The Best Drone Video Editing Software This Year [2021 Update]
Written By: Shane Clark on August 10, 2021
Preparing drone videos for digital distribution requires a lot of work, and if you are editing drone footage on your lonesome, you need to have the best drone video editing software on your Mac or PC. Luckily, I’m sharing with you four of the best programs that, in my opinion, will get the job done. So, here are my four picks for the best drone video editing software in 2021.
Also, be sure to check out my guides on drone video editing techniques as well as video editing hacks from the pros after you’re done getting your new software!
Adobe Premier Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is an industry-standard video editing software because of its intuitive nonlinear editing system, unrivaled ecosystem of resources, and tremendous abilities. Long-time video editors may appreciate Premiere’s friendly approach to high-level editing. At the same time, Final Cut includes unique options like Connected Clips, Auditions, and a Trackless Timeline that can simplify organizing and editing.
Premiere Pro is now accessible only as a subscription service. The program alone costs $20.99 per month with an annual commitment or $31.49 per month on a month-to-month basis. If you pay $239.88 in advance for an entire year, you’ll pay $19.99 per month.
Expect these newer capabilities when you purchase a subscription:
- Captioning tools make adding, splitting, and formatting captions easier.
- Motion graphics templates with media replacement. To personalize effects, insert your material into the pre-built templates. You can replace text or logos in a template for intros, for example.
- Audio effects can be copied and pasted. However, rather than copying and pasting each product independently, you can now copy and paste combined audio effects to another audio clip. Talk about making the video editor’s life easier! Unfortunately, some older/legacy audio effects capabilities have already been replaced, so if you have these in older project files, you will have to replace these elements manually.
- Professional broadcasters with the necessary I/O and display hardware might be interested in these advanced features, as these will enable them to create more authentic HDR footage with a wider color and lighting range.
- Raw support for ProRes. On AMD, Intel, and Nvidia graphics hardware, Premiere Pro now supports Apple’s video format. In addition, color management for ARRI ProRes embedded LUTs and ProRes Raw to LOG color space conversion are also supported.
- Users will get access to stock videos for free. You may choose from over 6,400 high-quality clips in Adobe Stock. Choose from 5,000+ available in 4K.
- Export quickly. A share icon on the top right of the screen allows you to create projects in various standard output formats rapidly.
Final Cut Pro X
Apple’s well-loved prosumer-level video software, Final Cut Pro/Final Cut Pro X, is aimed at consumers who want more power for their video-making projects than iMovie provides, as well as professionals who generate content for film and television. It does an excellent job connecting these two markets. While experts may be irritated by its atypical trackless chronology, and beginners may be baffled by its wealth of complex options, it is a fantastic tool for both audiences.
Support for Apple’s new Apple Silicon M1–based laptops highlights the current version, 10.5. Automatically convert media when copying or consolidating a project and searchable and printable user instructions. In addition, smart Conform, which works similarly to Adobe Premiere Pro’s Auto Reframe tool, employs machine learning AI to crop widescreen material to fit mobile device screens and social media formats.
Final Cut has long since recovered pro-level features such as Multicam editing, XML imports, and external display compatibility that were previously unavailable. There is also 3D solid titling and significant Flow transitions to smooth out those jump cuts.
Along with a plethora of more minor improvements and increased capabilities, stability, and corrections, version 10.4 includes rich support for 360-degree VR material and color grading essentials, to boot. It also offers high-level support for HEVC and HDR.
Final Cut Pro continues to avoid the standard timeline-track layout of its predecessors, which has turned off many video pros. Apple is still making an effort to reinvent the video editing industry. Regardless, you’ll find that it’s a surprisingly powerful and (after you get the hang of it) simple-to-use tool.
Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects has always been the crowd favorite because it is so expansive and helpful for just about any video editing project. Some of its best features include:
1. The Rotobrush
Rotoscoping is always a time-consuming process in After Effects. To make up for it, Adobe provides a tool called Rotobrush that can help with this. However, the first version was just not efficient. Fast forward to Rotobrush 2.0, which features a brand-new propagation engine. In addition, the new engine allows for consistent tracking, even when it moves or changes shape dramatically. This makes the Rotobrush for quick rotoscoping a lot more realistic!
2. Advanced Rendering
You can now use After Effects’ Render Queue’s new multi-frame rendering option. Over the years, users of After Effects have often requested this feature. As a result, render speeds can improve up to threefold, depending on your machine configuration.
3. New 3D & Space Tools
After Effects has wholly overhauled its 3D design and space tools, making it easier to work with layers in 3D space.
3D camera and 3D design tools are now very similar to those found in classic 3D programs such as Cinema 4D or Blender.
3D layers now have a more noticeable “transformation look,” which allows you to relocate, resize, and rotate any 3D layer with one tool.
Previously, these functions required the use of a separate tool. In addition, new features have been added to the 3D camera tools, including the ability to orbit around specified 3D layers.
Adobe Photoshop
Did you know that Adobe’s image-editing tool allows you to edit video, too?
Since Photoshop CS3 Extended, video editing has been a standard feature. Here’s a guide on how to chop video in Photoshop CS5 Extended if you’re using an older version:
When it comes to video functionality, Photoshop CC (Creative Cloud) and CS6 are nearly identical.
Photoshop allows you to scrub through the footage and provides some tools for editing rudimentary audio settings. If you playback the file in the edit window, Photoshop may reduce the frame rate to keep the film rolling in real-time
Before you begin editing, you should convert the video layer to a Smart Object. Then, you’ll be able to apply filters to the entire video image in one layer, even if there are cuts or transitions.
Many of the techniques you might be familiar with while dealing with still photos apply to video editing in Photoshop.
A lens-correction filter may be necessary depending on the camera and lens combination used to film your movie. Photoshop might be able to figure out what camera was used to shoot the footage. Photoshop should autodetect the camera if you go to Filter > Lens Correction. This should be easy if you are using image files from a drone camera.
The options in CS5 and beyond are extremely extensive, allowing you to add or remove a vignette, correct for chromatic aberrations, and change perspective.
Summary:
If you want the best results for drone video editing, you need to have the proper hardware, software, and skills. If you are having a tough time self-learning high-level drone video editing, you may need professional video editing. Contact me and tell me about your drone video projects.
