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Flying a drone...my first time

“ This is a graveyard for drones”

 

Jens, our  guide, announced with a chuckle. This was in 2022, during my last trip to Svalbard.

 

I remembered that line all too clearly. Because, just as Jens had predicted, one of us lost his drone. On its maiden journey, his drone flew a few feet up, my friend toggled the wrong switch, the drone obediently moved to it’s left instead of gaining height, hit the railing and …plop.

 

That was my nightmare scenario.

 

However, the other drones lived to tell their tale. And, oh the stories they made ! The drones captured the stunning beauty that lay in the Arctic landscape in such an achingly brilliant manner !

 

And, so, when I decided that I am going to return to Svalbard, I too bought a drone.

 

There was only one big problem.

 

I am not a gadget guy.

 

Gadgets don’t excite me. To be honest, they almost intimidate me. I have no inclination to learn more about the latest and the newest. I stay away from the numerous product reviews, especially the ones that gush breathlessly about the dizzyingly brilliant new technological masterpiece. They leave me stone cold.

 

If I  buy a new camera it is just a few weeks before a trip, that I pick it up to figure out what I can do with it. I have neither experienced the rush of joy as I  lay my hands on the latest toy nor the thrill in learning what it can do. I pick up my new gear with a silent groan.

 

I guess, you get the picture.

 

Well, I knew that I couldn’t afford to have that approach with a drone. I knew from second hand experience that if I don’t operate it right, I could lose it.

 

I painfully stepped out of my comfort zone, reached out to friends, the odd relative for help, pored over innumerable YouTube videos and realized that…it was actually pretty simple.

 

A drone is a remarkable piece of engineering, right from the way it is designed to what it could do and how easy it is to operate it.

 

I became bold enough to add ‘Drone videos’ to my Goal List from Svalbard. Those were the high goals.

 

My low bar, from the trip however, was rather basic – get the drone back.

 

I met my low bar. I got my drone back in one piece.

 

I missed my high bar. By a mile.

 

I missed almost all the video clips that I had put in my goal list. Even the ones that I had practiced. My fingers occasionally would get numb in the bitter cold but that wasn’t the reason.

 

Clearly, I had not practiced enough. I forgot some basic stuff. I panicked when, occasionally, the drone would stop responding to my frantic toggling of the various controls. I was not operating my drone with the freedom it deserved, but with the lurking fear of losing it. The resulting nervousness ensured that even the clips that I had practiced, didn’t come out as intended. I often struggled to figure out where exactly my drone was with respect to where I actually wanted it to be ( duh…serious eyeroll ). I would often reach out to my friends for desperate help ( Dipti, Manish, Ranga, Vishnu …  much thanks :) ).

 

It was great fun though. The few videos that I got made me ecstatic. The perspective that a drone delivers…phew. The still photos were, of course, easier.

 

I know I could have had better returns in Svalbard if I had been a little more disciplined before the trip and a little more adventurous while on it. Big deal. Happens.

 

What I have realized is that this is something that I would enjoy  wrapping my hands around. I knew where I went wrong and what I need to do differently. It will be an interesting challenge to figure this out. Videos need a very different thinking approach and it will be enjoyable to learn that. Editing is a wholly different ballgame and I need to start from scratch there.

 

It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to be challenging and challenges are fun.

 

In the meantime, some of images I got, from the drone…let me know how you feel about them.


By the way...it will make a big difference to see these on a larger computer screen than your mobile.

The retreating ice...the sad story of the Arctic

 

The glacier. The ice. The water.


Glassy waters


Amidst a million shattered pieces of glass


The story of two halves...pristine snow and the walruses and their poop !


When the sun shines...


Phew.

A serious mid sea conference amongst walruses


Nah...ditch the serious talk...let's play !!


The video of the walruses having a romp in the sea is utterly lovable. I hope I can edit it as well as it deserves to be ! Watch this space :)


Cheers !!


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Absolutely breathtaking! Too good all of them.


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Thanks a lot KDS...we should meet up one of these days.

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