Independence Day is coming, and the fireworks that are blooming all over the city show people's beautiful expectations for the day. Holidays are a good time for family reunions and outdoor activities, and it is also a great opportunity for drone enthusiasts to capture the festive atmosphere.
Whether it is shooting the bright moments of fireworks or recording the joyful scenes of holiday gatherings, drone quadcopters can add fun to your holidays. But did you know? During holidays, drone flight restrictions are much stricter than on weekdays.
To ensure safe and smooth flights during holidays, please save this guide!
1. Understand local drone regulations
Before taking off on holidays, familiarize yourself with local drone flight regulations. In addition, the country often has temporary airspace controls during holidays. If you are not careful, you will not only face fines, aircraft seizures, but may even violate the law.
Check no-fly zones: During holidays, certain areas (such as crowded areas and festival venues) may be set as temporary flight restrictions (TFRs). Use the drone app B4UFLY to check real-time no-fly zone information.
Comply with altitude and distance restrictions: In the United States, the FAA stipulates that drones cannot fly at an altitude of more than 400 feet (about 120 meters) without special permission, and they must remain within line of sight.
Register your drone: If your drone weighs more than 250 grams, you need to register it with the FAA and mark the Remote ID number. If the drone is used for commercial purposes and flies at night, you must obtain a drone pilot license and obstacle avoidance light instructions.
2. Choose a safe flying location
Holidays are crowded with people, so choosing a suitable flying location is crucial: Avoid crowded areas: Holiday celebrations, fireworks shows or outdoor gatherings are crowded, so avoid flying over these areas to prevent accidental injuries.
Choose an open field: Parks, suburban open spaces or beaches are ideal flying locations. Make sure there are no tall obstacles around, such as telephone poles or trees.
Pay attention to holiday decorations: Christmas lights, holiday flags, etc. may become flight hazards. Check the surrounding environment before taking off.
During the flight, always stay within visual distance, and do not take close-ups of people's faces or residential areas without authorization.
3. Check your equipment
Holidays are busy, so flying time may be longer and more frequent. Before flying, make sure your drone is in good condition and adjust your shooting mentality.
Check the battery: Make sure the drone and remote controller batteries are fully charged, and carry spare batteries to cope with long-term shooting needs.
Check firmware updates: Upgrading the firmware to the latest version can better avoid false alarms of flight restrictions, and refresh the return point and no-fly zone in time.
Calibrate the equipment: Calibrate the compass and IMU before flying to ensure drone stability and accurate GPS signals.
Check the propellers: Confirm that the propellers are not damaged and are firmly installed to avoid malfunctions during flight.
4. Capture the wonderful moments of the festival
Drones are a great tool to record the festive atmosphere. When recording the moments of the crowds, don't forget these creative tips for drone quadcopters for holiday aerial photography.
Fireworks shooting: Set low ISO and slow shutter speed to capture the gorgeous trajectory of fireworks. Keep a safe distance to prevent the drone from being hit by fireworks debris.
Holiday lights: When photographing holiday lights at night, adjust the exposure settings to highlight the color of the lights, and be careful to avoid strong light sources to prevent overexposure.
Dynamic scenes: Use the drone's follow mode or time-lapse photography to record dynamic images of holiday parades or family gatherings.
Shooting angle: Oblique shots are suitable for creating a "dynamic flow of people", low-altitude and long-distance framing is safer and visually impactful, and local close-ups of holiday decorations are very memorable.
Camera drones have a variety of shooting modes, such as single shot, continuous shot, long exposure, etc. Familiar with parameter adjustments to ensure high-quality images at critical moments. Autel EVO2 Pro V3 is our most recommended 6K aerial photography drone, and Moonlight Algorithm 2.0 can record the beauty of nighttime fireworks to the extreme.
Autel Robotics EVO II Pro V3 Camera Drone
$2099.00 USD
Although drone holiday photography is fun, during holidays, drone flights need to pay special attention to etiquette: avoid shooting private areas or private gatherings, disclose the specific coordinates of the shooting location, be polite, and pay attention to noise.
5. Organize and share after the holiday
After the flight, don't forget to organize and share your holiday works. If you are a professional drone photographer, sharing your shooting results can bring you more exposure for your works, and you can even make money with drone photography.
Backup materials: Back up the photos and videos you took to the cloud or hard drive to prevent data loss.
Post-processing: Use post-editing software to edit the materials, add holiday music or subtitles to enhance the viewing experience.
Share the results: Share your works on social media or drone communities to exchange experiences with other enthusiasts.
Do drones need to be reported or applied for during holidays?
Generally:
Weight < 250g and not flying in restricted areas, not commercial → No need to report
Weight > 250g, or the flight altitude exceeds the limit → Recommended reporting
If used for shooting, commercial purposes, media coverage → Aerial photography permit must be applied for
Summary
Holidays are a great time to fly drones, but safety and compliance always come first. By planning ahead, complying with regulations, and checking equipment, you can not only capture the beautiful moments of the holiday, but also ensure a safe and worry-free flight process. May your drone fly freely under the festive sky and record every unforgettable moment!
