Drones are everywhere. But to legally use footage or stills taken from a drone or ‘UAV’ (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) commercially, you need to make sure the person who shoots the material has the right licence and is appropriately insured. That’s where I come in.
Before flying, I will assess the airspace – contacting air traffic control where necessary, carry out a full risk assessment and make sure all safety precautions are in place. Only then can we get airborne to grab those killer drone shots.
So whether you’re an estate agent in County Durham, structural engineer in Middlesbrough, a property developer Sunderland, hotelier in Northumberland or broadcaster covering the North East, you’re in qualified hands with Newcastle Video Company.
I’ll also travel further, offering drone operator hire and aerial photography and videography in North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Scotland and anywhere in the UK. Get in touch for prices.
An aerial map shot with a drone affords you incredible detail and flexibility. Gone are the days of hiring a light aircraft and photographer!
In these examples, created for a quarry in the North East, the drone flew three autonomous flights along a virtual grid 400ft high. The camera points immediately downwards, and takes an image every couple of seconds. The end result is 600 images that are stitched together to form one large image – or map, covering 50 acres in this case. Far greater detail can be achieved by flying at altitudes below 400ft; this requires more flights and creates more images to process.
At its full resolution, these images are 282 megapixels and 5.5 metres wide! Here’s a close up of the centre part of the image:
Aerial mapping with a drone has many useful applications, including construction sites, large engineering projects and housing developments. Aerial maps can be particularly useful for showing construction progress.
Aerial mapping prices are from £550.
Day rate (4K drone hire + operator): £475,*
Ideal for video and TV production companies, news agencies, broadcasters and large-scale construction or engineering projects.
Single flight of up to 25 minutes (4K drone hire + operator): £150***
Ideal for building surveyors, structural engineers, roof inspections, solar panel inspections.
Aerial mapping: From £550.
Footage is provided in formats of up to 4k@50fps 100Mbps H.265 and images are up to 20MP RAW.
*Up to eight hours including travel time
** Up to three locations
*** Up to two hours including travel time
Assessing whether or not a flight can proceed can be a relatively complex task. There are restrictions on where drones can fly and it can depend on the weight of the drone. I operate two different drones giving me flexibility to cover different scenarios and locations.
The weather is also a factor; I can’t fly if it’s raining, too cold or too windy. The weather can be challenging in the North East and Cumbria, meaning it’s best to book your drone + operator hire as early as possible to allow us to to take advantage of favourable weather conditions.
I’ve worked for organisations including the BBC, Greggs, Siemens, Eon, the National Trust, the NHS and many more.
I currently hold an A2 COFC having previously held a PfCO. I am considering gaining a GVC.
So, get in touch to discuss your requirements.
