How Does a Drone Camera Work?

[su_box title=”Short Answer” style=”soft” box_color=”#b5c5ff” title_color=”#0069b5″]A drone’s camera works by receiving a signal from the remote control (operated by the pilot) instructing the camera to take a picture or video or to adjust its settings.[/su_box]

Drones are phenomenal pieces of technology. They’ve revolutionized many industries over the last few years, and drones allowed many pilots to become entrepreneurs and build their own businesses.

In this article, I’m going to give you a brief overview of how drone cameras work.

This information is great for beginners or people who are thinking about buying a drone. The more you know about the technology you’re flying, the better you’ll be able to use it.

Let’s dive right in:

See Also: The Ultimate Camera Drone Buying Guide

How Do Pilots Communicate With Their Drones?

Pilots communicate with their drones using a remote control. Drones are also called UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) because the pilot controls the drone from the ground rather than from within the aircraft.

The remote control is similar to a video game controller. It usually comes with two sticks which allow the pilot to maneuver the drone. The different directions are called pitch, roll, and yaw. These are axes of rotation.

As the drone rotates, so does the camera. Camera angle changes as the drone rotates.

On drones with a fixed camera, the camera must be repositioned by maneuvering the drone to get the shots you want. More advanced models allow you to control the drone and the camera’s position separately.

All communication with the drone happens through the remote control, including all of the drone’s flight features (including the camera).

Does Every Drone Camera Use WiFi?

No. Some drones use WiFi and others don’t. Toy drones, hobby drones, and recreational drones are more likely to use WiFi than more advanced models.

Professional-grade drones typically use a range of frequencies to communicate between the controller and the drone/camera that allow for a stronger signal and longer control distance.

A WiFi signal is often less reliable than the other frequencies and range is much shorter.

How Does a Drone Take Pictures?

A drone takes pictures with the help of a button on the remote control, which is either a handheld controller or a smart device. The pilot simply pushes the button to capture the image.

When the button is pushed, it sends a signal to the drone’s motherboard, which in turn sends a signal to the camera to shoot the image.

How Does a Drone Transmit Video?

A drone transmits video through radio frequencies. The frequencies are transmitted and received through an antenna.

This transmits a live FPV (first person view) video feed to a screen on the drone’s controller, a separate monitor, or a smart device, depending on the setup the pilot has decided to go for.

The pilot can control video settings and recording time using the drone’s remote control.

How Do You Adjust Camera Setting Mid-Flight?

Mid-flight settings adjustment is extremely important. This allows you to adjust lighting, exposure, zoom, and other settings mid-flight, rather than needing to land and adjust them manually.

The camera settings available depend on the drone itself. The more advanced the model, the more settings you will have to play around with.

Need Some More Help? Ask Away!

Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments below and I’ll be happy to help you out.

Happy flying!