“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
― Leonardo da Vinci

Today i'd like to invite everyone to take a 'ride' with me as I pilot my drone over London and Cambridge. Spring time in the UK is the perfect opportunity to get some nice shots from the sky as the weather picks up. I was quite surprised at the recent turn to pleasant weather and just had to take my drone out for a spin. Let's go and conquer the skies!

This is my drone, the DJI　Phantom 4. Some people have praised it as the fighter jet of drones, but it's actually a really user friendly consumer level drone that is so easy to fly! The company that produces these drones - DJI, is actually headquartered in my home town Shenzhen. Although they primarily focus on the research and development of drones, you might have also heard of them for their photography and video accessories like the DJI Osmo, Ronin etc. As it stands, DJI has the largest market share of the drone market, in America, it stands at about 47%.

The first time I saw the DJI Phantom 4, I was just in awe at how cool this little gadget is. I really love the pure white colour scheme which makes it look very simple, elegant and clean. It's also hidden all of the circuitry within the shell. My favourite part is probably the little protective carry case that it comes in, DJI have done a really good job understanding the needs of it's customers by providing this protective carry case which can store two additional spare batteries, two sets of propellers and the remote control. Although it is still rather large, you can atleast trust that everything you need is right there inside the box.

DJI Phantom 4 boasts a top speed of 72km/h and comes equipped with collision sensors that operate with the included software to help inexperienced pilots like me avoid flying into big objects like buildings or trees. One battery typically lasts about 21 minutes and in my experience, that is a very accurate figure. It's quite a short time so having a spare battery or two is definitely advisable.

Flying a drone in the UK and London will mean you are subjected to some rules and regulations. There are certain areas which are completely off limits without authorisation, for instance Buckingham palace, and the area's around Westminster and the London Eye, and other places will require a license . For the most part, checking where you are allowed to fly is pretty easy and the app will also remind you if you are at a no fly zone. Of course, there are basic rules to comply to anywhere you fly, and that is for your own safety as well as the people around where you fly.

If you just got your hands on one of these drones, don't rush out to fly it. Check first if the area is a non-fly zone. Flying there could get you in trouble. Nowadays security and police have anti-drone weapons and can literally shoot your drone down from the sky.

The afternoon is very pleasant and time seems to have just slowed down.

Entering the park, I chose a spot which is very spacious and empty of people for atleast 150m around. This is the distance requirement for safety reasons.

The grass is really beautiful, there are these pretty little daisy's everywhere. I try to avoid stepping on them because it seems such a shame otherwise!


Next up, the video I made of some of the drone footage! I'm still not very good at video editing or even piloting a drone so you'll have to excuse the non-professional look, but I hope you guys like it! In the video you'll be able to catch glimpses of the London Eye, the Shard, both landmarks of London as well as some clips of the famous river Cam in Cambridge. Let's fly together and conquer the skies !