Essential Drone Videography Tips & Techniques

Following basic drone videography tips, even a total amateur can capture landscapes and cityscapes in the most appealing way possible and avoid mistakes that may result in low-quality footage and lead to damaged gear.

In this guide, I will share mine and my colleagues’ favorite techniques that will help you capture pro-level footage. How to prepare for a photoshoot, make drone flights safer, experiment with angles, and enhance your videos using these time-tested methods.

Note! To be able to film legally for commercial use with a drone in the U.S., you’ll need to get an FAA Part 107 license. Videographers are required to pass a knowledge test to obtain it. In specific locations, including national parks and some urban areas, drone flights may be restricted or require special permission.

Preparing for Shooting

Make sure to thoroughly prepare for a photoshoot and ensure that you have a clear understanding of what result you want to achieve. It will allow you to decide which moments you are going to capture.

Define Your Concept and Plan

Whether you want to capture footage of serene landscapes or record action footage, you should create a detailed plan. For instance, when I need to capture a coastal scene, I may decide to focus on the waves, show close-ups of the water, and then capture wide shots to show a scale. I can use modes depending on the situation to capture engaging drone footage.

Pro tip: Create a storyboard to organize your shots. There is no need to go into detail, as it will suffice to indicate the key moments you want to capture. I prefer to sketch the shots that I want to get.

For instance, I may indicate that I want to capture a low sweep over water and then capture the whole landscape from above. I prefer to use Canva, but you can use any vision board app you like.

Choose Your Location Wisely

Visit the spot in advance or explore it using Google Earth to understand the area better. Consider the potential obstacles, including trees, power lines, and no-flight zones. I prefer to think about landmarks that will help me capture more atmospheric shots. For instance, I may capture a lighthouse or focus on a picturesque bridge.

Understand Airspace Regulations

In the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has created regulations for drone pilots who record footage for commercial use. On the FAA website, you will find the guidelines you should follow. Below, we have outlined the main ones:

Note! When visiting a new state or city, be sure to consider any local restrictions.

Register your drone. If your drone weighs more than 0.55 pounds, you are legally obliged to register it with the FAA. The procedure is quite streamlined, but it’s important to take proof of registration with you when you go to a photoshoot location.

Respect flight restrictions. Stay below 400 feet and avoid flying in restricted airspace without authorization. Use such tips to plan routes for drone videography. The areas around airports are typically restricted, so you won’t be able to fly a drone legally within a five-mile radius without permission. Using apps like B4UFLY (by the FAA) or AirMap, you can check whether there are any restrictions in a specific area and apply for approval.

Avoid crowds and privacy violations. In the U.S., you must refrain from flying over groups of people or moving vehicles. Besides, you can be sued if you capture footage of people without their permission.

Check Your Equipment Before Flight

It’s important to consider every minor detail to avoid wasting your time during a photoshoot. Use such tips to follow safety rules when doing drone videography:

Charge batteries and bring spares. Remember that it’s crucial to fully charge your drone, controller, phone, and tablet. The best drones for filming like the DJI Mini 3 Pro and Autel Evo II have excellent battery life. However, when I know that I am going to shoot for several hours, I take extra batteries with me. A drained controller or tablet can make it impossible to continue a photoshoot.

Pro tip: Take a reliable multi-battery charger compatible with your drone. It’s more convenient to charge multiple batteries overnight, especially if you use the DJI Mavic 3 or similar models.

Gimbal and camera calibration. Before each photoshoot, check if the drone gimbal is level. Pay attention to how a camera moves to avoid abrupt movements. I typically perform a quick gimbal calibration if I notice any sign of misalignment. By paying attention to preparation, I avoid capturing shaky footage.

Test the controls and GPS signal. When everything is ready, turn on your drone, connect it to the app, and test the GPS signal. Make sure to perform this check, especially in a new location, as signal strength can differ depending on the area.

Drone Technical Settings

Pay attention to technical configurations to capture pro-level footage that will become and excellent addition to your professional portfolio. Below, we have listed some handy drone videography tips you may use.

Set the Right Resolution and Format

If you want to capture cinematic-quality footage, shoot it with 4K resolution. While Full HD (1080p) will suffice for web projects, I still prefer to record videos in 4K to achieve better results and capture perfectly stabilized footage without noticeable blur.

Pro tip: Shoot in RAW if your drone supports it. RAW format enables videographers to record uncompressed data. It makes it easier to adjust exposure and tweak colors during post-processing, which makes this format especially suitable for those who shoot videos in difficult lighting conditions.

Choose the Right FPS (Frames Per Second)

When choosing a suitable video frame rate, consider the type of video you are going to shoot and the atmosphere you want to create. When I want to shoot content in the style of classic film, I use a frame rate of 24 FPS. It allows me to achieve a realistic blur effect when shooting landscape videos. I prefer to use this setting when working on cinematic projects.

30 FPS is suitable for situations when I need to shoot cinema-quality content while making my videos smooth. It allows me to emphasize important details and capture footage of waves or moving vehicles from above. When using this frame rate, I can avoid blur and give my videos a realistic feel.

When I want to create a slow-motion effect during post-production or capture subjects that move too fast, for instance, mountain bikers, I set the FPS to 60. Using the high frame rate allows me to make the speed lower without distorting my video. Due to this, I can add a dramatic effect to my action videos.

Adjust White Balance and Exposure

One of the most useful tips for drone videography is to adjust exposure depending on the lighting. I do not rely on the automated white balance adjustment, as it makes it difficult for me to avoid issues with colors when I fly the drone.

I prefer to lock the WB and select the most suitable configuration depending on the amount of the day’s light. Sunny and Cloud options suit me well, in most cases, but I also use custom settings, as they allow me to make precise adjustments.

Pro tip: Use a balanced camera histogram (you can find it in most drone apps) to avoid making some areas too dark or overexposed. Barely perceivable underexposure is safer, as it is easier for videographers to emphasize details in dark areas than to recover highlighted areas.

Use ND Filters for Better Light Control

Using neutral density filters allows me to maintain the right exposure levels when working on a sunny day. These filters reduce the amount of light that gets to the sensor, which allows videographers to achieve the perfect shutter speed. It’s important to double the FPS rate to capture natural motion blur.

I always follow filters tips for drone videography. When the sun shines brightly, I utilize an ND16 or ND32 filter to use a low shutter speed and capture smooth footage. If the sky is overcast, the ND8 filter might be a better option.

Many widely used drones, including the DJI Mavic series, are compatible with ND filter sets, which allows videographers to select the most suitable filters depending on lighting.

Composition and Movement in the Frame

Make sure to study the essentials of composition and controlled movement. It will allow you to give a dynamic feel to your drone footage and capture a viewer’s interest. You will be able to switch between low sweeps and high overviews to tell a compelling story.

Apply Composition Basics

Learning the essentials of creating a well-balanced composition will help you improve the quality of your footage and make it more mesmerizing. Try using the rule of thirds by putting your subject off-center. It will allow you to make your shots more visually appealing. For instance, when using drone apps like DJI GO or Autel Explorer, you will be able to utilize grid overlays to align your shots without any issues.

Symmetry is important for aerial shots — you may focus on reflections or capture a perfectly straight road. Symmetrical shots have a significant impact, especially when they are captured from above.

In addition, leading lines allow you to guide a viewer’s gaze and add some depth to your shots. You can use rivers, roads, and tree lines to show a direction. When I am looking for the best way to frame my shot, I try to find natural lines in the landscape to tell a visually engaging story and draw a viewer’s attention to a specific point.

Experiment with Angles

Using various altitudes, you can achieve different effects. If you want to emphasize details, fly low and approach the subject. It will allow you to showcase textures, capture the beauty of waves, and emphasize the brickwork of a building. Using lower angles, you can create a more immersive feel. Such drone videography tips will help you improve your skills.

If you want to capture wide shots, use high altitudes. It will enable you to include all the details of landscapes and cityscapes and give your audience a sense of scale.

Pro tip: I prefer to start with a low shot to capture a close-up of a scene and then fly the drone higher to showcase the environment. It allows me to make my footage more attention-grabbing.

Use Movement Effectively

Motion is one of the most useful tools in drone videography. It allows me to convey a sense of perspective that ground-level shots can’t achieve. By using various types of movements, I can recreate specific moods, guide attention, and emphasize details.

Pan to establish context. Slow panning enables viewers to explore the scene gradually. This technique is used by professionals who specialize in landscape, cityscape, and real estate videography. When I need to use this method, I pan from the left to right or vice versa. It allows me to achieve a strong cinematic feel while showing the scale of the landscape.

Fly over objects for depth. Flying directly over your subject will allow you to achieve a layered effect and add some depth to your shots. This technique is suitable for those who want to emphasize the beauty of a surrounding area. I prefer to use it for long stretches. By moving my drone smoothly over rivers, mountains, or forests, I can showcase all the details.

Orbit for dynamic focus. If you want to capture your subject from different angles, try circling a focal point. This method is suited for capturing lighthouses, mountains, and monuments. Moving a camera along an orbit allows a videographer to achieve a stunning 3D effect. I use the point-of-interest mode to avoid abrupt movements and program my drone to move automatically.

Pro tip: One of the most useful drone videography tips is to experiment with speed. Change orbit speed depending on your subject. When shooting large, stationary subjects, use a slow orbit to let viewers see all the details clearly. For dynamic shots, speed up the orbit to make your footage more engaging.

Flight Safety

When preparing for a photoshoot, check whether there are any obstacles in the location. Pay attention to trees, buildings, powerlines, or crowds of people. Remember that the slightest movement or a sudden gust of wind can change the trajectory of your drone. Make sure to pay for the drone insurance to protect your equipment and avoid money loss.

It’s also important to learn about basic safety rules. It’s recommended to stay away from objects and people and avoid obstacles. Besides, a videographer should fly a drone at an altitude of no higher than 400 feet in the U.S. to remain compliant. Using control altitude for tips for drone videography, you can avoid breaking the law.

Besides, experienced professionals check weather forecasts. You won’t be able to fly for a long time when winds are high. Battery life might become shorter when it’s too cold outside.

I usually use weather apps like AccuWeather or RadarScope to stay on the safe side.

Note! If the wind exceeds 20 mph, it’s better to reschedule, as you won’t be able to achieve decent image stabilization and keep things under control.

Creative Shooting Techniques

By using seamless transitions between scenes, shooting footage from different angles, and adding dynamic movements, you can create videos that will grab viewers’ attention.

Capture Smooth Transitions

Try avoiding abrupt movements, as it’s better to capture shots with smooth transitions between different scenes. For instance, you can start your video with a forward motion shot and then tilt the gimbal to adjust the position of your drone. It will make it easier for you to add transitions between the scenes.

Pro tip: Make sure to learn how to combine rotating, ascending, and other types of movements, to make each transition attention-grabbing and add visual interest to your videos. This method is especially useful when a videographer needs to alternate between close-up and wide-angle shots. It allows a viewer to see the landscape as it is without getting distracted by abrupt cuts.

Sync with Other Cameras

By capturing a scene from various angles, you can make your videos more engaging. Using popular vary angles tips for drone videography, you can achieve a stunning effect. For example, if you need to film an event or capture a beautiful landscape, use close-up shots taken in a handheld mode or captured with a camera mounted on a tripod and then use your drone with camera to capture a view from above. It will allow you to add a dynamic feel to your footage.

Capture the Magic of Golden Hour

Shooting during sunrise or sunset is a great idea. The Golden Hour enables me to capture a scene in a soft glow. The low-angle sunlight allows a videographer to leverage long shadows and emphasize textures, which is perfect for adding depth to landscapes. To make the most of this lighting, choose the right position for your drone.

Note! The duration of the golden hour is about 30–60 minutes, so it’s important to plan your photo session in advance. You can choose the best time using such helpful apps as Sun Surveyor and GoldenHour.One. I prefer to use ND filters during the golden hour to capture rich colors and avoid overexposure.

Create Dramatic Shots

Even if you use a beginner drone, you can learn how to leverage shadows, choose the right lighting accents, and emphasize the scale to make your footage attention-grabbing. Shadows cast by trees, buildings, or mountains add a visual interest to landscape footage taken from above. I often fly my drone early in the morning or late in the afternoon to capture long shadows and add some depth to my footage and achieve the right contrast.

It’s also crucial to capture light accents, including sunbeams breaking through clouds. They allow users to fully transform the atmosphere and give it a magical feel. By changing the altitude of a drone, you can leverage natural light sources. Besides, using scale allows videographers to capture the beauty of landscapes. They can fly close to the subject and then capture it from afar. Specialists utilize popular tips for drone videography and stabilize footage to give their videos a professional feel.

Post-Processing Should Not Be Avoided

When looking for a suitable option to enhance your footage, choose drone video editing software that will help you optimize your workflow. Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro are widely used by professionals who need to deploy powerful tools to stabilize videos, perform color stabilization, and edit audio.

If you are looking for a program with more intuitive functionality, use DaVinci Resolve to edit colors at an advanced level. You may also use Lumafusion if you need to edit videos on the go.

Want to Improve Your Drone Footage?

If you do not have a lot of experience in video editing and want to get pro-level software to make it fast and easy, Adobe Premier Pro is the best start. Whether you need to correct a family event, a corporate party, or a specific location from a bird’s-eye view, it will help you enhance your footage with free templates and ai tools.

FREE TRIAL

If you want to improve your footage, start with simple drone video edits, trim unwanted parts, perform video stabilization, and fix color issues. When working with drone footage, it’s crucial to stabilize a video to give it a smooth look.

If you need to perform color grading, you can adjust contrast and WB to maintain consistency. It’s especially important to tweak colors if lighting changes during the shooting process.

Pay attention to sound, as it will allow you to further improve the quality of your video and fully transform the atmosphere. Background music will help you change the tone of your videos.

For instance, you can add nature sounds or other subtle effects to emphasize movement and add transitions between scenes. It’s better to choose sounds that match the pace and theme to achieve an immersive effect.