ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION IN THE AGE OF DRONES

I have always considered myself to be an environmentalist, which seems at odds with my role as an Aerial Camera Operator. This is due to the fact that there aren’t many options to get a cinema camera high in the sky without a bit of propulsion, which is where to electric motors and propellers come into play. This is where the noise factor of drones come from, the amount of power needed to lift a camera and drone body off the ground, end up making as much noise as a neighborhood weed wacker.

The difference is one of them can fly and bring that sound with them. When I read Gordon Hempton’s book “One Square Inch of Silence” it praised the ability to find a solitary place where no human sound can be heard. It was a real treat to take in the soundscape without any human interference. Drones have made finding a quiet spot much harder, and has been a primary concern when I go flying. Which raises the question, where is the line drawn between using drone for environmental purposes, such as showcasing the landscape and keeping the natural soundscape.