How to Operate a Drone Camera?
Drones are awesome. They are the closest you will get to flying an aircraft without becoming a certified pilot.
Besides, drone photography has become increasingly trendy, too.
As this is a relatively new technology, there are many aspects and factors that newbies are unaware of.
So, if you are new to this and are wondering how to operate a drone camera then you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we will detail everything you need to know about flying a drone and operating the drone’s camera.
What is a Drone Camera?
A drone camera, or simply a drone, usually refers to a quad-copter attached to a tiny but powerful digital camera.
These are comparatively simpler to control and use as compared to earlier single-rotor and other drone systems.
Quad-copter drone cameras are renowned for their excellent stability and for the smooth direction changes they can make, thanks to the four separate rotors.
A camera usually attaches to the center and can record videos or click photographs using the remote control.
Drone cameras are incredibly exciting to use and capture extremely professional, high-quality photos and videos when you know the controls of the drone and drone photography tips.
Thanks to the growing popularity, today, drone cameras are being used extensively by filmmakers, wedding or event photographers, journalists, and real estate agents, to name a few.
How to control a Drone Camera?
To learn how to operate a drone camera, you must be familiar with its controls. Drones are normally operated using a wireless remote controller or a transmitter.
These remote controls usually look very similar to a video game controller as it also has buttons and joysticks that serve various purposes.
Advanced drone models can be quite difficult to learn and control; hence, it is highly advisable to start learning drone cameras and drone photography using beginner’s drone models.
Regardless of the drone’s complexity, you will need to operate it by using your thumbs to operate the left and right joysticks.
You can push or pull the joysticks to maneuver the drone up, down, left, right and even make it move diagonally. Let’s take a look at the four main types of movements you can perform using a drone.
Every drone has four main maneuvering functions:
- Yaw
- Throttle
- Roll
- Pitch
Let’s take a detailed look at each maneuver and how to accomplish it:
What is Yaw?
Yaw refers to the rotation of the drone, clockwise and anti-clockwise. Pushing the left joystick along with the left and right controls the drone’s clockwise and counter-clockwise movement.
This way, you can position the drone’s front in a different direction without moving it from the current spot.
What is Throttle?
Throttle is used to adjust the power supplied to the drone’s motors. Increasing the throttle (supplying more power) will make the drone move faster and vice versa.
You can push the left joystick up and down to change the drone’s altitude. You will need to learn to use the throttle stick and movement controls in conjunction to enjoy smooth drone flying.
What is Roll?
Roll means the left or right movement of your drone.
You can move your drone from left to right with the right-hand side joystick on the remote controller.
This movement is extremely helpful when you want to avoid obstacles in the drone’s flight path, such as rocks or trees, without losing altitude or position vertically.
What is a Pitch?
Pitch refers to the tilting angle of the drone, backward or forward. When you push the right-hand side joystick up or down, it makes the drone move forward and backward, respectively.
This may sound too simple but when you attempt to change the pitch of the drone while it is moving at a high speed or facing in your direction, things can get tough.
Hence, it is highly advised to practice using your drone controls extensively and get used to the remote controller before flying your first solo drone photography flight.
Best Drone Camera for Personal Use
How to Fly a Drone Camera as a Beginner?
Once you are familiar with the drone’s features, controls and systems, it’s time to practice what you’ve learned.
This is a step-by-step guide on how to fly a drone camera as a beginner:
1 – Find a clear area
You likely have a place in mind where you plan to practice flying your drone camera. It can be an open outdoor space that is mostly free from obstructions, such as trees, walls, poles, etc.
Also, make sure that the area you chose does not come under the federal “No Fly” zones so you won’t end up breaking any law unknowingly.
2 – Place the drone
The first thing to do when you reach your selected spot is to find a perfect takeoff place for your drone. Read the instruction manual carefully so you have a good idea about the ideal takeoff spot.
A flat, level surface is highly advised. You should place the drone in the same direction you are facing so it becomes easier to operate with perspective.
Always make sure to follow the pre-flight checklist, such as making sure the batteries are completely charged, the rotors work according to controls and the camera is operational.
3 – Connect transmitter and drone
Sequencing is another extremely crucial step in operating a drone camera. The first thing in sequencing is to push the throttle down and then turn on the transmitter before connecting it to the drone’s battery.
These steps are required to be performed at every takeoff and landing. Once the flying session is over, you will need to disconnect the drone’s battery and switch off the transmitter.
4 – Practice takeoff and landing
Once you have followed the pre-flight checklist, you can learn to fly and land your drone safely. After switching on the drone and doing the pre-flight checklist, you should place the drone in the takeoff position.
Then, slowly push the throttle (left joystick) up and make the drone lift off. Try to keep the drone immobile at a particular height using the pitch (right joystick).
When the drone is successfully flying a few feet off of the ground, you need to practice landing it as softly and smoothly as possible.
To do this, you need to slowly push the throttle (left joystick) down until the drone lands on the same spot on the ground.
5 – How to hover
Hovering is one of the most important and commonly used controls in drone cameras.
To practice this, you will need to lift off your drone and hold it as steady as you can in place, using the pitch, yaw and roll controls, along with the throttle, to compensate for wind.
This skill might seem frustrating to learn initially, but it is extremely important to get used to it if you want to become a successful drone camera photographer.
Conclusion
Just like any new skill, flying a drone also requires practice. However, it is not too difficult to learn.
While some drone models are simpler than others, it is highly advised for beginners to start learning drone flying using a basic quad-copter drone model.
Once you’ve polished your drone flying skills, then you can move to more complex and expensive drones easily.
Make sure to drop in a comment and let us know how helpful these drone flying tips proved for you.
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