For drone video, there’s a popular misconception that you can fly a drone anywhere you like whenever you like. Well, this simply isn’t true. If you are a drone operator, you are subject to rigorous qualification and validation processes. These are governed by The UK Civil Aviation Authority. And if you fall foul of this, you could be on the end of a hefty fine or worse a prison sentence.
Fail To Plan, Plan to Fail
If ever there was an example of this expression being appropriate then when it comes to flying a drone it couldn’t be more apt. First of all, what shots do you want to achieve and how will they add to and complement your story? Once you’ve spent time thinking about this then you can start making enquires. Ask the drone pilot for their Operator ID. Our’s for example is GBR-OP-29Y6RL5LHYBS. Once you have this you can check their validity here:https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/check-a-registration
If they are unable to supply their ID then you may want to go elsewhere!
What Happens Next?
Once you are confident your drone operator is competent and legal, check that their insurance is up to date and they have adequate cover for the job in hand. You’ll need to brief them on your requirements. At this stage, they should be asking lots of questions and thinking about how they can carry out the project safely. They will probably want to carry out a recce and will certainly research the area to be filmed for hazards.
Not All Airspace is Equal
There are international definitions and standards defining airspace, and we won’t go into the detail of that here. In simple terms, they are a set of parameters that your drone pilot will have to operate with, these include:
- Always flying below 400ft – manned aviation generally operates above 500ft but there are exceptions to this.
- Only fly in dry conditions – drones aren’t waterproof so rain, snow, hail, and fog could cause them to fail.
- Flying in light winds – If a drone has a top speed of 20 knots and it’s flying into a 25-knot wind – then it will not be able to return home.
- Flying at least 50m away from people not in your control, as well as vehicles and buildings.
Ask the Land Owners
You will always need the land owners permission to fly and all land has ownership. Don’t think you have an exemption because you consider it to be “public”. You have to be particularly careful about areas that have exclusion zones around them. For example a prison, a royal palace, a nuclear installation, an airport or a military base. If you fly in these areas without permission then expect the authorities to come down on you very hard.
It is possible in some cases to obtain permission to fly in these restricted areas but be prepared to plan and to provide specific details about the shoot. Allow plenty of time to organise the consent. Never make assumptions about safety or permissions to fly, it could land you in trouble or cause danger to an individual/individuals. If in doubt always ask! Check out this image shot from a drone – this location was pretty awesome!
And Finally – the Great British Weather
So once you’re absolutely sure that what you plan is safe and legal, you have one more hurdle to overcome – yep the great British weather. From a videography perspective, you’ll want specific conditions, depending on the mood and story you are conveying. But as I’ve already stated if it’s wet and windy it’ll be a no-go. Pencil a date in the diary when you’d like to do the shoot, but don’t count on it. In the seven days running up to your chosen day, you’ll start getting a pretty good idea about the general conditions. About 48 hours from your planned event, the weather forecast tends to be fairly reliable – be prepared to cancel at this point if the conditions aren’t on your side.
Following our tips and suggestions will increase the possibility of a successful aerial shoot, and may save you money in the long run, good luck and we hope you get the shots you want.
See the fabulous results of our drone flying
Do you have any other video production queries? Check out our regular blog for more tips and tricks!
