Drone photography with Adam Parkinson

Want to try your hand at drone photography but not sure where to start? In this article, adventure and travel photographer Adam Parkinson breaks down some key factors to look for when getting started. Read on for Adam’s top tips.

I have been through a few drones since getting my first, a DJI Mavic Mini,  just a year ago. Let's just say that was an experience. I made the common mistake of sending it up with next to no practice or research into it, which ultimately led to losing it to the North Sea. I quickly replaced it with the same model as I had an upcoming trip to Scotland. I had been experimenting with some video at Smoo Cave in the North West Highlands of Scotland. I set it to quick shot mode and tried a Helix, not realizing the distance it would travel. This resulted in crashing into a cliff face. So, not a great start to drone life.

I got home from my trip and purchased a DJI Mini 2 – third time lucky, perhaps? Touch wood, it’s still alive and I’ve gone 10 months with no crashes. This time around I did some research, which, yes, I should have done to start with, but we live and learn.

My tips and advice

Even if you have never flown a drone before, you can become a master in a short amount of time with some practice. Just don’t make the same mistakes as me.

Before going airborne, take a few minutes to become familiar with your drone. Firstly, learn about the controller and become familiar with the joysticks. Pushing the left joystick up causes the drone to fly up while pushing the joystick down causes the drone to descend. The joystick to the right rotates the drone left and right.

I personally won’t fly my drone until I have a 10+ remote connection and take a look at the settings – most importantly the battery performance. The last thing you want is to run out of juice 500 meters away. It’s also a good idea to do some research about air traffic and drone rules in your area. Your drone should warn you about no-fly zones, but it’s always a good idea to check before you fly. 

In most cases, your drone will have a beginner mode that restricts the drone's altitude and speed. This mode provides a great opportunity for new pilots to build their confidence before taking on their first flight mission. If you really want to be extra cautious, I would recommend attaching the propeller guards as an added layer of protection.

So: you’re all set up, all checks are made and it's time to fly – but don’t panic. One thing to know is that when you press the fly button, your drone won't shoot off into the sky. It will hover around two meters off the ground whilst the home point updates. This gives you added safety – just make sure you keep your drone in GPS mode. It will return to the home point if anything fails, which is a real lifesaver.

Pre-Flight Checks

Once you get your drone into the air, the possibilities are endless. And, while it’s very tempting to just fly your drone just by feel, there are quite a lot of factors that determine how your photographs and video footage turn out.

Now, you’re confident with the controls and you’re ready to take your drone into the sky. The next important step is to suss out your surroundings. When arriving at your location, always take note of where buildings, trees and power lines are so you can safely fly your drone. Always be sure to check where local airports are – that’s one place you don’t want to fly!

One last check – the weather! Pay attention to the different weather conditions as wind and rain can significantly affect your flight performance. If it looks like rain might be on the horizon or wind gusts are over 20 mph, I’d abort the mission. Not only can water affect the electronics of your drone, but it will cause poor visibility. If wind speeds are high, it can dramatically reduce your drone battery levels. So, if you do decide to fly, take into consideration the time it may take to return and land.

Important tip – take extra batteries. Typically, you get around 30 minutes of flight time for each battery. This can vary depending on the weather, so always take a few spare.

Let's go!

Now – the fun part, right? Feeling confident? Finally, it’s time to get that birds-eye view!

Here’s an overview with some helpful tips:

• Find a flat surface, a piece of wood, a flat rock, or, alternatively, you could pack a landing pad. This could save your drone's propellers from getting damaged on an uneven surface. 

• Study your surroundings. Not only for things to avoid, but also for fun landmarks to shoot.

• Practice using your joystick. Take time to familiarise yourself with each joystick: left, right, up and down.

• Adjust your camera settings.

• Make sure you have a memory card in your drone. A lot of drones do not have internal storage. 

• Have fun but be respectful of others, people, cars, animals and houses.

• Use your drone to unlock new angles and new perspectives. Time to get creative!

• Always monitor weather conditions. Avoid strong winds and rain.

Thanks, Adam. You can see more of his work on Instagram @roamwithadam. For more information, check out MPB’s DJI Avata vs DJI Avata 2 review and our range of action cameras.