Drone filming can bring a new dimension to every project. Whether it’s enhancing your story with an overview of your location, travelling fast and low over large sites, or capturing images that would otherwise be difficult or even dangerous to reach, a qualified and experienced drone pilot can do it.
We’ve surveyed housing developments and construction sites, created a ball’s-eye view of golf courses, filmed wind turbines up close, and flown from offshore oil rigs and fishing boats. We’ve even captured a famous musician on the beach. Whatever your story, aerial filming gives your audience the bigger picture.
Drones have now become affordable and easily available. But it’s not good enough to just go out and fly; there are a number of important safety concerns to bear in mind before you take can off.
Is drone filming easy?
Flying a drone has numerous hazards to consider: obstacles, like pylons, tall buildings, powerlines, TV masts and cranes; weather conditions (drones can’t fly in the rain or in high wind); and then there are the strict regulations controlled by the Civil Aviation Authority. And if you’re flying over private land, you should have permission from the landowner. You may also need to publish a flight plan. It is also good practice for the pilot to go out with an observer, who will check for hazards while the pilot concentrates on getting good shots.
How do I capture drone shots?
The best way to do it safely is to use a properly qualified drone filming company, like Signal in Aberdeen. But there are other reasons for engaging a qualified and experienced film company for aerial filming and photography.
Assuming you have the gear and a qualified pilot, that is still no guarantee that your footage will be any good. Drone filming is an art and requires an understanding of the whole film making process, and how each shot will fit into the overall programme. Unfortunately, many amateur pilots don’t shoot enough material, don’t hold on images for long enough, or rush shots. Smooth shots are essential and video editors love to have options.
What’s our approach?
Signal use a DJI Mavic 3 Cine drone to provide aerial filming and photography services in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, as well as all over the UK, to enhance a production or for inspection and surveying purposes. The Mavic 3 Cine is our preferred drone because it’s so portable and has some great features for every shoot. It’s 5.1K camera and 3-axis gimbal provide excellent stability and image quality to get beautiful cinematic shots. We recently completed a project where our aerial shots would be overlaid with graphics indicating the position of a major construction project. We pre-planned every shot and went to great lengths to ensure that every shot would work with the CGI to be created.
Signal’s CAA qualified drone pilots, shoot 4K, or even up to 5.1K resolution aerial video and photography, and came to drone filming as experienced filmmakers, used to conventional filming with professional land-based cameras. We are also fully qualified for filming offshore (including BOSIET offshore survival and firefighting certification).
So, if you want to reach new heights and shoot unique angles give us a call!
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Want to know more about our drone capabilities, click here.