Techniques
3 Easy Cinematic Drone Shots
3 Easy Cinematic Drone Shots Learn how to make these techniques Create great drone footage Вижте тази публикация в Instagram. Публикация, споделена от Aerial Photography
Interview with the drone pilot Marcin
Questions and answers about the drone flying directly from the drone pilot
Marcin, known as Drone Eye Perspective -
a drone pilot since 2018
Short introduction
Hi, my name is Marcin and I am a drone pilot. I am better known as
Drone Eye Perspective.
How long have you been using the drone and for what purpose?
I have been flying drones for slightly over two years now. Mainly I use drones for a leisure as flying brings me a great joy. It is my hobby.
Occasionally I do it as profession whenever my services are requested.
What types of drones do you use? Can you recommend a model according to your observations?
Well, I started with Dji Mavic Air which is a very powerful machine as long as you know how to use it properly. I probably managed to squeeze everything out of it and big numbers of the videos on my channel are done by air. My second drone is Dji Mavic Pro 2 which is incredible and my favourite at the moment. I like it especially because of the camera sensor, range and flight time.
I would recommend either Mavic Pro 2 or a new Mavic Air 2, depends on the budget you have got. I have seen some review about new MA2 and it looks like a quite handy piece of kit, particularly of its compact size.
Dji will release Mavic Pro 3 soon so, if you are not in the rush, wait.
When you're not shooting professionally, what do you like to shoot?
Nature is my number one subject when I shoot my videos however flying in the city between high skyscrapers can be exciting too. You have to be always prepared for the mission and fly with extra care, safety comes first.
Was it difficult to learn to fly a drone and did you have a fatal mistake?
It was not actually difficult for me and it came naturally I would say. It takes time to learn though and it all depends on your imagination and depth of perception I guess. The practice is the key.
Thankfully I have not experienced drone fatality yet, but it was close once or twice, he hee he
What do you think about the regulations in your country? Is there anything that can be improved?
They constantly change them and CAA charge definitely way too much for your PfCO, renewal and drone registration.
Tell some fun story
It was at the beginning of my relationship with my first drone.
I was flying my Mavic Air over Iseo Lake in Italy and went quite far away from the shore. I ignored battery warnings a couple of times as wanted to capture a little bit more…When I decided to come back I realised I might not have enough power for the return. About 20 meters from the shore my remote controller was beeping and indicating 1% of battery level. In my head, I was considering buying a new drone at this point and thinking where am I going to get money for it from. I kept the cold blood and managed to literally grab it in the air in last possible moment. The battery level was 0%, the drone shot down and I was full of sweat. Lesson was learned. Remember to do not get carried away while flying and do not ignore the battery warnings. Also to make sure to set up battery warning at the right percentage to be able to land safely without unnecessary stress.
Is the information on our site helpful and what would you recommend us to do?
Yes, it is helpful in my opinion. Especially for new drone enthusiasts who start their adventure with drones and can find a lot of useful information in one place. Even seasoned pilots can find something interesting and new on your website. Keep up the great work, interview more drone pilots and stay consistent in what you are doing.
What do you think is the hardest to shoot and why?
Moving objects can be challenging as you have to be really sensitive to remote controller’s joysticks. Flying really high between the skyscrapers as you got to be at the right spot to keep visual.
What is the hardest accessible place you've ever shot?
Kuala Lumpur’s Twin Towers at night in Malaysia. Currently the tallest twin structures in the World. I had to do my homework and came very well prepared for that mission. You can see the outcome of that video shoot on my channel titled: “Jewels of Kuala Lumpur at night”
You prefer photos or videos and why?
I like both, but if I had to choose I would go for videos.
It must be something to do with my fascination with watching Natural Geographic channel and David Attenborough on satellite TV when I was a kid. Capturing the movement and the beauty of this world from the bird’s eye view is really special for me.
What can drones do to society?
You can use them in many sectors starting from filming, mapping, agriculture, emergency services and many more. They can help a lot especially in the remote areas delivering medicine for example. Equipped with thermal imaging cameras can be used for searching missing persons at night. I believe there are many more.
Do you think this is a well-paid profession?
I believe it can be if it is your main job, you are motivated and persistent.
For me, this is what I like to do and what brings me great pleasure, my hobby. At this moment it is a part time occupation. Who knows maybe it will change soon.
Is there much competition and at what pace are drones developing in the business?
The market is pretty saturated I would say and almost anybody can buy a drone now, but you have to remember that buying a new sport Mercedes car does not make you a great driver. Drones are developing at a very fast pace and this will continue as they will be even more sophisticated in the near future with the AI implemented even more. They will be more autonomous.
At the end of the day, this is military technology which is kind of scary.
Is it difficult to work with clients and do they properly understand drone work?
Some clients underestimate the effort, time and skill it takes to produce a great photo or video. Some others really appreciate the different angle a drone can provide. So, it all depends.
Drone pilot photography - from Marcin
What do you think about drone filters? If you use them - what types, which brand and for what most?
They can be quite useful in bright light conditions especially mornings, sunsets and also flying over the water. I got original dji filters that came with my Mavic Pro 2 and they seem to work absolutely fine for me. I must also remember that having the right camera settings is very important, that’s why I always shoot after doing it manually.
Do you have a specific place or object you want to shoot?
The list is long:) South America has to be ticked off, definitely Peru. The Great Wall of China.
North, South Pole, Iceland would be cool and interesting places to visit.
What extra is missing on current drones? What manufacturers should keep in mind for new models?
For me, it is flight time, range and size. Also, obstacle avoidance improvements would be a plus. I believe all this will come with time before it will get totally autonomous and boring.
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