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 Pro
- 01:40 – Learn Your Drone
- 02:36 – Have a Good Launch Pad
- 02:58 – Test & Practice
- 03:17 – Strong GPS Signal
- 04:03 – Avoid Bad Weather
- 04:58 – Save Some Battery
- 05:48 – Avoid Hand Catching
- 06:27 – Shade Your Screen
- 06:49 – Check Cards & Batteries
- 07:19 – Set RTH Altitude
- 07:48 – Hover First
- 08:32 – Understand Regulations
- 09:46 – Part 107 License
- 10:35 – Learn Active Track
- 11:35 – Learn Obstacle Avoidance
- 12:16 – Go Somewhere Interesting
- 13:14 – Research Your Location
- 13:33 – Have a Subject
- 13:52 – Why are you flying?
- 14:38 – Fly Lower
- 15:11 – Point Straight Down
- 15:24 – Show Scale
- 15:53 – Sunrise & Sunset
- 16:21 – Look For Shadows
- 16:45 – Split Frame in Half
- 17:06 – Leading Lines
- 17:30 – Try Different Compositions
- 17:58 – Watch Your Exposure
- 18:41 – Create a Starburst
- 19:15 – Use a Grid
- 19:58 – Freeze Action
- 20:26 – ND Filters For Blur
- 20:52 – Use Bracketing
- 21:27 – Use the Full Sensor
- 21:57 – Shoot in Raw
- 22:19 – Print Your Photos
- 23:06 – No Jerky Movements
- 23:27 – Use Smooth Modes
- 24:10 – Use Sport Mode
- 24:44 – Shoot in LOG
- 25:33 – Use ND Filter
- 26:31 – Use Lowest ISO
- 27:04 – Shoot at 30fps
- 27:38 – Use High Frame Rates
- 28:05 – Create Parallax
- 28:42 – Use Autofocus
- 29:14 – Use Manual White Balance
- 29:41 – Use Color Assist
- 30:13 – Shoot a Variety
- 30:47 – Think Through Shots
- 31:21 – 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.
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