When people visualize drone shots, they think high and away, wide landscape shots. Here at the Los Angeles drone company, Drone Tech Aerial, we think that the most dynamic shots with a drone start from just above ground level. The other day I was pushed and tested as a pilot to perform what I even thought was a tight shot. The phone rings from a client that works for Netflix original programming in Los Angeles. “We need you to have a pigeon fly your drone in a warehouse, can you do it” . I responded by reluctantly saying “Yes, as long as it is controlled”. I was questioning saying yes, because all I could imagine was the pigeon flying into an airborne blender.
We showed up on the set location extra early armed with a DJI Inspire Pro X5 drone not knowing what to expect. This is our go to drone for close proximity flying around talent as it blends the right combination of compactness with DSLR camera technology. Flying the DJI Inspire indoors is a breeze when compared to its cinema lifter counterparts. I had to fly the drone at a target on a wall about 50ft away and the only way to the target was through a ring. To make matters worst I had to fly with all the lights out in the warehouse except for the target.
Experienced pilots know the do’s and dont’s while flying a drone indoors. You cannot rely on an inexperienced drone operators that do not know how to fly a drone in manual mode. Or do not understand that setting up a drone for indoor flight is completely different than outdoors. Also new drone operators may not even have the proper insurance coverage for indoor activities.
While I am not at liberty to discuss the details of the projects outcome… We successfully completed the shoot without incident to person or pigeon. Drone Tech Aerial Cinematography frequently serves the film making community in LA and knows how to navigate the permitting process. Being an FAA 333 Exempt business with Motion Picture and Television privileges allows us to complete seamlessly perform our job.
You can see our work in the Netflix Original Series “White Rabbit Project” .
