Drone Flight and Photography Under the Sun | A Must-Read for Beginners

Clear skies and ever-changing clouds create stunning aerial footage when shooting drone videos in sunlight. Want to shoot videos in the sun? Here are some must-reads for drone beginners.

Can I operate a drone and shoot videos outdoors in bright sunlight?

Yes. Most consumer and professional drones are designed for outdoor operation in sunlight. Golden sunsets over mountains, sunrises above clouds, and magnificent views of the sun appearing in the frame are popular shooting styles for drone photographers.

Can I point the drone camera directly at the sun?

Never hover or remain stationary directly at midday sun. Direct midday sunlight can easily burn out the camera sensor.

A drone's camera lens is essentially a convex lens. When the lens is directly exposed to strong sunlight for an extended period (especially around midday), the lens focuses the sunlight into an extremely hot "miniature focus."

Once this focus is concentrated on the image sensor (CMOS), it can cause permanent dead pixels, dark spots, or color casts, or even burn out the microlens layer and circuitry on the CMOS, rendering the sensor completely unusable.

Regardless of whether your drone lens is an RGB lens, an infrared thermal imaging lens, or a telephoto lens, it should never be shot directly into the sun.

How to shoot stunning drone videos in sunlight?

Excellent drone videos require good drone equipment, favorable weather conditions, and the skill of the drone photographer.

4K drone or 6K camera drones, large sensors, adjustable apertures, and adjustable zoom capabilities all provide excellent support for drone shooting.

Sunrise and sunset (commonly known in photography as the "Golden Hour") are excellent times for aerial photography. At these times, the sun is at a low angle, the light is soft, and it creates long shadows on the ground, resulting in a strong sense of depth.

Read More: When Is The Best Time Of Day To Fly A Drone?

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Furthermore, drone photographers who skillfully use ND filters, master composition and camera movement aesthetics, and are able to manually control exposure and white balance also lay the foundation for shooting excellent videos.

ND Filters: These reduce the amount of light entering the camera, resulting in a smooth, natural image. Drone photographers often use ND8 or ND16 neutral density filters during the golden hour.

Image source: Jimmy Westlake

Composition: Utilize multi-angle compositions, experiment with backlighting and side-backlighting to emphasize the contrast between light and dark, and to outline the shapes of objects.

Camera Movement: After each drone flight, practice drone camera movement techniques as much as possible, such as diving, ascending, and flying close to the ground, which creates a strong visual impact.

Manual Exposure and White Balance Control: Automatic exposure and automatic white balance may not work properly in strong light. Manual settings provide a more consistent image.

Read More: 7 Tips for Mastering Drone Aerial Photography

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Can Drones Photograph Solar Eclipses?

Solar eclipses are a once-in-a-century aerial spectacle, but they also present the greatest challenge for drones and photographers. How to balance shooting drone video of a solar eclipse with avoiding solar radiation to the camera sensor?

During a solar eclipse, the sun remains very bright. Prolonged recording under direct sunlight will cause the drone camera lens to focus sunlight onto the sensor.

This could cause permanent burn-out of the drone's camera sensor, pixel damage, and degraded image quality.

How to safely use a drone to film a solar eclipse?

1. Use a suitable solar filter

Ordinary aerial neutral density (ND) filters are insufficient. Eclipse photography requires a specially designed solar filter to block harmful radiation.

2. Avoid continuous sun tracking

Do not expose the camera to direct sunlight for extended periods. Capture the sun's natural changes while filming, combining these with the changing light of the ground, city, or people during day and night to create a more narrative video.

3. Monitor camera temperature

When flying outdoors on a clear day, keep the flight temperature within a safe range, not exceeding 40°C, to avoid overheating, which can reduce battery health and damage internal drone components.

4. Pre-eclipse testing

Before the eclipse, test filters, check exposure, plan manual camera settings, and practice flight routes according to your shooting ideas to prepare for eclipse filming.

Conclusion

Drone photography and creative work under sunlight can produce stunning and breathtaking aerial videos. Novice drone pilots need to understand the precautions for shooting in the sun for extended periods while pursuing daytime photography.

By using the correct exposure settings, ND filters, and, when necessary, solar filters, you can protect your equipment while safely capturing amazing drone videos. Start recording now!