The best online drone photo courses for 2026

Attention perfectionists, challenge-seekers, and lifelong learners: here are the best online drone photo courses for 2026.

Maybe you got a drone a few years ago and you’ve been tinkering on your own — and you want to know how to take better photos from the pros now.

Perhaps you’ve had a drone for years, but with perhaps a work-from-home gig, you now have more free time to acquire a new skill (and of course, drone photography is a great one!). Or maybe you’ve built up your small business and want to know how to set your drone skills apart from everyone else by not just taking better photos, but knowing how to edit and sell them to maximize your money.

There are countless reasons to improve your aerial photography skills and one of the best ways to do it right now is through an online drone photo course.

Here are Drone Girl’s top online drone photo courses of 2026, along with other ways to learn drone photography.

UAV Coach Aerial Photo & Video for Drone Pilots: best overall

If you’ve ever looked at your drone footage and thought, “Why doesn’t this look like what I see on Instagram?” then UAV Coach’s Aerial Photo & Video for Drone Pilots course might be for you.

What makes this one stand out? While many photography tutorials assume you’re behind a DSLR, this course is built specifically for the aerial creator. It’s not just theory — it’s loaded with step-by-step flight exercises, practical assignments, and tailored editing workflows that blend both free tools like Snapseed and Photopea, and pro tools like Lightroom and Premiere Pro.

Here’s a sampling of what’s covered:

• Drone-specific techniques like intelligent flight modes, ND filters, and shooting hyperlapses
• Hands-on photo & video lessons, including how to compose better shots and capture golden hour lighting
• Editing training for all levels, from Snapseed basics to full Lightroom workflows
• Camera settings deep dive: aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance — all demystified
• Cinematic flying tips for smoother, more engaging footage

Unlike longer, more coaching-heavy programs like Drone Adventurer Masterclass+, or editing-centric ones like Drone Launch Academy’s Aerial Photo Pro, this UAV Coach course is a balanced middle ground — deeply practical, affordably priced and built for drone pilots specifically.

It’s also approachable. New to editing software? You’ll find hand-holding. Wondering how to fly with purpose? This course builds your confidence with structure and hands-on guidance. That said, more advanced photographers already fluent in framing, exposure and post-production might find it redundant.

Price: $179
How long do you have access? Unlimited lifetime access
What software is used? Snapseed, Photopea, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, LightCut, DJI Fly app
Who teaches it? The course is developed by UAV Coach, one of the most trusted names in drone education, founded by Alan Perlman in 2014

Enroll here, or read my UAV Coach photo course review.

Drone Adventurer Masterclass+: best for personalized coaching and community support

If you’re serious about elevating your drone photography skills and want a comprehensive learning experience with direct instructor access, the Drone Adventurer Masterclass+ might be your best bet.

Created by Johan from Drone Adventures, this Skool-based community offers far more than just pre-recorded lessons. You get a full drone photography masterclass (7+ hours of content valued at $400), plus interviews with 9 drone experts (another 7+ hours valued at $200). But what really sets this apart is the ongoing support: two live calls per month with Johan, direct feedback from both Johan and community experts, and weekly photo contests to push your skills.

The community aspect is strong here. You’re not just watching videos in isolation — you’re building relationships with other drone photographers who are on the same journey. Members get access to Johan’s Golden Hour preset pack and can participate in regular challenges that keep you shooting and improving.

Here’s what’s included:

• Drone Adventurer Masterclass by Johan (7+ hours of instruction)
• Interviews with 9 drone experts (7+ hours)
• 2 live calls per month with Johan for personalized feedback
• Weekly photo contests to challenge your skills
• Direct feedback from Johan and community experts
• Golden Hour preset pack
• Community of like-minded drone photographers

The total value adds up to over $1,100, but the monthly membership is just $14 for early members (locked in until the community hits 90 members, after which it increases to $24/month). New members can try it free for 7 days, and the next 20 members also get access to Johan’s new Drone Preset Pack as a bonus.

This is ideal if you want ongoing accountability, regular feedback on your work, and the motivation that comes from being part of an active community. The live calls and direct access to Johan make this feel more like having a personal mentor than just another course you’ll start and abandon.

Price: $14/month (increases to $24/month after 90 members)
How long do you have access? As long as you maintain your monthly membership
What software is used? Various editing tools covered in the masterclass
Who teaches it? Johan from Drone Adventures, who specializes in aerial photography and videography education

Join Drone Adventurer Masterclass+ here.

John Peltier’s “Basics of Light, Composition, and Color” online course: great for specific training on light and color technique 

John Peltier is known for his FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Test Prep Course (after all, he’s one of the most qualified instructors out there as a former Air Force pilot and instructor). But he’s also a brilliant photographer, so it’s fortuitous that his two passions of piloting and photography can collide via drones.

John Peltier offers an online course called “Basics of Light, Composition, and Color” how to see light, what makes a good composition, and how to work with color and black & white photography. It’s not necessarily tied to drones — you can go through his course with aerial photos, traditional dSLR photos, or even iPhone photos on your mind.

But that’s why I love this course so much. The best aerial photos aren’t necessarily any different than traditional photos from the ground. All great photos need to tell a story, be thought-provoking in some way and still have some aesthetic value. His course covers that. For many drone photographers looking to improve their photography skills, going for a traditional photography course may be the way to go. Peltier has done all sorts of unconventional photography, including underwater photography.

John Peltier’s “Basics of Light, Composition, and Color” online course covers topics including:

• How to think of light, direction and quality
• Why you should think about where light isn’t, a la shadows
• When color and black & white treatments better suit a photo
• How to think in color schemes vs black & white tones

The course includes 10 videos, 3 assignments and quizzes, plus downloadable reference material. Of course, given his extensive experience in drones, it’s a perfect fit for drone photographers, though all photographers can certainly benefit.

This course is only $59, and that’s a big reason why I love it. It’s shorter, but also only delivers the info you need at a super accessible price point.

Some of the other courses in this guide are incredibly comprehensive in that they drill into not just photography, but even setting up your drone and flying it. Those courses are far longer and often cost many hundreds of dollars. That’s fine if you’re truly new to drones. But if you’ve already mastered the drone and now just need to level up your photography skills, don’t pay for a class that covers more than what you need.

Not only are Peltier’s courses run through an online website that you’d access via your desktop or laptop, but there is also a version run through a mobile app for both iOS and Android.

You’ll also have access to a Live Chat feature with Peltier himself (yep, not a random customer support person or a robot), allowing you to pick Peltier’s brain directly without needing to send an email. The only caveat? Since it’s just Peltier (and he needs to sleep, right?) don’t expect answers 24/7 — though expect it to be, say, 16/7.

But Peltier is super engaged, and while you don’t get the formal 1:1 sessions of Drone Adventurer Masterclass, you may find you get just as much value of getting to speak with Peltier — at a fraction of the price.

• Price: $59
• How long do you have access to the course before your membership expires? Unlimited lifetime access
• Who teaches “Basics of Light, Composition, and Color“? The course is taught by John Peltier is a former Air Force pilot and instructor who even served as the “Chief of Courseware” during his last assignment in the Air Force (he wrote all educational material for F-15E training squadrons throughout the USAF). And his other job? Photographer. After leaving the Air Force, he has been a professional photographer for 10 years and has been published in the Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, New York Magazine and more.

While there are no discounts available for John Peltier’s “Basics of Light, Composition, and Color” online course, if you’re interested in Peltier’s drone Part 107 Initial Test Prep Course, use promo code DRONEG20 to save $20.

Aerial Photo Pro from Drone Launch Academy: best for post-processing and editing

Drone Launch Academy is already one of our favorite picks in our guide to the best Part 107 online courses of 2023, and their photo course is a winner too — particularly if your focus areas are post-processing and editing.

Drone Launch Academy is the leader in online drone courses, offering a range of courses for all types of drone businesses (or drone hobbyists just looking to learn something new and boost their skills!), with online courses in topics like drones 101, roofing inspection courses and more. And they offer a photography course called Aerial Photo Pro.

The Drone Launch Academy Aerial Photo Pro course covers topics including:

• Framing photos
• Photo editing (ie. editing objects out of photos, such as how to digitally remove a car from a parking lot)
• Lighting (including taking photos in low-light)
• Industry specific best practices (ie. what agents real estate photographers should focus on)
• Types of photos and modes, including how to shoot panoramic photos with your drone
• Accessories, such as which filters are worth it and whether or not you need a polarizer
• Prepping for shoots, including how to research a location ahead of time

But the largest chunk of the course is devoted to learning editing software (the course centers around Adobe’s Lightroom software). If you aren’t interested in editing, or Adobe Lightroom in particular (after all, Lightroom demands an annual subscription that’s more than $100 on its own), then skip this course.

However, if you are interested in editing, this is the course for you. Here are just a few examples from Harris’s course showing the before and after of photos once they’ve gone through his editing process.

This example brings out more dynamic and interesting colors in low-light:

…and this example makes the scene much more vibrant through toggling with exposure, highlights and saturation in a way that makes the photo more colorful without looking fake or over-edited:

What’s more: Drone Launch Academy is more than just a course — it’s a community. They have a newsletter, and other web extras, like the Drones to $100k podcast (we all want to make $100k off our drones!).

You won’t get the level of personal instructor attention as you will with my top pick, the Drone Adventurer Masterclass. But given the lower price and the fact that there’s still a community of other folks who can give you feedback on your work, this is still a worthy contender.

• Price: $199
• How long do you have access to the course before your membership expires? Unlimited lifetime access
• What software is used in the course? Adobe Lightroom (you can get a free trial or purchase a monthly subscription for $10)
• Who teaches Aerial Photo Pro? Drone Launch Academy’s online photo course is taught by Alex Harris, an award-winning photographer who has done work for HGTV and ESPN, and has even photographed live performances of artists like Pitbull and Benny Bennasi.

Aerial Video A to Z: best for video only

If you have a drone, odds are you’re taking videos, and not just photos. Drones are such a special piece of equipment because not only do they provide a unique visual angle, but they produce an unique effect by being effectively a Steadicam in the air. That silky-smooth flight through the air — over trees, under bridges, following snowboarders — is an effect you’d be hard-pressed to create through any tool besides a drone.

So while photos certainly have a time and a place (you can quickly scroll through photos, while watching videos takes more commitment; and editing/uploading photos tends to be a simpler endeavor than the same for videos), much of the power of drones lies with their video shooting capabilities.

Enter: Aerial Video A to Z. If it looks familiar, that’s because Aerial Video A to Z was created by Alex Harris, the same guy who created our top aerial photo course pick, and likewise, it’s also hosted by Drone Launch Academy.

The Drone Launch Academy Aerial Video A to Z course covers topics including:

• Equipment you do (and perhaps more importantly, don’t) need
• Flying, filming, and cinematography techniques, including correctly shooting slow motion
• Tips speeding up the editing process and workarounds for dealing with (notoriously hefty) 4k footage
• Salvaging footage you thought unusable, such as being too shaky, bright (overexposed) or dark (underexposed)
• Turning flat and bland footage to video that pops with the perfect color balance

The $397 price tag is heftier than what you’ll find with the photo courses in this guide, but that’s to be expected given the beast that video editing can be. Included in the price is lifetime access to their 5+ hours of video instruction, use of the course’s 71 clips of 4k stock drone footage (by the way, 4K stock drone footage can otherwise easily cost $100+ per clip), plus unlimited email support with Alex and the rest of the Drone Launch Academy team.

What’s more: upon signing up, you’ll be able to join a private Facebook Group where you’ll find discussion on gear, making money and booking jobs, be able to share your work and get critiques, and post questions (and get near-instant answers).

• Price: $397
• How long do you have access to the course before your membership expires? Unlimited lifetime access
• What software is used in the course? Adobe Premiere Pro (you can purchase a monthly subscription for $20)
• Who teaches Aerial Photo Pro? Drone Launch Academy’s online video course is taught by Alex Harris, who as edited everything from animated features to broadcast television to commercials, including work for HGTV, Nike, Intel, ESPN, and Discovery Health.

DARTdrones Aerial Photography and Videography Online Course: best quick course (85 minutes)

The DARTdrones Aerial Photography and Videography Online Course provides a solid overview of everything a visual artist would want to know (aerial photography and videography camera settings, the types of flight paths to make, and editing software) in a very short period of time. The course is just 85 minutes of video, which you’ll get for an affordable price of just $150.

The class is taught by a power duo: Pulitzer Prize photojournalist Kevin Coughlin who brings the visual expertise, alongside commercial airline pilot and drone business owner Jerry White.

The self-paced class is all straight and to-the-point. The video time is just 85 minutes, making it completely manageable. But for ongoing training, you’ll also unlock 4 comprehensive e-learning modules and a downloadable aerial imaging reference guide.

If the name DARTdrones sounds familiar, it might be because you’ve seen the company’s CEO, Abby Speicher, pitching her company on Shark Tank. There, Mark Cuban invested $300,000 in exchange for 10% of her company.

DARTdrones offers a range of other courses besides just its photo course, and some are in-person or held live online. Its online Part 107 test prep course is among its most popular, and it also has workshops honing in on specific industries such as mapping and modeling, disaster response and inspections.

Other ways to learn drone photography for free or cheap

Now is a great time to take an online course. The drone industry is set for growth and there could be massive opportunity to pick up new jobs as a drone photographer or videographer.

And while I’ve outlined the best online drone photo courses of 2026 here, an online course isn’t the only way to get better. Here are some other ways to become a better drone photographer or videographer:

Browse drone photo books

I love “Eyes over the World: The Most Spectacular Drone Photography,” created by Dirk Dallas, who perhaps most famously runs the Instagram account “From Where I Drone.” It’s a beautiful book, and there’s something easily inspirational and motivating about thumbing through it as it sits on your coffee table.

Scroll through Instagram

Here’s a way to get inspiration that’s free — browsing Instagram. Here’s my guide to my favorite wildlife photographers on Instagram, and a list of some incredible female photographers on Instagram.

Enter a drone art contest (or just browse the winners)

One of the best ways to get better is to hang with people who are better. An easy way to find the best of the best when it comes to drone visuals: enter a drone art contest. I’ve outlined some of the more popular drone photo or video contests here. Even if you don’t enter, look through who has won in past years. Do their images have something in common? What do the winning images do that yours don’t? Use it as a learning opportunity, and some free motivation.

One of the largest, best drone photo contests is SkyPixel, which is an online photo community affiliated with DJI. Check out the 2025 SkyPixel winners.

What do you think are the best online drone photo courses, or other great ways to improve as a drone artist? Leave a comment below!