I create a large amount of training films and content, and one of the biggest barriers to getting the content I need is maintaing my personal safety. I also need to comply with the multitude of policies and restrictions that companies have in place.
Because the sub 250g class of drones are now at a standard that I can use, I decided to purchase one.
I put in the time to train myself to a competent standard, and was curious to see what a difference it made to my filming experience.
Once I started using it professionally, the thing that really struck me was how liberating a drone is in a factory / industrial setting. The drone is light enough that it is unlikely to damage anything. Fitting prop guards means it can bounce into obstacles and not crash. It also completely removed (for the most part) any Health & Safety considerations that would normally prevent filming.
I found that people in the area were more comfortable being filmed by a drone. This is because they knew it wouldn’t be close-up, so less opportunity for embarassing shots!
Since the start of 2023, the drone has flown down production lines, through machines, along conveyor belts, over robots, over forklifts and trucks. There was minimal risk to anyone, and no downtime for any process or workflow.
The impact to business is minimal, and everyone involved absolutely loves the captured footage.
The drone is now one of my most important tools for filming in any area where there is a risk to either myself or others. Battery life is excellent these days, and the stability and dependability is extraordinay compared to just a few years ago.
Of course it is also available if I need to get interesting exterior footage, or just high vantage point shots of an area or process. The size of the complete rig is so compact that I now carry it as part of my standard filming kit.