These Are The Women Who Drone That Will Help You Soar into 2018

As we wrap up 2017, your travel bucket list will likely come to mind in the face of a new year. One simple search online lets you explore thousands of gorgeous, unfamiliar places around the world - some from a spectacular bird’s eye view. How? You ask? By way of newfound visionaries - Drone Pilots, but not just any drone pilot, we are talking about women who drone! It’s no surprise that women make up 1% of the drone industry, so we’re excited to introduce you to these eight incredible female drone pilots to look out for that show us what their imaginations see in brilliant dreamscapes around the globe.

Elena Buenrostro

Video Producer - Traveler - Certified Drone Pilot

Photo captured by Elena Buenrostro in Monterrey, CA with her DJI Mavic Pro

To start off the list of these amazing women, I introduce you to the Co-founder and CEO of Women Who Drone, Elena Buenrostro! Recently featured in the Washington Post for her aerial photos, this New York resident is renowned for her ability to tell picturesque tales with the help of her DJI Mavic Pro. She began her journey in drone flying with her trip to China to document the Great Wall, where she fulfilled her out-of-the-box thinking with more than a run-of-the-mill camera, but rather a drone. It was this trip that she found her obsession with drone flying and discovered her love for capturing the world from a bird’s eye view.

Photo Captured By Elena on The Great Wall Of China with her DJI Mavic Pro

As an achieved drone pilot who has loads of videography, photography, and editing skills to share, Buenrostro is an avid storyteller who not only has a way with words that she actively utilizes in her projects, but viewers can tell that she has a unique vision of the gorgeous world we all live in. As a drone newly drone instructor and a strong female in the drone community, Buenrostro prides herself in authenticating people’s views of both dream and everyday destinations with her ability to showcase places at dramatically creative angles. There are a wide array of videos you can search through on her website www.elenabuenrostro.com. This woman has a skill that many folks can learn from!

After the China trip, her drone hobby led her to becoming a certified drone pilot, an instructor, and a content creator. You can say that curiosity certainly lead her to the ultimate dream job! Buenrostro tells others that flying drones gives her an adrenaline rush that literally gives her the wings of ingenuity to mold virtual experiences. Since China, she has captured various areas within the United States and beyond as she hones her skills and broadens her expertise.

Photo Captured By Elena in Big Sur, CA with her DJI Mavic Pro

Buenrostro is inspired by the limitless possibilities that drones offer to videographers and photographers. She enjoys sharing her experiences with other women in the drone community and shares gear tips and tricks too. She is even exploring newer gadgets like Polar Pro's Katana, which lets her use her drone at ground level. She also swears by their filters which gives her the ability to shoot in harsh daylight. She tells those that are considering the purchase of a drone to “just do it! Buy it and try it. Only then you’ll understand how amazing it feels to be able to see from above.”

If you wish to see more of Buenrostro’s work, visit her on her website or Instagram!

Merr Watson

Travel Enthusiast – Drone Pilot – Visual Artist

Photograph captured by Merr Watson

Merr Watson is a 26-year-old Australian photographer and videographer that enjoys traveling and reveling in places other than the land down under! She is renowned for the creation of dream-like videos of locations such as the Philippines, the Caribbean, Indonesia, and of course a variety of destinations within her residing country plus MANY more.

Her latest video showcasing the Philippines will make you want to put this destination on your bucket list right away! Her aerial videography skills are to die for, as well as the upbeat, island-like music she chose to use to draw viewers of her videos in. If you want a cheap way to get lost in a dream location, Watson can help you achieve it without having to leave your couch!

Photograph captured by Merr Watson

Watson is a three-year seasoned drone pilot who started out flying a Parrot drone. She quickly bumped up to her current drone, a Dji Phantom 4 Pro in a mere couple months. Her inspiration for venturing into the world of aerial photography came directly from her creative roots after seeing footage from unique perspectives. She thrives on the ability to be able to capture the world in wildly new ways to aid her discovery of new destinations. Being able to explore locations around the globe through the eye of her aerial footage is what excites her the most!

Watson’s tip to potential drone pilots is that there is no better time to invest in this type of career than now! There are many drones in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges. She also reminds pilots to consider lighting when heading out to capture images. “Lighting is one of those aspects that can truly spice up your work and enhance your creativity. Be selective in the time of the day you go out and shoot. I suggest the golden hour to achieve images rich and warm in color!” If you want to get lost in Watson’s skillfully put together videos, visit her website at merrwatson.com or catch her on Instagram!

Tiffany Nguyen

Travel Photographer

Photo captured by Tiffany Nguyen

Tiffany Nguyen is a travel photographer based out of Los Angeles, California who has a knack for capturing a real-life bird’s eye view in a plethora of places around the world. If one were curious as to where the some of the globe’s most gorgeous destinations for travel photography were, I would recommend visiting Nguyen’s Instagram account for some awesome ideas! She has quite the knack for locating God-like areas and capturing them in such as way that makes even the homebodies want to leave the comfort of their home. Her photography skills are absolutely fantastic and anyone can certainly learn a thing or two from this imaginative photographer!

Photo captured by Tiffany Nguyen

Some of my all-time favorite images from Tiffany’s Instagram account were of her capturing the world not from a drone’s view, but from the way she viewed the world herself through her travels. She captures the essence of the outdoors by using tents, boats, the back of vehicles and more as the perfect framing of many of her images. It will certainly take you some time to go through her images. I know it was hard for me to leave!

I am sure that we will be seeing a large array of extraordinary images as 2018 turns back the page! One of her biggest upcoming projects will be her trip to the island of Kauai at the end of January 2018. From helicopter rides to swimming in the deep blue oceans that surround the island, fans and potential lovers of Nguyen’s work will have a lot to look forward to as she brings all of opportunities to see the island from her unique point of view. Read more about the details here in regards to her 2018 Kauai trip!

Elise Trijntje Ton

Drone and Travel Photographer

Photo taken by Elise Ton with her Dji Spark

Elise Trijntje Ton is a 28-year-old resident of The Netherlands who is pretty new to the drone scene, but certainly not unseasoned in the realm of creativity. As an experienced travel photographer, Ton began getting her feet wet in the world of drones last summer. She states that she was looking to take on new challenges. Ton tells the tale of losing her first drone, a Dji Spark, in the landscape of Spain. Thank goodness that Dji sent her a brand new one, after her first drone flew away without a trace! Could you imagine?

Photo taken by Elise Ton with her Dji Spark

Ton says that droning and connecting with other enthusiasts makes for a grand experience since you can openly discuss and provide one another with valuable insights. “It’s cool to see more female drone pilots making their way to Instagram,” states Ton. “It’s really inspirational that more people are flying drones, especially women! It’s cool to be an early adopter of a relatively young industry!”

Photo taken by Elise Ton with her Dji Spark

Looking to purchase a drone for photography purposes? Ton recommends that you hone your photography craft before taking the step to getting a drone. Those beautiful drone photos don’t just happen, it takes skill. She suggests testing out a drone that someone else you know owns. This will help you to determine if a drone is for you.If you wish to see Elise’s beautiful travel photography and her drone creations, take a look at her website and look her up on Instagram!

Lonneke Tubbing

Drone Enthusiast & Travel Blogger

Photo captured by Lonneke Tubbing

Lonneke Tubbing is an exploration photographer in The Netherlands that has expanded the boundary between reality and imagination with her amazing drone photography techniques. She has a unique ability to take ordinary scenery and turn it into extraordinary images.

Photo captured by Lonneke Tubbing

As you make your way through her Instagram account, you will instantly be drawn in to both exotic and everyday destinations. Viewers of all kinds will find themselves attracted to her drone images because of the plethora of new angles to see ordinary things. Flying a DJI Mavic Pro, Tubbing is extremely talented in the way she utilizes her drone to capture the world around her on all of her adventures. She is a fan of the Netherlands, which is what you will find showcased most recently on her Instagram profile!

Aside from being an extraordinary drone artist in the droning realm, Tubbing also taps into the world of healthy living! I personally found her website Health, Food, Mind to be not only colorful and well put together, but quite insightful as well! I am sure in the near future we will see her creative techniques come into play as she pairs her passion for capturing the scenery around her in various ways with her mission to teach others unique ways to live healthier and to become the best version of yourself!

Heather Shevlin-Travel & Drone Enthusiast

Photo captured by Heather Shevlin

Heather Shevlin is a 28-year-old New York City resident with a passion for traveling and capturing memories! Just this last year she began her journey into the world of aerial photography, purchasing a DJI Mavic Pro and gaining extraordinary experience with her travels. She was influenced by her drone-flying friends after seeing captivating footage of the Pacific Northwest.

Shevlin states that her favorite aspect of flying drones is “having the visual perspective I could never get on the ground. It’s a revolutionary tool for photographers and videographers.” Since Shevlin has started creating images with her Mavic Pro, she says that the experience is exhilarating, even if she doesn’t have the optimum flying areas in New York City.

Photo captured by Heather Shevlin in Juneau, Alaska

As Shevlin gets ready to launch her website, she enjoys being able to become engulfed by her surroundings during her adventures. You can see her beautiful photography via Instagram! Her city-scape photography is to die for!

One of her all-time favorite trips was in Juneau. Her friends hiked and explored the coastline, hearing the distant sounds of humpback whales as they climbed numerous trees. She was thrilled that throughout her shooting of that trip, she managed to capture a few great shots of the whales!

Shevlin recommends utilizing the bracketing capability to those new to using drones in their photography ventures in order to gain multiple exposures. She also states to remember to shoot in RAW format.

Photo captured by Heather Shevlin

Shevlin is excited about where drone technology will take her creative abilities, as she states “I really enjoy that these once highly advanced tools have now reached a point that’s user-friendly enough for a photographer or videographer to use with ease. We can genuinely focus on creating amazing imagery without worrying if we’re going to hit a tree and other dangers.”

“For those that are interested in purchasing a drone of their own, I say quit that negative thinking! The internet is a beautiful thing, plus Women Who Drone will be offering a whole suite of educational resources to assist beginners and even those looking to get certified as a UAV pilot!”

Sandrine Hecq

Lifestyle Vlogger and Lover of Travel

Photo captured by Sandrine Hecq

Sandrine Hecq is a lifestyle blogger and travel enthusiast that has taken drone photography to the next level with her unusual techniques and willingness to soar new heights! Anyone can tell right away from taking a look at her work that she has an avid love for heights and capturing the world from an inhumanly point of view! Even from high in the sky, Hecq has the creative ability to hunt for unique patterns in Mother Earth to showcase her beauty.

One of Hecq’s biggest projects was her vlog of the Camotes Island back in October of this year. She managed to take her trip to the gorgeous exotic destination and turn it into not only a personal vlog for others to view but also showcased her drone flying abilities. This vlog is one of the best videos I have viewed of someone’s travels. Hecq is quite personable and even talks about the lighting in various areas as she captures fantastic video and images of the Camotes Islands.

Photo captured by Sandrine Hecq

Hecq showcases her desire for adventure through her work as she climbs to new heights to ensure that she truly captures the feeling of the trips she takes in her entirety. I cannot wait to see what Hecq has in store as we all journey past the boundary of 2017 into a brand new year of creatively outstanding possibilities! Follow her on Instagram to see more upcoming and amazing aerial art!

Kara Murphy

Certified Drone Pilot – Avid Traveler – Mother – Marketing Consultant

Photo captured by Kara Murphy

Kara Murphy is a Michigan resident who has been in the world of drones since 2014. She is not only a certified commercial remote pilot, but she also manages to keep blandness as bay with her hands full as a creatively avid writer and dedicated mother. Murphy is renowned for assisting communities in establishing their brands through aerial videography and photography projects. Murphy has captured images that you may have previously seen make an appearance on Drone 360 magazine, Fortune, and CNN.

A trip to her Instagram account or her website will leave you absolutely speechless. Murphy has a real talent in pinpointing out-of-the-box scenes and making them her own by adding her creative spin! Some of her best images (in my opinion) are those of the eccentric winding roads, amazing city views and the beach fronts from sky-high. One can certainly see her love of creative patterns, which is showcased throughout her amazing work.

Murphy currently flies two Phantom 4 Pros, with the occasional use of a DJI Spark drone. She was been an avid photographer since 2009, with a photo from a friend inspiring her to soar higher with her renowned skill set. She enjoys having the ability to view things from alternate perspectives. “For me, the imagery I capture from above is far more interesting, in most cases, than what I can get on the ground,” Murphy states.

Photo captured by Kara Murphy

Many of the photos you will see on her website and scattered on her Instagram are sights from her very first trip to Spain. From incredible sunset landscapes to viewing the beautiful country from a bird’s eye view, those photos are unlike anything you will see amongst the interwebs!

Murphy suggests to other drone pilots to learn the rules and regulations in the areas you wish to fly. Be a “good drone citizen,” in her words. When asked what she would say to other women thinking about getting themselves a drone, Murphy says, “Start out buying an inexpensive drone. It’s going to take you time to get used to launching, maneuvering, and landing an unmanned aerial vehicle.” In other words, practice sure does make perfect!

Murphy is a self-taught photographer that prides herself in utilizing unique techniques to truly capture the essence of the communities she works for. Through her vision is where companies find their true meaning through the essence of worldly images. I have no doubt that Murphy will continue to expand the box of expectations and provide a wide variety of inspiration to both seasoned and new drone pilots and photographers as the New Year rolls around!

All of these women have managed to not only showcase their creative skills and views but have captured a plethora of beautiful destinations around the world and brought them straight to our screens. Through these amazing female drone pilots’ past, present, and future work, other potential women pilots will find the motivation to fuel their desire to view and showcase their personal, professional and creative lives through the eyes of their drones! I hope you enjoyed this collection of amazing women and be sure to keep up with their future works as they continue to break through the boundaries in this mind blowing industry!