<p>Aerial photography has been growing in popularity for the last few years, say city-based photographers. Recently, a Bengaluru-based lensman’s aerial shots of the Majestic BMTC bus stand went viral. It was clicked by Srihari Karanth, a certified drone pilot and photographer.</p>.<p>Karanth has been posting various photos and videos captured on his drone camera. These include videos of Mysuru Dasara and various Bengaluru tech parks. “The use of drones for photography and videography has increased by multifolds. During the Mysuru-based Nanjangud Rathothsava, a car festival held in April, almost 30 drones could be flying in the sky at the same time,” he recalls.</p>.<p><strong>Preferred destinations</strong> </p>.<p>Open spaces, such as Lalbagh, Palace Grounds, Kanteerava Stadium, and parts of Yelahanka are ideal for easy drone handling, says Deepak Vijay, a wedding photographer. </p>.Citizens to govt: Rethink tunnel roads, prioritise public transport in Bengaluru.<p>Roads like the Nice Road and Kanakapura Road, and areas around city lakes like Sankey Tank, BTM Layout lake, Agara lake and Lalbagh lake are other recommendations.</p>.<p>While crowded areas can be challenging for beginners to work with, wildlife photographer Arvind Raj says their beauty often reveals itself in aerial shots — offering perspective that isn’t visible from eye level. Town Hall and K R Market are examples of such spaces, adds Kim Aswani, an aerial photographer. </p>.<p><strong>Zoning regulation</strong></p>.<p>The city is divided into different zones for drone movement. The Digital Sky platform, run by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), maps these into red, yellow, and green zones, which have varying restrictions and requirements. According to the DGCA website, in the red zones “such operations shall be permitted only by the Central Government”. In the yellow zone, “unmanned aircraft system operations are restricted and shall require permission from the concerned air traffic control authority”. Green zones require no permissions, for up to a vertical distance of 120 mtr.</p>.<p>Karanth says that before flying, drone pilots need to request permission on the DigitalSky platform. “All drones need to be registered on the DGCA portal before flying. Once registered with a payment of Rs 100, we get a unique identification number (UIN) for our drone,” he explains.</p>.<p>Aerial photographers face obstacles like trees, buildings and birds, but sensors help there. “Thin high-tension wires and rain can pose difficulties,” says adventure sports photographer Neil Dsouza.</p>.<p>Anees Al Faisal, who uses aerial photography to shoot city landscapes and religious locations, says “ drones can lose connection mid-air while navigating cities”. Checking surroundings and maintaining a visual line of sight is crucial before flying, they say.</p>.<p><strong>Equipment and budget</strong></p>.<p>Most high-end drones cost between Rs 55,000 and Rs 3.5 lakh. Smaller drones (less than 250g) are available <br>in the range of Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000. While larger drones can fly without running out of battery charge for 45 minutes, smaller drones can clock about 20 minutes. Popular brands include DJI and Parrot. Drones can also be rented from Rs 10,000 per hour. Additionally, photographers invest in laptops, editing software, and <br>protective lenses. </p>.<p><strong>Works for…</strong></p>.<p>Aerial photography works best when capturing natural landscapes and historical and cultural sites</p>
<p>Aerial photography has been growing in popularity for the last few years, say city-based photographers. Recently, a Bengaluru-based lensman’s aerial shots of the Majestic BMTC bus stand went viral. It was clicked by Srihari Karanth, a certified drone pilot and photographer.</p>.<p>Karanth has been posting various photos and videos captured on his drone camera. These include videos of Mysuru Dasara and various Bengaluru tech parks. “The use of drones for photography and videography has increased by multifolds. During the Mysuru-based Nanjangud Rathothsava, a car festival held in April, almost 30 drones could be flying in the sky at the same time,” he recalls.</p>.<p><strong>Preferred destinations</strong> </p>.<p>Open spaces, such as Lalbagh, Palace Grounds, Kanteerava Stadium, and parts of Yelahanka are ideal for easy drone handling, says Deepak Vijay, a wedding photographer. </p>.Citizens to govt: Rethink tunnel roads, prioritise public transport in Bengaluru.<p>Roads like the Nice Road and Kanakapura Road, and areas around city lakes like Sankey Tank, BTM Layout lake, Agara lake and Lalbagh lake are other recommendations.</p>.<p>While crowded areas can be challenging for beginners to work with, wildlife photographer Arvind Raj says their beauty often reveals itself in aerial shots — offering perspective that isn’t visible from eye level. Town Hall and K R Market are examples of such spaces, adds Kim Aswani, an aerial photographer. </p>.<p><strong>Zoning regulation</strong></p>.<p>The city is divided into different zones for drone movement. The Digital Sky platform, run by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), maps these into red, yellow, and green zones, which have varying restrictions and requirements. According to the DGCA website, in the red zones “such operations shall be permitted only by the Central Government”. In the yellow zone, “unmanned aircraft system operations are restricted and shall require permission from the concerned air traffic control authority”. Green zones require no permissions, for up to a vertical distance of 120 mtr.</p>.<p>Karanth says that before flying, drone pilots need to request permission on the DigitalSky platform. “All drones need to be registered on the DGCA portal before flying. Once registered with a payment of Rs 100, we get a unique identification number (UIN) for our drone,” he explains.</p>.<p>Aerial photographers face obstacles like trees, buildings and birds, but sensors help there. “Thin high-tension wires and rain can pose difficulties,” says adventure sports photographer Neil Dsouza.</p>.<p>Anees Al Faisal, who uses aerial photography to shoot city landscapes and religious locations, says “ drones can lose connection mid-air while navigating cities”. Checking surroundings and maintaining a visual line of sight is crucial before flying, they say.</p>.<p><strong>Equipment and budget</strong></p>.<p>Most high-end drones cost between Rs 55,000 and Rs 3.5 lakh. Smaller drones (less than 250g) are available <br>in the range of Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000. While larger drones can fly without running out of battery charge for 45 minutes, smaller drones can clock about 20 minutes. Popular brands include DJI and Parrot. Drones can also be rented from Rs 10,000 per hour. Additionally, photographers invest in laptops, editing software, and <br>protective lenses. </p>.<p><strong>Works for…</strong></p>.<p>Aerial photography works best when capturing natural landscapes and historical and cultural sites</p>