Adding ' Aerial Photography ' to the kit bag.

[flyingsnapper]

Hi Guys and Girls.

We have all heard the terms 'Drone', 'UAV', 'Remotely piloted aircraft', and we have all seen the news articles and whoo haa that seems to follow them. I am here to help dispell some myths and maybe help explain what all this means to us as photographers, and hopefully shed some light on the business opportunities that Drones can provide.

First of all, cards on the table, I am a commercial pilot and Instructor and I also run a business that trains people to become drone pilots. And I have to say, the bulk of my clients are photographers. Some pro's, some amateurs with an idea, but all are cashing in on this new and exiting industry.

Gone are the days of needing a choppa or small aeroplane to get those aerial shots. Recent advancements in flight control systems, electronics, aerodynamics and construction techniques has meant we now have a huge light UAV industry with many manufacturers mass producing craft that only a decade ago were the stuff of science fiction.

A UAV is classified as an 'Unmanned Aerial Vehicle'. All the other terms, Drone, RPA etc are all the same thing, there is no difference.

Flying a modern UAV is child's play, and Im not exaggerating. It really is very easy to operate these things. The flight control systems take care of all the 'piloting while you just 'direct' it where to go. You can even just dot out points on google earth on your iPad and the machine will fly to all those points Automatically!!

The basic types will lift a go pro camera and carry it for around 20 minutes before the battery runs flat, dont worry, if you run the battery down, it will land automatically without crashing! ( if only my aeroplane would do that)

Many real estate, wedding, cinema, media photographers are adding a small UAV to the kit bag to give them that 'eye in the sky' ability. Medium level UAV's will easily lift small DSLR's like the Nx5 or even the Canon 5D, mounted in a fully controllable gimbal. The opportunities are endless, and its an emerging market place at the moment which means all the certified operators are having all the work to themselves.

So how do you become a UAV pilot?

You need to obtain certification through CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority).
To do this you will need to pass a written exam, get a radio licence and log some flying time on a UAV (your own).
A good entry level UAV like this http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-2 will set you back about $1500, and is enough to get started and earning an income.

We do courses that will set you back between $1600-$4500 depending on how serious you want to get into it.

CASA have fees of about $3000, so all up, your into the market for around $8000.

Obviously if you want to get more serious, the cost of the UAV's goes up and you can get some serious gear flying around and lifting cinema quality video cameras.

Now is the time to get into this new and very exiting Industry. Its in the middle of an explosion, and the next few years are going to see some very exiting careers popping up.

So have a look around the internet and see for yourself, this is some cool and exiting stuff that YOU can get into Today!!!

Check out our website at http://totalrpa.com.au/ for more info.

Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions.

Thanks to Rick for letting me have a chat to you all and I love the site.!!

[Mark L]

G'day flyingsnapper, welcome to AP.

So if my neighbours forgot to draw the curtains and are having sex in a room at the front of their house, I can legally take photos of them from the road. If they are doing the same thing in the swimming pool of their enclosed back yard, can I take a photo from uncontrolled airspace 30 meters above them?

Another aside. All aircraft were grounded at a large fire near here last year. Because someone thought it was a good idea to send a UAV over the fireground to take some video. Safety is paramount and an UAV in the wrong part of a helicopter may cause problems. Airspace above a fireground is also restricted. AUV not allowed without permission.
So everyone, be careful how you use them.
I actually think they have a use in quickly getting out there and finding out what's going on in the initial stages of potentially major blowup fires. Sure could help firefighters on the ground. Will take our fire services some time to figure this out though.
Maybe a new market for you to push flyingsnapper. Remember, if you make a motza from this suggestion, I need a new lens.

[wmphoto]

Many real estate, wedding, cinema, media photographers are adding a small UAV....

And do you also point out to these photographers their limitations? In the case of real estate it is illegal to fly over populated areas so the use of a drone in this industry is next to useless.

i have a drone but the regulations and licence requirements make it impractical to use for commercial purpose, although I do acknowledge that there are businesses that use them and benefit from their use. For me, I use mine purely for personal use.

Before people rush out and add one of these things to their business, do your homework and you may just change your mind. There are currently legal cases pending due to illegal use of drones and if you look up what is currently happening with drone laws in the US you will get an idea of what the future holds for Australia in terms of regulation and restrictions on the use of these.

[flyingsnapper]

Thanks for the input fellas. Some of you raise legitimate points. However I can see some are reacting to the " stuff you see on the telly" syndrome we are all guilty of sometimes.

Commercial real estate photography with a drone is quite doable, i can assure you, we have many clients who do it every day.
We are bound by regulations yes, but we can operate quite comfortably within the laws.

Mark L, unfortunately we have to deal with many 'cowboys' in the industry who give us all a bad name. The uses for a UAV in fire spotting, search and rescue, asset management etc are endless. Several agencies (some firies) included have woken up to it.

Ive offered some info incase any one was interested, please feel free to pose your queries

[graemelee]

Interesting reading but I think could be kept for surveillance work by authorised users as I could see some dangers in wrong hands...especially if drones became overcrowded in one place at a certain event

[Nick Cliff]

This technology will be increasingly invaluable to people in farming communities re cattle duffing ,checking watering sites ,illegal shooting and so on.The technology will have to be well managed of course ,and wish you luck, what interesting days we are living in ,regards Nick.