Drone or not to Drone, that is the question!

dslrtraveller · Feb 16, 2016

Hey guys,

totally new here so firstly hello.. I am Jesse and im a youtuber. I have seen seeing a lot of drone footage on instagram and youtube and I am really tempted to buy one. I have some money saved and I can afford to buy the DJI Phantom 3 4K WiFi Quadcopter

Before I invest in something like this I would like some expert opinions from people who have handled drones before. How long does is take to get the hang of it? Is there a big risk of an accident where I could damage my drone? How high can these really fly?

As a note, I have been into cinematography since I was 14 and I can say I am very good with cameras and get the hang of things fast. I have just never used a drone before and am very tempted to buy one but need some expert opinions before I do.

Look forward to hearing you honest replies

J

dslrtraveller · Feb 18, 2016

No one has an any opinion on this subject??????

Kim Welch · Feb 18, 2016

Go to the NAB show in April. It's in Vegas and lasts for a week. If you want to go let me know. I have four conference passes I would be happy to share. They have all the new drones at the show and you can test fly them and they can answer all your questions there. Best of luck with all your drone project.

tavisnortham · Feb 19, 2016

Personally I have no experience with drones, but the guys at a studio I worked at for a little bit had one and just never used it. I can't tell you anything about the operation but I can pass on their advice. Think wisely before you purchase one. They said that they didn't hate the footage they got from their drone, it was just a look that they did not need a whole lot of the time and used it on maybe 2-3 projects.

FilmJobs · Feb 21, 2016

I am not an expert on drones by any means, but I can tell you that a lot will depend on what your intended use is. For instance, I have a buddy in the film business that owns a couple drones and I have been out on shoots with him. He doesn't do much with them on the film side of things, but he has made is way in the aerial videography/photography for real estate and is killing it! There is a high demand, at least in some parts of the US, for aerial videography. I would say that it took him about a month to really get the hang of it. He's comfortable flying, but never too comfortable if you know what I mean.

As far as risk, I would say it's high. The friend (mentioned above) has lost one due to loss of signal and ended up in the water never to be recovered. Really learning how to fly it is certainly going to help in reducing that risk, but there are factors that are beyond your control: sudden wind gusts, loss of signal, etc. That being said, his business has really taken off and the cost to replace the drone did not break the bank.

There are other legal factors that you'll want to research beforehand as well, as drone flying has become pretty heavily regulated in some areas. There are certainly height restrictions that come in to play, as well as proximity to local airports.

All in all, there is a demand. It's just about your intended use and the research you do prior to making the investment.

-Mike

Kim Welch · Jun 25, 2016

Did you buy the DJI Phantom 3 4K WiFi Quadcopter drone? After heavy rains I went to the White Rock spillway here in Dallas and there was a guy flying a drone over the spillway and the lake behind it. I am not sure if he was with a TV station or if he was just getting the footage for himself or for other professional reasons. He did everything very quickly and then left in a few minutes. Best of luck with your Ariel endeavors.