Getting Started Archives

Making the Jump from DJI to DIY

Although I do not consider myself an extremely experienced drone pilot, I have a fair amount of time on the control sticks of several different DJI models, especially from the Mavic line of aircraft. So, when I decided to build my first “DIY” drone last summer so I could better understand the subsystems involved in […]

New FAA Recreational Drone Operator Test

The FAA has announced a list of approved organization to administer a recreational drone test, designed to provide recreational drone pilots with “aeronautical safety knowledge and an overview of the rules for operating drones in the National Airspace System,” says the FAA press release: All recreational flyers must pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test […]

Getting Started in Drone Photography

In this article, I’ll share with you some of my experiences doing drone photography with my new flying camera. I learned on a DJI Mavic Pro, but the principles here apply to any newer camera drone as well. You’ll see how learning to use and fly a drone can help you improve all your photography […]

Augmented Reality: A benefit or a burden for drone operators?

The next time you are out flying, ask yourself: what am I looking at? According to a study by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, there’s a pretty good chance that it isn’t your drone—but augmented reality has the potential to help you do a better job of focusing on your aircraft, which is really important, as this […]

Ready, Set, Launch! 30 pro tips to incorporate drones into your business

Gaining buy-in from your executive team is an essential first step that can make or break any company’s drone program. While a boots on the ground professional or a business manager is interested in new use cases, increased efficiency, hiring pilots, and processing data, your executives may not care about any of those things until […]

ABCs of UAS

Whether you’re dealing with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) or a RPIC (Remote Pilot In Command), it’s important to know what the dozens of acronyms in U.S. aerospace mean. Here’s a rundown of the most common ones you’ll come across. AAO: Acronym for “Authorized Area of Operation” A volume of airspace that will require aircraft […]

Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia
f2.2—1/13s—ISO 200
My mission here was to capture the beautiful contrasting colors and textures of the lily pads, water, and wharf. Hence, I decided to elevate the drone to about 45 to 60 feet as it allowed me encapsulate every part of the scene I wanted to. It also helped me crop out other potential distractions, such as grassy banks, that could have crept into the scene. Cropping out the grassy banks also added a dark sense of mystery. I also tilted the frame by positioning the wharf at 45 degrees just to break the overall horizontality of the composition.

The Art of a Drone Selfie

Generally speaking, I always thought of selfies as being harmless fun. However, the idea of people becoming obsessed with the manufacturing of their own self-portraits came across as somewhat narcissistic. Because of that I always steered away from taking pictures of myself, and never in a million years would I have imagined writing a feature […]

Starting a Drone Service Business – Ten fundamental steps to success

There are few events in your professional life more rewarding than starting your own business. The ability to take an idea and grow it into a thriving entity is a dream many people share. Unlike some business endeavors that require large amounts of capital or extensive training, drones offer a chance for anyone to become […]

Night Photography 101

Once you receive your daylight waiver from the FAA, no doubt you will be anxious to exercise your hard-won privilege. Night-time aerial photography is a great way to begin your exploration into darkness while capturing some dramatic images that you can add to your portfolio. From a photographer’s perspective, the key difference between day and […]

Free webinar: Improve Photogrammetric Workflow

SimActive’s 8.6 version of its photogrammetry software Correlator3D has many new features, such as the use of intensity data from LAS files for image registration, the ability to improve mosaic seamlines with a DSM and the support of DJI sun sensors. This free, 1-hour webinar will teach users how to: – Use LiDAR intensity for […]