How to get started with aerial videography

For any amateur aerial videographer the first thing that they need to keep in mind that a footage will be phenomenal only if it is smooth and stable.

To get a smooth flawless stable footage the two accessories that are a must are:

• Gimbal: When the rotation of an object is done about a single axis, it is supported by a pivot known as gimbal. To be at level, the sensor on the camera always sends signal to the gimbal.
• Prop Balancer: When the propellers are not balanced you get a wobbly or jello footage. To avoid such situations prop balancers can be used.

Gimbal

After building a sustainable setup, it is very crucial to master some common aerial videography pans to get that phenomenal scene filmed.

Some common but very efficient aerial videography pans are as follows:

Birds Eye

This is an excellent pan for the beginners. The working principle is that the camera will point straight downwards and it can either fly around a certain area or it can slowly spin and go upwards giving the feel that you are looking at something from above.

Side-Slide

In this pan at the beginning of the shoot the object remains at one end and slowly the camera moves to the side in the same direction so that the object goes across your screen. This is known as “Strafe” in gaming.

Fly-Through

In this pan you are shooting video by flying through a gap. To master this pan you have to have skills of using FPV.

Orbits

This pan is the trickiest pans of all for the aerial videographer. You need to keep the object at middle and then move around it maintaining the same distance and motion speed.

To get a smooth flawless image you need to use balanced propellers, gimbals and marvelous vibration dampening.

Flying through the shot

Flying through the shot means that the video recording and the flight path start prior to your shot and end after your shot has been taken.

It is known as “Handles” in animation work and VFX (visual effects).

The biggest problem for an aerial videographer editor is that they do not get enough space before and after the shot to edit. This can be solved using the flying through the shot technology.

First person view (FVP)

FVP is a system where you can transmit the live video from your drone to the special screens attached to your transmitter in the ground. So you can constantly keep an eye on where your drone is heading.

Unfavorable weather conditions

Avoid unfavorable weather conditions. Shooting aerial video in the sun is a big NO. If you shoot the video in the direction of sun, the propellers of your UAVs might cast shadows in the video.

Always remember to clean your lens before take-off as dust may be accumulated there and direct contact with the sun might reflect the dust on the lens in your video.

It is advisable to fly the drone when the wind speed is under 7-9 knots or 8-10 mph. and not greater than 15-20 knots or 17-23 mph.

If there is humidity in air then it is best not to fly.

Planning the shots beforehand

Survey the area beforehand that you are about to shoot using your drone. That way you can about obstacles and locate the spots with great potentials.

Direct line-of-sight

A direct line-of-sight should be established.

You should establish a direct line of sight if you’re not an expert in FPV.

It is always easier for the amateurs if they fly their drones straight in a line either towards them or away from them.

Avoid overshooting flight time

You must be smart with how you use your flight time. Before the flight, you must always check if it’s fully charged. Always try to land your UAVs keeping at least 1 minute at hand.