10 Creative Ways to Use Your Drone Footage (Beyond Just YouTube)

5. Make GIFs or Cinemagraphs

Drone footage doesn’t just have to live in video format. You can turn short, subtle aerial movements into beautiful GIFs or cinemagraphs — perfect for websites, blogs, emails, or even Pinterest pins. These looping visuals add movement without needing full video players.

Best types of drone shots to convert:

• Waves gently lapping the shore
• Clouds drifting over mountains
• A slow pan across a calm lake or river

Tools to use:

• Canva Pro – for simple video-to-GIF export
• Adobe Photoshop – to create looped GIFs with fine-tuned control
• Giphy GIF Maker – for social sharing

Example: A 3-second aerial loop of a lone paddleboarder on turquoise water can become a cinemagraph that’s perfect for a travel blog header or social media teaser.

6. Pull High-Resolution Still Images from Video

If you shoot in 2.7K, 4K, or higher, you’re capturing thousands of frames per minute — many of which can be extracted as still images. This is a game-changer if you forgot to switch modes mid-flight or want to create content from a single video shoot.

Benefits of frame grabs:

• Great for blog covers and social banners
• Perfect for photo books, prints, and thumbnails
• You can create multiple assets from one flight

How to extract stills:

• Use DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere Pro to export frames
• Even VLC Media Player can take high-res screenshots
• Name your extracted files with “_Still” to stay organised

Example: A paused frame of your drone gliding above Long Reef at sunset could make a beautiful 8×10 print, or serve as your next blog hero image.

Learn how in detail: How to Get Photos From Drone Video Footage

7. Enhance Your Email Newsletters

If you send newsletters, a well-placed drone image or looping GIF can make a big visual impact — especially if you’re sharing location-based content, promoting a guide, or previewing new travel footage.

Ways to use drone media in emails:

• • Add a banner image showing your favourite beach flyover
  • Create a teaser GIF that links to your latest Reel or blog post

Example: “This was my view this morning ” — paired with a 3-second drone shot of sunrise at Narrabeen Lake, leading to a blog post with travel tips.

Drone footage builds brand and personality. It helps your audience connect with your experiences — not just your words.

8. Build Location-Based Content for Tourism or Real Estate

Drone footage is powerful in helping businesses sell a place — whether that’s a coastal town, a farm property, or a hiking destination. You can repurpose your drone clips to pitch or sell to:

• Local tourism boards
• Real estate agents or developers
• Eco-resorts, caravan parks, or regional councils

Package your footage into a short “location reel” with text overlays and license it directly or sell access through platforms like Vimeo, Dropbox, or your own site.

Example: You could edit a 45-second scenic showcase of Shoal Bay’s dunes, walking tracks, and sunset coastline to pitch to a boutique holiday rental or local business wanting fresh marketing content.

Related: Drone Guides can help you develop location-based products too!

9. Add to Your Digital Portfolio or Showreel

Whether you’re a drone specialist, a travel blogger, or a web designer, including high-quality drone clips in your digital portfolio elevates your presentation. It shows technical skill, creativity, and the ability to capture visuals that others can’t.

Where to showcase your drone work:

• As a highlight reel on your website
• Embedded clips on a “Services” or “Media” page
• On Behance, Vimeo, or LinkedIn

Example: If you’re a web designer building tourism sites, your hero background videos from actual flights can double as portfolio examples and samples for future clients.

Don’t bury your best work in folders — show it off where it matters.

10. Create B-Roll Libraries for Freelancers or Editors

Chances are you’ve got loads of 10–20 second clips that didn’t make it into full videos. These are perfect for creating drone B-roll libraries — something in-demand among editors, marketers, and creators looking for extra footage without flying themselves.

Ways to use your B-roll:

• Create a “Drone B-Roll Pack” sorted by location or theme (beaches, cliffs, waves)
• Offer a free download as a lead magnet to grow your email list
• Sell packs for $10–$50 on Gumroad or through your website

Example: “Aerial Coastal Pack: 15 high-res clips of NSW beaches” — use them as upsells with your guides, or bundle for editors looking for filler content.

Want to start monetising smarter? Read: How to Start Earning Money with Your Drone