Hello, this is Kawarazaki from the design department.
Last year, I became deeply fascinated with the appeal of drones and wrote an article about it, and I was happy to receive a lot of feedback both inside and outside the company.
I'm convinced that there is still a demand for drone articles, so this time I'll be sharing the content and my passion that I wasn't able to cover last time in Part 2!
This promotional video for Suo-Oshima, where Monosus' satellite office is located, was shot with a drone in June. The background music was produced by my colleague, former band member Hamabata .
Q&A about drones
After publishing my last article about drones, I started getting a lot of inquiries about drones from friends and acquaintances.
Among them, I would like to list some of the most frequently asked questions.
Q1. Where can I fly it?
A. In a place that complies with the rules for flying unmanned aerial vehicles!
In Japan, new " unmanned aerial vehicle flight rules " set out by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism came into force in December 2015. If you wish to fly a drone weighing 200g or more in the locations shown below, you will need prior permission from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
(Small drones weighing less than 200g are not considered "unmanned aerial vehicles" and can be flown in places like the one shown below.)
You can also check the above C, "over populated areas," on the website of DJI (a company that sells and develops drones) .
If you can fly anything other than the A, B and C mentioned above, it seems like you can fly it pretty much anywhere, but since most of Tokyo is a "densely populated area," unfortunately there are very few places where you can fly it without permission.
(By the way, since it is possible to fly indoors, even in populated areas, there are several indoor practice fields in Tokyo.)
In addition, if you fly a drone in the following situations, you will need approval from the Director of the Regional Civil Aviation Bureau, regardless of location:
- Fly during the day (sunrise to sunset)
- Flying an unmanned aerial vehicle and its surroundings within visual (naked) range at all times
- Fly the drone at a distance of 30m or more between it and people (third parties) or objects (third party buildings, automobiles, etc.)
- Do not fly over festivals, fairs, or other events where large numbers of people gather.
- Do not transport explosives or other dangerous materials
- Do not drop anything from unmanned aerial vehicles
As you can see, there are many drone flight restrictions, but once you learn the rules, it's not that difficult.
Personally, I would like to see more places in Tokyo where it is easy to fly.
Q2. Do I need a license?
A. There is no license required for drones!!
Since drones are controlled (piloted) like a car, one might think that a license is required.
However, you don't need a license to fly a drone. Or rather, there is no license (at the moment). So, you can actually fly it from the day you buy it.
However, immediately after purchasing it, there can be danger and anxiety because you don't know how to operate it or the flight rules.
So, although it's not a substitute for a license, there is something called a " drone certification ."
In fact, I took the Level 3 test in 2017.
The test is basically written only, and questions cover the characteristics and basic technology of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), radio, and even physics that students have only studied in high school.
I was a little nervous because it had been a while since I last studied for an exam, but
Using commercially available textbooks as a reference, I crammed the night before and my efforts paid off, and I passed the exam.
A certificate of passing the drone certification level 3 exam.
The certificate itself doesn't have much effect, but studying taught me the proper flight rules, which gave me peace of mind when flying a drone myself.
Taking these tests is also a good way to build up your knowledge independently.
Q3. How do you fly it in the first place?
A. You control the drone by connecting an iPad (iPhone) to a drone-specific transmitter.
Most drones on the market today are controlled using a radio control unit (transmitter).
The aircraft I use, the Mavic Pro, has an iPad connected to the transmitter and I can control it using a linked dedicated app that allows me to see the flight screen in real time.
A scene from when I went to Yamanashi Prefecture to photograph Mt. Fuji. The thing being controlled is the remote control (transmitter) in my hand.
Previously, I used to connect my iPhone to stream the video, but because the screen is small, I sometimes didn't notice that the video was out of focus while I was shooting, and I would often be disappointed when previewing it on my PC later.
Therefore, we recommend using an iPad with a large monitor.
A new way to express aerial photography
Demand for drones has increased in recent years, and the number of opportunities to see aerial photography on television and websites has skyrocketed.
Once people become accustomed to the sight, simple aerial footage no longer has the same impact.
Meanwhile, creators from all over the world are shooting using innovative techniques every day.
Here we will introduce next-generation methods of expression and photography ideas using drones that go beyond simply flying a drone.
VR × Drone
Aerial footage shot in VR using a 360° camera.
If you are viewing on a PC, try dragging your mouse around on the video. By capturing aerial shots by drone in VR, you can see even more fascinating scenery.
(If you have VR goggles, please wear them.)
Micro × Drone
A promotional video using micro drones, shot by a production company in Nagoya.
This ultra-small drone fits in the palm of your hand, and can be flown close to buildings and people to capture dynamic, cinematic footage.
As anyone who has flown a drone will know, it is extremely difficult to control the drone so close to the subject, and this type of footage requires extreme piloting skills.
What's amazing is that it was shot in one take, without any cuts!
Timelapse x Drone
Aerial photography incorporating time lapse (fast forward) footage.
The headlights of cars driving at night look fantastical and add an accent to the aerial footage.
Using it prominently as the main visual for a website can help to highlight the site with a more emotional expression.
What did you think of Drone Beginner Part 2?
Drones are evolving every day, and the barrier to entry for the general public is becoming lower in terms of both cost and piloting skills.
I bought a drone in April of last year, but now there are even better and cheaper drones on the market.
These days, I'm thinking that one day I'd like to create a website that uses drone footage I shot myself as the main visual. (I'm looking forward to your photography requests!)
A winding road in Hakone photographed at the end of last year.
KAWARAZAKI Taira