If you’re searching to purchase drone-related accessories, then you’ll see that you are bombarded by various options, some of which are completely unsuitable for most users.
In this article, I’ll sort them by importance based on my experiences from many years of flying drones.
It’s difficult to discern which drones are the most effective DJI accessories in the absence of any prior experience with them and that’s why I’ll concentrate on those that offer the most improvement in the overall flight experience as well as cinematic outcomes, and less on those that are simply tricks.
We’ll concentrate on camera drones that are made by such companies as DJI, Xiaomi, Hubsan, Parrot etc and less on FPV drones as this is a completely distinct category.
1.ND Filters – The most important accessory for drones of any camera
Before I wrote this article I scoured the internet for other articles to determine whether there’s a need to write another piece of content to the web.
However, I wasn’t pleased with their suggestions because it suggests that they’ve not used drones for camera correctly.
ND filters make the greatest effect on the end result of the camera drone’s designed for: making videos and taking photos.
What is ND filters?
Filters with ND are sunglasses to use with your quadcopter. They are small, somewhat opaque lens you place over the main camera on your drone.
What’s the purpose of ND filters on drones?
ND filters’ primary function is to block a portion of the light coming in the camera. What is the reason you would want to do this?
There are a variety of reasons for example, reducing glare, or eliminating sun reflections that are not natural however the most significant of all is keeping the rule of 180 shutters in cinematography.
What is the 180-degree shutter rule?
This explanation may not be sufficient if you are unfamiliar with the basics of cameras however, here’s my attempt at explaining the basics:
You probably already know that each camera has a shutter speed. This is how fast the camera’s shutter speed is to let the light through. It’s measured in terms of time (how long it is able to keep its eyes open in anticipation of every blink).
The amount is typically tiny, like 1/120 or 1/8 (which is an 80-fold number divided by a second).
Frame rate is another thing which, as you’re aware is the number of frames you shoot per second in.
This is why the “180-degree shutter” rule is useful.
When the speed of shutter is too slow ( it’s a tiny number such as 1/600) it means that the drone is blinking extremely quickly (in the terms of layman’s) and the video will end up looking blurry and not cinematic in any way even.
It’s very obvious This is especially evident when using drones as there’s almost never a stop within the camera (or otherwise you’ll get bored).
To stop this from happening and create smooth and creamy footage, you have to create a motion blur. This is achieved by with the use of the 180-degree shutter rule:
The shutter speed you choose should be at least 2x the frame rate.
It’s as simple as that.
If you’re filming at 30 frames per second attempt to achieve about 1/6 ( it should equal 2x 30 in this example). If you’re shooting at 60 FPS you should aim to get approximately 1/1200.
2.Backpacks and Cases Which one is the most effective?
Okay, certain drones come with backpacks or bags direct from the maker however very few have adequate protection, or provide good transportability for your other equipment.
One of the most effective ways to make your drone’s transportation more secure and also discover a common way to organize your camera equipment and other accessories is to buy the appropriate carrying case.
Here are a few advantages a good carrying case could bring:
Waterproofing – Though there’s only a few cases that are truly waterproof that are waterproof, you will discover that the majority are splashproof and, especially with regard to high-end cases that water will have the most difficult time entering. I’ve thrown the old Mavic Pro with its hard case in a river when making a film for a rafting contest and, after just 5 seconds submerged, it was discovered that there was no damage and there was no water inside.
Damage prevention by Brute Force The simple act of putting everything you need in your usual backpack could result in the fact that if you sit on it accidentally, your drones that cost a lot of money could be damaged to the point of being unusable. This is why it is important to have a case comes with foam protection (especially strong ones) as well as an outer protection casing.
Compartmentalization – Let’s look at the earlier example, in which you purchase your controller, drone camera batteries, and some accessories, and put all of them in the same backpack compartment. There will be scratches! So having separate compartments for one main piece of equipment can greatly protect against damage. Believe me I’ve made the same mistake too , and threw three drones into the same backpack, and eventually scratched them which in turn, was more difficult to sell them later on.
Slots to store additional accessories such as batteries could not fit into the bag that the drone came with , and it’s not easy to carry them in a separate bag. That’s why I advise the bag you buy to accommodate at least two more batteries (besides the ones already included on the drone). Places for pockets and other items like cables or landing pads are a welcome additional features.
3.Micro SD Card for Drones. How important is this gadget?
Although the selection of the Micro SD card might seem simple, the consequences of selecting the wrong card could be far more damaging than any other item that is on the list.
I was screaming more about malfunctioning Micro SD cards than because of any other drone issue.
Because most drones nowadays record in 4K (some even have 8 or 6k, such as those with the Autel Evo 2), the capability to use Micro SD cards to write quickly during recording is of the utmost importance.
The resolution alone isn’t the only thing because Bitrate could significantly increase the amount of information a micro SD can write in a second.
With the tiniest drones such as Mini 2 Mini 2 shooting in over 100mBps, you’ll see why we’re in dire need of storage devices for data.
What are the top Micro SD cards for 4K drones?
Although most cards today are capable of handling 1080p resolution, if we want to go up an additional level, we must examine the following information in micro SD cards:
Speed class
Minimum Sequential write speed
Manufacturer (Brand)
Size (I prefer 128GB)
Brand appears to be crucial
As I normally try to stay away from paying more when purchasing branded goods I’ve noticed an improvement this time.
When I’ve used no-name microSD cards I’ve experienced more issues (even even though they were in identical speed classes, in the theory).
Two brands I recommend using include Sandisk as well as Samsung.
4.Sunshade for your drone controller
The sunshade you use to protect your Drone Controller’s screen is not considered an essential accessory until you actually go out and experience how difficult it is to see anything in the sun when you’re using your computer screen.
This could lead to improper photography, other camera malfunctions as well as bad photos.
The most effective sunshades for your drone controller.
Because controllers vary with regard to mounting positions and the kind of tablet or phone that you’re using may make the lookup for the perfect drone controller shade extremely specific.
5.Winter Drone Gloves – surprising important
When I was testing some of the accessories made by the manufacturer PGYtech on the DJI Mini 2 I ordered an assortment of winter gloves for photography too.
They’re, for instance, gloves with tops that can be removed to enable greater control of a monitor or camera.
But, they do be extremely compatible with flying drones as well.
Many times, I ran into the issue of flying during winter(besides less battery life) that was looking to get home and my fingers shaking.
The gloves resolved all of these issues in a flash. It’s wonderful to not experience a cold hand when operating highly sensitive devices for flying.
DJI Osmo Pocket – the perfect pocket camera accessory
If you’re looking to make videos using drones there’s a high chance that you’ll have to combine the footage with ground footage.
The most effective way to ensure that you don’t be spending much money on a costly camera drone and stabilized is to buy Osmo Pocket. Osmo Pocket.
This could be a great addition to your drone footage. It’s also extremely solid due to the three axis system.
Lanyard Lanyard “how to make sure you don’t accidentally drop your controller on the floor”
The risk of dropping a controller is expensive, which is why the use of an appropriate neck-strap (lanyard) to secure it could be a cost-effective method to ensure it’s safe.
You can also rest on your stomach when you’re looking to work with your hands at the same time.
Your own landing pad tiny Helidrome
If you’d like to feel like a pilot in a helicopter or just want to avoid landing on grass and wreck your drone, landing pads could make all the difference.
Due to their vibrant hues (usually blue in one direction, and red on the opposite) drone landing pads are excellent accessories to aid your drone in landing more precisely.
As more powerful drones come with bottom-facing sensors that can detect the place they land the distinctive surface could aid in locating it more precisely.
Lipo battery bag – safety first
This drone is essential for safety, particularly for people who are traveling, and especially if you are planning to fly your drone to airports.
The lipo battery bag is constructed from fireproof materials and will ensure that in the event that any battery is damaged and caught is caught on fire it will not spread to other areas.
The typical smart batteries you’ll discover in DJI drones are equipped with safety systems in place, however, they still have the potential to puff up (from personal experiences) and it’s always better to stay safe while traveling.
It also makes security at airports less anxious around you.
Tablet holder is a must-have accessory for people who use tables
The use of a tablet to control drones can significantly enhance your perspective of what you’re shooting but the majority of controllers aren’t equipped to work with larger tablets.
This is the point where a tablet holder steps in and expands the possibilities. The combination of a sunshade will make your setting different from your standard one (in the best way).
DJI Drone Accessories
As DJI is the most popular and well-known company, I’ll begin with a list of top products for well-known models within the DJI range.
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