Drone Photography at Falmouth Golf Course

by Richard Randall

Bob Marley once said

“The sun is shining and the weather is sweet”

Well it certainly was this weekend at Falmouth Golf Club, and when the weather is on my side there is only one thing I like to do, and that’s fly the drone.

The weekend Glen and I were at a wedding fair, which we do regularly. The venue this time was Falmouth Golf Club, a gorgeous place right by the sea. During the day I had some time to step outside and put the drone up in the air, and as you can see, the results were stunning.

Trethek Studio

At Trethek Studio we offer drone photography and video to a wide variety of clients.

Having aerial photography or video for properties, construction sites, wedding venues and landscapes can really bring a client's message across in a unique way.

The Drone

There are many drones out there in the world, from cinematic drones, to First Person View (FPV) drones, CineWhoops, which are more difficult to fly but have excellent stability for crisp video shots, drones which you can fly using your phone, or special viewing goggles… and they all have their place. However, it can be a little confusing – what is a professional drone used for photography and videography, and what is something that is flown around a park just for fun?

Here at Trethek Studio we use only professional gear, and there are no exceptions when it comes to drones.

At this time we excursively use DJI drones, specifically the Mavic 3, DJI’s flagship drone (on the left). If we ever need to fly indoors we have the DJI Avata drone (on the right), which is an FPV drone (something we can go into more detail on another blog).

Advantages of drone photography

One of the many advantages of drone photography is that we can capture many aspects in one picture. Take this shot of Falmouth Golf course: within in just one picture we have shown the club house, the location of the club house and the stunning views surrounding the site.

The disadvantages

There are some drawbacks when you need aerial footage – in a nutshell, the weather.

Drones don’t like strong wind, or rain.

The weather was great at Falmouth Golf Course, but it was quite windy. This is something we can overcome, but it does limit how far we can fly the drone and for how long, as fighting the wind drains our batteries more quickly, giving us less time in the sky.

Drones can handle a little bit of rain, once in the air, but if it’s raining before take-off then it’s a no-go for that day or time.

With all these things, we do have to take into account the location. If we are flying in an open field we are able to fly with stronger winds then if we were shooting over a cliff face or in a residential area, due to the potential for a gust pushing the drone into an obstacle. Most of the time I have no problem flying the drone – if I’m being sensible about the weather risks!

Flying drones legally

Being able to fly a drone is one thing, but being allowed to fly a drone is another.

To keep things short, yes, it is legal to fly a drone. Any hobbyist can fly a drone around a beach or park. Where it gets a little tricky is when it is for commercial use, and in some places, for instance town centres, or on private land, you will need a drone licence.

I have an A2 Open Category drone licence, which covers me to fly for commercial use for five years. For this I had to take a course and pass a written test, which I will repeat when it expires.

If you are interested in drone photography or videography, please get in contact with the studio at info@trethekstudio.com

Til next time.