The short answer
Drone video gives a campaign its establishing moments: the building, the site, the crowd or the landscape that sets the scene before the close-up story. Expect a short planning call, a shot list tied to where the video will be used, a flight on a dry and calm day, and edited cuts for web and social. Filmed work with ground and aerial coverage starts from £450 for a half day and £750 for a full day.
Where aerial footage earns its place
Aerial shots are best at showing scale and place. A product launch at a waterfront venue, a new office in a regenerated district, a festival or a tourism campaign all gain from an opening shot that tells viewers where they are. They are less useful for close product detail, which a ground camera handles better.
The strongest campaigns mix the two. The drone opens and closes the film; ground footage, interviews and product shots carry the middle.
Planning: start with the channel
Before any flight, decide where the video will live. A website header wants a slow, wide loop without text. Instagram and TikTok want vertical cut-downs with movement in the first second. A presentation to investors wants a clear, steady story. The shot list follows from that, and it avoids flying footage nobody uses.
Share brand guidelines, any required logos and the key message. If people will appear on camera, arrange consent forms in advance.
On the day
The pilot arrives early to check the site, agree take-off and landing areas and confirm the flight plan with whoever manages the location. Flights are short and repeated: each battery lasts roughly twenty to thirty minutes, so shots are grouped efficiently. Golden hour gives the most flattering light for exteriors, and many campaigns schedule their hero shot around it.
Weather decides whether the drone flies. Rain and strong wind ground the aircraft, so a back-up date is worth pencilling in for campaigns with a fixed launch.
What you receive
A typical package includes an edited highlight film plus social cut-downs, with ground and aerial footage cut together in one edit so there is no need for a second supplier. Delivery is within one week. Raw clips can also be supplied for in-house teams who edit their own content.
Budgeting
Filmed work starts from £450 for a half day and £750 for a full day, with aerial footage included rather than charged as an add-on. Airspace, location complexity and the number of edited versions affect the final quote. Send the location, launch date and intended channels for a fixed price.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is flying without a plan and hoping the edit will find a story. It rarely does. The second is using aerial shots for too long: two or three seconds of a sweeping view is powerful, but twenty seconds becomes wallpaper. Keep aerial moments short and purposeful, and let them lead into the human part of the story.
Another mistake is ignoring the rules. Filming crowds, busy streets or controlled airspace without permission can stop a shoot on the day and create liability for the brand. A professional pilot checks all of this in advance. Finally, remember that footage shot for one channel rarely suits every other. Planning for horizontal and vertical versions at the start saves reshoots later.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does drone video for a campaign cost?
- Filmed work with ground and aerial coverage starts from £450 for a half day and £750 for a full day, with aerial included.
- How long does it take to receive the edit?
- Edited films and social cut-downs are delivered within one week.
- Can you supply vertical versions for social media?
- Yes. Social cut-downs are part of the edit and can be framed for vertical platforms.
- What if the weather is bad on shoot day?
- Drones do not fly in rain or strong wind, so a back-up date is advised for campaigns with fixed deadlines.