Drone Footage FAQs
We love using drones in wedding videography as they can add a unique and special view of the day. In the areas we frequently cover, like Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire and Buckinghamshire there is an abundance of amazing scenery, landscapes and wonderful wedding venues. Drone videography can really help showcase the beautiful surroundings which you have chosen for your big day in a way unlike any ground filming alone can.
However, people often have lots of questions about this new and exciting addition to videography, so we have compiled a short list of questions that are often asked. Of course if you want to know anything else about wedding videographers using drones that we haven’t covered here, please do not hesitate in getting in touch.
Q. Are drones legal to use for weddings?
Q. How high and how far are you allowed to fly drones?
Q. Will my venue allow you to fly a drone there?
Q. What do you film using the drone?
Q. Can you add drone footage to any of your packages?
Are drones legal to use for weddings?
Yes, as long as you have the appropriate licence from the CAA and also have the necessary insurance. The CAA is the governing body that oversees the use of drones in the UK. If you aim to use a drone for commercial purposes (i.e filming a wedding) it is a legal requirement that the company or drone pilot has a Permission for Commercial Operation licence (PfCO). To gain this pilots must a attend a ground school course, pass a theory exam, complete a full operations manual which sets out the company's aims and procedures and also successfully complete a practical flight exam.
It is essential that anyone flying a drone at a wedding has a PfCO. This way not only can you be assured that the pilot is flying legally they are also competent to a standard met by the CAA. More and more venues are checking to see this accreditation before they allow drones on site.
How high and how far are you allowed to fly drones?
Legally drones can be flown to a height of 400 feet and up to 500 metres away. The drone must always be kept within the line of sight at all times.
Will my venue allow you to fly a drone there?
Most venues will allow a drone to be used if they have a PfCO and the necessary insurance. However, some venues will also require extra paperwork to be filled in. On occasion it may not be possible to fly a drone at a particular venue, either due to the venue's own rules or due to the fact that it is within airspace that does not allow drones. Please check with your venue to find out more.
What do you film using the drone?
We will find a point in the day when the grounds of your venue are as quiet as possible to get some beautiful shots from above, these often start your film and help to set the scene and mood.
Of course we don’t want to intrude on your day and we aim to be as discreet as possible at all times. Please don’t worry that we will be circling your venue from above for the whole day, it will of course only be for enough time for us to get some wonderful aerial shots.
Can you add drone footage to any of your packages?
Yes, of course. You can see more about our wedding film packages here. And further information about drone footage as an add on can be seen on our main drone page.
What happens if you can’t fly on the day?
Unfortunately no commercially available drones can fly in any type of rain or high winds.
We will keep an eye on the forecasts during the lead up to your wedding. If we feel at this point that we won’t be able to fly we will contact you at least 48 hours before the day to let you know. If on the wedding day the weather becomes poor or we are unable to fly due to winds etc, we will endeavour to find a time during the day to get shots of your venue. If we can’t fly at all during the day, we will of course refund you the cost of the drone add on.
Are they big or noisy?
We use a DJI Phantom 4 Pro+ which is about 50cm wide including the propellers. It is not completely silent, but compared with some other drones it’s not very loud and we never fly close to you and your guests so it shouldn’t be a distraction or annoying.
Which areas do you cover?
We can fly throughout the UK but often concentrate our wedding videography with drones in Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and London. Of course if you are interested in us flying our drone for a wedding outside these areas please do get in touch.