No matter how long we’ve been flying drones or how much experience we have, there always seems to be more ways to improve with new techniques to learn, refine or build upon. And with that in mind, YouTuber and filmmaker Jeven Dovey has put together this fantastic video showing off 50 of his top drone tips for both beginners and pros. And it’s not all about flying technique, either. Some of the 31-minute video is simply about workflow and planning to make sure you’re safe and legal. But there are some great drone moves and shot ideas in there, too to help ensure that you come home with the best footage possible.
50 tips is a very long list but fortunately, Jeven has provided one with timestamps for each of the tips within the video so you can skip to the bits that interest you (or skip past the bits you already know). Some of it is simple common sense and after you watch it you think “A-hah! Why didn’t I think of that?” but some of it isn’t so obvious.
00:00 – 50 Drone Tips from Beginner to Pro01:40 – Learn Your Drone02:36 – Have a Good Launch Pad02:58 – Test & Practice03:17 – Strong GPS Signal04:03 – Avoid Bad Weather04:58 – Save Some Battery05:48 – Avoid Hand Catching06:27 – Shade Your Screen06:49 – Check Cards & Batteries07:19 – Set RTH Altitude07:48 – Hover First08:32 – Understand Regulations09:46 – Part 107 License10:35 – Learn Active Track11:35 – Learn Obstacle Avoidance12:16 – Go Somewhere Interesting13:14 – Research Your Location13:33 – Have a Subject13:52 – Why are you flying?14:38 – Fly Lower15:11 – Point Straight Down15:24 – Show Scale15:53 – Sunrise & Sunset16:21 – Look For Shadows16:45 – Split Frame in Half17:06 – Leading Lines17:30 – Try Different Compositions17:58 – Watch Your Exposure18:41 – Create a Starburst19:15 – Use a Grid19:58 – Freeze Action20:26 – ND Filters For Blur20:52 – Use Bracketing21:27 – Use the Full Sensor21:57 – Shoot in Raw22:19 – Print Your Photos23:06 – No Jerky Movements23:27 – Use Smooth Modes24:10 – Use Sport Mode24:44 – Shoot in LOG25:33 – Use ND Filter26:31 – Use Lowest ISO27:04 – Shoot at 30fps27:38 – Use High Frame Rates28:05 – Create Parallax28:42 – Use Autofocus29:14 – Use Manual White Balance29:41 – Use Color Assist30:13 – Shoot a Variety30:47 – Think Through Shots31:21 – Have Fun
As you can see, it’s quite the list and covers a lot of great ideas and advice to help ensure your shoot goes as smoothly as possible, that you can be legal and safe, get some cool and interesting shots, and that you’re more able to easily create your vision once you’re actually out there on the location with your drone. Although this list is long, it’s by no means exhaustive. These are mostly just the basics. And even if you think you’re pretty experienced, it’s well worth having a watch to see if there are any tips you might have previously not thought of. Jeven has also previously posted an hour-long drone filmmaking guide for beginners, including a bunch of tips on learning how to actually use your drone and then 30 different drone moves you can try out to create more interesting footage.
