High Flyer
Drones, Update on the Rules and Laws
A drone is rapidly becoming one of the must-have accessories for photographers in a wide range of genres, but how can you fly legally and what are the best drones to be investing in? WORDS & IMAGES WILL ARINZE
£280 of Samsung Memory Cards to be Won! See end of Article.
IT MIGHT NOT BE considered a traditional photographic accessory, but the drone has become a must-have tool for photographers and filmmakers working across a wide range of genres. Awesomely versatile, a drone can do everything from offering you a raised viewpoint for a more pleasing image to supply to an estate agent through to a full aerial view of an event or even, given that the GPS control you can have over a drone is so remarkably precise these days, a timelapse of a building under construction, taken from above over an extended period.
Coupled to this they’re now potentially so compact that they can slip into a conventional gadget bag, they’re incredibly easy to fly and control and they’re fully capable of pro-level stills and video footage. They’re also highly affordable, whilst rules and regulations regarding commercial flying, especially for models below 250g, have now been relaxed and there’s no longer the requirement to undertake the same rigorous training that was in place when drones first started to become mainstream a few years back.
My own background goes back to the days when I was operating remote control helicopters and fixed wing aircraft without cameras as a hobby. I acquired my first drone while on a graduate programme as a flight simulation engineer, and this weighed less than 100g and had very little stabilisation, which ensured a considerable amount of manual flying and plenty of crashing. While it came with a basic 480p camera there was no gimbal on board, and so footage was inevitably shaky.
A couple of years and a lot of practice later I progressed to the popular DJI Phantom 4 Pro offering a 20MP chip and 4K video, and, after passing the NQE (National Qualified Entity) tests, I received a PfCO (Permission for Commercial Operations) from the CAA. Two days later I landed my first job in North Yorkshire, flying for an outdoor sports adventure company and, since then, I’ve worked within the construction industry and have also carried out mapping and surveying, aerial videography at events such as weddings and I’ve dabbled in FPV racing.
I’ve also set up my own website, The Drone Rules (TDR), a start-up platform that covers all things drones, including Idrone technology, an overview of rules and regulations regarding drone flying and resources directed at those involved in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. The latter has involved me in visiting numerous primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities across the UK to assist with their drone tech programmes.
STARTING OUT
My key message to professionals would be to look at a drone as a tool to support photography and videography, and don’t go for anything more than you need, certainly when you’re just starting out. There can be a lot of hoops to jump through depending on the type of jobs you’re looking to take on, and you need to weigh up the individual pros and cons.
For example, if you’re working with a high-end professional camera, such as a Nikon D6 or an EOS R5, then you might feel you need to be using an equally high-end piece of kit, such as the DJI Inspire 2 with an X7 camera. However, this combo is relatively heavy, and may require certifications and operational authorisations from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), so it could be better to start lower down the scale at the outset.
In terms of what’s available, there’s a good choice, and you can look at drones that are well suited to general aerial work and others that can offer specialised operations, such as thermal imaging. Most professionals can probably fly within the open category, in that their UAV will weigh less than 25kg, will be in direct line of sight during flight and will not fly higher than 120m above the surface. Head to the full overview of the Open Category on the TDR website for more information.
Also on the TDR website I’ve collated information on all of the commonly available drones from manufacturers such as DJI, Parrot, Yuneec, Hubsan and Autel and you can simply check out in one place the craft that might suit your requirements. UASs coming in at sub-250g include such usable drones as the DJI Mini 2 and Mavic Mini, while if you move up to the A1 Transitional Class you’ve got wellfeatured models such as the DJI Mavic Air and Mavic Air 2, Hubsan H107Land 501S and the Parrot Analfi that you can consider.
Find out more about the Open Catagory here.
MODERN DRONES
In recent times there has been rapid development in areas such as proximity sensors and battery technology. It means that drones at the lower end don’t just take to the air for longer with amazing 360-degree safety features, but they’re also capable of producing stunning imagery. Manufacturers such as DJI are constantly increasing sensor sizes in drones well under 900g, while an entry level model such as the DJI Mini 2 at £400 is capable of shooting images at 4K in RAW and capturing stills at 12MP with DNG files.
Move up to 600g, however, and you can have a drone that can shoot video at 5.4K, output 20MP stills, a 30-minute flight time and a 12km transmission range, although you might find an extra zero on the price.
In terms of which model to choose they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are small and can be considered just for beginners, but opt for a prosumer drone and you’ll find choices that will have commercial capabilities but won’t break the bank. Then there are industrial sized drones weighing over 7kg that are up to top broadcast standard or have industrial uses, and these can cost upwards of £100,000.
Drones are used all over the world for industries such as conservation, to quickly locate and track animal migration, or they could be models such as the Elios 2, that can fly through confined spaces to survey the walls of very narrow tunnels. Drones fitted with thermal cameras have also been used by the police to spot buildings that are being used as cannabis farms.
CHOOSE YOUR MEMORY
It’s really important to consider your memory requirements when you’re flying drones, and budget MiniSD cards simply won’t have the read/write speeds for the video you’re looking to record. If you’re filming 4K video then you’ll need a high-speed card and I’ve been working with Samsung memory products, which offer capacities up to 512GB. Overall, they’re doing an excellent job for me.
There have also been some long day projects where I’ve fully filled up the cards I’ve had with me, and so having the palm sized Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch with me has been a life saver. Boasting a read speed of 1050MB/s and a write speed of 1000MB/s, it offers really high-speed data transfer in the field and, once back in the office, I can transfer my files into my internal drive, which, for me, is the Samsung 980 Pro. From here I’m editing everything in Adobe Premier Pro.
Overall, there are more reasons than ever to look at the drone market to see what it could offer you, and entering at the ground floor is both straightforward and affordable. A drone could deliver extra flexibility, new ways of looking at things and the ability to provide extra services. All good reasons to get involved, so now could be the perfect time to dive in!
Legal Requirements
If you own, or are responsible for a drone, there are minimum requirements.
❚ It’s against the law to fly a drone or a model aircraft without having the required IDs. To help you acquire these the CAA has created a dedicated website, and anyone flying a craft weighing between 250g and 25Kg is required to head here to register. Complete a 20-question multiple choice test and, if you’re successful, you’ll be granted a Flyer ID, which is free and lasts for five years.
❚ If you’re a Remote Pilot, with a drone that’s not a toy and has a camera you’re also required to take the CAA foundation test to qualify for an Operator ID. It’s not too onerous, being a 40-question paper, and you can prepare for this by checking out the online drone code, which gives you the lowdown on current drone regs. It’s the CAA’s way to ensure every operational drone with a camera has a responsible owner, and it costs £9 and needs to be renewed annually.
❚ You’re required to label your drone with your Operator ID so that if it were to ever get lost or go missing it could be returned. It also means the authorities can access details of the responsible person in case of security or safety concerns. The ID needs to be visible from the outside or within a compartment that can easily be accessed, it should be clear and in block capitals taller than 3mm and as a legal requirement it has to be on the main body of the aircraft.
CLASSES AND CATEGORIES
IN THE UK AND ACROSS Europe there are classes of drones and categories of operations. The two types of classes refer to specifications such as weight, speed and kinetic energy, while there are three categories, Open, Specific and Certified, referring to the environment being flown in and proximity to people.
❚ Category A1 (fly over people) – This generally means the drones are low risk and can be operated very close or over people.
❚ Category A2 (fly close to people) – This generally means that the risks are relatively low, but high enough to warrant separation from people, and the added requirement for the pilot to pass an A2 Certificate of Competency.
❚ Category A3 (fly far from people) – The risks of operation are too high and separation of up to 150m is required if flying in recreational, industrial, residential and commercial areas.
The weight categories for legacy aircraft (aircraft built without C Markings) are as follows:
❚ 250g or less (A1 class)
❚ 250-500g (A1 Transitional class) requires an A2 CoC if flying close to people
❚ 500g -2kg (A2 Transitional class) requires an A2 CoC
❚ 2kg+ (A3 Transitional class)
❚ 25kg (maximum permissible weight in the open category)
The weight categories for drones with the new C Markings – which are not expected to appear until at least mid-2022 – are as follows:
❚ C0 – Very small unmanned aircraft, including toys, that are less than 250g maximum take-off mass, have a maximum speed of 19m/s (approx. 42.5 mph) and are unable to be flown more than 120m (400ft) above the pilot’s take-off point.
❚ C1 – Unmanned aircraft that are either less than 900g maximum take-off mass or perform in a way that, if they collide with a human head, the energy transmitted will be less than 80 Joules. They also need to have a maximum speed of 19m/s (approx. 42.5 mph) and should be designed and constructed so as to minimise injury to people.
❚ C2 – Unmanned aircraft that are less than 4kg maximum take-off mass, are designed and constructed so as to minimise injury to people and are equipped with a ‘low-speed mode’ which limits the maximum speed to 3m/s (approx. 6.7 mph) when this function is selected by the remote pilot.
❚ C3 – Unmanned aircraft that possess automatic control modes (such as those that can be found in typical multirotor drones) that are less than 25kg maximum take-off mass.
❚ C4 – Unmanned aircraft that do not possess any automation, other than for basic flight stabilisation (and so are more representative of a ‘traditional’ model aircraft), which are less than 25kg maximum take-off mass.
More info here:
❚ If you operate a drone above 250g you may need an A2 CoC (which is a certificate given by a Recognised Assessment Entity). These RAEs have been given responsibility by the CAA to certify pilots that have successfully passed the theory test.
❚ If you’re looking to operate drones above certain weights in close proximity to people or areas, you may require a GVC (General VLOS Certificate). This certificate is given directly from the CAA, and further information can be found here.
More information: ❚ thedronerules.com
Win a Samsung Pro Endurance Memory Card!
You’ve just read about how drone expert Will Arinze is putting his faith in Samsung’s high quality memory cards and SSDs for his professional work, and now here’s your chance to win one of ten Samsung 128GB Pro Endurance Cards each worth nearly £28 to try Samsung memory out for yourself!
Our competition couldn’t be easier to enter and all you need to do is to read through Will’s feature and to answer one simple question. Get the correct answer and you’ll be in the hat for our prize draw. All we ask is that you subscribe to our monthly Pro Photo Newsletter below. If you are already subscribed just skip this step.
How to Enter
Entering the competition couldn’t be easier. Simply answer this one easy question:
Q What Samsung SSD device is Will using to back up his footage on long day projects?
The competition will be open up until midnight on Friday March 3rd and we’ll then pick ten winners out at random.
Enter Samsung competition here
Terms and Conditions: Entries must be received by midnight, March 3rd, 2022 and the winners will be notified within seven days. The winners will be chosen at random from all of the correct entries. The competition is open to UK residents only.
Employees of So Smart Media and the prize provider and their immediate families and agents may not enter.
The prize must be taken as offered with no alternative. Entries not in accordance with these rules will be disqualified: by entering the competition you’ll be deemed to be bound by these rules.
© 2022, Professional Photo Online and associated copyright owners. . All rights reserved.
