What equipment do you bring on a drone job?

Drone Equipment to Bring

Whether your drone job is a quick photography session or an all day video event, you should start building a list of equipment you should bring on every job to make sure your always prepared for the unexpected. Being prepared can increase customer satisfaction and save you from a reshoot.

Drone

The first thing that should be on everyone's list is a drone (obviously). But the drone you bring needs to meets the requirements of the job to complete. If you only fly one type of drone then this step is easy because that's the one you will bring. FPV drones excel at sports, following cars, flythroughs, etc (make sure you use prop guards if flying close to people). Traditional drones (DJI Mini, Air or Mavic Pro series) excel at photography and 4K video. Verify with the client on specifics needed to complete the job.

Power

Do you have enough batteries to complete the job? With my DJI drones I bring at least 3-4 full batteries to each job, even if i think i can complete it with only 1 battery. When it comes to power there are many factors that can impact battery life, including age of battery, temperature, style of flying, wind, and more. If you only have 1 battery consider investing in purchasing more.

What are your options for charging batteries in the field? I made the decision to purchase the DJI Power 1000 after landing multiple jobs that would need to be completed in the same day. My reasons for choosing the DJI Power 1000 over other brands came down to several points;

• Fast charging for DJI drones- my primary drones are DJI so it made sense to have the ability to fast-charge my batteries.

• Capacity. The Power 1000 can recharge drones batteries up to 12 times on a full charge. This is more than enough power for me for a 1 day job.

• Brand. I have been happy with the service and fast shipping from DJI.

Now i purchased the DJI Power 1000 while it was on sale. Currently the unit is still on sale for $699. The power supply you decide on will come down to what your budget and needs are. There are many options out there, so always be on the lookout for a good deal.

Equipment

In addition to drone and power. What else should you have with you? Here is my list of equipment that comes with me on all jobs.

• Necessary paperwork, including license and proof of insurance. I keep electronic copies of all this and my FAA drone registration.

• Vest. I bring orange vest with me, they are unmarked, no writing. Wearing a vest has cut down on people coming up to me questioning what i am doing. It also shows professionalism especially when your on construction sites or in public places.

• SD Cards. Not every SD card is the same. Make sure you verify the SD you have meets the requirements for the drone used. It is important to have spares in the event your card is full or malfunctions.

• ND Filters. Are you shooting video that needs to have the cinematic effect. If your following the 180 rule for shutter speed you are going to need ND filters during the daytime. There are many different types available for a wide range of budgets. Personally i use PolarPro for all my ND filters.

• Case & Cables. I bring a pelican case that has extra charging cables, tools, and drone parts. Since I purchased the DJI RC2 remote separately, I bring the DJI RC-N2 remote as a backup.

• Folding Table. I also bring a 4ft folding table that i purchased from Home Depot. It comes in handy for locations that have lots of dirt/dust for takeoff and landing. Here is the link, click here.

This list is not meant to be the only things to bring with you, but it can be used as a starting point and feel free to add to it as needed. Questions about where to get started? Contact Sky Sport Aerials today.