Aerial Media FAQ

How long will it take to get my aerial images and how do I collect them?

For a standard aerial photography shoot we deliver your images the next business day following the shoot. All photos and video are uploaded to Google Drive. Once your photos and/or videos have been processed you will receive a link where you can download the files. If you have requested video editing, the final edited video may take a few days to produce depending on complexity.

Where there are large aerial video files we will post them to you on a USB flash drive.

If you require raw video and or photo files for a shoot on the day, please bring a USB storage device and let us know your requirement. We will bring along a laptop and can transfer the files to your storage device immediately, so you can have media ready to promote asap.

What type of drones do you use?

We use the DJI Inspire 2 carrying a Zenmuse X7 camera. We also have a DJI Phantom 4 Pro available. We will generally bring both drones to a shoot to ensure we have a backup available should there be a problem with either of the drones. This ensures we don’t miss any shots and there are no delays in getting your images recorded. Both drones have their advantages, the Inspire 2 with X7 camera is huge compared to the Phantom 4 and produces a much better image especially in low light, it also has much smoother motion for video. On the other hand, the Phantom 4 is small and unobtrusive which can be an advantage. Both drones have a fully gimbal stabilised camera.

How long can your drone fly before it runs out of battery?

Both the Inspire 2 and Phantom 4 can fly for approximately 20 minutes leaving a 25% battery safety margin for landing. Batteries can be swapped out in around a minute and we carry multiple sets of batteries, so we can keep flying without the need to wait for batteries to recharge. The Inspire 2 actually runs two batteries in a redundant system so that failure of any one battery will not cause the aircraft to crash.

Both drones have live telemetry systems so that battery capacity can be monitored by the pilot to ensure there is always sufficient battery power to land the drone safely.

What is CASA certified?

CASA is the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority, it governs all aircraft use of airspace from large passenger aircraft to drones used for aerial photography. A CASA Certification is something that a business must have to fly professional grade drones that weigh over 2kg such as the Inspire 2 for profit. It also allows an operator to conduct flights at night and with approval operate within 5km of an airport. To become CASA certified the pilot must have received official training and completed a remote pilot exam. The business (or operator) must also have an Operator’s License. This is an in-depth certification that ensures all aspects of flight operations are managed such as pilot training, drone maintenance, battery management, flight logging, accountability, safety assessments and risk management. All aspects of flight operations are run in accordance with CASA regulations and recommendations.

To ensure safety and the best results always make sure you check to see if the business has a CASA Remote Operator’s License and is using professional grade drones. You wouldn’t hire a professional photographer that turns up with an iPhone to take your photograph’s would you?

How far away can your drone fly?

Our drones can technically fly around 3km from the transmitter before losing signal. CASA requires us to only fly within line of sight, this means our crew must be able to visually see the drone at all times. Our pilots have great eyes and can fly safely within these regulations to about 700 meters. Additional spotters and radio communications can be used to extend this range if required but generally 700 meters in each direction gives us enough distance to capture great footage.

How high can your drone fly?

CASA requires us to fly below 400 feet (or 120 metres) to guarantee separation from full sized aircraft who are permitted to fly to a minimum altitude of 500 feet. Our drones can fly to 500 metres but we have a safety set which will prevent the drone from flying over 120 metres. As a CASA certified operator we can apply to CASA for an exemption for a particular job to fly above the regulated height during a specified time and in a specified area.

What happens if your transmitter link fails during a job?

Our drones have built in GPS positioning, this allows them to stay perfectly in one position without any pilot input. When the drone boots it will record its home position. If the communications link with the transmitter is lost the drone will automatically go up to a preset altitude which is set by the pilot prior to take off, this will avoid any obstacles in the way. The drone will then return to the home point and land automatically. Depending on the job safety requirements this process can be changed to the specific requirements, for example hover and wait, or land immediately if we are flying underneath structures.