Drones have been hitting the skies more and more over the past decade, and they’re here to stay for a while. For many, drones are great for hobbyists and for aerial fans. For photographers and videographers, drones can actually increase your skillset and allow them to take stunning images and photos that not everyone is offering. If you want to own a drone, here are some important things to know before buying a drone for you.
Contents
Things To Know Before Buying A Drone
1. Register Your Drone
Whether you are using your drone just for fun or using it for photography or videography your drone needs to be registered. You can register your drone. Keep in mind that if your drone weighs over 55 pounds or you are using it for commercial purposes you will need to take additional steps to register your drone.
2. Know where to fly
Before you take to the skies you need to know some basic guidelines as to where you can fly your drone:
- You cannot fly your drone within five miles of any airport.
- You must fly your drone under 400 feet.
- Drones cannot be flown over government facilities or national parks.
- It is always polite to have permission to fly your drone over other people before doing so. It is just common courtesy.
3. Learn about different types of drone
Every hobby comes with an entirely new vocabulary to learn. Drone flying is no different. After all, how else will the other drone pilots know that you’re part of the group? It’s important to get the lingo down so that you seem like one of them.
Before you even choose which drone you want to own, there are a few terms you’ll need to learn. Because not all drones are created equal. Different machines have different uses. Plus, they come at different prices.
Are you looking for a drone to perform some sweet aerial acrobatics? Or are you more interested in aerial photography or filming? Or you need a one to compete in FPV (first-person view) racing events. The answer to these questions will determine what kind of drone you require. And even though many machines are multipurpose, some are better at certain tasks than others.
4. Consider certain features before buying a drone
Drones come with all kinds of different features. And it’s the features of a drone that are often the deciding factor when it comes to making a purchase. If you’re buying a drone for a specific purpose, you’re going to want a drone that is best suited for the use you have in mind. But don’t neglect other features. Sometimes, a feature that you think you will use all the time ends up being more or less useless to you, and something else that you didn’t much care about ends up being your favorite thing. This is especially true if you’re buying your first drone.
Of course, as with most things in life, the more features a drone has, the higher the cost. So you need to find a balance between getting all the features you want without paying more than you have to for features you won’t need. There are some features that any aspiring drone pilot needs to consider.
5. Cost of drone
If you are looking to add your drone to your photography or video production gear list you will want to think carefully about how much you are going to spend on the drone. Most drones that are in the lower level of the price range tend to be less stable and are more difficult to control. This will result in low-quality images. You can find a drone with a variety of special features that will help it remain more stable and fly smoother while taking images or video but, these can run into the thousands of dollars price range. Know what your budget is and what you can do without in terms of special features.
6. Keep in mind weather conditions
Keep in mind the weather conditions in your area. If you live where there is plenty of wind you will want to find a drone that will be able to handle the wind gusts. Many drones can only handle up to 20 mph wind speeds.
You want to ensure that your drone is water and/or weatherproof so that your drone will function properly. Keep in mind that, the best time to fly your drone is when the skies are clear and there is little to no breeze.
8. Consider flight time when buying a drone
Most drones can only fly for about 30 minutes. This doesn’t seem like a great deal of time if you are trying to take some aerial photography. The longer flight time will cost you more. Instead of worrying about how long your drones will fly for you want to be sure you carefully plan out how to use the time you will have. You can most likely save yourself money go with a shorter flight time and taking the time to properly plan your drone flights so that you don’t waste your flight time.
