Ever since man invented the camera he has been attaching it
to things that go up. First it was
balloons and kites, next came airplanes and rockets.
Today’s preferred method of attaining airborne pictures and video is by using unmanned airborne vehicles (UAVs) commonly known as drones.
Today’s preferred method of attaining airborne pictures and video is by using unmanned airborne vehicles (UAVs) commonly known as drones.
Whether they weigh five pounds or fifty pounds, drones have
taken aerial photography to places and uses never dreamed of as little as a
couple of years ago. Their relative low
cost and the dizzying array of different models make them ideal for big studio
and independent filmmakers alike. They
have been utilized in action films, dramas, nature films, real estate virtual tours;
the list goes on and on. It seems film
makers find new and exciting uses for UAV’s extraordinary abilities almost
every day. What is it that makes these
little machines so popular and useful to the modern movie maker?
Film makers and videographers are constantly on the lookout
for new and different angles, platforms and methods to convey their work to an
audience that is both previously unseen and awe inspiring. Drones seem to fit this ticket to a “t”. Drones provide a quiet, precise platform for
both still and video cameras. Equipped
with the proper camera and gimbals stabilizer the images produced are both high
quality and rock steady. Not to imply
that drones will ever completely take the place of jibs, booms and cranes but
they are edging in on the more traditional aerial platform’s territory. With modern drone technology making steady
leaps who knows but what they won’t eventually be used for all types of “upward”
photography.
One area where drones are particularly well suited is in
nature photography. The ability to fly alongside
migratory birds without disturbing them is well documented. These images can give the viewer
unprecedented viewpoints and can provide an almost unreal feeling of actually
being there. Observing cliff dwelling birds, hovering near
nests, the list goes on and on.
What about the law in all of this? Well, as of this writing, it’s pretty much
the Wild West out there. Technically if
you are going to fly a drone for commercial purposes you have to have a
registration “license” and adhere to several, mostly common sense rules. This has many similarities to another attempt
made back in the late 70’s by the Federal Government through the Federal
Communications Commission to regulate and license users of CB (Citizens Band)
radios. Very few people applied and
millions of cb radios were soon in use prompting the FCC to abandon its attempt
to “license” these devices and those who used them. Massive fail.
This may well turn out to be the fate for the Federal Government’s
attempt to regulate drones, both recreational and commercial.
However it all shakes out, one thing is certain, drones or
UAV’s are here to stay and their place in film and video will continue to grow
and give viewers interesting and often breathtaking views that would otherwise
be impossible. The genie is out of the
bottle and it’s magical potential is just now becoming a reality, a reality of
unlimited potential… Keep ‘em flyin’
Seekers!
