- Ruby Noel
Pilot Spotlight: Interview with WWD Ambassador Marina Miranda
Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen?
As a journalist, I always love to capture the moments I am in. I can't remember my life without a camera. Three years ago I moved to Australia to study. Living in another country away from my home made me more independent and changed who I was. After this amazing experience I discovered that travel and shooting became my new hobby, and my new love.
Two years ago I bought my first drone and started to learn how to fly. I regularly put videos on YouTube of every place I've flown my drone, as it allows me to see things in a different way. I believe that it helps encourage everyone to recognise how beautiful the world is and the benefits of viewing it from another perspective. I also love editing and sharing my drone photos on Instagram.
Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position.
Currently, I work in a big pharmaceutical company as a sales consultant. I spend most of the time at work, but I try my best to use my free time to travel, fly my drone and also work as a freelance content creator.
What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favourite thing about it?
The DJI Mavic Pro. I just love my drone because I use it most of the time when I am traveling. The Mavic Pro is easy to carry and easy to operate.
Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community?
It's not easy to find women who fly drones. To be honest, I never saw any. Growing up in a society where most of these things are for boys and never for girls, I believe, and I am sure that there is no reason for that. Women can do whatever they want to do, we don't need anybody else to make it happen. Women simply starting to fly a drone, can be the start point to seeing women flying everywhere. Even more, to fly airplanes overseas. It is the moment to listen to the female voices, to prove we are equal. We don't want Barbies any more, we want tech toys.
Whether its from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far.
I was in Mexico this year, when my boyfriend and myself went to a beautiful cenote. The place is amazing and we decided to fly my drone to see the nature even better. During the flight we couldn't believe what we saw. A blue immensity, a bigger cenote that is only possible to see from above. We made a small video and I posted it on Instagram.
After that, four of my friends decided to go to Mexico, only because of the video and the pictures that we took. For this reason, I'm pretty sure that drone shots encourage people to travel, to live and to discover. I also have great memories from another trip to California this year as well. We were on a private farm and made a drone video for the guy who rented out the Airbnb to us. He was so fascinated with the video, that he ended up letting us stay at his farm for free. We made the video expecting nothing, but to see something in a different way is a powerful tool. You just need to make it happen.
What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved?
We need to be a part of the change. If you are a woman or girl and you believe in girl power and equality, you are a part of this community. Flying a drone is one way to give a voice to this movement, by entering into a place that many people believe is just for men. We can prove to everyone how good us women can be.
What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry?
Women joining the drone industry just shows how powerful we can all be when we are together. I am a feminist and I want to make women even more powerful and independent.
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you?
I believe in a world of greater equality. A place where women can do whatever they want without judgments. Except believing is not enough, we must act in favour of this change. We need to occupy spaces that are ours for merit.
Marina Miranda is a Brazilian Journalist, photographer, and drone enthusiast, that is in love with the world and loves to travel. <3 Visit her website here.
