Drones have exploded in popularity over the years. Their capacity to capture stunning photographs and videos from previously unreachable vantage points plays a significant role in their appeal to amateur and professional photographers. Experienced companies who know how to market themselves effectively have made sure to take advantage of drones in the creation of their advertisements. A drone can help a creative team capture eye-catching images that viewers won't be able to turn away from.

If you're planning your next marketing campaign and are curious about drone photography, you should consider learning about how aerial photography has evolved over the years and how it's used today across a variety of industries. Additionally, you'll be better prepared for your next marketing campaign by knowing some of the primary ways drones can be effectively used in marketing efforts.

Evolution of "Aerial" Style Photography

From the moment cameras were invented, people have been trying to find creative ways to get shots. Taking a photo from high off the ground to capture an image of a city or a beautiful landscape was especially appealing to early photographers, but it was also difficult.

To work around this challenge, many innovators began to come up with unique ways to get their cameras high up in the air to take the perfect photo. Thanks to these innovators, drone photography became a possibility.

Below, you can find a brief history of aerial photography:

The Early Days

Before drones became the most popular way to capture photos from the air, there were other types of aerial photography that blazed the path forward. The appeal of taking a picture from up high was so great, in fact, that Gaspar Félix Tournachon took the first successful aerial photograph in 1858. To get the photo, he went up 262 feet in a tethered hot air balloon over the French town of Petit-Clamart.

Though this first picture would be lost to time, the desire to take these types of pictures wouldn't die. The oldest aerial photograph that's still viewable is one that James Wallace Black took in 1860. Like his French predecessor, he used a tethered hot air balloon to get the shot. He went up 2,000 feet into the air to get a photo of 1860 Boston.

Aerial photography would continue to capture the imaginations of those around the globe, with innovations constantly being attempted to get better shots. For example, in 1906, George Lawrence suspended a camera from 17 kites to capture a stunning panorama of the earthquake and fire ravaging San Francisco. To get the panorama, Lawrence devised a system that would release a tiny parachute after a photo was taken to pull the kites down, reload the camera and snap another photo.

Other innovations in this period included cameras being strapped to birds and even gunpowder rockets. But the next step in aerial photography came with the advent of the airplane.

The Rise of the Airplane

In 1908, cinematographer L.P. Bonvillain took the first photo from an airplane flown by Wilbur Wright. Pictures taken from airplanes would not remain so commercial, with World War I thrusting aerial photography into a military role. In the war, cameras were attached to a variety of aircraft for reconnaissance purposes. Pilots would then taken pictures from their aircraft, with the images helping forces plan attacks and get intel on enemy positions.

In World War II, aerial images and video taken during the war became more widely available to the public. Newspapers, movie theaters and magazines all began to feature images and film taken from the battlefield and over enemy lines.

Satellite Photography

After World War II, the Cold War and the Space Race continued to push aerial photography forward, with photographs taken from satellites becoming a major piece of technology used in the field.

Satellite imagery gave countries the ability to spy on one another and potentially have some warning if one country decided to deploy its nuclear arsenal. Other uses for these satellite photographs were weather-related, as the images and video could help meteorologists better predict weather conditions.

Drone Photography Begins

What we now recognize as drone photography began in the 1980s, with Israeli engineers who developed drones with video cameras that let the government monitor people for extended periods of time. Soon after, the United States would add drones to their military efforts, with the Pioneer RPV drone capturing video of Iraqi soldiers famously surrendering to it during the first Gulf War.

Commercially, drones have become much more widely available to consumers. In the early 2000s, hobbyists began to foster a culture of creating drones from scratch. Fellow drone enthusiasts shared information with one another over online forums to help each other craft workable drones. The interest in drones grew steadily to the point where there was now a viable market for them.

With a market established, companies began offering ready-made drones that came equipped with cameras. This made the technology available to consumers who did not have the time or know-how to build a drone from scratch. The appeal of drone photography and videography took hold, with aerial photography now available to amateur and professional photographers alike.

The future of drone photography is especially bright, with the Federal Aviation Administration predicting in 2019 that the market for commercial drones could triple by 2023. With a market this large, it's no wonder why so many individuals and companies are starting to make drones standard in a variety of creative projects they produce.

Trends in Various Industries Integrating Drone Photography Into Their Campaigns

A variety of industries have begun to incorporate professional drone photography and videography for several purposes. To give you a broader understanding of the way drone photos and videos are used, consider how a wide variety of industries employ them[EW1] :

1. Tourism and Hospitality

Drones for commercial advertising have been huge for those in the tourism industry. Businesses that cater to tourists can use drones to take pictures and videos of their most scenic locations to attract visitors. For example, if there's a famous hiking trail up to the top of a mountain, a company might use a drone to take a video of it, culminating with a shot of the view that hikers will get at the top.

Drones can also be used to highlight other luxury accommodations that an area offers. Luxury photographers have been incorporating drone photography into their campaigns in order to capture wide landscape shots. This is the most common way professional drone photographers use drones in their campaigns in order to capture views across the ocean and across mountain ranges, meaning you can easily highlight the natural beauty of a location to entice viewers.

2. Hotels

Like the tourism industry, hotels incorporate drone-captured images and videos to promote their locations. Hotel photographers have been turning to drones to create videos that showcase a resort's facilities in order to highlight some of the amenities that come with staying there, such as crystal-clear swimming pools, outdoor bars, beach-side massages and a variety of other perks.

The video from a drone can help potential guests better envision themselves staying at the hotel and using the facilities. A still image captured by a drone of the hotel or other scenic location on the premises will often be featured on the hotel's website, in print advertisements and on facility signage.

3. Real Estate

Real estate brokers regularly use drones to get unique pictures of properties and houses they're attempting to sell. The shots gathered by the drone help attract future homeowners, especially if a real estate agent is trying to communicate the size of a property or home. A drone can even be used as a sort of virtual tour of the grounds to give potential homeowners an idea of what it would be like to live there.

4. Sporting Events

Drones are growing more popular at amateur and professional sporting events. On the amateur level, parents use drones to film their children play outdoor sports like soccer and baseball. If a player is looking to put together a slick highlight reel to make them attractive to colleges, a drone can get shots unlike any others.

Professionally, drones are even being used for live broadcasting. During a game, it's likely that the network hosting the event will switch shots to keep fans invested in the competition and have the best view of the action. The drones give networks another unique view of a game that cameras haven't been able to get before.

5. Film and Television

Look no further than Hollywood for an industry that's quickly embraced drone photography and videos. In the past, movies and TV shows had to rely on helicopters to get aerial shots. This took multiple staff members and a high budget. Now, drones can get the same quality shots for a fraction of the cost and staff it required in the past.

Aerial photographers can use drones to give filmmakers more freedom with the shots they take and help directors fulfill their creative visions. In fact, major films like "Skyfall," "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "Jurassic World" all had scenes filmed by drones.

How Drone Photography and Videography Are Effectively Used in Advertising Campaigns

Savvy businesses all around the country are using drone photography to capture photos and videos for their marketing campaigns. Advertising photographers have begun to incorporate this style of photography into many of their campaigns since it directly benefits brands in multiple marketing channels. If you're considering using drones for your next advertising campaign, you'll want to know some of the best ways they're used:

Create urgency. Drones are excellent at capturing images that create urgency. For example, if a retailer wants to get people into their store, they can use a drone to take shots of crowds descending on their store. The image of a crowd of loyal customers making their way into the doors of a store can signal to viewers the value of the retailer's merchandise and incentivize them to come see what the fuss is about.

Communicate an experience. Along with creating urgency, a company can also use drone footage to give people a taste of the experience they're selling. Say a ski resort needs to show off their slopes. What better way than to follow a skier down the mountain with a drone? By featuring the drone's video in a marketing campaign, the ski resort can give viewers an inside look into the fun they'd have if they skied that slope too.

Stand out from the crowd. Besides advertising that showcases an experience or creates urgency, drone photography can capture breathtaking pictures that are normally impossible to take. These aerial photos can then be used on print signage to catch the eye of those passing by and get them to notice you in a sea of other advertisements.

Engage social media users. While people are scrolling through their social media feeds, you need to differentiate your content from others. Photos and videos taken from a drone are certain to grab the attention of those seeing your posts on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, leading to increased user engagement.

Choose Mark DeLong Photography for Your Professional Drone Photography Needs

If you're looking for a professional photographer that understands the best ways to feature your company using aerial and drone photography, look no further than Mark DeLong Photography. Our team regularly provides commercial photography and video services that stand out to viewers. Mark and his team are seasoned If your project needs aerial shots, you can trust us to produce beautiful images with drone photography.

We have studios in New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Nashville, but we can always come directly to clients to shoot on location. Reach out to us today to speak with one of our representatives about what we can do to elevate your business or event.