The Best Royalty-Free Music for Drone Videos

Filmmaking has undergone a revolution in flight. Gone are the days when you’d need to rent an entire helicopter to capture the world through a bird’s-eye view. So whether flying a DJI FPV drone or shooting 360 cameras in the sky, drone cinematography affords filmmakers unmatched opportunities that their predecessors couldn’t imagine.

But when visuals are paired with the best music for drone videos, you know you’re watching magnetic content. Unfortunately, finding the right music for drone videos can be challenging, so Artlist put together its own curated Drone Collection. It’s a one-stop shop of royalty-free music for your aerial shots.

In this post, we’ll go over what to look for in drone music, which elements make it pop, and introduce you to several musicians whose work marries perfectly with this type of footage.

What to Look for in Music for Drone Videos

The type of drone video music you select depends entirely upon the purpose of your shot selection. Depending on if you need an establishing shot for wild terrain, cityscape, or music for real estate, your setting will help determine a great deal. However, regardless of the environment, music for drone videos has specific characteristics no matter the type of video.

First, you want to select music that doesn’t compete with the striking visuals you’ll capture with a drone. This translates to picking more instrumental and electronic music while steering away from lyric-heavy songs. As poetic as your favorite songwriter may be, you’ll want the audience to be captivated by the view.

Second, ensure the song’s length is the same as or longer than your planned shot. Especially if your shot ends up being dynamic, you’ll want different sections of the song to match the rhythm of the camera and editing.

Lastly, keep track of where to cut by keeping an eye on the song’s waveform. This is the graphic amplitude showing the rise and fall of volume at a given time. Keeping these keys in mind will help you be selective in your music.

In addition to royalty-free drone music, you can also check out professional-grade drone footage on Artlist. For a single subscription, you’ll have access to unlimited downloads and licenses to add sky-high shots to your portfolio.

Best Music for Drone Footage

Against All Odds (Instrumental) by Kutiman

This track is unpredictable and dynamic. The beginning is a cross between folk and traditional Irish music. When you least expect it, the hand-clapping bass blends with drums and synths that make you feel like you’re going off to battle. Songs like this have great range, and they could work just as easily in extreme hiking videos, rustic cottages or watching an army march to the front lines. Basically, this could work at any point in Lord of the Rings.

Northern Lights by Jakub Pietras

What some songs lack in range, they make up in poignancy. This easy, monastic-sounding song is peppered with low hums, a thumbing piano and winds that make you feel a sense of spirituality and rebirth. You feel like you’re in a Terence Malick film taking in the scene of creation. One can easily imagine hearing this song during an Icelandic road trip sequence, a migration of reindeer or even depictions of a winter holiday from above. Northern Lights provides purity, so you can match it to pristine and unadulterated locales.

Questioning Reality (Instrumental) by Kathali

While drone shots famously cover nature scenes, it’s helpful to have options for shooting bustling cityscapes coming to life. This song’s sprightly quality is buoyed by the rhythmic piano and humming guitar. Play this drone video music over your favorite Sunday morning farmer’s market, city streets with heavy foot traffic or the next outdoor business convention. One could even see a great time-lapse of people milling about town, like ants carrying crumbs before returning underground.

Géminis by Tomas Novoa

Upbeat, quick-tempo, and head-nodding snaps will have you thinking of nightlife. Novoa creates a sexy, groovy compendium to your latest commercial shoot meant to capture wide angles of multi-colored skyscrapers. If you shoot travel spots and want to spice up the latest city that you’re in, this is a great addition. It could work just as well with your multi-city road trip. Whichever occasion you use, make sure to marry it with a popping place. It packs a lot of energy, and you don’t want it upstaging your video. 

Midnight Tokyo by Downtown Binary

For the name midnight, this track has plenty of sunshine. You’re at home with its buoyant and carefree feel that lends equally well to beach coverage, evening technicolor or the next outdoor festival you’re shooting. Time slows down in this song, so feel free to use it in slower sweeps of places you never want to leave. You’ll be hoping summer lasts forever.

Breathe by Ian Post

A powerful addition to the music for drone videos collection, Ian Post delivers an inspiring ballad that’s moving and invigorating. The piano plays like it’s setting the stage for morning runners training for the Olympics. This song shouts hope and positivity in spades, perfect for athletic videos, community service projects or the next unveiling of a new business.

Best music for drone video – wrap up

Drone footage is a great gift to new filmmakers who can showcase settings with a greater atmosphere than ever before. But footage alone feels hollow without the right track to match it. So make sure you follow the guidelines for choosing the best music for drone videos. Have a keen sense of purpose for the shot you have planned. Make sure you pick something instrumental or electronic, so you don’t clash lyrics with photography. And make sure you cut the song’s length long enough to give yourself options in the editing bay.

Artlist endeavors to bring you royalty-free footage and the best music for drone videos. Check out the remaining artists in the collection to pick the perfect track next time you fly your FPV drone in the air. Picking the right music to accompany your stunning images will be the difference between creating cinema and generating your next screensaver. Luckily, Artlist is here to make your footage shine as bright as your talent.