We finally got a drone! There are so many different tools you can use in this field, and this is one we had been leaning towards getting for a while. I can already tell it’ll become a vital tool for our business in terms of our photography, and for this blog. It's going to get some cool ass footage! We went with the DJI Mini 4 Pro, which, to get the drone, remote, upgraded batteries, lens filters, and video/photo editing software you’re looking at spending around $1,500.00. It currently has a 4-to-5-star average on most sites, which I would consider to be great ratings, and I would absolutely agree with them. We have links at the end for our gear, make sure to check them out!
Ryno and I are both first time drone owners, but he has a slight advantage with the drone because of his photography knowledge. If you have a background in videography or photography, you’ll have a leg up at getting the most out of the drone. Yes, you can send it up (into the sky) and capture great video footage right off the bat, but the quality will lack unless you know how to properly set up your camera for shooting. In terms of user friendliness, I’d rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
The drone itself is quite impressive. It’s super quick, light, and easy to maneuver. The drone will come with three batteries, each lasting around 45 minutes, depending on the flying conditions. We upgraded from the standard batteries to the longer lasting batteries, which does two things: increases our flight time, but also increases the weight of the drone (more on the weight below).
The control station (AKA the remote) is very user friendly; the touch screen is responsive, and overall, I feel it would be easy for anyone to use. Like I mentioned above though, if you’re not a photographer, you may feel overwhelmed when looking through the optional settings/parameters available. YouTube has lots of great informational videos you can use to learn more about these settings, all of which can be used to make your photos and videos even better as you learn how to use them. Overall I give the drone 5 out of 5 stars. I feel like it would be great for beginners or pros alike.
Because the weight increase from the longer lasting batteries puts the drone over .55 lbs., and because we will be using the drone for our business, we did have to register it with the FAA and one of us had to get a pilot license with a rating to fly drones. I took my time studying for the pilot test, about 2 months and I was able to pass it on my first go round. There are apps specifically made to help you study for the Part 107 exam which I found super helpful and would recommend to anyone who needs to take this test. If you decide to get a drone, check out this link from the FAA website: https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started to get a better understanding of what steps you’ll need to take in order to fly and whether you’ll be required to take the Part 107 exam or not.
I am so excited to get some great footage this year, and to see where this thing takes us. Until next time, I hope you all are enjoying the view!
LINKS FOR GEAR:
Click here to buy the drone and accessories and click here to buy the 6-pack lens filter. You could go without the filters, but for us, there hasn't been a time we've flown and haven't used them (that I can remember...). Either way, definitely check out the links for more info.