Up, Up, And Away - My Experience Flying A Drone For The First Time

Throughout my time at Furman, I never pictured flying a drone for a class. It was an incredible hands-on experience! I got to work with my classmates and looked down from above to see a different side of campus.

Today was my first time flying a drone, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. I am not a whiz with technology, and I’m notorious for being clumsy. I kept mumbling under my breath, “please don’t hit a tree or drone. Please don’t be THAT person.” Although I was super nervous initially, once I got the hang of flying the drone, I thought it was such a neat experience. It’s not every day that students can fly a drone around campus, which is part of the Furman Advantage. I ended up loving working with the drones, especially playing around with the camera and seeing different areas of campus, like over the fountains and library, because it was a stellar view.

Looking Through the Lens of a New

Perspective

Picture provided by: Marion Davis

Since this was my only experience working with a drone, here are a few things I learned in the process:

How To Operate The Drone

• I learned how to move the drone up, down gently, and side to side. I especially had to focus on moving the drone down for a smooth landing because it is more challenging than it looks.

How To Change The Angle Of The Drone Camera

• The drone’s camera can change directions and show different perspectives, so I learned how to move the lens to focus on specific areas like the library or switch it to focus on the sky more.

How To Record Footage

• Part of setting up the drone is using your phone to connect to it. I installed the DJI Fly App on my phone and easily attached it to the drone. I think it’s pretty remarkable how we can use our phones and get a view of so much and almost instantly in a convenient way. I also learned how to use the App through the video tutorials.

The Rules and Regulations With Drones

• As obvious as this may sound, I had no idea that you had to have a license to operate certain drones or keep them from certain areas for legal reasons. I also did not know that you always have to keep the drone within your eyesight and always be on the lookout for helicopters flying too low, birds, or trees.

Seeing A Different Side of Campus

Picture provided by: Marion Davis

Since working with drones, I have a new appreciation for different shots. When I watch videos online, and there is a God-shot, I notice how much it stands out from other shots like medium and wide. God-shots and other even shooting ground shots encapsulate the whole picture and give the viewer a better sense of the story linked to that shot. Now that I have a little bit of experience working with new perspective shots, I appreciate all the time and precision that goes into getting the best possible shot. It would be neat to sharpen my understanding of different perspective shots using the drone for my video project or within my marketing career in a big city. The drone footage could elevate the meaning of a clip and help the audience understand the importance of a story in a new way.