Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? I started in November 2015. I still remember how my knees shook, but as soon as I saw the footage I took, I fell in love with my drone! Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. I work as a videographer and a drone pilot. Filmair is the company I founded in 2015. I do collaborate with other pilots, mostly men because in Italy the female pilots are very few. I did a flight last year for the first time in the city, on the occasion of the Milano Marathon (stramilano). I was one of the first woman to fly above Milano city on such a manifestation with permission. What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? I have a Phantom 4 Pro and a Mavic Pro for fun. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? Here in Italy the competition with men is really tough, they have most of the market. Therefore, I always have to invent extra skills to make myself more interesting. Most of the time creativity makes a difference to getting recognized. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? The Milano marathon "Stramilano" with so many people. It was a thrilling experience!!! What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? Drones are the future! Not just in video, but in many other fields! What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? Collaboration, women are great at teamwork. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? For me a video is better than many words see my showreel . I hope to inspire many women! Veronica Pachulski went to art school in her home town of Milano and she also studied Computer Graphic Design in San Diego. She worked as a graphic designer in Milano and occasionally does some video work. Veronica decided to add her long time passion for video as a new skillset, showcasing photos and videos from above. Entering the drone industry was one of the best decisions she has made! Web site: www.filmair.it / fb: filmair.drone / Instagram: filmair_drone_solutions / vimeo.com/filmair / fb: Veronica Pachulski / email: info@filmair.it #veronicapachulski #WOMENWHODRONE #womenwhodrone #WOMENANDDRONES #womenwithwings #womenwhodroneambassador #spotlightinterview #pilotspotlight

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? This all started when I booked a last-minute ticket to Hong Kong last year of October 2017. My best friend mentioned that she bought herself a drone and to be honest I didn't care for it much at that time, as drones weren't as popular last year compared to today. All I knew was that it was a flying camera. What’s the big deal right? When I arrived in Hong Kong to be honest I wasn't psyched. I had been there often but only for transit flights, so I only booked 5-days expecting to do the typical tourist things like Hong Kong Disneyland, or Hollywood road. I was wrong. We ended up doing the least touristy things and started traveling like a local. Instead, we hiked mountains and sought out beaches, which was very unusual for a place that is known to be a concrete jungle. On the hikes, like any other travel, we took pictures but I wasn’t impressed by a flying camera until I saw the results. My jaw dropped. The 5-day trip ended up becoming 2 weeks of self-discovery and finding passions. Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. I am currently a university student What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? DJI Spark - I love the size and the surprising results with every flight. It's so much fun to fly and it's completely underrated drone. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? Perspective. I realized it's the same with my perspective in life. What does not look good to you now or if it doesn't seem like life is not going well, at some different angle, it probably is. The only thing you can control is perspective. Soon after, I slowly discovered my style and what I like shooting. Ironically, one of the reasons I bought a drone was so I can take pictures of myself without having to ask someone to take it for me. I ended up realizing how conceited I was compared to the beginning of the year. Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. My most memorable drone flights I've ever had were two. The first was when I was flying over whale sharks. It taught me how small we actually are in the world and helped me fall in love with the ocean, not only from underneath but also the beauty from above. The ocean is the backbone of the earth and we must protect it at all cost. The second experience was when I was shooting the landfills. With the power of drones, one can show the magnitude of how bad and out of hand our pollution is getting. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? A completely different way of art and expression. You never know what shots you'll get and I think it's what's most enjoyable about it, the unexpected. What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? As a predominantly male-ruled industry in drones and in the tech world, it excites me that more women are not intimidated to try news things and involve themselves more in technology. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? Take the leap. What started out as a holiday to a city I wasn’t keen on going to, I initially later fell in love with it and it became a journey of self-discovery and introspection. I discovered not only my passions but that I was not bounded by any limitations, that we all have so much potential and capability. Now the world of drones not only has changed my life but my perspective of the good and bad encounters. That the smallest change in perspective can transform a life as perspective is not only what you look at, but also where you look from. Abigail is a drone photographer from the sunny islands of the Philippines. Being raised in a country with 7,641 islands, she saw the opportunity to capture the beauty of the pristine waters and beaches with her drone. It all began in October 2017 when she fell in love with the world of drones and finally got the push to get one of her own after getting inspired by a DJI video about Women Who Drone on International Women’s Day. Since then, her drone photography has been featured on Philippine newspapers and as a sideline profession while being a university student. She aspires to capture the beauty of our mother earth and tell stories with her drone. If you would like to get in touch with Abigail, you are able to contact her via Instagram @awkward_abbey #WOMENANDDRONES #WOMENWHODRONE #womenwhodrone #womenwithwings #womenwhodroneambassador #AbigailAquino #spotlightinterview #pilotspotlight #DJISpark

Photo Credit: Elistair Various pilots fly drones for different reasons. They could be photographers looking for the perfect aerial shot, videographers getting the best angle for an event, or FPV racers flying through national league courses. However, that's not all drones are limited to. Entrepreneurs are finding more applications for drones everyday. Their ingenuity and drones' convenience have led to yet another innovation: drone tethering. Essentially, drone tethering is a method of flying a drone while keeping it linked to one location, allowing the pilot to fly their drone with a reduced risk of crashing. Drone tethering businesses employ this method with the added purpose of keeping the drone in the air for extended periods of time. They power the drones by connecting their tether to a ground station that provides it with power, keeping mobility limited and flight continuous for hours. A long flight time is one of the most marketable features you can have on a drone. While many high-end drones boast flight times of 20 - 30 minutes, some people need the convenience of a drone 24/7. That's the market drone tethering businesses find themselves in and they have taken advantage of it. Over the past decade, many companies were founded to provide this service for different purposes. Companies rely on drone tethering for security, broadcasting and more. Elistair is a drone tethering business that specializes in providing their services to those in areas such as the defense, private and public safety, and telecommunications sectors. Last month, Elistair made headlines because French authorities chose to enlist their service to assist them in providing security for a music concert. Reportedly, the drone was deployed "to monitor access, entrances, exits, roads, people and vehicles at the event, with a situational awareness radium of 1.5km." Alexandre Auger, CEO of Adéole Network (a civil and professional drone company in Bordeaux) stated that previously, limited battery life put a huge amount of pressure on the company. The hours of battery life that tethering provides must have been a relief because they intend to use the same system in the future. Another well establish drone tethering business is CyPhy Works: Persistent Aerial Solutions. CyPhy is a startup based in Danvers, Massachusetts whose tethering system reportedly keeps drones in the air for up to 2 weeks. They describe themselves as "research driven" and their product as "essential devices" and "transformative tech". CyPhy's clients are primarily in the defense, public safety, and commercial industries, and they purport to be the leading company in persistent aerial observation. It doesn't end there. Fotokite, Hoverfly, and Powerline are all companies that advertise drone tethering services. If you find yourself or your business in need of a drone tethering business, there are plenty of options to choose from on the market. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #dronetethering #Elistair #AdéoleNetwork #AlexandreAuger #CyPhyWorks #CyPhy #Fotokite #Hoverfly #Powerline

Photo Credit: Wix Stock Images Every year a slew of of startup companies come onto the scene with big ideas and even bigger goals. More startups are taking advantage of the rise in popularity of drones and their many applications. Here are a few interesting startups that revolve around drones and drone technology. FLIRTEY Photo Credit: Flirtey Flirtey is a delivery-based startup founded in 2013 by Tom Bass, Ahmed Haider, and Matthew Sweeny. They are lauded as "the premier independent drone delivery service in the world." Undoubtedly, this is due to the fact that they have provided their drone delivery service outside of the U.S. in New Zealand and Australia. Flirtey also has a reputation for working with a variety of well-known companies and universities. Notoriously, they conducted deliveries for 7-Eleven to deliver Slurpees to consumers in Nevada and Johns Hopkins University of Medicine to deliver medicine and medical samples, demonstrating a diverse client-base. On their website, they state that they aim to show that "drone delivery is the safe, efficient and personalized delivery method that consumers and companies demand," focusing not only on the convenience of having a drone deliver food and medical supplies, but also safety. Due to this dedication, Flirtey obtained "world first regulatory permissions" in the U.S. and New Zealand. In 2015, they were the first drone delivery company in the U.S. to be approved by the FAA, and they intend to continue developing their safety technology as an added assurance. IMPOSSIBLE AEROSPACE Photo Credit: Impossible Aerospace Impossible Aerospace's founder has roots in Tesla, which is what ultimately inspired the unique design of this drone. The startup was founded in 2016 by Spencer Gore, who is a former Battery Module Design Engineer at Tesla. What makes Gore's drone design unique is his battery-first approach. The drone is designed around the battery which allows it to have significantly longer flight times: an alleged two hours. Gore had this to say about his drone: “It’s the first aircraft designed properly from the ground up to be electric, using existing battery cells without compromise." He describes it has a "flying battery"since the energy source also functions as its primary structure. PRECISION HAWK Photo Credit: PrecisionHawk PrecisionHawk is a drone startup that deals primarily in assisting companies with data collection and processing. On their "About" page, they sate that they are “dedicated to changing the way businesses view their assets and manage resources.” In 2014, they launched a cloud application, currently named PrecisionMapper, which automatically processes aerial images into maps, models, and reports. PrecisionHawk began in 2010 as a service that used drones to chase away pest birds in vineyards. At that time, they were called WineHawk. With this initial experience, they learned how to collect aerial images and extract data that was useful to winemakers, their initial clients. Eventually, they expanded their business and changed their name. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #drone #dronetechnology #dronestartups #FLIRTEY #IMPOSSIBLEAEROSPACE #PRECISIONHAWK #WOMENWHODRONE #womenwhodrone

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? I flew my first drone in August 2017 when my friend came over to my house for a drink and brought his Phantom 4 Pro with him. He started buzzing it around my yard and neighbourhood, to which I instantly got hooked. I played around editing the videos he had shot and my neighbour loved them. My neighbour said that she would pay good money for the video of her house, which then got me thinking. I decided after that to start my own company shooting aerial photos and videos for real estate to see where it might lead. It was great timing because I had taken a career break to raise my young girls and was ready to get back into the workplace, but didn't want to return to Corporate HR Management. I got my 107-license a short while later and bought a Mavic Air to add to our fleet of Phantom 4 Pro, Mavic Pro and Inspire 2. I have partnered with a number of certified pilots, realtors and professional photographers and I am excited to watch my small company growing daily. Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. I founded Buzz My Property in August 2017 after my friend introduced me to drones. I had the advantage of being a private pilot to understand airspace and weather with more ease than some of my competitors might. Getting the 107 didn't take me long and I was mentally in a good spot to commit fully to my business. I partnered with some phenomenal drone pilots and we built our portfolio together, learning a lot along the way. All our pilots are FAA Part-107 licensed and while based in Mount Laurel NJ, we have been asked to take jobs much further afield. Our jobs are insured on site and we pride ourselves on running a professional business with a simple and transparent model. What started as a small 'strictly' real estate aerial photography business, is quickly becoming a bigger organization with jobs stretching into other commercial sectors, including construction and media production. We are surfing the wave of the booming drone industry and it's a thrilling ride. What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? We have a number of drones in our fleet (Inspire 2, Phantom 4 Pro and Mavic Pro), but I personally fly the Mavic Air and love how compact, light and transportable it is. I take it with me wherever I go and appreciate the quality of images for its relative low cost and versatility. For sure, when we’re working on larger commercial projects requiring better quality images or longer battery life, we roll out the big(ger) guns, but for my personal use, it's a great drone and I can't wait until my girls are old enough to learn how to fly it. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? Be brave and break through that initial reluctance to try what can seem like a daunting piece of technology in a seemingly “man’s world”. Drones are insanely cool and there is definitely enough space in the industry for men and women to work side by side. Build a network around you and use it to your advantage. Put yourself out there. Hone in on your best skills and offer them up to the rest of the community. Go to the workshops, courses and the networking events. There are so many aviation-related events directed at women starting from the earliest age, go and volunteer and see where you end up. If you think you can do it, you’re probably right! Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. I have to say that my most memorable flight is purely an emotional one. My husband and I flew back to Sicily to show our young daughters where exactly we got married just over 10 years ago and I had the most beautiful flight over Isola Bella/Mazzaro beach in Taormina on our last morning there. I launched my Mavic Air from the balcony of my apartment, 400-feet up a cliff overlooking the bay and hoped dearly that I would be able to get it back! I got some great images of a beautiful place that means a lot to me and had the most surreal feeling of peace and happiness while I was flying that day. Corny as hell, but you asked the question! What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? I’m enjoying watching the female community grow within the drone industry, because I think that women bring a different skill set than men do. While men tend to have more confidence with new technology, women excel at networking. In an area which is still so new and with so many uncharted avenues to explore, women are paving the way to new ideas and branching out just by speaking to other people and grabbing opportunities where possible. Contrary to (some) popular beliefs, women are as able as men to pilot and navigate drones and their associated technology. We may work in different ways, but the end result is just as successful. The more of us who get out there and prove it, the less we will need to shout it from the rooftops! Do you have any drone tip & tricks you can share with our audience? Don't be afraid to try new things. With enough time, space and charged batteries, anything is possible! I think there is a lot to learn when it comes to drones, and it's easy to get overwhelmed, so start off small and ask for help just BEFORE you really need it. Use the RTH feature - it's there for a good reason! I read the whole DJI manual before even turning the Mavic Air on, and I learned a lot. Finally, make some drone friends. There are so many resources available now and drone communities offering advice and educational insights that there is no excuse for staying ignorant. Get licensed if you want to operate commercially, understand the airspace you're flying in and respect the weather so that we can all continue to enjoy this fun and exciting industry together. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? I was born in Holland to a French mother and British father. I was raised all over Europe, from Holland to Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. I speak 5 languages. I took 2 GAP years, (before and after College) to travel around the world and skydive before settling in America one week after getting married in Sicily 10 years ago. I can honestly say that I am living the dream over here in the USA! My roots will always be European but America has my heart. To anyone who doesn’t appreciate how unique and exciting the opportunities are this side of the Atlantic, I say "keep calm and drone on"! Emily has always been passionate about anything that flies. She was born in Holland and raised by a French mother and British father across 6 European countries before marrying a Brit and moving to the US. The first 10 years of her career were in Corporate HR working for a multinational Oilfield Services company but flying was always in the background. She started skydiving at an early age and clocked over 1200 jumps before turning her attention to flying. She got her pilot's license in 2009 and completed a few hundred hours of flying before having her second daughter and then discovering drones. Emily started her own business in August 2017 and shoots aerial real estate photos and videos in the NJ/PA areas. She strives to successfully juggle her love for flying with her passion for travel while committed to raising her family. If you would like to get in touch with Emily, you are able to contact her via email emily@buzzmyproperty.com #WOMENWHODRONE #WOMENANDDRONES #spotlightinterview #pilotspotlight #EmilyHines #Phantom4Pro #MavicAir

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? I am an engineer who loves new technologies and gadgets. My interest to drones started few years ago when I built my own drone and I have also bought several drones during these years. Since I always loved photography and was already taking photos on land and underwater. I though taking aerial photos would be fun and it did not disappoint me, I just love it! Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. I have a PhD in mechatronics where I do research on cyber-physical systems such as intelligent, collaborative robots, autonomous systems and engineering environments of these products. My research is mainly about the data integration and data analytics approaches to make them smarter, more efficient and performative. What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? I have several quadcopters. My favourite is DJI Mavic Air. It is easy to bring everywhere, intiutive, very performative and it does whatever I want it to do. Never disappointed me. As a person who knows how these systems are designed, I am very impressed with the Air. Even though I am very excited to try the new DJI Mavic Pro 2, I am very happy with what I have. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? I found the Women Who Drone as a wonderful and valuable initiative. I wanted to engage with the group from the first day I found out about WHD. I think one very important thing in any industry is to find your people and support each other, especially when you are a woman. There are a lot to learn from each other. Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. Oh I had very memorable flights. I generally remember the ones which did not end very good. When I lost the connection in a windy day, when my first drone ended up on top of a tree where I had to climb to get it back and so on. Overall, I guess the most memorable one is where I get out of my confort zone and went higher, went further. That moment when you trust the drone and your ability to control the drone is priceless. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? I say it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSukYDIrKME. Do not listen what they say, you can fly drones, you can do drones! There is nothing that a women or girl cannot do. If there is a way to do it, then you have all the capability to do it. Do not let other people to define who you are. What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? I want women to join any industry, including the drone industry. I am very proactive on equality, therefore I want women to be visible in the drone industry, in any engineering field and more. Women will change the world to a better place and I am very happy to start it with a drone industry, but I will surely fight until we will be represented in any industry. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? I do not hesitate to call myself as a feminist and a vegan. I dream of another world where people, animals and the nature are treated equally. I am a certified dive master and I love diving as much as I love flying drones. Didem cares about the future of the world and nature. She is a computer scientist with a Ph.D. in mechatronics, which can give you an idea about how much she loves to talk about future and emerging technologies. She is a data person, always finds a way to talk about how important it is to know your data, use it to make decisions and at some point expect her to talk about art, visualizations and visual analytics. Didem is a person who does not hesitate to talk about inequalities and point out her ethical concerns. She dreams a better world and actively works on improving inequalities regardless of their nature. She is an analytical thinker with a passion for design thinking, a researcher with a future perspective, an engineer who likes problems more than solutions and a teacher who likes to play during lectures. She is a dive master, photographer and drone pilot. If you would like to get in touch with Fallon, you are able to contact her via email (didem.gurdur@gmail.com) or private message to her instagram account @didem.gurdur #womenwhodroneambassador #womenwhodrone #WOMENWHODRONE #WOMENANDDRONES #spotlightinterview #didemgurdur #pilotspotlight

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? Once I started flying a drone (March 2017) I met so many fabulous drone enthusiasts and one buddy introduced me to Mike Gearin & Petr Hejl, two of the owners of PhotoFlight Aerial Media here in New England. Mike encouraged me to get my 107, they both trained me and the learning is ongoing! I became a part of PhotoFlight in January 2018. Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. PhotoFlight Aerial Media is a company that provides professional UAS/Drone Services to partners in News & Event Broadcast, Film Production, Marketing, Government Institutions and Industrial Companies. My position is as an operator, one of my major contributions is live news coverage, but I also do real estate jobs as well. What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? I fly the Phantom 4 Pro. I love the camera's capabilities and I love how versatile it is. I also on rare occasions get to fly the Inspire 2 and the M210. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? I have learned that it isn't always easy in a profession dominated by men, but that I don't have to navigate this profession like a man would. I can do it my way. Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. I have a genuine love of urban exploration and going to California to see the Salton Sea and abandoned buildings in the surrounding towns was a trip and a day's worth of flying I'll not soon forget. The desert was incredible. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? Everyone loves photography, drones give you a unique perspective that no one has ever seen before. It's exciting to be on the cusp of something new and trying to do something that hasn't been done before. What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? Just the idea that there can be so much creativity to this art, that we all can enjoy it. Woman can expand the creativity. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? Not only do I love landscapes, but architecture as well! After a recent wedding venue, I would even love to explore a more portrait style with a human subject in that beautiful landscape! Paula was born and raised in eastern Connecticut and works as a middle school Social Studies teacher as well as flying for PhotoFlight Aerial Media. PhotoFlight is a New England based, international professional drone service company, where Paula is often utilized to provide news coverage. She is an FAA certified drone pilot and loves capturing the beauty of New England, especially historical locations. She especially loves the stories behind each location she shoots. Paula attended Eastern Connecticut State University and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History & Social Science, and a Master of Science in Secondary Education. She is passionate about history & photography. If you would like to get in touch with Paula, you are able to contact her via instagram @drone_gurl #UAV #film #PhotofightAerialMedia #M210 #DJIgo4 #DJIGoPhantom4 #MikeGearin #PetrHejl #PaulaSullivan

Drone Photographer Johnny Miller is using drones for good. BBC showcased some of his work in a recent article capturing residential areas on several continents. The images show the clear contrast between the wealthy and poor neighborhoods around the world. Miller started the Unequal Scenes project in 2016 in defiance of the traditional power structures that reinforce inequality. Here at Women Who Drone, we love sharing stories about drone pilots using their technology for good. We hope to see more humanitarian projects in 2019. Please contact us to let us know about any #dronesforgood stories you may hear about or if you yourself are working towards good with your drone!

You may have missed out on Black Friday and Cyber Monday for major sales on electronics and other nifty gifts for the holidays, but the season of gift-giving is not yet over and we certainly doubt neither are the sales. If you have been browsing the market for a drone for you or a loved one to try this year, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 drones to consider for beginners. The drones listed below are under the minimum weight (0.55 lbs.) required for registration with the FAA in the U.S. (except for the DJI Spark. Yes, that one may have to be registered, but the process is quite quick and simple) and also durable with price points that won’t break your bank, even if you break your UAV on your first flight. 1. Hubsan X4 H107C Hubsan is known for its durable drones at a cheap price point (~$50), making it especially suitable for beginners looking to get into the hobby, but without the financial investment. This model comes with a 0.3 MP camera and records videos at 480p with an LCD display on it’s dedicated control. While it is also suitable for outdoor flights, because of its size, it can be easily swept up by wind. It is far from being the ideal starter drone if you’d wish to explore professional aerial photography, but it’s a great drone to start off with when learning to get a hang of flying UAVs. 2. Syma X5SC The Syma X5SC model starts at a low price point of $50 with a 2 MP camera for still photos and 720p for videos. This is another brand of drones known for their durability for beginner enthusiasts. This drone has the same price point as Hubsan, but you get slightly better camera specs and better outdoor stability in light wind conditions. 3. UDI U818A HD+ UDI’s U818A HD+ model was released back in 2016 and is still a popular choice for cheap and sturdy beginner drones. The pricing is just around $100 and $70 for its earlier versions of this model. This quadcopter is safe to fly indoors and around people with its propellor guards, which can also be removed. While flimsy, the propellor guards absorb impact very well making this great for indoor and outdoor flights (as long as there is little to no wind). The drone features a 2 MP camera, records videos at 720p, headless mode, one-key return, and 3D flips. 4. Altair Aerial AA108 The Altair Aerial AA108 has a great build for beginner drone pilots that can be flown indoors and handles light wind outdoors under 10 MPH. It sells at a slightly higher price point (~$130) than the previous drones mentioned but comes with 3 different skill modes meant to last as the novice pilot advances their flight skills. Along with a 720p camera and 120° angle view, the drone features some extras such as altitude hover, emergency shutdown, and custom flight route so that even professionals can be entertained with this beginner-friendly UAV. 5. DJI Spark You can’t take interest in drones without coming across DJI’s brand because of their professional UAVs, which are known for great aerial photography often costing $800 or more. Thankfully, the DJI Spark is available at a lower cost of $400 with a 12 MP camera and 1080p recordings at 30 FPS. While it does not come with as many advanced features as its more professional models, it does feature the new DJI Quickshot autonomous flying mode which means no phone or dedicated remote control necessary (goodbye, selfie-sticks!). Of course, this is the pricier beginner drone mentioned on this list, but it’s a great UAV to consider if you’ve been looking to take your photography to the skies without taking a hit to your wallet on the professional ones. Below, we've compiled a table for quick comparison of the mentioned models. While many of these beginner models mentioned in this list aren't stellar for professional photography, it is recommended to give drones a test try without much financial obligations and these are perfect for just that. Good luck and happy shopping! Trang is a science teacher based in Thailand with a background in biochemistry. Since living abroad, she has taken interest in observing how traveler's and backpackers using their phones, DSLRs, and/or more recently, drones in order to create beautiful travel photography and filmography. In the world of film and photography, Trang is an absolute novice, but as she watches how her fellow backpackers can put together such creative personal works, it has inspired her to take an interest in drones and their capabilities for gorgeous aerial shots. Instagram: @justtrangthings #dronesale #drone #topfivedrones #top5drones #HubsanX4H107C #SymaX5SC #UDIU818AHD #AltairAerialAA108 #DJISpark #DJI #WOMENANDDRONES #WOMENWHODRONE #womenwhodrone

Photo Credit: The Drone Racing League The Drone Racing League (also known as the DRL) is the only professional drone racing circuit on the scene right now, and it has the clout to prove it. Founded in 2015, DRL didn't launch their first season until 2016 when their 16 professional pilots battled it out for the chance to be one of eight competitors in their first Allianz World Championship final in London. The league has grown since then and now has a greater financial backing than before, as well as a bigger audience and talent pool. Season 3 began in California with California Nights, "one of the most technical drone racing course ever designed," before culminating in Championship Kingdom for the 2018 DRL Allianz World Championship where the top ten pilots of the season competed against each other. DRL describes the semifinals as "the most vertical course of the season." Controversially, this year's championship was held in Saudi Arabia, and the League has been receiving criticism since last year over its decision to hold their 2018 championship in Saudi Arabia. Essentially, critics are concerned about what holding the championships in Saudi Arabia means for female pilots. Saudi Arabia is considered to be "one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women." With legal restrictions on where they can go and what that can do, women were concerned that they would not even be able to get to the competition without being escorted by a male. For some, this decision is a clear sign that the DRL had not taken female pilots and fans into consideration when planning out the season. There are hurdles that women have to overcome when entering male-dominated professions and activities, and sometimes, location is one of them. Some pilots are taking this decision to mean that women are not welcome to participate in the competition. This is all the more uncomfortable considering the previous year's championship, which took place in London, had no female competitors. Additionally, as of December of 2018, the DRL Pilots page does not feature a single female pilot. This lack of representation has pilots wondering what the DRL is doing to ensure that women are welcome to compete. When the announcement was made last year, eminent female pilot Zoe Stumbaugh vocalized her disappointment and stated that she was publicly protesting. In an official statement, DRL's spokesperson responded to people's concerns by stating that women would face no hindrance when attempting to compete in the championship. Their spokesperson went on to state that the location of the competition would have no effect on their ability to participate. Benjamin Johnson, DRL’s head of business development and marketing, attempted to assuage these concerns by assuring pilots that the "DRL was taking steps to ensure that women will be guaranteed participation." At the time, it was uncertain how exactly they would go about accomplishing this. Despite the criticism, the 2018 DRL Allianz World Championship was held in September and championed by DRL elite pilot Paul "Nurk" Nurkkala who worked hard and practiced long hours in order to obtain this victory. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #DRL #droneracingleague #WOMENWHODRONE #WOMENANDDRONES #womenwhodrone #saudiarabia #allianzworldchampionships #ZoeStumbaugh #2018DRL

Photo Credit: Radio City Music Hall The Christmas Spectacular is an annual holiday production starring the legendary Radio City Rockettes. The show is held at Radio City Music Hall in New York and is presented to more than one million people every year, with many people attending the show as part of their holiday tradition. The Christmas Spectacular's premiere performance was on December 21st, 1933, making this year their 85th anniversary! While the show has experienced a number of changes over the years, like new designs and choreography, this year will be especially different: The performance will end with 100 of Intel's Shooting Star Mini drones. We have discussed drone light shows and Intel's record-breaking mini drones before on this blog, but this time the stakes are high. The Christmas Spectacular will be Intel's first foray into a large-scale indoor performance with their Shooting Star Minis and the only performance of its kind in the history of live theater. Working with Director Sam Buntrock, Intel's drones will be part of the shows new finale titled "Christmas Lights" with the mini drones acting as the titular lights. Buntrock is the director of the finale, as well as the director of new digital show content and Obscura Digital, a globally recognized design studio that specializes in interactive art. Obscura Digital will be responsible for the digital projections that will be incorporated into the drone's choreography. According to an interview with Variety, Buntrock states that the musical performance will center around the North Star. The drones will act as "points of light" related to the holiday, and they will be choreographed to create holiday themed silhouettes. Here's the trailer for the show where you can catch a sneak peek of the Rockettes' and the drones' performances. About 15 seconds in, you can see the drones floating above the stage. The show runs from November 9th until January 1st with more than 200 performances, making this "Intel's longest running indoor drone light show." However, don't wait until the last minute for tickets. This year's performance is sure to be a memorable one. Make sure you get front row seats to witness history in the making! I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #dronelightshow #drone #sambuntrock #intel #Christmasspectacular #CityRockettes #ObscuraDigital #dronenews #lightshow #lightsofChristmas #womenwhodrone

Photo Credit: Wix Stock Images Most drone enthusiasts understand that being a pilot comes with rules and regulations. Restrictions about where a person can fly help protect other pilots and bystanders, but what happens when drones are regulated by rules established well before their time? It may come as a surprise to you that one of the biggest cities in America has regulations against drones taking off and landing within city limits. It may surprise you even more to learn that this regulation is a statute that is 70 years old! The statute in question is Provision 435-16.0, and it was enacted in 1948 as part of New York's local laws. As it turns out, the statute is not specifically about drones, but rather avigation, which is the navigation of an aircraft, or as the provision puts it "To steer, direct or manage an aircraft in or through the air." To get a better understanding of how this statute works, I was put in contact with Jennifer Thibodeau, the DJI Public Policy Manager of North America. She informed me that the statute was instigated by the concerns that arose with the advent of aviation. Provision 435-16.0 was instated with the intention of discontinuing “wonton takeoff and landings” of manned aircraft. "The statute was written following the Second World War when aviation was still a relatively new development. There were concerns of persons dropping pamphlets from planes over Manhattan and/or landing planes anywhere they pleased in the boroughs.” Without considering the changing landscape of portable technology, Provision 435-16.0 has not been augmented to take drones and their benefits into account. Businesses have found drones useful for a variety of applications. As a result, they have increased their efficiency, improved safety, created careers and diversified their services. Photographers, filmmakers, real estate agents, tour guides, etc. have all begun to rely on drones to stay ahead in their industries. When asked about the impact Provision 435-16.0 has had on drone pilots in New York City, Ms. Thibodeau stated, "This statute has completely stifled drone use and innovation in the city. As a result of this law, NYC is incredibly behind the technological curve." No one would expect one of the world's most recognizable cities to be behind any curve. In relation to her work as DJI’s Public Policy Manager of North America, Ms. Thibodeau had this to say about Provision 435-16.0: "This statute presents an interesting case in my work, because it is by far the most outdated and out of touch piece of law that I interact with. Times have changed and by using drones lives are saved, first responders are safer, and business’ can do more work in less time. However, NYC is completely out of date." It is unfortunate that an antiquated regulation has had such steep consequences for the people of New York City. Although it is understandable to be concerned about the safety risks posed by drones, it has been well-documented that drones have also facilitated safety and progress in many industries. Hopefully, the city will reconsider how their regulations regarding drones are affecting their citizens and institute a policy that is more effective at keeping citizens safe while also affording them the advantages of new technology. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #newyorkcity #nyc #newyork #law #locallaw #legislation #dronelaws #dji #interview #droneuseinnyc #iflynyc #dronelaws #dronenoflyzone #nycdronelaws #This70YearOldStatuteisStiflingDroneUsein #This70yearolddronelaw