Back in 2015, the “Throw-And-Go” Lily Robotics drone was building steam and making waves. Its Kickstarter campaign centered around its ability to launch out of water and to be thrown off a cliff to immediately rescue itself and follow its adventurer as they traveled quickly over any terrain. The Lily drone had massive appeal and was slated to be an incredible way to capture and film outdoor enthusiasts and people who just wanted a durable drone to take with them on their adventures.

I recently earned my Remote Pilot Certification, which allows me to fly a small UAS (drone) for paid photo and video work in the USA, under the FAA’s Part 107 rule. With no background in aviation, passing the test was no easy feat for me. If you’re considering taking the test yourself, read about my experiences to make sure you’re well prepared.

As drones and drone pilots get better by the day, it's getting harder to truly stand out, but this beautiful video certainly notches its place. From sweeping mountains to an ostrich mating dance, it's a fascinating look at South Africa's beauty.

I recently heard about three Puerto Rican photographers who would go out and shoot casually as friends. But, what made them unique was that these three photographers specialized in three completely different genres of photography.

I saw the first minute of this video on Instagram and walked away from it thinking to myself, wow. The flying in this video was very good, the choice of lenses stood out, and it was filmed in some rather tough lighting conditions. I went back to the video on Instagram, found out who made it, and watched the full thing on Vimeo. While I was watching it again, I realized that this video was way different from what I had expected it to be. At first it began with straight forward camera movements along with flights through some tight spaces/buildings that would require a really good pilot. After a few clips of that, the movements began to get very unique and had me wondering what they were doing to achieve these looks.

The DJI Air 2S is here, and it brings with it some major improvements and upgrades over the Mavic Air 2 while still maintaining an ultra-portable profile. This excellent video review takes a look at how it compares to the Mavic Air 2 and the type of performance and image quality you can expect from it in practice.

Score one for the good guys. When they realized their boat was being stolen, two Washington teenagers handled it in the coolest way possible: they called the cops, then they put their drone in the air and chased down the thieves, guiding police to their position and capturing video evidence in the process.

A couple weeks ago, I noticed a problem with the camera on my Mavic Pro. It seemed to have a few spots that were blurred and because of that I couldn't use it for work. This was my excuse to buy myself a new drone that I could have some fun with.

Watching your very expensive flying camera slowly drift toward a watery death is probably not the most enjoyable experience. Luckily for this man, he managed to make a last-minute catch that's definitely worth of a top ten reel.

The first mass-market drones were manufactured more than a decade ago. As with anything, being over 10 years late to it can create some hurdles to entry. In this article, I will share some of my experiences as a relative latecomer to drone photography.

If you've got a drone, you know that it opens up a near-infinite number of new possibilities, but with those also come a unique set of challenges. This quick and helpful video will show you six tips to get more cinematic looking aerial footage.

In October, my friend Corey Berse and I somehow convinced our wives to let us go to Iceland for a week without them (neither of us are professional photographers, so a week-long vacation that did not include them was not the easiest sell). Our plan was to drive the entire Ring Road in six days and shoot as much as possible. Here are the highlights, some pictures, and a video of our trip.

The DJI Spark is one of the most attractive options out there for people who want to get into aerial photography and videography. However, when getting into this whole new world, it may be overwhelming to learn everything about the genre. Casey Faris created a short five minute long tutorial to help you out making your Spark’s footage look better.

The FAA has been working on establishing rules and regulations for drone owners for several months, and today they have announced a mandatory registration law for drone operators that goes into effect on December 21 of this year. Starting on December 21, you will be to apply at the new FAA registration website.

The new DJI Air 3S has made quite a splash in the photo and drone world, with a reasonable price, dual cameras, and robust obstacle avoidance with the addition of LIDAR.

Documentary Filmmaker Janssen Powers makes me want to go to the mountains immediately. The beautiful Pacific Northwest is on amazing display in "Muir Song," an ode to naturalist and conservationist John Muir. Fittingly released on what would have been his 178th birthday, Powers takes us on a beautiful journey through the mountains and sea. If after watching this video you haven't booked your tickets (or if you're lucky to live there and don't go outside immediately), there is truly something wrong with you.

Ever since I was young, I was interested in photography and being able to create awesome things that I could appreciate. At first, gear wasn't something that really mattered to me, as long as I could take photos and video and somehow edit them to create what I envisioned. As time went on and I began to get more serious, I realized my gear was sort of important and I do think that having the best gear you need for the field you are in is one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. I know not everyone is a huge gear head and may not want to invest in new gear, but I will share some of my reasons for upgrading my gear to benefit my work.

I stumbled across this video today. I was trying to figure out if this was magic, but it does seem like the Swellpro Drone is actually waterproof. This is exciting news for me; I think I can finally convince Lee Morris to let me fly a drone.

When they are out at night, wanting to shoot some astrophotography, the trickiest thing photographers usually worry about is getting enough light to highlight the nightscape for it come out well-exposed in a shot. Some make use of the available light, some wait for the full moon, and some get creative with torch or car lights. But Paul Heran and Ryland West came up with yet another ingenious method to light up their landscapes: drone lighting.

DJI turned some heads last month when they unleashed their latest version of their Phantom series, the Phantom 4. The Phantom 4 has become a breakthrough drone with its new high-end features at a consumer price. Not only does it fit a consumer budget, but it also is an easy and safe drone to fly for beginners. How do I know this? This is the first drone I have ever flown, and we put it to the test.

Drones have improved at a rate of knots in the last decade or so, and now you are able to film usable HD footage with a tiny, agile drone. This has lead to a revolution of creative videography. In this video, one videographer and drone-lover goes through his top picks for this niche type of drone.

Affectionately known as the Land of Fire and Ice, Iceland has become a widely popular photography hotspot. It seems like everywhere you turn, there are photographers and videographers talking, fantasizing, planning, and shooting all things Iceland. But what's with all the fuss? For those who have yet to pack their photo gear and travel to the island, the recently released short film, "Ice and Fire," shows what you are missing and continues to kindle Iceland's "photo rush."

Earlier this year we teamed up with Elia Locardi to produce the most in depth photography tutorial on landscape photography: Photographing The World: Landscape Photography and Post-Processing. Today we are excited to release the next installment of Photographing The World.

Wildlife films have dramatically improved over the last few years. We can now use image stabilization and smaller camera rigs to get closer and make the visual experience more cinematic. These techniques are perfected by the wildlife film producers and help create stories to show the world like we've never seen it before.

It seems like at least once a week I find myself having a conversation with a filmmaker or photographer who is struggling to understand the current state of rules, with regard to the commercial use of drones. And who can blame them? Digging through the FAA's website to get clear information is a painful exercise, and things continue to change every few months. This video features Chris Newman, a professional drone pilot, to break the current policies down in a clear language, and he tells us what to expect next from the FAA.

It was supposed to be a smooth operation: fly a drone over a prison to deliver drugs. Unfortunately, the brilliant minds behind this master plan crashed and left footage of themselves on the memory card.

If you’re especially sensitive to wanderlust, exercise caution before clicking the play button. As if Iceland and the Faroe Islands aren’t already alluring, a little 4K drone footage is the fastest way to convince me to spend a chunk of change on a flight.

The first time I wanted to fly a drone, my friend suggested I buy a $20 version on Amazon to practice with, because they tend to be much harder to fly without all the advanced navigation and stabilizing features of more expensive models and teach you good skills. My first flight lasted four seconds and ended with a bent prop and me prying the drone out from the slats of a park bench. I did get really good at flying it eventually. Having a beginner's guide would have been a bit more helpful, though. Luckily, you have this!

The FAA has some new regulations you have to follow as a drone pilot, regardless of whether you're just flying recreationally, or even if you already hold the Part 107 certification. Fortunately, compliance is free and easy, and you can do it right now.

Last week I shared a video that used a couple of alternative techniques for aerial video, and coincidentally I was contacted shortly after to check out another video that had some unique drone video shots. In this kite surfing video, you'll see some interesting macro-style clips, speed ramps, zooms, and more. The fact is, all of this was done in post.