With project requiring aerial footage, it can be a bit tricky to obtain that desired shot especially with council and Civil Aviation legalities of the airspace above. The airspace above does get busy and therefore careful planning must be done with approvals for aerial work in place.
As such, each medium of capturing aerial footage has its advantage and disadvantage.
Why Drones?
With its rise in popularity, drones have been a go to choice for simple to complex projects. Drones are simple and a cost friendly option for aerial projects. Drones are also omnidirectional allowing for unique ways to frame your scene. Being a quadcopter, it also allows for stationary overhead shots or stationary timelapse shots.
However, there are limitations with drone usage. The legal safe limit to operate a drone is 120m above ground level and no-fly restrictions around many locations including airports, above crowds, National Parks and more. This can limit the potential dream shot being captured. With drone flights that need to occur within a Restricted zone or above legal maximum heights, permits must be acquired first which can be costly and can take time for approvals.
Why Planes?
Planes (and other aircraft types) have been the traditional choice for aerial imagery for a long time. However with modern day films and photography needs, planes still have a big role to play in delivering these results.
Using a plane to capture a scene is beneficial in scenarios such as flying over crowded cities or areas with people below or for scenarios demanding a faster tracking shot instead of a stationary shot. Planes also have the ability to fly higher therefore capturing a wider view of the landscape beneath it. Depending on the project, planes can be customised and fitted with unique camera and lens setups to creatively capture the desired look at unique focal lengths.
However there are challenges to using planes. The first being that it is a lot pricier to operate an aircraft. The second is that it is still dependent on air traffic and rules around the certain airspace with approvals still needed for certain locations. The legal minimum to operate an aircraft is 300m (1000 feet) above cities and 150m (500 feet) other ground.
Feel free to contact us at Sky Aerial Imagery for advice on the best solution for your desired project. We are more than happy to have a chat and help out wherever possible.
Sky Aerial Imagery 