The UAV market is exploding.  It is the wild west out there.  The FAA is trying to come up with standards and procedures for the technology that has outpaced them.  With the incredible accessibility of drones, corporate video makers have found a new tool to add to their arsenal.

What drone footage gives you, is a point of view seldom seen from a camera mounted on a tripod, five feet up from the ground.  The drone hits the sweet spot– 10 fee to about 60 feet– for unique visuals.  But just because a video producer has a drone, doesn’t mean they can fly it well.  Drone work still requires an artist’s touch.

We are finding that some producers simply jerk the drone around in the air, moving it here and there, and not really getting the full production value.  Can you dolly the drone right, while rotating left, to keep that company sign in the correct framing?

R3D Solo DroneThe biggest issue with all the drone work is safety.  While SFilms carries liability insurance specifically for drone work, many companies simply don’t.  It seems every day we’re hearing another story about a close call with someone drone operator flying a Phantom up at 1,500 feet in the approach lanes of a nearby airport.  (Hey Drone Operators– the coolest shots are not usually those high ones, it’s the ones in the sweet spot.)

The FAA is rumored to be working on new standards for UAV commercial operators.  Sounds like there will be some licensing of operators, requirements for flying like staying below 500 feet, staying 5 miles away from airports, not flying over people, etc.  I just hope the foolish operators don’t create cause to setup more harsh flying parameters.

The drone is an incredible tool for the corporate filmmaker.  Giving huge production value for those who know how to do it.  If you need any consultation on drone work, give us a call.  We have flown everything from the small quadcopters to the large octocopters that can carry Reds and other motion picture quality cameras.  Currently, we just added the R3D Solo to our fleet (joining several DJI phantom’s).