Basic Movements
Forward & Backward Movement
You might be thinking to yourself… ‘duhhh! This is obvious!‘
But it’s important for us to understand the nitty-gritty of what makes cinematic drone shots so… well cinematic.
By introducing easy movements, we can combine them to get more professional looking shots (while introducing and understanding airspace terminology at the same time!)
The movement you see in the GIF is forward PITCH.
PITCH moves that drone FORWARD and BACKWARD
Sideways Movements
For left and right movements, we have YAW and ROLL.
YAW rotates the drone around its vertical axis. It’s like turning your head left or right. This allows you to rotate the drone’s view, perfect for panoramic shots or tracking an object while maintaining a steady position.
On the other hand, ROLL moves the drone left or right by tilting sideways, causing the drone to shift horizontally. This is useful for gliding left or right across a scene, creating dynamic, side-to-side motion in your shots.
Up and Down Movements
Now let’s talk about THROTTLE: the UP and DOWN movement.
When you increase the throttle, the drone ascends vertically into the sky, gaining altitude.
Lowering the throttle brings the drone back down. This movement is especially important when adjusting altitude for different shots, like revealing landscapes or flying over objects.
Using smooth throttle adjustments will give your shots that graceful cinematic rise or descent.
