The First Things You’ll Learn When You Buy A Drone

There is no doubt about it, drones have become an integral part of many photographers kit list. They offer never before opportunities of being able to capture angles and locations that were not possible before. If used sensibly and safely drones have the potential to deliver some of the most truly stunning photos that you would be able to take. But buying a drone and using it is a big investment and requires some level of learning. In time you will be able to use your drone more effectively and you will be sure to learn a lot in those first few flights that you have. So here are 6 things that you will learn when you first start using a drone.

Your first flight will be scary

Regardless of what you think you know about drones, it is natural to be a little bit apprehensive on your first flight. In fact, it’s probably a good thing to ensure that you are keeping safe and not injuring people or even damaging your own drone. The first flight that you take with your drone is going to be scary and you are probably going to be keeping things simple and safe. That’s not a bad thing so don’t feel like you have to push your drone to its limit in its first flight. Use that first time to get a handle of things and understand how the drone controls work. Then when you slowly build more confidence in yourself you will be able to go higher or further away.

It will be over quickly

Drone batteries don’t last very long and so what you will notice very quickly on your first flight is how fast the battery runs out. So it’s a good idea (if you can afford), to invest in a couple of spare batteries. These will allow you to fly a little bit longer rather than having to constantly charge your battery which can take some time. This will allow you to be able to practice for more extended periods of time to become more accustomed to the drone and its controls.

But remember that your maximum flight time on each flight will still be relatively short as batteries will only last for a short period of time. So you will have to land your drone and change the battery to lift off again. Also, keep in mind that flying in strong winds and cold temperatures will drain the battery of your drone even faster than normal. So those spare batteries can come in really handy.

You still need to compose your image

Even though drones can give you never before seen shots, you will still need to use your own photography knowledge to be able to compose your shots carefully. Just getting higher in the sky will not give you a good shot. You have to use the same techniques as you would do for photography on the ground and compose your image to get the best shot possible. So before lifting off, try to have the shot in your mind that you would like to take so that you can spend less time flying around looking for the composition and capture the shots that you want to take quickly without having to waste battery power.

Mishaps will happen

No matter how careful you are when you first start flying your drone there is a possibility that mishaps will happen. So it’s really important that your first few flights are conducted in a safe environment away from people, animals, vehicles, buildings and roads. This will allow you to get a handle on things to ensure you know what to do if something does go wrong midflight. For example, on one of my first flights with my drone, my controller lost connection with the drone. This did set a little bit of panic inside me. However, by keeping calm and returning the drone to home (as was indicated on the controller) and restarting the app I was able to gain control of the drone again and land safely. Fortunately, on this occasion, the mishap was only a lost connection for a few seconds. Once I got reconnected to the drone I was able to land the drone safely as I was on a beach very early in the morning by myself. So try to learn what to do and how to react if things do go wrong because at some point they might do.

It doesn’t always mean high

One of the things that you quickly realise when you have a drone is that you don’t necessarily always have to fly it incredibly high to capture great photos. One of the best attributes of a drone is that allows you to get shots From the same level that you’re standing on but from just a different angle. For example, you may be standing on the clifftop and to get that perfect shot you just need to be a little bit closer to the edge or even over the edge. A drone allows you to be able to capture the shots like this without risking your life or in other cases where it may not be possible at all. You quickly realise when you’re flying a drone that sometimes it’s just a slight change of angle is needed rather than the height that can make all the difference.

These are just some of the things that you will experience on your first few weeks of owning a drone. Drones are a great new tool for photographers. If used correctly and safely they can provide wonderful photos that would not be possible with a normal camera. Pay attention to the points above and you’ll be prepared for your early drone experience.

Photo credits: Kav Dadfar – All rights reserved. No usage without permission.