We are living in a time where drones are used not only for sports and news coverage but also increasingly being used in filmmaking too. Aerial filming in movie production provides audiences with spectacular views not seen ever before. Now, celebrated television series and Oscar-winning films are being captured with the help of this exciting and new camera-mounted choppers.

The invention of a drone dates back to ages ago when drones were used in wars to prevent losing a soldier's life. It's happened only recently that the technology became so advanced and sophisticated that drones are being used in filmmaking too. Let's talk about few examples first.

The best of action scenes have been shot on drones. Remember that opening scene from Expendables 3? When the heroes were in a low-flying helicopter pursuing a speeding train. With bullets, guns, explosions and a lot of speed, it's not the easiest sequence to capture on camera, especially if you're trying to create something distinct from the many other films that have similar scenes. But that was shot on a drone. Another instance is the opening motorbike chase in Skyfall, which was partly shot by a Flying-Cam drone, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Yet another great example is that of Game of Thrones. A show so popular that many of the drones that appear over the set aren't actually being flown by the camera crew – they're controlled by private operators attempting to get a sneak peek of what is to come on the show.

Creating quality content can take a lot of time, equipment and technology. In an article posted on Fast Company, director Angus Kneale says drones are becoming invaluable tools that make the creative process quicker and cheaper, breaking the constraints of needing big physical gear like dollies and cranes. “(When) you can cut that down to the bare necessities, it’s there you get true artistic expression,” says Kneale.

Drones are a great alternative and come in handy in place of actual helicopters used in films which require more costs and space. In a scene in Transformers: The Dark Moon, a drone was used because a helicopter couldn't fit in between buildings in Hongkong where the shot was taken.

While the drone’s-eye view from the sky is becoming more common, Kneale says the potential of UAV (unmanned areal vehicle) photography is just starting to be utilized. “The wonderful thing about drones is using them outside and, in the sky, but another way that hasn’t really been tapped often enough is utilizing them inside and in controlled spaces,” says Kneale. “We did a Lexus spot with drones that were programmed with AI to know where they were. It’s just another slant on this technology and how you can combine it with other technology to create things we’ve never seen before.”

One can't deny the fact that drone shots are breath-taking and are a positive change in filmmaking. New York even hosts the annual Drone Film Festival wherein films shot by drones (at least 50% shots should be taken by drones) can participate. Drones are also a great choice for people working on a tight budget, as they significantly decrease the time needed to set up a shot, thus allowing even amateurs to take shots on locations that are quite expensive to rent for longer periods of time.

Drones have also changed the way you make a vlog. If you follow vloggers, Casey Neistat is a name you must have definitely come across and his videos are proof enough that drones are becoming so popular that even vloggers on YouTube use it to make videos.