Is filming with a drone worth it? Find out if it’s right for you

You have certainly seen videos made with drones either on YouTube or in professional and movie productions.

Increasingly common and popular in the market, drone filming is a great alternative for audiovisual producers or entrepreneurs who want to include images with a unique aesthetics in their videos.

But is it worth it and does it fit your business’ goals? Do you know where to start? 

If you don’t, this article is for you! We’ll answer these questions and more. 

What are the benefits of drone filming?

Drone filming offers a unique perspective that definitely sets it apart. From beautiful, hard-to-access landscapes, to tracking objects, the possibilities are endless. 

Though aerial images have been popular for quite some time, only a few years ago they have become accessible to pretty much any person to take. And that is precisely due to drones.

Here are a few of  the advantages of using drones:

1. Reduced cost

If we compare how aerial video was filmed in the past with drone filming, the cost has dropped dramatically.

Years ago, you could only film from an aerial perspective with helicopters.

Now, imagine the cost of renting a helicopter for a few hours. Saying it was expensive is an understatement. And it is still practically inaccessible. With drones, the cost per hour is much lower, even if you need to hire someone to make these images for you.

2. Mobility

Once again, let’s consider helicopters for the sake of comparison. It’s impossible to use this means of transportation to access restricted areas or even get closer to the ground in order to capture images.

With drones, you can film close to the surface, in addition to having the possibility of making it fly within confined spaces, which ensures a new angle for traditional images.

3. New perspectives

We’re not used to the angles of aerial images, although drones are becoming increasingly popular.

This is because a drone’s perspective is extremely different from our own angle of vision, which makes the images catch the attention of viewers.

4. Versatility

When filming with a drone, you can use it with various types of content, such as institutional videos that show a company’s structure, landscapes to complement travel records, among others.

In addition, it’s possible to provide services with your drone for photographers and videographers at sports and social events, for example, such as providing image bank material.

What are the drone models for creating good videos?

If you’ve ever researched drone filming, you’ve certainly realized that there are many options on the market for all tastes and budgets.

Bearing this in mind, we’ve listed 3 great drone models:

1. DJI Mavic 2 Pro

Well known in the market, it’s hard to make a list of the best drones and not include the latest DJI Mavic series model — the main manufacturer of this type of equipment.

The Mavic 2 Pro has pretty much all the features that a drone can have, including a Hasselblad-quality camera, which has the best cameras on the market.

Productive, powerful and quite portable, the Mavic 2 can identify objects on all sides, recognize obstacles and avoid accidents.

In addition, it also produces 10-bit color 4K images, ensuring over 10 billion colors more than the previous model. It is without question, the best drone on the market in 2019 – and its price is compatible with its features: around USD 1,250.00.

2. DJI Spark

If you want a drone to make great photos and competent Full-HD videos, the DJI Spark is an excellent choice.

Not only is it extremely compact (it can fit in your pocket!), it also has gesture-based features. Therefore, the Spark is a great option for those who want to make casual videos. It is also more affordable: around USD 400.00.

3. Yuneec Breeze

If you’re interested in both the models above, but want a cheaper option that is still capable of making good videos, then the Yuneec Breeze is the best choice for you. It’s easy to control, durable and has a 4K camera. The Breeze is commercially available for around USD 299.00.

How do I make good videos with drones?

There’s no use in having the best equipment if you don’t know how to handle it correctly. That’s why we’ve listed 5 tips so you can create excellent films with your drone.

1. Explore perspectives

With the drone’s moving camera, you can create images by directing the camera straight down in a right angle. However, you can also choose to film at a softer angle, which completely changes how people will perceive your video.

2. Be careful while flying

When you fly your drone, you should be very familiar with the equipment. Controls, speed, wind balance, and all directly influence in the quality of your drone filming.

Ideally, you should maintain a constant rhythm when moving it, without sharp turns or exaggerated high speeds.

3. Use a filter on your lens

Nowadays you can find several accessories for your drone’s camera. Filters, for example, make all the difference in the final quality of the images. Using a polarizing filter helps make the sky bluer, in addition to removing sun glare on the water.

The neutral density (ND) filter on the other hand, is ideal for those who use manual controls and need to reduce the image capturing speed, for example.

4. Choose interesting subjects

If you aren’t filming anything specific, try to include an interesting subject in your drone filming, such as city traffic, wildlife movements or simply a landscape that catches the audience’s attention.

5. Pay attention to post production

Drone images are never 100% perfect and never come out of the camera ready to be used.

Therefore, remember to edit your scenes carefully, thus increasing their attraction potential. If you use a coloring profile on your films, remember to also apply it to the images made with the drone.

Are you ready to start filming with your drone?

It’s safe to say that drones are great for audiovisual production, right?

There are many possibilities to boost your videos and even your business. Being able to create videos from a unique perspective has never been easier!

Now that you know more about how and why you should create films with a drone, how about checking out our article on How to use YouTube SEO to attract visibility for your videos.