Flying a drone is a great way to get unique aerial perspectives, but at one point you might consider selling your videos. We Talk UAV is here with a three-minute quick tip style video to share some insights on how to sell your drone footage. With an emerging market for aerial videos, droners can now make money while flying for fun. These five tips are coming from an experienced droner who has sold aerial footage for car companies and events like the Tour de France, and he is We Talk UAV’s very own Alex Assenmacher.
Drone Footage Tip #1: Film Marketable Content
Even though it’s possible to sell footage with a random dog running around, most companies are looking for drone footage with specific scenes and locations. Some typical scenarios would be sunsets, monumental structures or the skyline of a city. Incorporating smooth drone techniques like a reveal shot should also help increase the chance of selling your footage.
Drone Footage Tip #2: Name Your Footage
Uploading your footage is one step to marketing your video, but properly tagging or naming your video is just as important. If companies have a hard time finding your content, then it will go by unseen. Instead of titling a video “Fun in Thailand,” throw in your name somewhere in there since you are after all building a reputation. Adding specific words and locations like “drone” or “sunset in Thailand” in the title should also make your video easier to find for prospecting companies.
Drone Footage Tip #3: Name Your Price
If a company hasn’t stated how much they are paying for drone footage, make sure to set the standard by creating a price list. Categorize your videos and prices accordingly. Making a table priced for 4K, specific scenes and different video lengths gives companies something to work with.
Drone Footage Tip #3: Shooting Mode
Shoot in manual mode and leave the settings alone for each recording. Take off auto white balance and auto exposure so that’s easier to edit with consistent footage in post production. Make sure to record in the highest quality as possible, even if companies only want a lower resolution. Compressing 4K videos to 1080p will usually output better results compared to straight 1080p recording.
Drone Footage Tip #5: Patience
Even though you already followed the first four drone tips, it may still take some time for companies to choose your footage, so be patient! Selling drone footage usually ends up in a back-and-forth negotiation, especially when a company needs multiple scenes, so be flexible on your prices.
