Drone Operations and Safety Check

Drone Operations and Safety

• Develop a system and routine for pre-flight checks to eliminate liability.
• Check the environment, including measuring tree heights, to maintain visual line of sight and know where to land safely.
• Avoid flying over people and harassing wildlife; use best judgment.
• Check propellers, obstacle avoidance sensors, and GPS before taking off.
• Ensure a home point is set before taking off, especially when flying over water.

Pre-Flight Checks

• Check props and obstacle avoidance sensors.
• Clean camera and sensors.
• Ensure good GPS signal.
• Set up camera and video parameters before taking off.

Drone Accessories

• Essential accessories include:
  • ND filter (e.g., ND8 or ND16) depending on light conditions.
  • Extra props.
  • Lens cloth.
  • Landing pad (to avoid landing in tall grass and damaging the gimbal).
• Use a landing pad to protect the gimbal from damage.

Flying Tips

• Warm up hands and sticks before flying.
• Start with simple shots (orbits, reveals, tilts) to get comfortable.
• Be clandestine when taking off and landing to avoid drawing attention.
• Take off and land low and quickly to minimize visibility.

General Tips

• Take care of your gear by putting it away properly to prevent damage.
• Scout locations before filming to get different perspectives and understand the environment.
• Have all necessary accessories ready to go.

Drone Operations and Safety

• Establish a pre-flight check system to minimize liability and ensure safe flights.
• Consider environmental factors, including tree height measurements, to maintain visual line of sight and identify safe landing spots.
• Avoid flying over people and disturbing wildlife, using best judgment.
• Perform pre-flight checks on propellers, obstacle avoidance sensors, and GPS to ensure proper function.

Pre-Flight Checks

• Inspect propellers for damage or wear.
• Clean camera and sensors to ensure optimal performance.
• Verify good GPS signal before taking off.
• Set camera and video parameters before flight.

Drone Accessories

• Essential accessories include:
  • ND filters (e.g., ND8 or ND16) depending on light conditions.
  • Spare propellers.
  • Lens cloth for cleaning.
  • Landing pad for protecting the gimbal from damage.

Flying Tips

• Warm up hands and sticks before flying to improve control.
• Start with simple shots (orbits, reveals, tilts) to get comfortable with drone handling.
• Take off and land discreetly to avoid drawing attention.
• Perform takeoffs and landings low and quickly to minimize visibility.

General Tips

• Properly store and maintain gear to prevent damage.
• Scout filming locations beforehand to understand the environment and identify different perspectives.
• Have all necessary accessories ready and easily accessible.

Videography Basics

• Natural-looking motion is achieved by matching the speed of one motion to another.
• Avoid "exterior pan" shots, which involve panning and moving out, as they can be unattractive.

Framing and Composition

• Grid lines and diagonals on the drone help with framing and composition.
• Placing the subject in the center of the frame can make orbits easier, but placing them in the one-third frame can create a more interesting shot.
• Experimenting with different framing and composition techniques creates a unique mood and story.

Drone Setup

• Mavic 3 has a ND filter that can be rotated to remove or put back on.
• Mavic 3 interface allows for easy switching between photo and video modes.
• Gimbal settings on the Mavic 3 can be adjusted to control tilt speed and smoothness.
• Mavic 3 has a maximum altitude and distance setting, and a safety menu with features like auto return to home.

Camera Settings

• Mavic 3 camera settings can be adjusted to control shutter speed, aperture, and exposure value.
• Filming in 4K at 60 frames per second provides more editing flexibility.
• Mavic 3 does not have full camera control, limiting user's ability to adjust settings.

Drone Comparison

• Inspire 2 X7 camera is a high-quality camera for cinematic footage.
• Inspire 2 X7 has a native super 35 sensor, ideal for wide shots and cinematic footage.
• Inspire 2 X7 has better low-light performance and can shoot in a 2.44:1 aspect ratio.

Aspect Ratio

• Aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between image width and height.
• 16x9 is a common aspect ratio for TV and YouTube videos.
• 2.35:1 or 2.44:1 is a cinematic aspect ratio used in movie production.

Drone Operation

• Camera and settings should be set up before taking off.
• Inspire 2 requires a perfectly flat surface for calibration.
• Drone's props and batteries should be checked and replaced as needed.

Photo and Video Mode

• Photo and video modes should be set up before taking off.
• Photo mode can be set up to shoot in AEB and RAW format.
• Video mode can be set up to shoot in 2.44:1 aspect ratio and 30 frames per second.