Aerial imagery is a captivating way to promote your business by taking photos of a particular landscape from an aerial perspective. When it comes to aerial imagery, there are specific techniques that can help you take the highest-quality pictures for your desired results. The first thought you might have when planning a photoshoot is choosing a drone helicopter or a manned aircraft. There are advantages to each, but it ultimately comes down to selecting what option suits your business needs best and what you’re trying to accomplish.
What is Aerial Imagery?
Aerial imagery is the practice of capturing photographs from a drone or manned aircraft. The images captured are often used to promote a business. Drone surveying and aerial mapping are excellent services for almost any industry and can enhance your business objectives. These pictures are especially great for the real estate, marketing, and construction industries.
Drone Helicopter vs. Manned Aircraft
There are drone pros and cons but a manned aircraft also has its advantages and disadvantages. Here are some factors to consider when deciding between a drone helicopter or manned aircraft for aerial imagery.
- Cost
The first advantage of a drone is that it’s more cost-effective. When you use a manned aircraft, you have to add on fuel costs and maintenance fees. You also have to pay for hanger space, insurance, and more. A drone helicopter is much cheaper to operate. Therefore, you pay much less for the service. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, drone surveying may be the best choice.
- Flight Time
Another factor to consider is flight time. If you use a drone, you only get between 30-60 minutes of flight time before it needs to be charged. Depending on the aircraft you operate, drone surveying doesn’t give you the flight time you need to take a lot of pictures. On the contrary, you get several hours of flight time with a manned aircraft to capture more photos.
- Photograph Quality
The quality of the photographs is another factor worth exploring when deciding between a drone helicopter or manned aircraft. Generally speaking, you can expect better photos when you use a manned aircraft. With aerial imagery, the pilot operates the plane while the photographer takes the desired landscape images. In this case, the photographer can choose different lenses and cameras to use depending on what they want to capture. If you use a drone helicopter, the operator takes the photos. One downside is that you can’t change the lenses on all drones. These are some aspects to consider if photograph quality is a high priority for your shoot.
- Location
The location that you’re shooting plays an essential role in your decision. Some things to consider are what companies are near your business and how long it will take to get a pilot to your area. Regardless of the location, you can quickly get drones to a designated location. A quality drone operator will travel to you and begin taking pictures to achieve your desired results.
Making a Decision
When deciding how you’re going to capture aerial imagery, consider what option makes optimal sense for the results you’re trying to achieve and your overall business. If you have the budget and want to get the most out of your shoot, aerial imagery is a great solution. You get high-quality images you can use to reach your short- and long-term goals. If you’re looking for a way to capture aerial photos without breaking the bank, a drone helicopter might be the best choice.
Get Started
Our Aerial Innovations Southeast team of professional photographers possess expertise and years of experience in aerial and drone photography. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help meet your needs.