Recent Drone Articles

Drone Strikes West Hollywood Power Lines, 647 People Lose Power

We’ve long passed the beginning of the end and are now certainly in middle-of-the-end territory with respect to the freedom to fly drones. The latest high-profile drone incident further ensures that drone piloting will remain a privilege and not a right, though rightly so, as some people apparently can’t exercise enough common sense to stay away from populated areas (i.e. Los Angeles) and critical city infrastructure (i.e. power lines).

The Joys of Landscape Photography Using a Drone

In the past few years, drones that offer good image quality have become both quite affordable and portable, making them a great way to get an alternative perspective and create unique and eye-catching images. This excellent video discusses the joys of using a drone for landscape photography.

A Glimpse of the Future from DJI

In a recent video, DJI aims to capture what the future with drones may look like. Personal video recording with multiple drones, anyone?

Beginners Guide for the New DJI Mavic 2 Pro and Zoom Drones

With every new model, flying a drone becomes easier, but for the first-time users, things might still seem complicated. To reduce the risks and not to leave it to luck, you should watch this step-by-step guide, demonstrated on the newly introduced DJI Mavic drones.

DJI Phantom 4 Used to Create Beautiful 4K Video in 'An Aerial Perspective of Nordland'

Lofoten, Norway has been getting a lot of attention in the last few years, and rightfully so. Known for its incredible mountains, open waters, and unspoiled lands, it has quickly become a favorite for photographers looking to capture dramatic landscape images. Australian filmmaker Michael Fletcher took two trips here recently and came away with a fantastic aerial film, captured during the season of the midnight sun.

DJI Previews New Project Vertex Software for 3D Mapping in Pre-Production

On-site at DJI's Los Angeles Zenmuse X7 media event, DJI also previewed a new software solution it's working on in order to help plan drone shoots during the pre-production stages. Currently under development, Project Vertex will allow users to build three-dimensional models of a location and to bring them back to the office for more accurate shot-planning.

In Depth Comparison of the DJI Mavic Mini, Air, Zoom, and Pro Drones

With the latest Mavic Mini release, DJI now offers four drones in the Mavic line-up, ranging from entry level aircraft to professional grade quadcopter. But picking the right model might be confusing. Here is clear and comprehensive comparison based on direct, hands-on experience.

Create More Cinematic Looking Footage With Your DJI Spark Using the PolarPro Cinema Series Filters

The DJI Spark is a fantastic tiny drone, but it comes with its limitations. To maximize the quality of your images and have more control freedom over your settings, you better be ready to invest in a couple of accessories. One of the first items I’d recommend are ND filters allowing you to adjust your shutter speed and ISO however you like instead of being forced into specific settings because of the lighting conditions. I’ve had the opportunity to try out the PolarPro Cinema Series filters for a little while now and here’s why they are an absolute must in your kit.

Which DJI Drone Is Right for You?

DJI's drone lineup has grown into a well-respected and varied range of options suitable for everything from casual snaps to high-level professional work. Three of their most popular consumer options are the Mavic Mini, Mini SE, and Mini 2, and if you are wondering which one is the best option for your needs, this excellent video review will help you pick the right choice.

How to Process Drone Photos in Lightroom

Chances are that many of you are familiar with the works of Michael Shainblum. Not only was he Fstoppers' Photographer of the Month earlier this year in September, but he also garnered quite a bit of acclaim for his iconic shot of the solar eclipse in August this year. Aside from being an impressively accomplished landscape photographer, Shainblum is a skilled photography mentor. I've been a fan of his work for years now, and to this date, his tutorial covering post processing for star photography is one of the most enlightening courses I've ever purchased.

Joey L. On Using Drones to Photograph War Zones

Love it or hate it, drones are becoming more and more commonplace in all areas of photography. See how Canadian-born photographer and director Joey Lawrence uses drones to film war zones and learn what challenges shooting in such a difficult environment can bring.

This Video of a Steel Wool Photoshoot at Abandoned Warehouse is Hot

The now-classic multiple exposure or long exposure of someone spinning or otherwise manipulating burning steel wool isn't anything new. Getting a stylized look at how the shoot goes down, however, is always worth a click. I invite you to check out this video by YouTubers The Proper People. The group seems to usually reserve their videos for exploring interesting abandoned buildings and long-forgotten locations. It's a pretty cool urban exploring site, for those of you into paying trespassing tickets.
Hello Tokyo: How the Edits Were Done

I recently came across this video by Christoph Galep and was very impressed by the editing thereof. The transitions between shots and the slowing down and speeding up of the time-lapse provided a good energy to the video, something a simple cut edit isn’t able to do.

New Documents Show How the Police Convinced the FAA to Put a No-Fly Zone Over Standing Rock

Motherboard obtained nearly a hundred pages of emails between the Federal Aviation Administration and federal, state, and local agencies through a Freedom of Information Act. This correspondence describes the exchange between the law enforcement officials and the FAA regarding the establishment of a no-fly zone over the protest area. This is a critical issue because the temporary flight restriction required by the police to counter the use of drones in Standing Rock collide directly with the news gathering rights protected by the first amendment.

Lume Cube: Now Available for Mavic 2

A few years back, Lume Cube hit the market with a very small, bright LED light that is close to the size of a GoPro Hero 5 Session. These little lights have built a name for themselves over time and are now available for the Mavic 2.

DJI Mini SE Now Available in the U.S. for Under $300

Here's a high-quality but low-price entry-level drone from DJI, the Mini SE. Originally, DJI said the drone wouldn't come to the U.S. or Europe, but today, it's hit the databases of major retailers like B&H Photo.

The Lily Drone Is No More, Refunds Promised

Despite $34 million in pre-orders, the Lily drone will not see the light of day. After three years of development, the team has announced that they have run out of funds and will be refunding anyone who pre-ordered the device.

The FAA Is Developing a System for Remote Identification of Drones

Consumer drones continue to grow both in capabilities and sheer numbers at a rate that seems to be outpacing the government's ability to find a way to properly integrate them into the national airspace. As the FAA works to catch up, their newest proposal could be a big step forward.

Automatically Create 3D Models and Maps With Your Drone

I have to admit that this isn't something I had envisioned doing with a drone, but boy, is it neat. DroneDeploy allows you to autonomously create 3D models of buildings and terrain as well as 2D analyses, and the best part is that it's free.

dji-matrice-600-drone-ronin-mx-gimbal

If you're like me and you've already purchased a Ronin-M gimbal, hearing news of its replacement is terrible news. Luckily, the new Ronin-MX brings new features to the table, and it's a whole new beast.

What I've Learned Shooting Drone Portraits

I have way too much fun with my drone. And while it's great for landscape shots, I wanted to try something a bit different, so I put a call out for musicians, told them to lay on the ground, and put a camera in the air. However, using a drone to take portraits is far different from having your camera at eye level.

Check out These Amazing Inception Styled Cityscapes

Flatland is a project created by the Turkish photographer Aydın Büyüktaş. These images resemble scenes from the hit movie Inception, where the city seamlessly curves upward into the sky. Each image takes months of planning, and because of the complex scenery, Aydin must constantly reshoot locations in order to get the perfect alignment.

Meet DJI AirSense: More Safety When You Fly

One of the biggest concerns when it comes to flying drones is airspace and safety. Drones must always yield to manned aircraft and now DJI has found a way to make this process easier than ever before.

Fstoppers Reviews DJI's Digital FPV System

When DJI's digital FPV system was first announced, it was big news for a lot of people in the drone industry. How does this new system stack up against what already exists in FPV and how will DJI's Digital HD FPV system play a role in its new ecosystem?

Here's a First: A Photo Editor for Drone Images

This is a really good idea, and as far as I know it's an original one. The folks at Skylum, who have given us the Luminar and Aurora image editors, are today offering AirMagic, a Mac or PC app designed to apply AI (artificial intelligence) to any drone or aerial-based image you drop into the app, either a single image or a bunch of images. The app will be released March 21, but I got an early review copy and I'll share my impressions below.

Official Study Guide for Commercial Drone Pilot Certification From the FAA

As most of us know, those who would like to fly for commercial use (any flying where the pilot will be paid) must now pass a test from the FAA and score 70% or over to fly legally. Now, I am a few days into studying for the test and realize that there is really a decent amount to know.

How to Easily Make Epic Panoramas

Panorama photos are huge, sharp, and fascinating. In this article, I will show an easy way to automatically stitch a panorama in CameraRaw and finish them off in Photoshop.