Drone Photography
It is only just a few years ago that what we now commonly call drones were first put on the market. The tech behind them and the cameras they carry has progressed rapidly, and are so common now to the point of becoming accessible to the general population, evolving into a common travel accessory or even Christmas gift for all age ranges!
1. How do they work?
The most common model is the quadcopter, a helicopter with four rotary blades; two which rotate clockwise and two which rotate anti-clockwise. This enables the drone to fly in all directions; forwards, backwards, upwards, downwards and also to successfully hover depending on which which blades are activated. These drones can carry many types of cameras such standard photographic cameras of various resolutions, infrared cameras and NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) cameras. The cameras are mounted on gimbals (pivoted supports) which stabilise it and ensure smooth footage. The drone is controlled via a remote control panel with a screen which relays what the camera is capturing to the pilot.
2. How to hire drone photography and filming services?
In the UK, in order for a professional drone service to be legal, the pilot or company is required to be registered and licensed for operation on an annual basis with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). They must also hold the relevant insurance policy for drone work. Part of our requirement as a drone company in the UK is to assess the location of a potential service and carry out a pre-flight risk assessment, as such, for drone work to be carried out we need as much information as possible regarding the location. When contacting us for a quote please send us the postcode and further detail regarding the exact location.
3. How much does it cost?
Following on from our previous point, the location very much defines the costs involved as flight restrictions will be one of the factors that influences it. When contacting us for a quote please inform as much detail as possible about your location. We will then proceed to assess the airspace for flight restrictions and the area in general for any obstacles or sensitivies, etc. This will help us provide you with an accurate quote and help us plan for your every requirement.
4. What kind of photographs and videos can be produced.
Drone cameras have improved in leaps and bounds over in a relatively short period of time enabling us to provide the client with excellent images. This is not only achieved by the high quality hardware itself, but also through a broad experience of how to use the tools available to plan and frame a shoot effectively. Our cameras currently capture 5K, 20MP images which are then edited in Adobe Lightroom to bring out their best in terms of light and colour. Please see the drone filming section regarding video footage.
Once the photos are captured we transfer them to our workstations, revise them and select. These are then edited and presented to the client. Photographic software can help us make corrections, improvements and readjustments that the camera due to certain limitations cannot capture and reproduce directly.
Our drone photography is used for surveys, mapping, promotional content and sales for print media as well as for screen. Feel free to contact us and find out how we can help with your project.