Real, legit, paying your bills, drone business

[African wildlife]

I should have added “high-end advertising” within the above filming option. And made clear, to avoid any misunderstanding - not least because this is on a Phantom P4 Pro Discussion thread - that a better camera would almost always be required for professional filming than the good one (but nevertheless not good enough) on the P4P.

 

[Super Dave]

Can a hobby flyer donate his work that maybe used commercially? I want to get credit for the work but if doing so get me in trouble, then they can use it without my name.

From what I am understanding, as being licensed and insured, myself, I would say yes.
You will be able to donate your work to get noticed as long as nobody is directly handing you payment for services rendered.
This includes selling photos as art or advertising.
It depends on who is receiving payment for your photos, just not you.
I believe hobby flyers can also monitize legally by uploading images to one of the stock photo merchants, like Getty Images.

 

[Super Dave]

I should have added “high-end advertising” within the above filming option. And made clear, to avoid any misunderstanding - not least because this is on a Phantom P4 Pro Discussion thread - that a better camera would almost always be required for professional filming than the good one (but nevertheless not good enough) on the P4P.

Yes, I believe you are spot on, with your observation.
I've seen the professional film crews, that may have started hobby flying decades ago, but now have hundreds of thousands of dollars in aerial film equipment.
The larger, industrial drones with the Reds Camera is a cinema standard.
These are professionals, probably college educated in film. Specialists that are at the pinnacle of drone business.
They are companys that Hollywood studios have contract with, and use every time.
If your a hobby flyer with big dreams, I would suggest, start in college with whatever applicable degrees as a goal that benefits you as a professional cameraman, and aerial is just another dimension of that profession.
I've spoken with several government municipal employees about drone work for inspecting dams and such, and I'm hearing that they are already training employees in house, just as a new tool in their arsenal.

 

[JarrodF]

I'd have to disagree with one point. As a graduate of film school who has been a cinematographer for almost 25 years, I would not suggest you go to college for this. You'd be much better off interning with a company that does the kind of camera work you are interested in being a part of and learn that way.

 

[Super Dave]

I'd have to disagree with one point. As a graduate of film school who has been a cinematographer for almost 25 years, I would not suggest you go to college for this. You'd be much better off interning with a company that does the kind of camera work you are interested in being a part of and learn that way.

Yeah, I was throwing out a best guess.
I've been watching the processes they go through to produce real cinema, and most of us aren't even scratching the surface.
Amazing equipment that could easily lift a fat baby.
I've flown enough that it comes quite easily, like driving a car.
Even though, after two P3P's, I'm on my third P4P, not to mention the one in surgery on my bench, the Inspire with the X5 that gets little use, and Matrice experience, etc.
Looking for any help?

 

[JarrodF]

Yeah, I was throwing out a best guess.
I've been watching the processes they go through to produce real cinema, and most of us aren't even scratching the surface.
Amazing equipment that could easily lift a fat baby.
I've flown enough that it comes quite easily, like driving a car.
Even though, after two P3P's, I'm on my third P4P, not to mention the one in surgery on my bench, the Inspire with the X5 that gets little use, and Matrice experience, etc.
Looking for any help?

Yeah, check out this video for Panavision's latest lenses that are designed for drone use. Unreal.

 

[FL_Mike]

Sorry for the late response, but I don't hang around here as much as I should anymore.
But to answer your question, I always under promise, and over deliver.
My rates may be relatively cheap for the overall industry, but by no means am I lowballing.
I start at $75/hr, one hour minimum and the clock starts the minute I get in my car.
I include an estimate for post process time also, as nobody likes surprise costs.
It comes out to around $75-$100 for each photo and each minute of processed video, and that's a local job with minimum travel costs.
But, as usual, you always take dozens of photos to get a few good ones, all at 5 layer bracketing, so I'll just throw in a couple of freebies of shots that I like, cuz once you start processing, it's hard to stop and you end up with lots of good pics.
Prices will rise with the cost of the property also, as the last property in the million dollar range costed them $600 for 3 good pics and one minute video.
Of course it's very difficult to show your skills with that kind of restraint, so they got a little more material than asked for, and that's the over deliver part I mentioned, and people just love free stuff.
Matter of fact, that's a great way to get your foot in the door is to send them one or two good free pics that they can use.
If they're impressed, you'll hear from them again.
Whatever you do, DO NOT BE THIS GUY -->

This is painful to watch. It's jerky, too high, no revealing or cinamatography techniques, no colors or processing, I can actually see the "pilot" standing in the street.
Try to be more like this guy:

Revealing shots, showing the flavor of the area, some cinematography techniques, etc.....oh yeah, this is mine too, and I always hate every single one of them and strive to do better. Don't ask why they don't want music, I don't know, it would add so much more at very little extra expense.

Music is very personal. I've seen many great videos ruined by crap music. As soon as gangsta rap comes on for a scenic moutain cruise I click away. It's not that I hate gangsta rap, it just doesn't work for the video.

 

[Super Dave]

Wow, just incredible.
No P4 jockey will get to touch that one.
I'm pretty sure it takes a master photographer, electronics skills, mechanical experience

Yeah, check out this video for Panavision's latest lenses that are designed for drone use. Unreal.

Wow, frickin love it.
That takes a mixture of years of videography, electronics/computer tech, mechanically inclined and a gifted flyer to cut loose with that toy.....I would do it in a heartbeat.
That is truly epic.

 

[Super Dave]

Music is very personal. I've seen many great videos ruined by crap music. As soon as gangsta rap comes on for a scenic moutain cruise I click away. It's not that I hate gangsta rap, it just doesn't work for the video.

You are exactly right.
That music choice made me throw up in my mouth a little.

 

[Stonerriflefan44]

Wow, just incredible.
No P4 jockey will get to touch that one.
I'm pretty sure it takes a master photographer, electronics skills, mechanical experience


Wow, frickin love it.
That takes a mixture of years of videography, electronics/computer tech, mechanically inclined and a gifted flyer to cut loose with that toy.....I would do it in a heartbeat.
That is truly epic.

That is awesome!
I follow DroneWorks Studios out of Houston TX. It takes a crew to operate a cinematic drone. A pilot, a camera operator and in some cases a gimbal operator. I can take a crew of at least 3-4 people to capture good cinematic imagery. Definitely not a one man job!

 

[Alvaro L]

Hi

Where I live in Europe, the only ones doing real money are drone flying schools which will portrait a rosy picture to enrolling students about the business possibilities. Take into account that here flying schools are the ones that certify pilots. But reality is that there is not enough business for existing operators and pilots partly because there are very restrictive rules about flying in urban areas and controlled air space with uncertified systems and gadgets.

Here it only makes sense to start it up and invest money when you already have an address book full of contacts you can sell drone stuff to. Of course as a sideline activity or as a natural evolution from your current skillset and only if you know well the inner workings of it. I mean don't start a photogrammetry business if you know nothing about surveying, 3D & computer graphics and you don't have several architects and engineers in your address book. Even so, for my it has been a good decision. Drone based photogrammetry is going to completely change the surveying industry in less than a decade.

 

[FlyingUser]

Hi

Where I live in Europe, the only ones doing real money are drone flying schools which will portrait a rosy picture to enrolling students about the business possibilities. But reality is that there is not enough business for existing operators and pilots partly because there are very restrictive rules about flying in urban areas and controlled spaces with uncertified systems and gadgets.

Here it only makes sense to start it up and invest money when you already have an address book full of contacts you can sell drone stuff to. Of course as a sideline activity or as a natural evolution from your current skillset and only if you know the inner workings of it. I mean don't start a photogrammetry business if you know nothing about surveying, 3d & computer graphics and you don't have several architects and engineers in your address book. Even so, for my it has been a good decision. Drone based photogrammetry is going to completely change the surveying industry in less than a decade.

That's my feeling too.
I by no means professional or experienced, I see these trends in the middle of Europe (country doesn't matter much...):
Real estate: most people rent flats here, very few houses exchange hands - this segment is small.
Surwey/mapping: right, of course you could work with a P4P, but the customers often expect high end equipment, long term reputation = no entry for the beginner
Private shooting, weddings, etc: small money and likely within a few years there will be someone in the extended family with a drone or the simple wedding photographers - which I am not - will pull a Mavic 2 from their pocket and add some aerial shots, business gone.
Youtube, online content creation: even that small amount they gave was reduced... No way to get close to break-even.

 

[African wildlife]

I'd have to disagree with one point. As a graduate of film school who has been a cinematographer for almost 25 years, I would not suggest you go to college for this. You'd be much better off interning with a company that does the kind of camera work you are interested in being a part of and learn that way.

I’d like to echo the above point, as it can’t be stressed enough. Formal education in photography or cinematography too often teaches people to think and act like sheep. Learning on-the-job from one of the best in the business, willing to be their assistant running about doing all the menial tasks, will teach you more - including the so-called “intangibles” that college education usually overlooks. This is my standard advice to youngsters wanting to break in to the professional world. “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach” is sadly true with few exceptions.

It’s also crucial to use error-focused learning, being harsh on yourself, so as to move ahead quickly. And to be professional at all times, which starts off with simple basics like punctuality and always doing what you’ve said you’ll do.

 

[Alvaro L]

I don't agree with the above post. The first rule to invest money into something is to understand how it really works, as Warren Buffett says so often. Someone with formal training into photography or photogrammetry is likely to a) invest money wisely b) has got an preexisting network of contacts c) make a difference with his or her work.