By now, you’ve seen tons of amazing aerial footage captured by drones for corporate and commercial videos. The camera flies effortlessly delivering amazing vistas and panoramas. We can see facilities, buildings and landscapes from angles that were rarely available before drones exploded onto the market. And, by shooting from a drone, we can capture imagery that, until recently, was far too costly for most video budgets. Drones make capturing this footage very affordable – so much so, that it is unusual to find a program today that does not feature aerial imagery.
Drones are incredibly popular – and not just for aerial photography. Soon you’ll be able to order a pizza and have it delivered to your home by a drone! The FAA estimates that the number of drones in the US will top 7 million by 2020. That’s a lot of aircraft flying around. So, as you can imagine, the FAA has put regulations in place to make sure that drones are used safely and responsibly.
Here are a few things to consider before producing your next aerial masterpiece:
- All drones weighing more than .55 lbs. must be registered with the FAA. If your drone is NOT registered you may be subject to the legal consequences defined in the U.S. Government drone regulation terms. Find out more about registering a drone.
- All commercial drone pilots must have passed the FAA pilot test and possess a UAV pilot license to operate a drone for commercial purposes. This includes Commercial aerial photography. Get more information about commercial drone operation.
- It’s a good idea to make sure your pilot/photographer has adequate liability insurance to cover any damages caused by a misbehaving drone during your shoot. Drone crashes are rare but having good insurance will let you fly with peace of mind.
At Moxie CCA we have been shooting aerials for several years. It has become one of the most enjoyable assignments we receive from our clients. We have a fully licensed and insured pilot and our drone is registered with the FAA.
We’d love to talk with you about how aerials can enhance your video productions.