How much does it cost to add drone video to your wedding

The short answer is that there is no single figure. Adding drone video to a wedding costs more or less depending on how much the drone flies, where it flies and what the regulations allow at that spot. One aerial shot of the church as you arrive is not the same as following the whole afternoon from the air. The drone does not replace the usual photography and video. It adds to them, and that has a cost: a trained pilot, a suitable aircraft, insurance for that flight and editing time afterwards. Evan & Natalia Simon work in Gijón, in Asturias and in other parts of Spain and Europe, with couples and with brands. Each wedding they take on is looked at on its own, and the price comes out of that conversation. It does not come from a price list. So the useful question is not just how much it costs. It is also what you need from the drone. Once that is clear, the number comes quickly.

How much the drone flies

The first thing that moves the price is the amount of flying. A few shots of the venue and the arrival take less work than covering several moments of the day. Every flight has to be prepared, and every minute in the air later turns into hours of editing.

Where it flies and what the rules allow

The second is the location. In Spain, almost all wedding flights fall into what is called the open category. It is the low-risk category, and it does not require special permission before flying. But it has its limits. In the A1 subcategory the drone cannot fly over people who are not involved in the flight, or over groups of people. In A2 you have to keep at least 30 metres of horizontal distance from those people, and you can only fly drones that carry the C2 class label. In A3 the flight has to be at least 150 metres from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas. An open estate in the countryside leaves more room than a square in a city centre. The more complicated the site, the more planning it needs. And sometimes the honest answer is that you cannot fly there.

Insurance for each flight

The third is insurance. The rules require suitable insurance for every flight. You do not need a permanent policy, but every wedding with a drone comes with its own cover.

The pilot's training

The fourth is the pilot's training. The basic certificate for A1 and A3 is a free online AESA exam of 40 questions in 40 minutes, and it lasts 5 years. To fly in A2 you need one more exam, of 30 questions, plus practical training of your own. A pilot with more training can fly in more places, and that counts too.

How to keep the drone cost down

What makes the drone cheaper is being clear about it from the start: a few well-chosen shots, in a place where you can fly without any problems.

The next step

Do you already have a rough idea of what you would like from the air? Then the next step is simple. Think of two or three moments you would love to see from above and note down where the wedding will be. With that, Evan & Natalia Simon can check whether the location allows flying and what would make sense to do. The call is short and free, and it does not commit you to anything. That way you will know whether the drone fits into your wedding photography and video in Asturias or wherever it may be, and why it costs what it costs.

Links

More useful links: seguridadaerea.gob.es, seguridadaerea.gob.es, seguridadaerea.gob.es.