In the long, long list of things to do when you’re planning a wedding, there’s a relatively new checkbox that has appeared on the To Do List – hire a drone pilot.
Couples are increasingly including a view from the skies as part of the ways in which they are going to capture their wedding memories. A UAV pilot isn’t the perfect guest at all wedding venues but at those with substantial grounds, the resulting images and footage can provide a beautiful and engaging perspective on the events of the day.
If you’re considering hiring a drone professional for your big day, then here’s a few pointers to get you started on choosing your ideal pilot…
- Does your venue allow drones? On the odd occasion, venues may have a ban in place on aerial photography and videography. It’s rare but it can happen and of course, there is no point in pursuing the idea any further if your chosen venue doesn’t allow flights as they do need to give their permission for a flight to be legal.
- On the subject of keeping it legal, drone pilots that are flying for commercial gain need to be licensed by the CAA and hold the relevant insurance. So you’ll need to check that they have their PfCO (Permission for Commercial Operation) before you begin to talk to them about anything further to make sure you’re not hiring someone who is working illegally.
- Know that the weather on your wedding day might prevent a drone flight – drones can’t fly in rain or high winds and so your pilot won’t be able to get in the air if either of these occur. Of course, you wouldn’t be expected to pay for a flight that doesn’t happen and a pilot will be watching the weather on the run up to the date so they can keep you advised on the possibilities and best flight times but there is a chance that rain could stop play.
- Is your venue right for a drone? If you’re in a venue with beautifully rolling grounds and plenty of space around it, then the answer is most likely yes (although there are some additional permissions that your pilot will need to consider if you are in a protected location such as near to an airport or military base). If your venue has no outdoor space or is an urban area, then drone photography might not be right for you – your pilot will be able to advise you.
- Keep it outdoors – drones can fly indoors in some circumstances but they are quite noisy by nature so they’re not ideally suited to interior flights. They’re best suited to providing your with aerial perspective of your venue from the outside.
- Build a drone into your day – if you’re having a drone pilot, then it’s worth giving some thought to what you’d like them to achieve, and maybe allocate some of your day to creating something special for them to capture – one idea that’s popular is to arrange your guests into a shape such as a heart!
If you’re interested in finding out more about what a drone pilot can offer you in terms of capturing your wedding day, then just get in touch with your local pilot and they’ll be able to help you.
