Australians love their drones. In fact, there are more drones being flown above backyards, parks, and beaches than ever before. And now we’re even seeing drones at funerals.
As modern funerals continue to evolve, technology is changing how we farewell our loved ones. Funeral live streaming, videography and funeral photography have all become stapes of a funeral ceremony. Now, for those joining a funeral from afar via a live stream or watching the recorded playback, footage from a drone can really enhance their experience – in the right circumstances.
Location and scale
Drones are perfect for giving viewers a sense of location and scale. When a funeral ceremony also scales up to be bigger and more elaborate, a drone comes into it’s own.
Here’s an example. At a big funeral by the beach in Cronulla, the family asked CeremonyCast to use a drone in the funeral live stream to also show the events post-ceremony. As well as the ceremony itself, we were able to show viewers a balloon and dove release, a guard of honour formed by the 500+ attendees, and the departure of the hearse as it left the venue and moved through the nearby streets. These were all elements that were important to the family to capture. Using a drone in conjunction with cameras on the ground gave viewers a unique perspective.
Technology has evolved to a point where drones can easily shoot live, high-quality video and transmit it to the ground so we can include the video in our funeral live streams. Video from a drone is always impressive and adds a level of production value previously only afforded to high-end film and TV productions.
Rules for drones at funerals
Flying drones at funerals – and everywhere else for that matter – is covered by strict legal and safety regulations which we follow at all times. There are often restrictions on the locations where a drone can be flown.
The rules are in place to keep everyone safe, on the ground and in the air. The drone safety rules, also known as the standard operating conditions, apply to all types of drones and remote-controlled aircraft.
CeremonyCast’s professional drone pilots are fully trained, registered and accredited with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This means they meet the highest standards of safety, knowledge and operation, often able to fly in scenarios where others can’t.
Want to know more about Australia’s drone rules? Read the latest on the CASA website.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority Drone Rules
Flying a drone at a funeral also requires our pilots to fly with discretion and sensitivity. This means balancing the need to capture events clearly while keeping at an unobtrusive distance. We use the latest smaller and quieter drones to avoid any disturbance as much as possible.
Keeping it appropriate
It’s important to recognise that using drones at funerals would not be appropriate for the majority of ceremonies. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. But in the right circumstances, and for the right ceremonies, drones have become an important part of the funeral live streaming tool kit.
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Bring family and friends together with CeremonyCast. Our highly-produced professional funeral live streams enable family and friends to unite from afar and say goodbye.
We create a beautiful shared experience for those who can’t be there in person, no matter how, when or where they’re watching.
CeremonyCast is the best way to be there… when you can’t be there.
About the author
Written by Stephen Lee
Owner, CeremonyCast – Professional Funeral Live Streaming
Covering Sydney, Southern Highlands, Wollongong, Central Coast, Newcastle & The Hunter, Blue Mountains