Drones (My Gear Series) Part Two

Wow, what a busy couple weeks it has been. Started just before Memorial Weekend with a wedding in Ocala, then a trip out to Vero beach for the holiday, followed by a style shoot at the Hilton Downtown Tampa. That is just 5 days of it. I've got multiple photo shoots this week, and Danielle and the kids are off to South Carolina. The nice part is that this will free me up for a week of uninterrupted editing. That being said with travel starting back up and a little bit of time on my side, Ive had to promise Austin to also put out a Martin's Mark family vlog again. It has been over a year now since I made time for the last one.  Another personal activity I've struggled to find time for lately is drone flight. Thats why it was so great when last weekends wedding added it onto the videography contract. (See what I did there, what a segway)

In the last My Gear Series post we talked about the cameras named The Beast & The Twins. Today let me introduce you to Maverick & Goose. (Comment below if you know the reference)

Maverick

Maverick is a DJI Mavic 2 Pro: it features 31 minutes of flight time per battery and obstacle avoidance on all sides. Something that is very important for flying drones. It has a 20 megapixel gimbal mounted camera that I've paired with neutral density filters from polar pro to handle the bright Florida sunshine. The tech terms aside this thing is sweet. Capable of speeds up to 47 miles per hour, although for wedding events I keep it in cinema smooth mode to ensure perfect stable footage.

Goose

Goose is a DJI Mavic Mini that's comes in at just 249grams making it just under the FAA regulation weight for personal use. What that means it this drone can be flown without setting up a pilot profile with the FAA. Goose is my choice of drone for travel and destination weddings, and what I use when offering a free drone promotional add-on.

Drone regulations are an important part of being able to offer service as part of my investment options. Recreational based FAA rule exemptions disappear the minute  intended use becomes for commercial gain, such as operating for pay at a wedding. This means that I am required to take and pass a test stating I can operate safely and know the rules. I am happy to say I did pass that test, but like to point out that this is one of the things to consider when booking a wedding videographer. I'll be writing a blog soon about the cost of quality service, and this is a great example of that. It cost to have a vendor that knows the rules, and follows them. Sure it may never be a problem to fly a drone illegally at your wedding, but what happens when it is your wedding and that's the one time it is a problem. With me, you'll know your guest are safe and the images will be beautiful, so considering adding it on to your videography service contract.  ​