K i t Z o n e
omposition is everything
in photography, so why
not get the ultimate
choice of perspective
with a flying camera?
Not just for stills, either- flight offers elegant establishing shots,
new angles on exciting action, and even
the means to create 3D maps.
Hoisting an SLR aloft requires an
eye-wateringly priced aircraft, but camera
drones are more modestly priced and
represent an integrated approach to
design which makes it possible to fly
and shoot with the same controller.
With a free app, your phone becomes
not just a live monitor, but the means
of accessing a range of features, from
exposure to flight characteristics. It may
also serve as an always up-to-date airspace
safety map. The only problem is that
choosing a drone means you need to
like the drone, its camera and the app!
1 Weight
Since fighting gravity is the principal burn
on a drone’s battery, no designer will make
a drone heavier than needed. Weight is
an issue more because of legislation thananything else. The UK government plans
to introduce an annual registration fee
of £16.50 for all drones over 250g in
November 2019, and there are similar rules
in the USA and other countries, so make
sure you check the weight and the rules.2 GPS
Toy drones generally don’t feature GPS,
but if you’re composing photos it’s nigh-on
essential. The positioning technology was
developed with guided missiles in mind,
so it’s ideal for airborne drones. Unlike
a missile, though, the aim is to stay very
much in the same place, rather than
be pushed away by the breeze.
Not only is piloting easier, but GPS
support enables the automatic return to
the take-off point should the drone lose
contact with the pilot – a useful backup.3 Controller
Not all controllers are created equal. Most
feature twin sticks, but at the lower end
they’ll use standard Wi-Fi with a range
of around 100 metres, and video
feedback with a clear line of sight.
Higher-end drones make use of
proprietary radio systems, like DJI’sLightbridge, with a range of 4km (2.2 miles),
support for master and slave controllers
(enabling separate pilot and camera
operation) and first-person-view goggles.4 Camera & gimbal
As with any camera, sensor size and
megapixels matter, but so too does the
means of vibration reduction. At the
lower end, cushioning or some
kind of digital image
stabilisation works
decently, but the
best systems
used motorised
gimbals to steady
and level the
camera on two
or three axes.5 Battery
Battery capacity is the key limit in flying
drones. Higher capacities don’t always
make for longer flight times, since overall
weight (not least the weight of the battery
itself) and efficiency are a factor.
The much more useful measure is
simply minutes of flight time. Lithium-
ion batteries store a lot of power, but
‘intelligent’ batteries are safer and
include built-in monitors so you
can easily check their charge.6 The app
The quality of the manufacturer’s free
app is a big part of the experience, since
many features, especially on higher-end
drones, will require you to dig down
through menus. Taking the camera
beyond auto is certainly done this way.
Cunning developers have also found
ways using a drone’s sensors and the
app’s processing abilities to create easier
flying modes and awesome visual effects
like DJI’s Tiny Planet selfie clip.C
Help me buy a...
Camera drone
Aerial stills and video are within reach of every photographer
DJI Mavic 2
Zoom or Pro
Zoom, £1,100;
Pro, £1,600
Two versions offer
the choice of optical zoom
or a large image sensor; but
both deliver a great range,
4K, all-round collision
sensors and smart shots.Parrot Anafi
About £630
The Anafi’s
intelligent
battery charges from any
USB socket. The drone itself
folds small, and features a
unique stabilising gimbal,
able to tilt up and down for
amazing creative shots.Good, better, best
Three camera drones at different price pointsZL-RC Beast
SG906
About £125
A 5GHz Wi-Fi
range restricts this Beast to
over-the-air 1080p or 8MP
stills, but solid design and
excellent features including
GPS still let it punch above
its weight for value.130 DIGITAL CAMERA^ OCTOBER 2019 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com