Ever since our earliest ancestors gazed skyward and wondered about flight, humans have been fascinated about the view from ‘up there”. We tried gluing wings to our arms and leaping from elevated vantage points (it did not end well), to of course ultimately developing aviation. Since the dawn of flight however, there has been a deep stratification of access. A few rich people had access to airplanes and aerial flight devices and the vast majority lacked the resources or experience to participate in this new adventure.
Slowly, however, things are beginning to change and I posit that the advent of the eponymous drone has contributed in a large access to opening up an entirely new experience for a vast majority of amateurs and I would say expert fliers. Drones started out as crude, DIY projects that had big nerdy communities pushing the envelope to develop and improve on the remote control device movement. From buying and mounting motors to figuring out the right propellers, aerodynamics, there were many fits and starts that have contributed to today’s explosion in easily accessible drones or as they are officially called, ‘Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’.
I have personally been fascinated by these new toys and could not resist the pull any longer. A few weeks ago, I got an older model of the famous DJI Phantom series. DJI is probably the biggest player in this space right now as their drones are easier to fly and come with sophisticated camera systems that are tolerant of even the roughest and most inexperienced of pilots. I argue that the Phantom series introduced drones to the masses and have become synonymous with aerial flight photography and videography.
The applications for drones for commercial and personal use is simply incredible. We have not even begun to scratch the surface of the opportunities. Of course, as with any new tech, the laws have not caught up with every aspect of it. Suffice to say, the legal landscape guiding drone operation is now getting more developed and standardized. Be sure to check your local laws and ordinances before going out and painting the sky.
Here’s my early attempt – Louisville’s Historic Water Tower
I updated this post with my new video – a beautiful shot of the Falls of the Ohio: