Understanding Professional Drone Photographers

[leafeox]

Hi drone photographers,

I would like to understand more about pre-flight checklist as a drone photographer, from both commercial and recreational perspective, for research purposes. And it would be great if you could help me by answering the following 4 questions:

1. Do you customise your drone for cosmetics purposes? (E.g. pasting stickers, spray paint, etc)
2. Do you plan your drone's flight pathto ensure it has sufficient battery to fly forth and return "home", and has time to photograph / video?
   1. For those who said yes, which software/app do you use and why
   2. For those who doesn't plan their flight, explain why.
3. What are the common challenges you face as a drone photographer? Please elaborate. (e.g. insufficient battery level, wind speeds and direction, etc)
4. Do you share your drone photos/videos? If so, which platform?

Thank you so much for your time

 

[UpperAerialVision]

1. The only stickers i place on the drone are the registration numbers and Velcro for anti collision lights. (Night Flights) I do plan on placing the company name on it eventually.

2. I plan my drones take offs landings and flight paths to ensure I’m not ever flying over people or into structures.
A) When using automated flights I use Ground station Pro. Or Drone Deploy/Pix4d for mapping. Flights are always planned for risk assessment and risk mitigation regardless of automation or manual.

3. Common challenges vary depending on location. In the Mojave desert it was wind, in urban areas its people distraction. In power plants it magnetic interference. (Risk Mitigation)

4. I only share drone media captured that will not be used for inspection. Most of my shares are from leisure flights or practice. Never close imaging of infrastructure. Maybe just the extras.

 

[The Editor]

Do we really need this on the commercial platform?

Reminder....
Community Rules

• 10. NO SPAM! Our user base is not a resource to be "mined" by individuals, groups, or businesses, for profit or not for profit. Participants (excluding paid advertisers) may not post affiliate links or links to direct others to any pages at their own commercial website or website in which they have a commercial interest.
• 
  11. Do not use posts to promote your blog, website, videos, YouTube page or similar. You may place a single link in your signature to an outside website. Additionally... surveys, promotions, fund raising for drones, contests & raffles are prohibited anywhere on the forum including signatures.

 

[leafeox]

Do we really need this on the commercial platform?

I need validation for my hypothesis. It is hard for my to learn more about the challenges of flying drones for commercial uses from a commercial drone pilot. Despite the multiple articles from drone companies, I am unable to fully understand the problems faced as a certified drone pilot.

 

[Fred Garvin]

Understandable....but just because you “need” it is not a justification for violating the Community Rules.

 

[The Editor]

I need validation for my hypothesis. It is hard for my to learn more about the challenges of flying drones for commercial uses from a commercial drone pilot. Despite the multiple articles from drone companies, I am unable to fully understand the problems faced as a certified drone pilot.

Then clearly you didn't read (or chose to ignore) the community rules before signing up and posting.
You didn't even have the courtesy to ask approval from admin beforehand.
What you are doing is mining the community for information.

 

[R.P..R]

1. Do you customise your drone for cosmetics purposes? (E.g. pasting stickers, spray paint, etc)

Judgment Call/Personal Preference.

1. Do you plan your drone's flight pathtoensureit has sufficient battery to fly forth and return "home", and has time to photograph / video?
   1. For those who said yes, which software/app do you use and why
   2. For those who doesn't plan their flight, explain why.

Plan your mission(s) appropriately, with the mindset that time is money. Thus you will start to adopt a workflow, by studying your assignment(s) I know this answer sounds vague, but it will become clear once you are working.

1. What are the common challenges you face as a drone photographer? Please elaborate. (e.g. insufficient battery level, wind speeds and direction, etc)

Irrelevant... Time is the best

1. Do you share your drone photos/videos? If so, which platform?

i1, i2, MP, M2D

 

[Bob Stekeur]

I need validation for my hypothesis. It is hard for my to learn more about the challenges of flying drones for commercial uses from a commercial drone pilot. Despite the multiple articles from drone companies, I am unable to fully understand the problems faced as a certified drone pilot.

About what sticker I should put on?

 

[Meta4]

Despite the multiple articles from drone companies, I am unable to fully understand the problems faced as a certified drone pilot.

The questions you've asked won't help much either.

 

[The Editor]

The questions you've asked won't help much either.

Oh I don't know..
Once I've done my site survey and risk assessment, secured a cordon, checked METARS and TAFS, done pre flight and am ready to take off, I always wonder if I should put some stickers on......and what color?