Love is in the Air—A Bird’s Eye View for WeddingsA quickly evolving wedding photography option that provides spectacular aerial views of wedding celebrations and venues is spreading around the world—drones. For the most part, clients and venues love it. But there are still reasons to be concerned and take precautions and follow a wedding planner’s recommendations for drone operators. Experience is neededFilming from the air is an art form that takes talent and experience to truly be done well.Just like a great photographer does so much more than push a button, an artistic drone pilot understands exposure, composition, and how to introduce motion to make a film more compelling to watch.Great drone pilots will have studied the view from aerial maps to understand the best angles along with checking aeronautical charts to verify the legality to fly. They will know the direction of the sun for the time of day to produce the best results. And most importantly, they will make sure they only fly when it is safe by checking weather conditions and avoiding any obstacles to a safe flight.Know your airspaceU.S. airspace is divided into six types of air space and they all require permission from Air Traffic Control and/or waivers, with the exception of Class G airspace, which is most of the country. There are additional NO Fly Zones, which include Disneyland, Disneyworld, Washington D.C., and stadiums that seat 30,000 or more people when an event is taking place or about to take place. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will also establish temporary flight restrictions as the need arises, such as when the President or other VIPs are traveling in the area.Hold the right licenseAs of August 29, 2016, any person operating a small, Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) must either hold a remote pilot airman certificate with a small UAS rating or be under the direct supervision of a person who does hold a remote pilot airman certificate. To qualify for a remote pilot certificate, a person must demonstrate aeronautical knowledge by passing a comprehensive aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center and be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration.There are other options, but the bottom line is that nobody can fly commercially without FAA approval.Follow the guidelinesThe view from above can be amazing and drone operators and others can be tempted to break the rules to get those client-pleasing shots. But a drone operator’s primary concern should be to prevent the risk of harm to people and property. Some of the new guidelines to insure safety include:• The drone must remain in the line of sight of the Pilot in Command.• It cannot fly higher than 400 feet.• It cannot fly at night.• There can be no careless or reckless operations.• The drone cannot not fly over people, which pretty much rules out ceremonies.Some venues may have a no-drone policy, which we respect. But technically, they do not own or control the airspace over the property. Airspace is regulated by the FAA. Aeronautical charts show pilots where they can fly, where they can’t, and where they need a waiver or to inform/get permission from air traffic control.Avoid a crashOne of my biggest concerns is that a well-meaning wedding guest may break out their drone and disrupt a ceremony or cause an injury. Most of us have seen drone crashes on YouTube or on television, but statistically, they are actually safe. Drone sales are projected to grow from 2.5 million sold in 2016 to 7 million in 2020. Only a small fraction of that number have been involved in incidents, most of which are because the operators had insufficient knowledge and training to be flying. Fortunately, drones are fairly light making them less likely to cause a serious injury when an accident does happen.The better quality drones often have advanced safety technology that includes U.S. and Russian GPS satellite technology that keep the drone properly oriented. They also have collision avoidance systems and an automatic return-to-home feature when radio transmission is lost or the battery is low.Referrals: What to askA wedding planner, of course, wants to refer the best vendors for their clients and there are some extra things to consider when referring drone pilots. Referrals should only be to licensed and insured vendors, or you could potentially incur liability for their actions. It is okay to ask for their FAA number and liability insurance certificate specifically covering drone operations. The FAA requires drone pilots to carry their Remote Pilot Certification whenever they fly.Wedding planners can provide valuable assistance to their clients by knowing the legalities of flying drones and how to determine if a drone provider is FAA-approved and has the proper insurance to protect the wedding planner and her or his clients. WPM__John Goolsby, Godfather Films, Riverside, Calif.