Houston, How’s the Drone Comm?
When an online community uses a shared language, everyone develops a sense of camaraderie. A unique community language makes all users feel like they are a part of something special. The r/drone_photography community is a place to share and discuss creative drone photography skills. Users gather to learn more on this topic and figure out which drone (mostly DJI’s) is a good fit for them. Every user should feel comfortable to ask questions when they belong within an online community.
Conversations between drone pilots
Communicating within a drone community requires a user to understand the specifics of drone mechanics or settings. While there are no specific phrases or memes, there are drone photography terms that the community uses to explain their techniques. I observed that most users on this subreddit use a similar drone language since most of them either have a DJI Mavic 2 Pro, a DJI Mavic Air 2, or a DJI mini 2. Since I have a DJI Mavic 2 Pro, I understand these terms better than someone who owns a Ruko B7 4K Drone. Although, if someone is talking about the Ruko B7 4K Drone, I would have to do some research to understand his technique. For example, u/ImperiumAssertor asks u/jrm87mc, “Is that from a Mavic?” Usually, people are able to recognize the drone according to the camera quality and if they have the same DJI drone. As I mentioned earlier, the functions are similar when people post images from their DJI drones, but posts from non-DJI users are certainly the unicorns of the community.
u/Drone_Dogz posted a photo taken by a Parrot Anafi 2 drone (finally a drone other than DJI) and u/someguywithdiabetes commented, “Nice to see something beyond DJI (not that it’s bad).” It proves that people are not afraid to showcase their unique choices and are ready to collaborate with every users’ changing interests.
Through conversation, people can inquire about their drone interests and compare camera quality as well. For example, in the above screenshot, u/jmazz65 uses the DJI Mavic Air 2 and gives a detailed explanation of his technique used. Now, someone who is not a drone fanatic would probably have to research these functions. However, this community makes it easier to start conversations and ask questions. These users give simple explanations of their skills and are super easy to grasp for a beginner. This online community is readily sharing information about starter drones, best techniques used for photographs, and photo editing tutorials. When people ask questions, they ALWAYS get a response!
Drone Photography Spirit
As Gretchen McCulloch states in Because Internet, when people join online communities, “they end up becoming invested in each other’s lives as well” (p. 63). Many users discuss their professions especially if it involves drone photography. People also end up discussing their personal life. In the screenshot, u/SkybotInc mentions that he trekked for his honeymoon across a smaller section of Lake Baikal.
Many commenters communicate by saying “Wow!”, “I’ve been here! Incredible place!”, or “Holy S*** that’s nice!!!” When users repeat exclamation points they are using a form of typographical tone in their voice (McCulloch, p.119). Gretchen McCulloch suggests that when people communicate this way they are showing their excitement in an informal, friendly way. Another way users express themselves is a smiley face :) or a thumbs up emoji.
r/drone_photography communication is a combination of informal and formal language. Commenters use more informal language which typically refers to 1–2 words. When people are responding to specific drone or photography technique questions, they have more formal responses which are about 2–4 detailed sentences. The community makes people feel welcome and open to ask questions. Everyone ends up gaining more knowledge on drone photography. This community is all about sharing images and information about drone photography and it certainly is the definition of a well-established online community.
