Getting your very first drone and going on your first drone photography flight is always an exciting event for any photographer. You have the opportunity to explore an entirely new perspective your drone and your skills. However, one of the primary things that you should be keeping an eye for when shooting your aerial photography is your drone.
After all, you can’t exactly shoot drone photography without a drone. It’s very important that you practice certain safety tips to keep your drone safe from any damage. Here are some tips that you can keep in mind when shooting drone photography to make sure that your drone doesn’t come to any sort of damage.
Pre-flight checklist
Having a pre-flight checklist is always a good practice to maintain when taking your drone out to fly. If there are any issues with your drone, it’s important that you manage to catch these before you take off.
Flying a damaged drone puts it at risk of incurring even more damage. Make sure that you check the shell of the drone for any cracks, the propellers for any bent blades, and make sure that the batteries are fully charged for the flight.
The last thing that you want is your drone failing mid-flight because of battery drainage. Before you take off for your flight, hover your drone in one spot for about a minute just to make sure that everything is okay.
Mid-flight safety
During the actual flight, make sure that you adhere to your area’s local drone laws and regulations. These are in place to guarantee the safety of your drone, you, and any bystanders that may find themselves in the area. Make sure that you’re flying in an open area where it’s easy to keep your drone within your line of sight.
Flying in an area that has plenty of obstacles like trees and rocks increases the risk of crashing your drone. As much as possible, make sure that you practice your flight maneuvers beforehand so that you’re confident with your flight skills before trying anything too complicated.
When taking your drone out for a flight, make sure that you keep an eye out on the battery indicator to make sure that the battery level doesn’t get too low. Give yourself at least 5 minutes of battery life to bring your drone back.
After-flight safety
After your drone photography flight, give your drone a once-over to see if any damage was done to it during the flight. Afterward, make sure that you detach all accessories and the battery from the drone for proper storage. Keep your drone and its accessories in its case or in a cool, dry area until its next flight.