Professional Drone Pilot - What I Do For Work VLOG

[@TrentonPalmer]

Hey guys, no bush planes in this one, hope you guys don't mind me sharing a little about what I do for a living. Let me know if you guys would like me to show more stuff like this or just stick with the bush flying. Oh, and happy Friday!!!

[@SethAllison]

I am passionate about drones and have ambitions to get my PPL, so all of the above sounds great! Happy Flyday!

[@itcairsoftvideos6230]

Trent Palmer More drones aswell plez

[@felixbaum2180]

Can you release the footage after the film or whatever you shot is published?

[@TrentonPalmer]

If I can ever get the footage back from the client. 90% of the time I never see the footage again

[@felixbaum2180]

Trent Palmer oh, that's unfortunate. Can you put a small GoPro session next to the red next time?🤔

[@zeph3070]

“That little inspire” “It’s to much of a toy” I thought my phantom was big

[@jalatam]

Same one here.. I2 +x7 is one of my dreams and Trent has basically destroyed it right now!

[@harrisoncarter3298]

I thought the Mavic pro was big lol

[@xymaryai8283]

*whistles in 3inch prop cinewhoop*

[@ARIAFILMS.]

Lmao the way he said it too. Like okay bro we get it you have really expensive drones

[@CooltommyguyRealm]

@@jalatam So funny story, I got the chance to fly an inspire 2. It was a friend of mine's in colorado who is also a part 107 pilot. I had experience flying drones so he told me to launch it, I arm it, bring it up and the drone starts wigging out and flies full throttle towards his deck on his house. I tried correcting for it but there was nothing happening from me. Eventually the emergency stop went through it and it shut down but not before it cut through halfway through some of the pillars on his deck. Talk about a hell of an experience flying one. After we got it all fixed up we went for round two and it flew good. They fly amazing but they do not have the camera technology that you need for high budget films.

[@leeCann]

If I ever grow up [I won't. I'm 64 now] I want to be just like you. Thanks for sharing. This was cool

[@ricfly52]

Yeah lee that is what I was thinking. I am 66 and it ain't never gonna happen.

[@brentjohnson6654]

lee Cann I am right behind you at 59 and never act my age. Haha

[@theadventurebiker]

^^^^ THIS. (or should I say THESE.)

[@BobSwanington]

@@theadventurebiker IKR!!!!

[@evilbrat5376]

This for Lee & ricfly52 - just saw this and thought growing up was over rated - it is, I'm 72 right now so Don't do it!!

[@fredstork]

Trent, that was really interesting. Good compromise between showing and not showing - thank the team for allowing you to do this. The shot starting on the dolly circling the girl and then taking off must have come out amazing. So yes, some more of this from time to time would be great. Keep up the good work!

[@BenNgo]

“Flying the little drone today” (cuts to the Inspire) I'm a Mavic pilot, it hurts ;)

[@DroneViral]

Ben Ngo same

[@anilmacwan]

Haha, I feel you!

[@FallLineJP]

I have a Mavic Mini so at least there's never any question! LOL

[@vfr-andy3133]

@@FallLineJP Yeah mini here lol, im so inadiquate ;-) Mind you i bet the mini would have done well in there :-)

[@Planeguy25]

Same I fly the mavic

[@pjongray]

When your videos open with, “I fly drones for a living and bush planes for fun,” I always wondered how does someone finance a lifestyle like this. I absolutely LOVE this video and would love more. I also love all the bush plane videos as well. The only thing left would be pilot, drone and bush plane, instructional videos. Keep up the great work Mr Trent Palmer!

[@norwegianzound]

The bit a lot of American youtubers never tell you is that Dad is rich.

[@FliteTest]

My fav video of yours so far. Love the behind the scenes filming content. Of course I love the bush flying too ;) -Jeremy

[@shaneberekoff8837]

UFO at 0:42

[@ryanm.191]

I’m three minutes in and beyond words The shots you have in this are absolutely unbelievable... Truly magnificent work from a truly fantastic professional

[@martindoersch]

I definitely agree with this!

[@bensokoloff8503]

As an aviator myself i love watching yours and others flight channels but Trent, seriously....... You get the most beautiful and visually stunning vids by far. Love everything you do.... Keep it up mate

[@highks496]

I mean, he is literally a professional aerial cinematographer who is working in the big leagues of commercial film production - of course he can make awesome videos.

[@DJDeevoo]

and i am nervous flying over a pool with a 1000$ drone😂

[@Unkn0wn_Legacy9751]

P G $70,000

[@DJDeevoo]

?@@Unkn0wn_Legacy9751

[@stickboyfpv4742]

@@Unkn0wn_Legacy9751 yeah... ?

[@DigitalRaider1]

My hands would literally shake while flying drones next to and above buildings. (and the buildings were not this tall)

[@flyingnela885]

I would be with a $2 one

[@RustyCoon]

Awesome man! Love the insight into your profession. “Flying the LITTLE drone today” he says about the Inspire. 🤙🤣

[@jamesliverton7491]

glad someone else noticed ahaha

[@northsalemdroner2459]

He also said it was "too much of a toy"! lol. I'd like to know which camera he is using..

[@3dick794]

@@northsalemdroner2459 thats because the inspire is a TOY

[@3dick794]

@@northsalemdroner2459 honestly i only see kids playing with the inspire 2

[@johnbanks9392]

@@northsalemdroner2459 I can clearly see it's an X7 on the Inspire 2 ;)

[@jakebrockey3429]

I am completely amazed by your set up. That controller to control your gimble is amazing. Drone with a red camera. True Cinematography lens and wireless focus. That is the real deal.

[@rodstol]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing! In an another video maybe go into the actual mechanics of doing a shoot. It looks like you have a pilot and a cameraman working together? Great job, keep it up!

[@TrentonPalmer]

Good idea, I’ll put that on my list

[@BikingVikingHH]

I’m also interested in how a shot is made

[@malenawelsh]

Your channel is the only one I've subscribed to after watching just one video. I'm a private pilot in instrument training...keep the awesomeness coming!

[@SuperAero]

Most aerial cinematography companies in Wisconsin are running DJI stuff. Cool to see how a production works with the bigger stuff.

[@cinemacurve3822]

It all has to do with Budget. Usually not always but usually a heavy lift (Alta) aircraft is like having an F16 to do crop dusting. DJI is moving into the commercial space with the X7.

[@SuperAero]

TOTALLY all about Budget. It does typically cut pretty well with Red footage etc, so no real complaints on our end.

[@RedDawnAviation]

We use an m-600, so DJI ain’t all “that bad” but then again we teach search and rescue, felony enforcement uses of UAS

[@highks496]

@Jacob Seppa You also have to be aware that with a bigger drone like the Freefly Alta, not only do you need a 20,000 dollar camera at an absolute minimum to make it worthwile, you are also going to need a substantial production budget and a crew. Shutting down that road in downtown SF for a drone shot probably cost more in fees and permits alone than you'd pay for an Inspire. There is nothing wrong with using a Phantom or Mavic. You can take amazing footage with these drones and your experience will translate almost 1:1 to flying bigger drones and filming bigger projects should you decide to stay in the filming business.

[@luxuryafrica1009]

Great to see a day in the world life of Trent Palmer. Interesting how you are the pilot and then you have a cameraman doing his thing. Makes complete sense. That BIG BOY drone looks the BOMB!

[@twoeagledrones]

Just found your channel. When I grow up, I wanna be like you....oh wait too late!!!! I'm 65! Great channel dude.

[@drewalsup9200]

Trent it is so cool seeing some of the commercial side of what me and a lot of viewers only mess with as a hobby, and the more vids of you I watch you are just and all around awesome dude, thanks for sharing

[@maxmurden3063]

...And I thought my Phantom 4 was a pain the the ass to travel with

[@HockeyVictory66]

Live your editing and video quality. I watch hundreds of videos every month and yours are at the top for quality.

[@THEMATT222]

0:42 a UFO at top right!

[@bradhaines5711]

Very well spotted.

[@EsFourB9]

it disappeared too

[@tbsdrummer87]

GrantHorne it disappeared cause it’s a bird and you caught its wingspan spread then it banked. Happens all the time

[@joshuagranger2416]

Dude that is freakin rad! I don't know how I missed this video? You and Mike patey have been my biggest motivators for getting my own airplane. Got an old tri-pacer and am just waiting on the FAA so I can solo. Like I had mentioned on Mike's last scrappy video this flying stuff has helped me mentally bigtime. I'm a Marine combat vet who struggles with ptsd and being angry at our country. Flying has been the only thing that takes it all away. Bought my plane right before my dad died this summer. Flying has also really helped me so far dealing with losing my dad.... so I know this is long winded and don't know if you will see it but if so thank you!! Hopefully I can make it to Oshkosh to meet a few of you motivators and snag some good energy.

[@Matt-zt7rd]

Excellent VLOG. Would love to see the end result of the shoots when they air.

[@davidsamuels4246]

More, More More! You know I'm a fan of Copterkids and I'd love to see and learn anything you're willing to share. Great job on the edit/story, tech info is always a pleasure for those of us dreaming about an Alta 8, I2 X7 & X5s tips are always appreciated as well for us folks in the toy $$. Thanks, hope to see you one of these days.

[@TrentonPalmer]

Thanks Samuel!! Hope to see you one of these days as well

[@tiernanmcgonigle3397]

He literally flys drones that cost almost 3 times the cost of his plane

[@yookuh34]

Please show more! Loved the video! This is my dream job. Been flying as a hobbyist for 3 years now and can't think of nothing I'd rather do for a living.

[@Ethan102224]

Trent, I believe this is one of your best vlogs. You have sincerely been blessed with an awesome job and lifestyle! Make sure you take time to appreciate it all. Keep up the awesome work. I really enjoy your content!

[@stevekaboobiroo1479]

This is the best collection of equipment I’ve seen to date. You have a great life. Enjoy!

[@BulletL]

I love it all! Where do you get your music from? I need to know especially at 6:43 :)

[@DavidMonostori]

That last dolly takeoff was epic. Kinda want to try something like that myself now!

[@pnh555]

Great video and very interesting to see your day job. It would be great if you could go over the drones and gear and how each is setup and operated - when you have some spare time 😀

[@capnpete1154]

I am impressed! Someone who doesn't fly drones would not appreciate how difficult it is to fly a camera platform like yours in such circumstances. Not only do you have to make sure you get the shot, but you have to make sure your little drone buddy comes home safely, you don't fly it unsafely around other people. AND you have to make sure while you are juggling all those balls, you stay within the legal parameters. Wow. Wouldn't mind seeing more of this. Did you build your drone?

[@7ZeroProductions]

Epic, as always. That drone setup seems a liiiiiitttle more involved than our Spark

[@williamdecker3989]

I was a cameraman 35 years ago, you guys are so lucky cameras and tripods are so light now! Those RED cameras are wicked!

[@thermalbug]

Love it! When the film is released you will have to let us know the name so that we may watch it. Keep all these flying related videos coming, they are awesome.

[@JohnLemieux]

Just got my FAA 107 a few weeks ago and subscribed to your channel to get a better idea of what a professional drone pilot does day to day. Thanks for the content.

[@TrentonPalmer]

Awesome, and congrats on the 107!

[@florichi]

So are year later, is the NDA lifted?

[@GOBRENDON]

Just bought my first drone, Mavic Air. I produce internet videos for clients, but your footage and the experience I'm having with my introduction into drone flying are inspiration. I wish I would have gotten a drone years ago. I can definitely see me buying something bigger later and your talk about aviation was great in another video. Seeing the world from above looking down is just so inspiring. I'm definitely going to check out getting some experience flying planes. Loved this particular video. My cousin is a model and a lot of my buddies are in the film industry. I live in the Ozarks in Missouri so its a different vibe out here. Everything is hunting, fishing and boating, but this video was thrilling and got me pumped about flying drones and trying to get bigger clients/bigger opportunities even for around here. Would love to see another video like this one. The whole crew in your video made for fun characters in your story. Keep it up, great videos!

[@mihcable]

“That little Inspire” haha

[@theetmp]

Wow, as a recent film graduate being able to see real life dolly shots that move right into arial shots looks awesome and is so confirming for what i plan to do in life. Thank you so much.

[@JamilElChoueiry]

you have one hell of a scary job man , gr8t job u just earn one more sub keep up the good work :D

[@South.Florida.Aviation]

The dolly arch to flyaway shot is one of the coolest I’ve seen

[@knight907]

Very cool VLOG. Thanks for sharing your day job with us.

[@mikebrown6217]

As a retired stills photographer often working alongside UK cine crews on TV commercials this took me back to those tough but satisfying days. I now fly UAVs and make movies at a recreational level so it was interesting to see how “The big boys” function these days. Definitely more like this please.

[@TheIntrovertSpeaks]

How's your plane man? Did you find any further damage after that landing?

[@TrentonPalmer]

Plane is all good! And I’ll be upgrading the seat pan soon to the new one with underseat storage #upgrade!

[@TheIntrovertSpeaks]

Trent Palmer ,nice! That'd make for a good video!

[@TrentonPalmer]

I’ll definitely be doing one on that 👍🏻

[@donaldhicks2133]

How about a video on your video with. What camera do you use.. how do you record the sound and what software do you edit with. Cheers... Durban, South Africa

[@ilikemichaeldaily]

MAN... You're my favorite vlogger by far! Greatings from a student pilot in the Netherlands

[@TrentonPalmer]

Thanks man!!

[@clementfpv5054]

Damn, I've done the same job with already expensive toys, I'd have a heart attack with that red on the belly

[@angelreading5098]

You earn your money Trent,flying from that forest looked tricky weaving between those trees and the downtown shots looked spectacular too,loved this video with your usual quality footage,thank you for this insight into your working life,more please !

[@camarch]

I thought the Inspire was a beast of drone and yet clearly it’s a “toy”.

[@petersonproductions3893]

yep i bought it as a toy and it proved to be one; stock props are toy grade

[@muzikmon2267]

@@petersonproductions3893 IRIS CLICKING LOL ON THE INSPIRE WHAT ARE YOU TALKIN ABOUT?

[@muzikmon2267]

@@petersonproductions3893 Who cares if the props feel like a toy that is how it flies.. what a ridiculous statement. You only need the correct props for the weight of the Drone that you're flying. You don't need over bulky props to fly an inspire.. You obviously know nothing about aerodynamics!! Of course you need bigger stronger props for that big bulky noisy drone. That thing look like a flu like a truck..

[@ianlee8376]

@@muzikmon2267 He's referring to the f-stop transition. There's no in between positions on the camera so it hard clicks into place.

[@muzikmon2267]

@@ianlee8376 And that's a reason not to use it and calling it a toy LOL..

[@jamesmckay1895]

Trent Palmer's motion picture drone Master Class, sign me up! Flying Drone, Camera Operator, working with the DP. When on set. Knowing the Industry. Self promoting, stuff like that.

[@BikingVikingHH]

7:00 how did it get inverted?!

[@TrentonPalmer]

We flipped it between takes. I just didn’t have footage of that happening

[@IanBuckley]

Ugh! Inverted pendulum...not to mention the CoG...that's got to make the flight controller work hard!

[@clementfpv5054]

It's usually easier for most F.C to have all that weight above than under. It's pretty counter intuitive

[@LifeinWyoming]

I love both aspects in this channel! The drones because I’m just starting out as a part 107 and the Bush Planes because it’s a dream of mine still! Awesome stuff! Thank you!

[@OffTheDomeMediaGroup]

Today I learned the inspire is a Toy.. Go Movi. Great vid..

[@3dick794]

You just noticed? Anything dji makes is for kids dji makes TOY drones

[@eewilmeth]

@@3dick794 a 6 thousand dollar toy for a kid??

[@DaIeDenton]

@@3dick794 obvious troll loser no life. Inspire 2 with Prores is decent not for everything but definitely not a toy. Shanghai video was great with the X5s

[@duanebradley1324]

Our brotherhood is small so thanks for making a video with a nice look into what we do on set all day. You maybe made it look more glamorous than it is though. Seems like a lot of days its more humping gear than flying drones and playing with cameras. Also, between drone batts, movi batts, accessory bats etc. I've now just resorted to telling people I'm a professional battery charger. Anyway, nice wok shooting around the NDA, hopefully you had client/producers sign off on this before publishing ;) From an crew across the border in Canada!!

[@mfahad5]

I could make the same shot with my mini and post grade the footage 😂

[@digitalmagick]

You know why they put a matte box on the front of a cinema camera? Sometimes it's to block lens flares or light sources out of frame, but most of the time it's to make modern cameras look more expensive so you can charge more for the work you shoot with them. If you show up with a Mavic Mini (which I own and love) you'd be lucky to get 10% of what you'd invoice for shooting with a Red hanging from an octo. And that's assuming your footage still looked good, wasn't required to already be above 4k (when the mini max's out at 2.7k), with increased color depth, focus pulls, etc... That said, if you just want it for facebook, you're absolutely right! Would look smashing from a mini!

[@highks496]

@@digitalmagick I love small drones for quick aerial shots from out of my backpack and I use them as often as I can. But just compared to a camera like the Sony FS7 II the footage from these little cameras just sucks. It's nice to have the ability to quickly pull out a small and inexpensive drone and get some additional shots, and the footage is okay for a lot of purposes - just like smartphone videos are okay for some purposes. But a real camera is still a real camera, and it weighs a few pounds and has a big lens. Can't cheat physics...

[@mikehackett1213]

You do great work man. Thanks for capturing your work and life on YT.

[@ptdave123]

Awesome video, I bet most people think small drones, it just blows my mind to see the size and think about the cost of all that equipment that you haul around. I can see why you unload truck and move everything into your living quarters. No way anything goes out of sight. Enjoyed all of this even if it did not have a bush plane in it.

[@TrentonPalmer]

Yeah, I have had my truck broken into before on a shoot so now everything comes inside at all times.

[@gavinplant8143]

Thanks for posting your work vlog, have been following a few USA aircraft vids lately and came across you.. purchashed my first drone a couple of months ago, done a couple of webnars and have just purchased a basic course, yet to complete, ex RAF, have flown gliders in my youth the drone is a pre retirement treat so I can record some footage whilst I am out in my canoe, boy you were lucky with your engine failure landing and subsequent recovery. Looking forward to watching more of your stuff. Stay safe. Gavin.P Suffolk England.

[@Dettol68]

Trent, very happy you shared your work - more of this would be cool as well

[@Woodduck1]

That was really interesting Trent! I'm just dabbling in drone flying after 8,500+ hours in recreational aircraft, it was fascinating to see the top end usage of the aircraft. Always great to see an expert at work in aviation!

[@dronehd-djimavicairfootage2295]

this will be my job as well, and i have already started a little thing with my friends, im only 14. this was very amazing to see!

[@cooperthorne8321]

Yo have to have one of the coolest intros ever. Never gets old!

[@Aerialvp]

Yoooo Trent is swagiling! Check that hat! These guys are always one step ahead. Doing before the drones and before all these others dudes started to come up. I remember when I started in 2012 and these guys had the most amazing reel.

[@ericbraun4652]

Yes, racking iris is one of my major wishes for the X7. Another is a decent low latency pilot cam. I'm doing really tight forest flying and it's impossible with the stock pilot can as well as LOS. I mounted the 50ms Connex ProSight and it makes all the difference in the world.

[@ddfwaj]

Trent, great vid. You NEED to make more content like this! Not many are showing the ins/outs of being a professional Drone pilot and this would be a huge help to so many. Would like to see vids about your gear and more of the same about the shoots you go on.

[@michaelvanarey8013]

Just discovered you guys... your drone gets me excited. Legit real deal! Keep up the good work bros. Love it

[@captraykelly]

Very cool video. NDA bummer. Nicely done. I produced a tv fishng show from 1993-2010. We used a helicopter for aerial shots a few times in a tournament. Now it's drones. You have some serious drones and cameras there. Your co-workers are great actors. Pushing the truck was great. Love seeing drones in flight.

[@BrianPhillipsRC]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing this experience.

[@COGSCNY]

You have made it if the inspire is the “small toy” version of your drones. Well done sir

[@itspoffy]

Humble and fantastic. I'm still flying single rotor. I want to add an inspire 2 with x7 but I dislike DJI, but it would allow safer tight areas.

[@davebest5624]

Greetings from England. Love your vids and it’s always nice to see what guys do for a living and their backstory. You seem to have a great work crew and a beautiful wife! Look forward to seeing more of your vids. Stay safe.

[@lefty0184]

I've thought my yuneec h920 tornado was big but you drone certainly is bigger . Brilliant footage

[@tbasty]

Thanks for the insight into what you do. Am happy to see more of your aerial videography work and also bush flying. Good on you for creating your dream job. Many thanks from Australia 👍🏻

[@bigdogmn73]

Love seeing this stuff TP! Love your job buddy!

[@williamiteconner9918]

Thank you for sharing a world that is alien to me, I really enjoy and respect the skills and knowledge of any professional, of which you are one. As usual, you make it look easy, but I know different.

[@TrentonPalmer]

Thank you 😊

[@MrTurbotom1982]

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your life! Wan´t to see more drone/work/tech stuff!

[@DocRigel]

Really great look into what you do, enjoined how much framing of the shot is always on your mind. Probably why all your videos are so good.

[@robfahrney4762]

Awesome job Trent. Your coverage and b-roll rock. So fun. Fly it like you stole it!! Lol Always fly safe man #1. Great Job!! Love the RED / Alta

[@skyboys9814]

Trent, this is way cool. thanks for the peek at what you do.

[@2010WillH]

Your channel is exactly what I've been looking for on youtube! Loving this man, keep it up!

[@Zenithflyer1970]

Very cool job Trent. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@markwildman1034]

Trent, you’re so gifted with a camera and video!!! Wow! How many times can I rewind, rewatch these? 😁

[@alanpeterson2160]

Very cool. Thank you Trent for showing us a glimpse into the professional realm of drone flying. And yes I would enjoy more of this in addition to your Kitfox. :)

[@farmers2630]

I started working as a drone pilot not too long ago, mostly tower inspections, agriculture, real estate and other smaller jobs. I gotta tell you my Yuneec H520 and Parrot Bluegrass are like toys compared to the Alta's.They are great drones.

[@sshelo1]

That was an awesome video Trent, definitely a cool perspective into how things are filmed these days! I am an aviation nerd, so obviously anything that flies is cool, and I like a mix-up, so keep these videos coming!

[@Fooozie]

Very cool setup! I cannot believe that spot in the redwoods!

[@tynelittledyke6909]

Great insight in to the professional side of my hobby, and the difference between hobby drones and professional

[@Shipfixer]

I was feeling childish for flying my drone around (I'm 62) but not any more. You have a great job!

[@joewilliams5072]

Great stuff. I worked downtown SF for 30 years and recognized every location. I don’t miss it. I used to watch movie filming there a lot, things have come a long way. I expect to see a documentary about your work soon. And I hope later you can inform us on the final versions of these shots. Thanks!! Joe in Grants Pass.

[@daanjessevenmans]

A great way to have diverse content! Just love it!

[@jesseallen5348]

awesome awesome! please do more!! that last shot was cool af

[@andrewpark127]

Awesome to see what you do for a living! Thanks for sharing!

[@jondoe8889]

My son is a 'licensed drone pilot', for a large construction company. The company has a couple dozen drones around the country. He mainly edits the videos, and tries to leave the flying to the younger guys who have the time to practice and stay sharp. Their priciest is an $11k drone with a $10k camera. And flying them around and inside sites, like the Atlanta stadium, is risky. The metal will mess with the GPS and radio signals, so the drone may go off in the wrong direction. And all the cranes and wires add to the risk. It's an intersting job.

[@manojmohan7264]

Would like to connect with you to know more regarding the drone stuff

[@offroadranger6]

Awesome! My cousin does the same type of work. I believe he worked on The Revenant.

[@alajeunesse254]

I'm with the rest that think this is super interesting. I'm sure it's hard to put something like this together because of the limitations on what you can show but as someone interested in aerial videography this is awesome to watch! Keep it up!

[@chrisvanderschaaf]

SICK!!! Yeah bro, so stoked you started doing these. Can't wait for more man!

[@TrentonPalmer]

Haha, thanks Chris! Feel a little stupid doing the vlog type stuff but having fun making them

[@ICanDoItMyself]

My first and only so far is the DJI Spark. Justified the purchase because it would help me get my DIY solar system approved for me to install and I'd be able to use it for my channel as well.

[@MarcoRosales]

Ha. I love it how the inspire is the "backup" drone

[@FloridaReel]

Awesome technique there with the cart, just gave us a great idea for one of our next filming sessions.

[@kwarner04]

Loved this! Really cool to see behind the scenes of the big boys instead of the DJI stuff that's all over the internet. If you do another one, any chance at garage tour? At 0:53, looks nice and organized. Always looking for inspiration and ideas to clean up my space at home.