A drone gives you perhaps twenty usable minutes per battery, and most of that disappears into repositioning. Pilots who come home with good material almost always decided what they wanted before taking off.
Scouting before the flight
Study satellite imagery. Identify the shape of the location, where the interesting lines are, and where open ground exists.
Check sun direction for your chosen hour. This determines which side of a subject is worth filming.
Look for obstacles from above. Power lines, towers and tall trees are often visible on imagery if you look carefully.
Identify take-off points. Flat, clear, away from people, with a view of the flight area.
Find a backup location. Conditions or access may rule out the first choice on the day.
Note access and parking. Practical details consume more time than expected.
Visit in person if possible. Twenty minutes on the ground reveals things no imagery shows.
Check restrictions in advance. Discovering an airspace problem on arrival wastes the entire trip.
Talk to local people. They know about closures, events, dogs and the person who objects to everything.
Building the list
Write specific shots. Not 'the beach' but 'low tracking north along the waterline, camera left'.
Mark the essential ones. If you get only three shots, which three must they be.
Aim for variety. Wide establishing, medium, detail, and at least one moving shot.
Include a top-down. It cuts well against angled shots and adds rhythm to an edit.
Note the direction of each move. Consistent screen direction matters when the shots are cut together.
Estimate duration. Each shot needs roughly thirty seconds including positioning.
Keep it short. Eight to twelve shots is realistic for a two-battery session.
Order by light. Shots that need the best light go first.
Leave space for discovery. The best shot of the day is often one you did not plan.
Sequencing by battery
Group shots by area. Minimise flying back and forth, because repositioning is the biggest time cost.
Priority shots on the first battery. Equipment problems and weather changes both tend to arrive later.
Never plan to the last percent. Reserve a meaningful margin on every battery for the return.
Account for distance. A subject far from take-off costs battery in both directions.
Land between groups. Reviewing footage on the ground is faster and safer than reviewing in the air.
Keep a battery in reserve. For the shot you discover after the plan is complete.
Watch temperature. Cold batteries deliver noticeably less than their rating suggests.
Log what you have. Ticking off the list prevents the discovery at home that one shot is missing.
Do the safety-critical shots when fresh. Judgement declines through a session, and tight flying needs full attention.
Adapting on the day
Assess conditions on arrival. Wind, light and cloud may all differ from forecast.
Re-order rather than abandon. Overcast conditions suit some shots and ruin others.
Drop shots without hesitation. A list is a tool, not a contract.
Follow what you find. Fishing boats, a herd of cattle, a change in the light.
Recheck obstacles from the air. The first thing to do after take-off is look around.
Watch the light change. Golden hour moves quickly and rewards moving with it.
Accept partial results. Half the list well flown beats all of it flown badly.
Note what you missed. A record for the next visit costs nothing.
Know when to stop. Deteriorating conditions or fatigue are reasons to land while the footage is still good.
Reviewing afterwards
Check the list against the footage. Do it the same day, while a return visit is still practical.
Note which shots worked. And which looked better in imagination than on screen.
Record the conditions. Time, light, wind and season, so the location can be repeated deliberately.
Mark good take-off points. Hard-won local knowledge that is easy to forget.
Save the plan. Locations are usually revisited, and a previous plan is a strong starting point.
Identify recurring gaps. Many pilots discover they never shoot detail or never shoot static.
Build a personal template. A standard shot list adapted per location speeds up planning enormously.
Look at your edit needs. Editing reveals which shot types you habitually lack.
Plan the next visit immediately. While the memory of what was missing is fresh.
Frequently asked questions
How many shots should a shot list contain?
Eight to twelve for a two-battery session. Each shot needs roughly thirty seconds including positioning, and repositioning consumes more time than filming.
Which shots should go on the first battery?
The essential ones. Equipment problems, changing weather and declining judgement all tend to arrive later in a session rather than earlier.
How specific should each shot entry be?
Very. Write the move, direction and camera angle — 'low tracking north along the waterline, camera left' rather than simply 'the beach'.
What should I do if conditions differ from the forecast?
Re-order rather than abandon, since overcast light suits some shots and ruins others, and drop items freely — the list is a tool, not a contract.
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