The Most Common Drone Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

Filmmaking has become more accessible to the general public, as quality cameras that were once exclusive to elite filmmakers can now be easily found and bought on the market.

One clear example is drone cameras.

Drone footage can make your vlogs and video content more exciting, and a lot of people have taken one home in the hopes of creating vlogs with stunning aerial footage à la Casey Neistat.

However, it can be easy to make mistakes when using drones ⁠— no matter how much of a pro at flying you think you are. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the most common drone   mistakes you should avoid.

Buying the Wrong Drone

Before you get excited and purchase a drone for your vlogs, you should first do your due diligence and do a ton of research, so you get the most out of your purchase.

These days, there are many different kinds of drones available on the market, with brands like DJI, Parrot, Polar Pro, and Shen Drones providing different models for every skill level. Not all drone cameras are great for shooting steady, gorgeous aerial film, but you also don’t want to go all in on an expensive professional unit without any practice.

That’s why we recommend buying a cheap toy drone first to practice your drone flight skills. Once you’ve gotten a feel of how it is to pilot a drone, you can now shop for a drone that can give you the HD aerial footage that you need. 

Make sure that your chosen drone has a high battery capacity and maximum range so you have a better chance at shooting breathtaking aerial footage.

Not Planning Ahead of Time

While vlogs are meant to be spontaneous, fun, and roughly structured, you should carefully plan how you’ll shoot any aerial footage that you want to take. Not doing so can result in haphazardly taken aerial footage that you won’t be able to use for your vlogs.

To make things easier, create a checklist that includes the location of the shoot, time of the shoot, and the flight path that your drone will take.

Additionally, you can further avoid wasting your time by checking your weather app in advance to see if the day of your shoot has optimal flying conditions.

Even if you own one of those newer drone models that can fly in both rain and snow, you still risk losing your drone (and wasting your money) by flying in bad weather.

Flying Without Knowing Local Regulations

In the US, drones that weigh 0.55 pounds or more are subjected to strict aeronautical guidelines. Flying a drone without knowing local and federal flight laws can get you in hot water, so it’s best to be familiar with the basic guidelines before you start shooting.

You’ll also have to register your drone to the FAA if it passes the weight requirements and take a knowledge test before you can fly your drone.

Aside from the FAA guidelines, you should also check your local state laws on drones, as these change depending on your location. Thankfully, the FAA has released an app to help drone pilots check if their flight plan is sound and within legal bounds.

More and more drones are being released each year, and we can expect to see aerial drone footage as a staple in the content put out by vloggers or YouTubers. If you want to elevate your content by adding drone footage in your vlogs, be sure that you heed our advice and avoid making the mistakes we’ve listed above.

Make sure to avoid common drone flying mistakes and you will fly your way to success!

Learn more about budget-friendly drones for YouTubers!