In 2014, drone photography well and truly landed on the radar, if you’ll excuse the pun. Last year drones were at the centre of a failed PR campaign, resulted in the term ‘dronies’ being invented and ended up as items on many people’s Christmas lists.

Drones are likely to be sticking around and making their mark in 2015 too, so what do you need to know if you want to take some captivating drone photographs to transfer to canvas?

The history of drone photography

Drones have been in use for a century but it’s only recently that they’ve made the move from wars, spying and cartography into recreational use.  One drone manufacturer reported a 130 per cent rise in sales in the third quarter of 2014 as film and photography enthusiasts got in on the trend.  Parrot says sales of drones jumped by 130 per cent in the third quarter of the year, taking even the company itself by surprise.

What’s driving the drone photo trend?

Some say the quest for the ultimate selfie is behind the drone fascination but drones are also playing a key role in modern day journalism and several universities are experimenting with drone use as part of their course schedules, you can read more about that here. There have also been some very high profile drone photography successes and you can view some of the best efforts on a site dedicated to drone photography dronestagram, which held a drone photography competition in 2014, be sure to check out the winners to get some tips for your own aerial exploits. 

How can you get started with drone photography?

You can purchase a drone for photography for as little as £40 but you’ll need to add your own photographic equipment, though it’s possible to buy all of the kit together. You’ll also need to practice the sport somewhere away from people as safety is key with drone photography. Not only do you want to ensure you don’t injure anyone while you snap away but you’ll also need to stay on the right side of the law; several drone photographers have landed themselves in trouble by unexpectedly using airspace. You can check the rules you need to operate a drone and also find out about training by getting in touch with the civil aviation authority.

Have you experimented with drone photography? Do you think it’s a trend that will keep on rising (ahem) in 2015 or is there a stronger contender for a technique or genre that will be dominating your custom canvas prints this year? As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts here at Parrotprint HQ.