Flying, filming, and privacy.

[CraigCam]

Craig,

I like the way you think. It's also encouraging to see so many understand that the best lighting holds for but a very brief period of time and that planning the shoot means everything. Like some others, most of my shoots are a one battery affair working around the best lighting and pre-planned angles and views. Anything requiring more than two batteries is either fooling around or very, very large.

Everyone has different goals but I enjoy learning from the great pilots here who like me take this maybe a little too seriously.[emoji41]

 

[Ty Pilot]

Similar to me. I always do a pre-site assessment of a new area that I've not flown before using Google Earth and Altitude Angel to firstly assess whether it's legally feasible and if it's actually worth doing. If there is something worth shooting then I do a flight plan deciding on the best take-off point and do a rough 'story board'. Then, but not always if it isn't a commercial job, I may do a site visit to do a site & risk assessment before the day I'm intending to fly. At that point I'll decide which aircraft to use, be it a Phantom or the TH.

Because of all that I usually have a very good idea of what I want from the flight and can usually get all that I want on one flight battery. That said, though, I usually take two batteries and use the second battery to get what I call 'puffing out' footage: footage that isn't essential but handy to have should I have a need for it. Sometimes I may move to a second location a few hundred yards away to get my 'puffing out' footage.

I will only take more than two batteries out with me for complicated shoots that may demand multiple batteries, or if I have more than one planned locations on the same day.

Same here, I've got a couple shoots around Orlando this week and I have to find out where a shoot is and if it falls within the city limits, or the two major airports within the city and a second international airport a little north. Using google earth I can see where I want to take off and land and best locations to shoot. I can typically zip in and out of a real estate shoot in under 20 minutes. Planning is key.

 

[Rayray]

around Orlando this week and I have to find out where a shoot is and if it falls within the city limits

And if it is in the city limits???

 

[Ty Pilot]

As a part 107 certificate holder I do not need to get the typical permit (20.00 per day per area or 150.00 yearly) but I do have to be aware of schools, public buildings or detention centers owned by the city and remain 500 feet away plus any gatherings or venues that attract over 1000 people such as the stadiums and so on. As yet I have not been within the boundaries of the city limits as shown in the map I posted above. However the shoot I am doing Friday gets very close (see below).

This is my location for Friday, the yellow circle represents a 1/4 mile Radius (1280Feet). There are none of the exclusion zones within 1 mile so in any case we're good to go.

 

[Texy]

Lets all show up at this shoot

 

[PatR]

My thoughts exactly

 

[ThunderChicken]

That is a beautiful sunset! It is a shame that so many are not more knowledgeable about the aerial photography aspect of our Multi-Rotor aircraft. I have never had a problem while shooting with my SLR's both film and Digital.
I have lenses in which if I chose to intrude on privacy of others I could do so with out detection and in high definition. I have a 2600 mm High Definition lens and I can fill the viewing frame taking a shot of an English Sparrow at a 100 yards. If I wanted to I could be very intrusive.
The lens of the CGO3+ is not that great and I have only heard of a 2X lens for it and that is not enough magnification to do much of anything with.

 

[Ty Pilot]

Lets all show up at this shoot

My thoughts exactly

Come on down, the more the merrier.

 

[PatR]

So true. The public is all uppity about drones using lenses designed for security cameras while their government is recording them with million pixel cameras providing millimeter accuracy from 100 miles over head. Google Earth is very crappy imagery by government standards....

 

[ThunderChicken]

Yes I feel the same. At 68 I have seen and heard most everything. I just don't understand where people get off accusing someone of committing a crime without proof. I have very little patience with people anymore. Specially uneducated, misinformed, ignorant A holes.

I fly only when my wife is with me. She stops them before they get close enough to talk to me or interfere with "Flight Operations." She has flashed her badge and warned them it is a felony to interfere the flight crew. If they persist she warns them again and alerts them to the fact we are both armed and will arrest them if they do not cease and desist. I listen intently to any encounters and prepare accordingly.
Luckily we have not had to draw our weapons. Most stop cold when she flashes her badge.
We have only had one police officer come over to check us out he stayed and BS'd with us for a while and informed us that the person that had reported us was going to get a warning for filing a false report.
I hate feeling like a criminal when I know nothing I'm doing is illegal.

 

[ThunderChicken]

Now this is very interesting! A Squadron of Multi-rotors buzzing around. Sounds like a fun time.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

Rollerball... with drones... DJI vs Yuneec

 

[ThunderChicken]

Airborne Demolition Derby!

 

[russelrayphotos]

The people that own the property being shot own the rights to the display of their property

That's not necessarily true. Here's the official position from the National Association of Realtors:
Who Owns Your Property Photos?

 

[PatR]

Russel,

That caveats are involved is absolutely true, but if a photographer does a shoot of a privately owned property and displays those images for monetary gain without first obtaining a release or assignment of rights from the property owner the barn doors are wide open for litigation. People can talk about who is right or wrong all day on the internet but once they are served with a subpoena all that talk gets real expensive.

BTW, that official position was pretty darned loose:

"It is crucial to know what rights you own in photographs and how those rights permit you to use the photographs. To reduce your risk of copyright infringement, you should:

• Review photography agreements to assess what rights were granted or conveyed;
• Audit your use of listing photographs to ensure compliance with the relevant agreements;
• Determine how you will use photographs and ensure future agreements permit those uses; and
• Maintain records of all photography agreements."

 

[ThunderChicken]

Also watermark your samples so other people can't steal your work.

 

[Eagle's Eye Video]

Watermarking will help establish you as being the original creator of your work, if you need to go to court.
But do not believe anyone who truly wants to steal your work will be deterred by a watermark. (unless you
make it so obtrusive as to make the media valueless to all... including yourself)

 

[PatR]

Watermarks help, publishing and noting the first date and location of publication locks things down even more. If you post your work anywhere and want to retain all the rights to it, don't enter into a creative commons license.

 

[ThunderChicken]

Watermarks help, publishing and noting the first date and location of publication locks things down even more. If you post your work anywhere and want to retain all the rights to it, don't enter into a creative commons license.

If anyone tampers with the watermarks the metadata of the photo changes and it is very easy to prove in court.
In some cases the settlement damages can exceed the court cost and all legal fees. Is it worth the hassle?
Maybe not financially, but if you can keep the rights to your work it is. I have had photos stolen and it is a really aggravating to have your work stolen and some dummy is claiming it and saying look how good I am.
Beware of publishing groups wanting to put together a "Coffee Table" books and wanting samples of your work.
If you put any photos out in the public domain without water marks your rights are gone with it.