Drones’ entry introduced a plethora of opportunities, from aerial photography and videography to surveillance and more. However, one of the most fascinating options or developments that it led to is aerial photography/ videography. They capture breathtaking views that were previously impossible to achieve. Let’s look at how travel drones became the ultimate source of photography for travel enthusiasts. We will also uncover some of the best drones for travel photography.
How Drones are Revolutionizing Travel Photography?
Yes, you can take your latest iPhone or Samsung or even a Sony or Canon or Nikon camera, but there’s something extra that drones are accomplishing, including:
Broader Landscapes
With cameras, you’re only snapping the landscape that’s in front of the lens. No matter how much of a wide-angle lens you’ve got, there’s only so much that you can cover. But with a travel drone, you can capture a bird’s eye view. This means capturing the beauty of an entire scene in one shot.
Better Access to Location
Another advantage that drones have over traditional cameras is better access to angles. For ordinary cameras, you need to be there to operate them. However, with a drone, all you need is its console, and you can fly it to any location you want. Yes, the range can be an issue, but the console alerts you if it goes out of range.
Dynamic Movement
Well, this here is a clear winner! Drones can capture more dynamic movements than cameras, especially when it comes to videography. From moving through waterfalls to capturing mid-air jumps, travel drones can do a lot more than traditional cameras, and that too with exceptional quality.
Moreover, the drone firmware can be upgraded in real-time. You can connect to available Wi-Fi hotspots or look for satellite internet near you, and download the options you want, and the drone will quickly add them to its interface.
Best Travel Drones Ideal for Travelers
Not every drone can accomplish what we just raved about. Some lack in camera quality, while others in battery or range. The good news is that the market has diverse photography drones tailored for travelers. Let’s check them out below.
DJI Air 3
With approx. 46 minutes (can extend up to 50 minutes) of flight time on one charge, the DJI 3 is an excellent drone to carry outdoors, especially for travel photography. It’s an upgraded version of the DJI 2, having advanced sensing ability of obstacles or objects coming its way.
Its ‘ActiveTrack’ allows the user to focus on any subject i.e., the ocean or waterfall, and it maneuvers through the obstacles on its own. In addition, it comes with the following features:
- 12MP, Type 1/1.3 (10 x 7.5mm) sensor
- 24mm (Equiv.) lens with a fixed F1.7 aperture
- 4K/30p video
- Ability to zoom up to 4X on video
It also has quiet flight control, which makes it a great choice if you’re trying to capture animals or birds in a certain area. Check it out on Amazon.
DJI Mini 4
Lightweight, advanced obstacle handling, and 4K 100fps slow-mo recording – these are some of the features that make the DJI Mini 4 stand out. Although the flight time is low, only 34 minutes (advertised), it compensates for it by providing some outstanding results.
It comes equipped with several flight visionary sensors that enable it to avoid an omnidirectional collision. In addition, it has the Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems that allow the user to obtain much control but at the expense of collision (it turns off the feature to allow the user more control).
Apart from this, you get these extended features:
- Intelligent Flight Battery Plus (available separately) extends flight time up to 46 minutes
- Fisheye, downward binocular, and 3D ToF sensor
- 12MP low light results
- Up to 48MP high-resolution photos in good light
- 1080p video with up to 200fps
The DJI Mini 4 is truly an upgrade to its predecessors with advanced features yet almost the same build and design. Check out its deal here.
Skydio 2+
If you think that drones make travel photography easier, wait until you get a hold of this one! Unlike other drones, the Skydio 2+ comes with an AI assistant that assists in achieving a collision-free and efficient flight experience.
It does so with its 9 deep network sensors embedded into the drone that enable 360o obstacle avoidance. Moreover, it has 6 4K cameras with a 200o rotation that allows the AI network to module the surroundings for an assisted flight experience.
In addition, it comes with the following attributes:
- 4k 60 HDR / 12 MP
- NVIDIA Tegra X2 SOC processor
- 27 min battery time
- Up to 6 km of range
The battery time may be insufficient, given one has to explore numerous angles for the perfect shot. However, the 4K60 HDR and its superior flight control produce some praiseworthy results.
Atul EVO Lite+
With a flight range of 7.4 miles and a superior transmission quality of 2.7K/30FPS, the Atul EVO Lite+ is another excellent choice in the category. Though there aren’t omnidirectional cameras for complete 360o collision detection, it has upgraded to 150o field vision for maximum control.
However, the striking feature is the automatic shooting modes, including rocket, fade away, orbit, and flick, which are available at just a click of a button. But, apart from that, it has some amazing features packed with it:
- 4000m max takeoff altitude
- Up to 38 minutes of flight time (no wind)
- 6GB built-in storage
- 20MP image capturing
- Intelligent Moonlight algorithm for low light image capturing
- Defog mode
The Atul EVO Lite+ may not be as amazing in terms of collision detection/ prevention and imaging as the rest, but it sure does pack a performance punch expected from any drone. Check it out on its official website.
Understanding Drone Regulations and Ethics
Flying a drone sure is adventurous, but you should abide by the ethical boundaries and regulations around it, including:
Privacy Breach
One of the primary concerns with drone technology is the breach of privacy. Most modern drones are equipped with high-resolution and zoom cameras that can easily record anyone from afar. Moreover, drones are not detected easily and can continue to film or click photos, which is a major privacy concern.
Security Threat
Another element to address is the security threat that persists with drones. Since these are also used for security surveillance, the drones may be misused.
Also, unauthorized flying or flying in no-fly zones can cause a breach in security, triggering security protocols that can lead to severe consequences.
Drone Regulations
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has shared a list of rules for flying any kind of drone. Here are some of the important instructions:
- Maximum flight height: 400 ft.
- Maximum drone weight: 55 pounds (25 kg)
- Must have the B4UFLY Mobile App installed for airspace safety
- Acquire necessary documentation (TRUST, AMA, LAANC, etc.) before flying the drone in controlled or uncontrolled airspace under FAA regulations.
You are expected to learn about the regulations of flying a drone in the airspace of other countries so that you can easily explore with your travel drone.
The Future of Drones in Travel
Using travel drones can truly unveil amazing opportunities for various industries, such as:
Immersive Photography
Drone users can easily capture some stunning photos at incredible angles. Moreover, they can even capture several shots and put them together for a cinematic view of any place, making the results highly immersive for the viewers.
Destination Promotion
Travel drones can easily promote the beauty of any undiscovered gem. Again, one should abide by the local guidelines for using the drone before filming or capturing anything. However, with permission, one can easily create some stunning shots and give the place’s tourism the boost it needs.
Travel Vlogging
Putting up a portfolio with some epic shots from a travel drone is going to be a big deal. An expert drone driver can easily create spectacular videos and capture shots for intriguing viewers to follow him on his adventures.
Virtual Tours
Just like virtual open houses, drones can be used for offering virtual tours of any location, and that too from various angles. The driver can easily click some stunning shots, get close-ups, explore inaccessible areas, giving a tour to excite potential visitors to travel to the place.
Environmental Monitoring
From monitoring fires or natural disasters to mapping habitats and biodiversity, drones are already in place for efficient environmental monitoring needs. In the future, we can expect drones to use AI for advanced mapping and tracking activities, fetching data in real-time and accelerating environmental sustainability.
