Flight Club Drones And The Dawn Of Personal Aerial Imaging

Take to the skies with a group of drone devotees who are advancing the art and science of personal aerial imaging.

New technologies lead to new creative outlets-and often to new careers. That's the case in the skies above us, where a diverse mix of photographers, videographers, and technologists are pushing the capabilities of compact quadcopters to new heights. Consider the members of Flight Club, an informal group of aerial imaging gurus. Their backgrounds are diverse, but their love of aerial imaging and cutting-edge technology brought them together to fly copters, share knowledge, and push boundaries. In this short documentary, Flight Club's aerial imaging pioneers share their stories and their passion for this emerging art form. See how sophisticated cameras and gimbals have made high-quality aerial imaging more accessible than ever, how cutting-edge software can convert quadcopter footage into 3D maps, and how aerial imaging can help educators incorporate art into STEM curricula. You'll meet members who have helped fuel the aerial revolution, including Russell Brown, creative director at Adobe Systems; Eric Cheng, who took his expertise at underwater photography to the skies; Barry Blanchard, a jeweler and lifelong technologist; and Mark Johnson, who creates forensic visualizations for the legal field. And you'll meet Romeo Durscher, who left a 13-year career at NASA to start an education program at DJI, the maker of the world's most popular quadcopters. These and other early adopters have helped bring about the new era of personal aerial imaging. This documentary celebrates both the tools and the spirit of lifelong learning and sharing that helps all new technologies grow and evolve.

Learn to master your drone—the gear, the technique, the photography, the video—and create jaw-dropping visuals!

Over the last few years, drones and quadcopters have become the hottest new gear in photography, whether you’re a professional photographer or an amateur shooter. These “flying tripods” have given photographers the ability to place their cameras virtually anywhere they want, creating still images and video footage that was previously impossible to capture. Many photographers have a drone or quadcopter right at the top of their “I want” list. And many others have already purchased a drone but haven’t mastered its use yet.

No matter what model you may own—whether that’s a popular Mavic, Mini, Air, or Phantom from DJI, or another brand—you need to learn how to put this new gear to good use in your aerial photography. You need to learn how to safely operate and fly a drone, how to create compelling photos and video, and how to make your work stand out from the crowd.

In this fully updated and revised edition of the bestselling first edition, photographer and bestselling author Colin Smith guides you toward mastering your drone and creating powerful and impactful imagery. Featuring his award-winning and beautiful aerial photography throughout the book, Colin will teach you:

• How to fly a drone, including practice flight patterns and controller tips that will help you master the basics

• New rules of composition for aerial photography as they apply to drone and quadcopter imagery

• How to create the best files for both still photos and video

• Post-processing techniques—both basic workflow and advanced techniques—unique to aerial photography that you need to know, such as how to make videos look both dynamic and smooth

You’ll learn everything you need to know about drones and quadcopters in order to take your photography to new levels…literally!

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Safety and Regulations
Chapter 2: Drones and Gear
Chapter 3: Flight School
Chapter 4: Shooting Photographs with a Drone
Chapter 5: Shooting Video with Drones
Chapter 6: Basic Photo Workflow in Lightroom or ACR
Chapter 7: Advanced Photo Editing
Chapter 8: Editing Aerial Video
Parting Words
Index

“[A] slice of largely-forgotten military history . . . a fascinating exploration of some magnificent men and their flying machines.” —The Sunday Post In the dark days of World War I, when flying machines, radio, and electronics were infant technologies, the first remotely controlled experimental aircraft took to the skies and unmanned radio controlled 40-foot high-speed Motor Torpedo Boats ploughed the seas in Britain. Developed by the British Army’s Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Navy these prototype weapons stemmed from an early form of television demonstrated before the war by Prof. A. M. Low. The remotecontrol systems for these aircraft and boats were invented at RFC Secret Experimental Works commanded by Prof. Low, which was part of the organization of “back-room boys” in the Munitions Inventions Department. These audacious projects led to the hundreds of remotely controlled Queen Bee aerial targets in the 1930s and hence to all the machines that we now call “drones.” Starting well before WWI and, for the lucky ones, extending well beyond it, the lives of Archibald Low and many of his contemporaries were extraordinary as were the times they lived through. They were around for the first epic aircraft flights and with the aid of the very technologies that had enabled the development of drones, they saw air travel transformed from the precarious to the routine. It is astonishing that the origins of the first drones are not common knowledge in Britain and that the achievement of these maverick inventors is not commemorated. “A focused and engaging look at one arena of behind-the-scenes scientific research and the larger-than-life personalities who populated it.” —Booklist

In the dark days of World War I, when flying machines, radio, and electronics were infant technologies, the first remotely controlled experimental aircraft took to the skies and unmanned radio controlled 40-foot high-speed Motor Torpedo Boats ploughed the seas in Britain. Developed by the British Army's Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Navy these prototype weapons stemmed from an early form of television demonstrated before the war by Prof. A. M. Low. The remote control systems for these aircraft and boats were invented at RFC Secret Experimental Works commanded by Prof. Low, which was part of the organization of 'back-room boys' in the Munitions Inventions Department. These audacious projects of Low and his contemporaries led to the hundreds of remotely controlled Queen Bee aerial targets in the 1930s and hence to all the machines that we now call 'drones'. Starting well before WWI and, for the lucky ones, extending well beyond it, the lives of Archibald Low and many of his contemporaries were extraordinary as were the times they lived through. They witnessed many dawns, the coming of the oil and plastics age and of domestic electricity. They experienced vast social improvements and the pasturing of the working horse in favor of motor transport. They were around for the first epic aircraft flights and with the aid of the very technologies that had enabled the development of drones, they saw air travel transformed from the precarious to the routine. It is astonishing that the origins of the first drones are not common knowledge in Britain and that the achievement of these maverick inventors is not commemorated.

Drones are the next frontier in photography. This cutting-edge technology, still unexplored by the masses, can bring visual artistry to new and exciting heights. The Handbook of Drone Photography will be the go-to manual for consumers wishing to harness the power of drones to capture stunning aerial photographs. This book covers everything one needs to choose the right drone, to get airborne, and to capture and share incredible content. With easy and straightforward instruction, the text will familiarize readers with their craft and its controls. Readers will master drones’ extraordinary image-capturing capabilities and review detailed photography tips that can bring their artistic vision to life. For the first time, aerial photography is open to everyone, and award-winning travel photographer Chase Guttman will guide readers’ drone ventures from beginning to end. The Handbook of Drone Photography can help anyone break into this thrilling, high-potential space and launch their own lofty explorations today.

The fast and easy way to pick out, set up, and learn to fly your drone Ready to soar into the world of unmanned aircraft? Drones For Dummies introduces you to the fascinating world of UAVs. Written in plain English and brimming with friendly instruction, Drones For Dummies provides you with the information you need to find and purchase the right drone for your needs, examples of ways to use a drone, and even drone etiquette and the laws and regulations governing consumer drone usage. Plus, you'll discover the basics of flight, including how to use a drone to capture photos and video. Originally designed to assist in military and special operations applications, the use of drones has expanded into the public service sector and the consumer market for people looking to have a good time flying an aircraft remotely. Drones For Dummies covers everything you need to know to have fun with your UAV, and is packed with cool ways to expand your drone's use beyond simply flying. Pick the perfect drone to suit your needs Properly set up and fly a drone Use a drone to capture images and footage with a camera Tips for maintaining your drone If you're interested in the exciting new technology of unmanned aircraft vehicles, Drones For Dummies helps you take flight.

Want to make something that can fly? How about a flying robot? In this book, you'll learn how drones work, how to solve some of the engineering challenges a drone presents, and how to build your own--an autonomous quadcopter that you can build, customize, and fly. Your drone will be your eyes in the sky and in places where a human could never get to-much less fit!

Drones are devices that can fly without a pilot onboard. These machines can take pictures and videos, survey or fertilize crops, and participate in drone racing. As drone technology continues to improve, these devices will continue to impact our lives in new and innovative ways.

This book explores recreational uses of consumer drones from the lenses of media ecology, mobile communication, mobilities research, and science and technology studies. In this provocative ethnography, Julia M. Hildebrand discusses camera drones as mobile media for meaningful play. She thus widens perspectives onto the flying camera as foremost unmanned aircraft, spying tool, or dangerous toy towards a more comprehensive understanding of its potentials. How should we situate drone practices in recreational spaces? What ways of seeing, moving, and being do hobby drones open up? Across chapters about drone geography, communication, mobility, visuality, and human-machine relations, Aerial Play introduces novel frameworks for drone affordances, such as communication on the fly, disembodied mobilities, auratic vertical play, and drone-mindedness. In the mobile companionship with her own drone, Hildebrand contributes an innovative “auto-technographic” method for the self-reflective study of media and mobility. Ultimately, her grounded and aerial fieldwork illuminates new technological, mobile, visual, and social relations in everyday spaces.