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Understanding Professional Drone Photographers

leafeox

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Jun 23, 2019
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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 :)
 
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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.
 
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Do we really need this on the commercial platform?

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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.
 
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.
 
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  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
 
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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?
 
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?
 
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