, but that interest has also garnered a lot of attention from lawmakers. As drones become more popular and ubiquitous, rules and regulations are continually being adapted to tighten the monitoring of its use. Every year, regulations are being more complex
Yes, it is an exciting new hobby and for some, it may even be a career. However, like any artistic medium, there are many lessons to be learned and creativity waiting to be discovered.