Anybody who has done their research about drone and drone videography, or has worked with it firsthand can all tell you one definite thing: drones have notoriously short battery lives. You can be in the middle of getting a really fantastic shot, only to have your battery icon blinking at you, and your drone stop recording.

Drones have signaled a significant step forward in photography technology, but unfortunately, the short batter lives tend to hold back any wild ideas you might have.

This is why plenty of professional drone videographers will always tell any fledging drone pilot to stock up on battery packs, so you don’t miss out on any precious footage. While this is the best way to maximize your drone’s battery life, there are a few more things that you might be able to do to make the most out of your battery packs.

Pinpoint Your Shot List

A shot list can make a huge difference in optimizing your flight time, and maximizing your battery life. A shot list refers to a list of shots that you want to take, as well as the locations where you want to take the shots.

You compile a shot list by checking out the location ahead of time and visualizing what shots you want, and mapping out how to get these shots. When flight day comes around, you know exactly what to do, which cuts down on essential flight time.

Weight Can Make a Difference

Avoid over-burdening your drone when flying it. Only attach the essential accessories on to it. If you don’t need special filters or propellor accessories, then remove them. Excess weight will require the drone to use up more power, which will cause the battery to drain faster.

Shoot Now, Edit Later

While it would be great to take the one perfect shot that culminates all your years as a professional videographer, you understand that with drone videography, you don’t have the patience of waiting. You have your shot list, so use it well. Take multiple shots of the same scene so that you can choose which RAW file looks best, and you can edit it accordingly later on. This helps you get as much footage as you can, which gives you plenty of choices.

Follow the Rules of Battery Care

A drone is a gadget, like a smartphone or a laptop. As such, you should make sure to follow the proper rules of proper battery care. Avoid overcharging your battery, and don’t wait for it to drain completely down to zero to charge it again. These will cause your battery to deteriorate over time. Always store your batteries properly before and after each drone videography flight.