A Beginner’s Guide to Using Drones

Have you thought about buying a drone but hesitated because you don't know how to fly them? This is exactly what you need.

Forget about what some people say: drones still provide a fabulously unique perspective. Think about how many photographers are out there shooting regular cameras from about eye level, then think about how many photographers are shooting from the same location with a drone. There's still an extraordinarily large gap between regular camera numbers and drone numbers, so if you're thinking about getting one, don't be put off. However, if you're like me, you might have been put off by your complete bewilderment regarding how to use one. It's not easy to become a beginner again.

Which brings us to this great video by Jake Sloan. It's absolutely full of great information that you can take away and use with confidence. He takes you through such things as settings, modes, composition, and a whole lot more that I don't want to spoil for you. This really is a must-watch if you're on the fence about getting a drone and just need that bit of reassurance when you first take flight with your new toy. Give the video a look and let me know your thoughts on drones and flying them. 

Iain Stanley's picture

Iain Stanley is an Associate Professor teaching photography and composition in Japan. Fstoppers is where he writes about photography, but he's also a 5x Top Writer on Medium, where he writes about his expat (mis)adventures in Japan and other things not related to photography. To view his writing, click the link above.

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3 Comments

Before buying one the first thing I would check if where you want to fly is in restricted airspace. Areas around airports, hospitals with helo pads and military bases are all off-limits, as well as National Parks, National Monuments & in alot of states, state parks are off-limits, too. Where I live in Maricopa County in Arizona, even the regional (county) parks are off-limits, even though they are thousands of acres of desert with a few scattered picnic tables. The internet is full of stories about people who bought drones only to find there is nowhere close by to fly them.

Excellent info

Excellent video - very well done.