Where can I get free drone footage?

Drone footage has completely changed the game for many filmmakers. Traditionally, getting aerial footage meant going up on a chopper with a camera crew on hand. But with drones all you need is an unmanned aircraft, a good control pad, and basic maneuver skills. Oh, and do not forget about the license from relevant authorities!

But even with all that becoming available, there is one thing that still makes drones out of rich for many people: high cost. Drones are quite expensive. Getting one and using it for film purposes will set you back a few bucks. An alternative to this is getting the specific drone footage you need.

Some sites offer top-quality drone footage for free. These libraries are filled with stock footage that will wow you. You don't have to spend big to get the footage. Just visit the sites and you will be on your way.

Let’s take a look at some of them, shall we?

Where can I get free drone footage?

Videvo

They were created by a group of professional videographers who go through the hassle of capturing drone footage for free. The footages are top quality and are perfectly shot and edited.

Unlike other sites, where you have to go through hours and hours of shaky and low-quality clips, Videvo gives you high-quality footage with some high-end editing levels.

To make money, Videvo, of course, has some top-class footage on their premium plans. Thus, if you want to get your hands on 4K and UHD clips, be sure to subscribe.

Distill

Distill offers customers free curated high-definition clips. The clips will be free to use in all your documentary and film needs, with a wide pool to choose from. What we liked most about Distill is that you get ten free clips after every ten days.

They send you a list of carefully selected footage and enable you to build a collection from your end.

Videezy

As with the others, Videezy gives you access to a large pool of clips to choose from. The clips are high quality, with the shoots and camera work quite outstanding. You get to use the footage for commercial purposes, with the only requirement being to credit Videezy. If that's too much for you, you can always pay for the clips and skip the credits altogether.

Pixabay

This is not exclusively made for drone footage, but hey, they still upload some once in a while. Usually popular for free photos, Pixabay also has a huge collection of footage to choose from. Usage is usually under CCO, so it's free, but you can give credits where due.

What makes drone footage so expensive?

There are many reasons why acquiring a drone will leave a big gap in your budget. Here are some of the reasons why drones are out of reach to many newbies in the film industry:

Drones are costly

Getting a basic drone with minimal range and basic equipment will cost you around £1,200. This is for a standard DJI Phantom 4 Pro. But for the high-end deals, you can expect to pay £8750 for a piece of DJI Matrice 300 RTK. Folks, when you put two and two together, the cost of drones alone becomes out of reach for many.

Getting a license is expensive.

If getting a drone is not costly enough, you still need to get a license from relevant authorities. And we can tell you with confidence; it’s going to cost you. Initially, when there were fewer drones in the sky, it was super easy to own and operate one. But now, authorities are taking a grip on the industry, and we can tell you it will keep rising. The average cost for a drone pilot license in the UK is £1600.

Training is also expensive.

Flight schools will set you back big time. Aspiring drone pilots pay a lot in fees to get their training. This makes their services quite costly. But don't worry, if you can afford to hire a qualified drone pilot for your aerial videography, by all means, go for it.

Parting shot

There is no doubt that getting your drone footage is expensive. When you factor in all the licenses and fees, you ought to pay. You may feel discouraged. Even if you get a skilled pilot, you still need to explain your film requirements and hope they got an ounce filming in them.

But don't break a sweat. You can still access a wide range of drone footage clips from the above websites. Some may still require you to sign up and follow the laid down guidelines, but hey, that's not much compared to the rich resources you will get.

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