Drones

Have you been itching to hire a video crew with a drone operator to capture epic aerial shots but are uneasy about the likelihood of breaking a few laws along the way? Well, it’s finally a whole lot easier to stay within the law. With the FAA’s Part 107 guidelines newly in effect, video crews will be lining up to take their tests and become certified to fly small unmanned aircraft (UA) for commercial purposes.

What do the new rules mean for clients who want to hire a video crew for aerial shots?

1. More affordability. Not long ago, epic aerial shots required an extra-long jib or a manned helicopter, both of which put them well out of reach for the average production’s budget. Now all you need is a skilled drone operator who is willing to put their camera gear a couple of hundred feet in the air.
2. Less hassle. Just as the rise of UAs made aerial shots more affordable, the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) strict rules on commercial operation kept them frustratingly out of reach. As the regulations relax, productions can skip the strict permitting processes, further opening the door to easy aerial photography.
3. Better quality operators. As regulations get easier, competition among video crews will get stiffer. That means drone operators will get better at their craft and you’ll start to see a lot more highly-skilled operators. So along with more affordability and less hassle, you’re going to get higher-quality images.
4. Better quality equipment. Aircraft technology continues to improve right alongside the increased demand for aerial images. As the equipment gets better and drone operators become more skilled, they’ll be more and more comfortable putting their 4K cameras into the air, rather than stopping at a GoPro or DSLR.
5. Easier/quicker to find crews. All of the above add up to a new normal in the video production industry. Production companies all over the world will offer aerial footage as a regular service. That means you won’t have to dig as deep into your contacts or your pockets to find crews who can provide all the coverage you want.

 How can I hire a video crew with a drone operator?

It’s as easy as a few clicks on our custom international database of video production people and services.

When you create a profile, you can search video crews local to your next shoot location. Narrow your results by gear and services, such as drone crews. From there, contact crews via CrewCloud’s secure messaging system, compare cost estimates, and keep track of invoices without ever leaving your personal account! No matter how big the crew, complicated the gear, or far-flung the locale—Crew Connection has what you need in just a few clicks.

Questions about Crew Connection or looking to get hooked up with a drone crew ASAP? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock if you ever need live assistance. Visit CrewConnection.com, call us at 303-526-4900, or shoot us an email at info@crewconnection.com.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a world of video service providers at your fingertips. In just a few clicks you can search, chat with, and book vetted crews local to your shoot—all on your own schedule. Rely on Crew Connection’s team of media experts to organize the crews and gear you need for multi-day and multi-location video projects anywhere in the world.

The skies just got a whole lot friendlier for video crews who want to use drones for business!

Nearly two years ago we started covering the technology, penalties, and ever-changing guidelines surrounding how video crews could use drones for business. Finally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released its first definitive guide on drone piloting.

With these new rules now in place, the skies are about to get a whole lot busier. If you’re flying a commercial drone under 55 pounds, here’s what you need to know to fly high.

[Tweet “Here’s what you need to know about the FAA’s new #drone guidelines. #video #film”]

1) Here Comes The Sun

According to the new FAA laws, you’ll have to stick to flying during daylight hours unless your drone has lights that are visible for up to three miles.

2) Don’t Fly Too Close

You might need to fly in the sunlight, but you don’t need to fly into the sunlight. Commercial drones shouldn’t exceed 400 feet in the air. While it’s up there, your drone should remain in your line of sight or in the sight of an observer you’re in touch with. And avoid flying over folks who aren’t part of your drone shoot unless you have approval.

3) Can’t Drive? Can’t Fly

Sorry, kiddos. Pilots must be at least 16 years old.

4) You’re Up, Maverick 

If you’re ready to be considered an aviator, you need to be ready to act like one, too. Pilots must pass an aeronautical test every two years.

5) Know Before You Go

States went ahead and passed rules while they were waiting for the big dogs to make a call. So it’s not just FAA laws you need to worry about—get familiar with local guidelines, as well.

Are you a drone operator or know someone who is? Our clients are looking for you! Contact one of our crew coordinators today or create a free profile on Crew Connection and beat your competition to the coolest drone shoots.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post-production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign In to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

If your video crew is now offering sweeping footage captured by a drone, you have a new title. That’s right, in addition to being a business owner, DP, editor, cinematographer, and whatever other titles you carry, you’re now an aviator because the minute you send a UAV into the air, you’re officially joining the likes of the Wright brothers and Amelia Earhart (at least in the eyes of the law). Congratulations! Now it’s time to make it official.

While hobbyists can register online, video production crews/commercial users* must go through the paper registration process by:

1. Gathering and/or completing the following items: 

• Evidence of ownership (a receipt, for example)
• Registration Application (AC form 8050-1)
• $5 registration fee made out to FAA Aircraft Registration Branch
• Affidavit of Ownership that gives full description of aircraft. See the FAA’s template for guidance.

2. Mailing paperwork to:

FAA Aircraft Registration Branch

PO Box 25504

Oklahoma City, OK

73125

3. Phoning a friend:

If you need help, call the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) commercial aircraft registration line at 1-866-762-9434.

Why Register? 

It’s in your best interest to register quickly. This is the law of the land now and violations could land you some big fines and possible jail time. It’s not about spoiling your fun or costing you business –  It’s meant to keep everyone safer.

With millions of new aircraft competing for airspace and pilots reporting drone sightings from the cockpit, the FAA wants to decrease illegal activity and make sure people are flying responsibly. Registered drones will be marked with a tracking number in case of collisions or other violations.

Plus, clients will want to keep things above board and know their partners are registered. So, happy flying!

*In addition to commercial operators, the FAA requires the paper registration process for anyone using the aircraft for any reason other than hobby and recreation, aircraft greater than 55 pounds, and international operation.

About Crew Connection:

Crew Connection connects you with video production crews across the country and around the globe. With more than 25 years of experience and thousands of shoots with film crew pros to our credit, you can trust our expert coordinators to match you with the right freelance video crew and equipment—every time.

Video graphically speaking, wearables are epic. Sweeping overhead shots are easier to get and more affordable than ever. People are watching videos on smaller screens and in more locations (i.e., anywhere there’s a signal). Wearable devices, such as the Apple Watch and Google Glass, are shifting in consumers’ minds from unnecessary but fun luxuries to necessities they expect to have in the not so distant future.

Epic Made Easy—and Inexpensive

The word drone is starting to be less associated with airstrikes and more associated with putting cameras in the air. As drones become more accessible and small DSLR cameras more high tech, quality filmmaking is more accessible than ever. On the flip side, average and below average productions are also more accessible than ever—so standing out is increasingly important (and difficult). Stay on your game by aiming to be the best in your niche. If you want drones to provide a slice of your business pie, get ready now. Practice so that when the time is right, you are known as the best.

Go Small or Go Home

Forget big screens; small ones are taking over. *“One in four viewers are watching online video content via their mobile devices” and “the mobile device of choice” is the smallest of all—the smartphone. Make sure you are ready to provide mobile-friendly digital content or you’ll risk losing a large chunk of your potential client’s target audience immediately.

The future is….wearable?

Just when it seems screens can’t get any smaller, the Apple Watch aims to revolutionize the way we view content yet again. Not only is it tiny, powerful, and wearable, it also allows content magnification on a small screen. Until the Apple Watch is released, it may be hard to know what content specs will work best (if you have theories and speculations, please let us know). Be ready to be surprised. And be ready to learn.

As always, technology is changing and impacting digital media. We have to change with it or risk being left behind—holding our devices instead of wearing them.

Post resources:

*2014 Trends

Previous posts in the Drones Among Us series:

Drones Among Us: The Gear

Top 5 Pros and Cons from an Early Adopter

Top 5 Lessons Learned from a New Drone Pilot

Come Fly the Illegal Skies

Cameras Find New Wings: The Next Level For Drones

If you want to explore using a drone for an upcoming shoot, our friends at Crew Connection have crews on the tarmac ready for takeoff.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection connects you with video production crews across the country and around the globe. With more than 25 years of experience and thousands of shoots with film crew pros to our credit, you can trust our expert coordinators to match you with the right freelance video crew and equipment—every time. Contact us today!

With six major film and TV companies getting the green light to fly unmanned aerial vehicles for commercial purposes and a company of aerospace engineers designing products to make drone photography more accessible, the market is moving fast. Such activity is paving the way for more clarity around the laws, simplicity of technology, and of course, wider availability for commercial use.

Just Wednesday, DreamQii launched an IndieGoGo campaign seeking funding for what they see as the next level: PlexiDrones.

Among their signature product’s key, spicy features

Accessibility

This drone makes it easy to not only get the gear in the air, but also to get approved for commercial flying. Pilots still need to apply for their personal certificate, but with its height limits, the device is programmed to obey the law by not exceeding 400 feet in the air.

“One user, many drones”

This brand new “swarm technology” allows for “multi-vantage filming and photography controlled from a single interface.” This means that with one controller, you can have many drones in the air filming the same event at the same time and in the same area.

Follow Me Technology

By using your mobile device as the GPS, this sucker will follow behind you in the air you as you drive, ride, or run.

Retractable landing gear

One of the big complaints for drone pilots to date is the fact that from certain angles, landing gear gets in the way. The PlexiDrone’s retractable landing gear means you can get a 360 degree view without editing.

You don’t have to have a PlexiDrone to go to the next level (and you may not want to wait until March 2015 to get your hands on one). The DJI Phantom is available now and has proven its mettle. Mark Isherwood, a DJI Phantom hobbyist and owner of Freedom House Productions, says that after gaining some experience and confidence, you can take it further by flying with goggles. This allows the operator to watch the footage you’re getting rather than the copter itself.

As Bob Schieffer from CBS’s Drones Over America says: “We’re looking at the future. And whether we like it or not, the future is looking back at us.”

Previous posts in the series

Top 5 Pros and Cons from an Early Adopter

Top 5 Lessons Learned from a New Drone Pilot

Come Fly the Illegal Skies

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection connects you with video production crews across the country and around the globe. With more than 25 years of experience and thousands of shoots to our credit with film crew pros, you can trust our expert coordinators to match you with the right freelance video crew and equipment every time.

The Federal Aviation Association (FAA) insists there is no gray area: Using drones for cash without a permit is illegal. But when drones equipped to fly cameras are as easy to get as commercial permits are hard, you end up with a sky load of illegally-operated unmanned aerial vehicles (as the Drone Dudes’ packed schedule, high-profile clients, and long highlight reel demonstrate).

According to the FAA, “A commercial flight requires a certified aircraft, a licensed pilot and operating approval.” Fines can be steep, but in 2012, the National Transportation Safety Board dismissed a $10,000 fine against one operator, likely emboldening others.

Illegal usage is the name of the game right now. Some operators are blatantly ignoring the rules and simply not requesting permits (which are frequently denied). Others create their own fudgery by offering airborne services but only charging for editing (though perhaps at a premium fee).

Those who want to fly above board are in for a tough road or a long wait. Last summer (2013), the FAA granted one permit for commercial operation. This summer, BP gained permission to operate a small craft, originally designed for the military, to perform aerial surveys. By this time next summer, the FAA will need to be near a plan for “safe integration” of unmanned aircraft systems. Operators are eagerly awaiting the Congress-mandated deadline—September 30th, 2015.

Some, like Mark Isherwood of Freedom House Productions (who has served as our primary source for the Drones Among Us series), are getting ready for the inevitable demand.

They are gaining experience by flying over private land and in accordance with model aircraft guidelines as they await word from the FAA, which is under increasing pressure to open access and is also considering exemptions for the film industry.

In the meantime, the industry is forging on: Skilled operators are flying and eager clients are buying.

Previous posts in the series:

Drones Among Us: Intro

Drones Among Us: The Gear

Top 5 Pros and Cons from an Early Adopter

Top 5 Lessons Learned from a New Drone Pilot

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection connects you with video production crews across the country and around the globe. With more than 25 years of experience and thousands of shoots to our credit with film crew pros, you can trust our expert coordinators to match you with the right freelance video crew and equipment every time.

When CNN reports that “selfies” may be replaced by “dronies,” you know people have unmanned aerial vehicles on the brain. In our industry, that means more and more cameras will be taking to the sky.

We’ve already provided an overview of the topic, a discussion of the gear, and the top five pros and cons as relayed by an early adopter of the technology, Mark Isherwood. Today, we’re covering Isherwood’s top five tips for new pilots:

1. Watch before you fly: Read the manual thoroughly and search YouTube for “first flight Phantom DJI.” This will give you the benefit of gaining from other people’s failures and successes. Mark Isherwood’s “lesson learned” is simple: Don’t get too aggressive too fast.
2. Find an open field and then just do it. Once you’ve done your due diligence by following number 1, get that sucker in the air. It’s the best way to learn. It took Isherwood 10 hours to get comfortable.
3. Practice early and often: When you get comfortable, it’s not time to put the drone on the shelf. This is not like riding a bike. If you don’t keep flying, you will get rusty.
4. Don’t be shy. If you’re not crashing some, you’re not flying it. It’s easier to land than you’d think. Just take it slow.
5. Get the entry level/stock copter to practice. This was Isherwood’s number one piece of advice. The entry-level DJI Phantom won’t get your camera in the air, but at $399 it’s a great way to get comfortable flying before you take the leap of putting all your equipment in the sky. Think of it like a training course—an up-front cost that gets you in the game.

Stay tuned for our discussion on the legal and safety aspects of the drone equation. In the meantime, smile and say dronie!

About Crew Connection: Crew Connection connects you with video production crews across the country and around the globe. With more than 25 years of experience and thousands of shoots to our credit with film crew pros, you can trust our expert coordinators to match you with the right freelance video crew and equipment every time.

Whether you’re investing in the meal that will carry you through the next several hours or signing on the vehicle that will carry you through the next several years, it’s always helpful to learn from someone else’s experiences. Here, we’ll cover the top five pros and cons of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones*) as described by one early adopter (Mark Isherwood, of Freedom House Productions).

Pros:

1. Fly Away, Home: You can program the equipment so that if you get into trouble in the air, the aircraft will go into fail-safe mode and fly “home” (the same place it took off). This prevents the worst potential fate of your fancy new equipment—fly aways (see the first con).

2. Motion Picture Images on an Indie Budget: Never before have stunning aerial shots been so accessible. With drones, small businesses can increase production value and get shots that were previously available only to major, studio-backed projects.

3. Grow Your Business: Uses for aerial photography are limitless and potential clients are already looking. Being one of the first to have the equipment and expertise to provide the service allows businesses and independent contractors to establish themselves and gain market share early on. Disclaimer: Before you build aerial photography into your business model, it’s important to consider the current state of laws surrounding drone usage (see the fifth con).

4. Minimal Learning Curve: With GPS technology already installed and the equipment retrofitted for use with a camera, you don’t have to be overly technical to succeed. Our interviewee had his GoPro in the air within seven days. The initial investment does require a good chunk of change and time to learn, but considering the alternatives (either not getting aerial shots at all or hiring a manned helicopter) the learning curve is relatively minimal.

5. It’s fun! When was the last time you got paid for playing with a high-tech remote-controlled aircraft?

Cons:

1. Fly Aways: It’s true that this whole thing is a lot of fun, but fly aways and crashes are the easiest way to be forced down from your copter high. When the remote loses its connection with the helicopter, the aircraft will continue at the same altitude and in the same direction until the battery dies.

2. Battery life: You sure can get some amazing shots, but you better be able to get them quickly. A fully-charged copter and remote control provide seven minutes of airtime. The short capacity makes it tempting to push it, but if the battery dies midair, the copter crashes. In that case, losing the copter and camera equipment may be the least of your worries: Drones can easily do damage to people, animals, or property below.

3. You might need a copter doctor: Even if you carefully prevent fly-aways and leave the battery to spare, you are likely to crash a few times before you get the hang of the equipment. Even in minor crashes, certain pieces are easy to break (it’s worth noting that some of these pieces, such as the propellers, are also easy and inexpensive to replace).

4. Learning Curve: Yes, this is (rightfully) listed as both a pro and a con. While our interviewee had the gear in the air within a week, he’s still learning to fly smoothly and has yet to feel confident enough to take his eyes off the screen. Since there are separate controls for both the camera and the copter, it’s easy to become disoriented and lose control. Getting airborne is one thing, but flying well enough to make more than a hobby of it will require some time, patience, and the ability to weather a few crashes.

5. Legal Issues: This one warrants its own post (coming soon). Permits are required for professional use and even private use is limited. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently working to address the significant gray area around the subject.

For small video production companies and independent videographers, unmanned aerial vehicles are shaping up to be the next big thing. For more on the subject, see our overview of the topic and of the gear. Stay tuned for a post on the legal concerns as well as tips from our interviewee.

*In this case, drone refers to a DJI Phantom retrofitted for a camera by the folks at DSLR Pros.

About Crew Connection: Crew Connection connects you with video production crews across the country and around the globe. With more than 25 years of experience and thousands of shoots to our credit with film crew pros, you can trust our expert coordinators to match you with the right freelance video crew and equipment every time.

Whether you realize it or not, you’re seeing more and more shots filmed with unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly referred to as drones). They’re silently making their way into sports coverage, reality TV programs, and even real estate listings. Read our intro to the subject here.

In the first of the series, we’re covering the basic gear. You’ve got:

Controller: Apart from the extra knobs, this looks like it belongs attached to a Nintendo with a cord. Speaking of, gamers will have a head start here because keeping the copter airborne (let alone steady and facing the direction you intend) requires intense coordination.

Screen: Built into the controller, this lets you see what the camera sees. Beginners don’t get much use out of this because their eyes are locked on the airborne gear they dropped a couple grand into (and don’t want to see drop to the ground).

Copter (as in helicopter): This is the vessel that gets the camera in the air. In this case, it’s a DJI Phantom that was retrofitted for use with a camera by the folks at DSLR Pros.

Gimbal: This goofy-sounding device serves a serious purpose—stabilizing the shot and eliminating the jello effect.

The Camera: This part is up to the user. At this point, the most common camera in flight is the GoPro, but there are copters that fit larger, heavier DSLR cameras.

Stay tuned for more. In our Drones Among Us series, we’ll be covering pros and cons, security and legal issues, and tips from early adopters.

If you want to explore using a drone for an upcoming shoot, our friends at Crew Connection have crews on the tarmac ready for takeoff. Just drop them an email or give them a ring here.

About Crew Connection: Crew Connection connects you with video production crews across the country and around the globe. With more than 25 years of experience and thousands of shoots to our credit with film crew pros, you can trust our expert coordinators to match you with the right freelance video crew and equipment every time.