The Best Drone for Instagram: DJI Spark
When adding aerial shots to a content marketing strategy, ease of use is the only thing that matters. Drone powerhouse DJI gets this. Their latest drone, the DJI Spark (http://amzn.to/2t7ptPn), puts drone photography and videography in everyone’s reach. At a very consumer-friendly price this drone is unrivaled in its class.
But before we get started, just a quick note: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. I appreciate when you use these links to check out products and I hope that you can see in my writing that I am objective with my reviews. I only write about products I have used and would generally recommend. I also try to point out every shortcoming I have experienced in a product so you know what to expect before you buy.Ok, let's get to it:
Portability:
The first thing you will notice about the Spark is how tiny it is. This is another one of my favorite features as I am constantly packing tons of equipment for shoots. And don’t let its size fool you, this thing can still shoot great 1080P video and hold its own in some serious wind.
First Flight:
With batteries charged, turn on your Spark like any DJI drone. You press on the battery button once and release, then press again and hold until all the lights are on. You will hear a distinctive chime when things are fired up.
Follow the prompts within the DJI GO app to connect to your drone’s wifi. You can find the wifi code on the Spark’s black storage box.
Once you are in the app, you are pretty much ready to fly. There is a great “slide to take off” feature that gets you in the air right away. From there you can use your phone to control the drone. Just tap the icon in the bottom left corner of the screen and it will reveal two circles overlaid on top of your drone’s camera view. These operate just like any other drone joystick controls. You can also change your preferences for these controls within the app.
As with anything, proficiency with the Spark comes down to practice. I recommend finding a nice quiet field where you can play without any people or obstacles to worry about. You can expect about 16 minutes of battery life per charge with a recharge time of about 1.5 hours (using the drone as the charger).
Technology:
DJI invests a lot in its drone hardware and software and doesn’t hold back in this consumer drone. It has a 2 axis gimbal for getting smooth shots, as well as advanced capabilities like obstacle avoidance, active track to follow you as you walk, run, or even bike, and even some original features like gesture control (imagine using the force to take a selfie!).
What makes this drone particularly great for Instagram is the easy to use DGI Go app. Of course you will use this to capture your content. But you can also use it to download footage and photos directly to your phone. The sample shots here were all created on-location within less than 5 minutes. I simply fired up the drone, captured a shot, downloaded it to my phone, and posted away.
Accessories: A Minimalist Approach
Because I want this article to focus on the most simple and cost effective approach to capturing drone content, I am not going to recommend many accessories. The only extra purchase that I recommend is an extra battery or two depending on how much you plan to fly and how often you will be able to recharge. Keep in mind that the basic kit does not come with a separate battery charger. So if you have extra batteries, you will not be able to fly with one while the other charges.
It’s also great to have a small backpack that can carry the box that the Spark comes in. The original packaging works great as a place to keep your drone, extra batteries, and a couple other small items like extra propellers. In my case I am able to fit this case in the camera/laptop backpack that I already use.
The last accessory I will talk about is the remote (http://amzn.to/2umORkE). Unfortunately, this accessory is relatively expensive compared to the drone itself. And while it is certainly easier to fly with the remote, I recommend starting without it and adding it on later if you want. The goal would be to see how much you use this drone in your everyday content creation. Then down the road you can step up your game with the remote and the extra capabilities it brings along.
I hope this info helps. If you have any questions about the Spark or other drones feel free to hit me up and I will do my best to help out!
Cheers,
Chris
