What does the future hold for drone photography? These 8 pro photographers share their expectations and hopes for the growing art form.
Drone photography is here to stay. Whether it’s in the real estate sector or the Instagram community, drone pilots continue to dominate the industry. In 2016, the Shutterstock Creative Trends Report indicated a huge uptick in searches for the word “drone,” and drone registrations in the United States alone broke 770,000 last year. The hashtag #drone on Instagram currently has well over 7 million posts. Other popular hashtags include #dronestagram, #dronefly, and #droneoftheday.
Drones have forever changed the landscape of aerial photography. The field has become more democratic; photographers no longer need to afford a helicopter to get a taste of the sky. Drones were also among the most popular holiday gifts this past season, appealing to professionals, hobbyists, and everyone in between. We asked eight drone pilots from the Shutterstock and Offset collections to predict the future of the genre.
The verdict? Drones will get better in terms of the technology, but it will be harder to fly as more policies and restrictions are imposed. Read on to learn why.
1. Piotr Krzeslak
“World governments see that the number of drones is increasing rapidly, and for this reason, they must control it carefully.”
2. Karolis Janulis
“In the near future, I think the gear will become even more reliable, and the quality will also increase.”
3. Alison Etcheverry
“I think that as the industry continues to grow and evolve, more drones will be used for artistic photography, commercial work, and other fields.”
4. Radu Bercan
“Although the sensors are not all that great right now, they could match the sensor of a DSLR in a few years.”
5. Dewald Kirsten
“Soon, we will be able to shoot long-exposure night shots at high ISO and get usable images from it.”
6. Amund Meier (invisiblepower)
“…I think that we will see better and better cameras with the option of using different lenses, along with better battery life for professional drones.”
7. Kevin Krautgartner
“In terms of drone technology, the next step will be making them smarter and stronger.”
8. Maxim Zabarovsky (mzabarovsky)
“Within five years, I believe, there will be a kind of revolution when it comes to flight time and drone batteries.”
What is your prediction for the future of drone photography?
By Feature Shoot