In 2024, you would possibly ebook one (or extra) drone group holidays. What are drone group holidays, precisely? On this context, it’s mainly the final word journey expertise for drone pilots. You present up (in a wide ranging location, after all) together with your drone, and somebody plans the remaining — all the way in which down from the place you’ll keep and the way you get round. And sure, that even contains the place you may safely and legally fly your drone.
Your drone group holidays planner is Johan Vandenhecke, a Belgium-based, award-winning aerial photographer. For the previous few years, he’s made a profession out of hosted guided excursions with drone pilots in thoughts. Which means you’re touring the world with like-minded individuals (who’re keen to cease on the facet of the street and fly for the proper aerial shot, and who’re keen to get up early to get that golden hour gentle).
Vandenhecke has simply revealed his lineup of 2024 drone group holidays, and it’s obtained me able to ebook airfare now. In reality, a few of these drone pictures journeys are so widespread, they’ve already offered out. Right here’s the drone group trip lineup for the subsequent 12 months:
- March 2024 in South Africa: 5 days, 4 nights in a luxurious safari camp (offered out)
- April 2024 in Malta: 4 days, 3 nights in a luxurious villa
- Could 2024 in Azores, Portugal: 7 days, 6 nights in a luxurious villa
- August 2024 in Iceland: 6 days, 5 nights in a 4×4 campervan
- September 2024 in Mauritius: 7 days, 6 nights in a luxurious villa
- November 2024 in Socotra: 7 days, 6 nights in nomad tents
Among the journeys are mainly replicas of journeys Vandenhecke has hosted in 12 months’s previous. His journey to the island of Mauritius has been a perennial favourite, combining drone flying with outside adventures like sundown crusing, waterfall path climbing and swimming with dolphins.
Different highlights embody a journey to the Azores, which is an archipelago composed of 9 volcanic islands within the Macaronesia area of the North Atlantic Ocean. Just like the Mauritius journey, that one’s a repeat of previous years — maybe unsurprising given how widespread it’s been. In 2021, the group noticed a pod of 9 sperm whales, and in 2022 they noticed a blue whale passing by and a giant male sperm whale, who curiously meandered across the group’s boat for about 45 minutes.
Not all of the journeys are repeats although. For instance, new this 12 months is a drone safari journey in South Africa.
Oh, and if you happen to actually wish to plan forward, Vandenhecke has one drone journey on the books thus far for 2025. That’s a 6 day, 5 evening journey in June 2025 to Madeira, an archipelago within the North Atlantic Ocean that’s thought-about an autonomous area of Portugal. And that one would possibly simply be the final word spot for drone pilots, on condition that in 2020 it was named ‘Europe’s Main Island Vacation spot 2020’ on the World Journey Awards for its outside adventures.
Simply know that these journeys aren’t precisely nice if you happen to’re an extremely frugal traveler. For instance, the Azores journey begins at 2,500 euros, and that doesn’t embody airfare. However it’s definitely value it for a lot of. In any case, that covers a 7-day, all-inclusive keep, together with actions and luxurious lodging. You’ll additionally get highly-personalized consideration on condition that teams are deliberately small (for instance, that Azores journey is capped at six attendees).
What to learn about group journey chief Johan Vandenhecke
Johan Vandenhecke is probably going greatest recognized on-line for his digital drone class referred to as Drone Adventurer Masterclass+ (which not coincidentally is The Drone Woman’s upcoming choose for the greatest drone photograph programs of 2024). He’s additionally written a number of free drone eBooks.
Most of his teachings focus on DJI drones. Vandenhecke himself first began flying drones on the DJI Mavic Air earlier than upgrading to the DJI Mavic 2 Professional (and onwards and upwards from there).
Apart from main drone group holidays, Vandenhecke works as a contract photographer. Provided that entrepreneurial background, count on to make use of the journey to achieve precious enterprise expertise too. (Equally, his Drone Adventurer Masterclass+ on-line course covers not simply pictures, however enterprise recommendation like find out how to work with manufacturers and find out how to negotiate funds).
What different drone group holidays are on the market?
Vandenhecke’s drone photograph journeys are the paradigm for drone holidays, however they’re definitely not the one ones.
Some have had blended success. At one level, the New York Occasions provided a drone trip to Norway by way of an offshoot of its newspaper enterprise referred to as Occasions Journeys, although this system resulted in 2021.
It’s additionally attainable to ebook drone flying adventures are half of a bigger journey by way of choices like Airbnb Experiences, which is affiliated with the holiday rental firm and permits vacationers to ebook custom-made experiences (like drone lessons) with locals.
After which there are group holidays that aren’t essentially centered round drones, however that welcome them. For instance, Quark Expeditions, which is extensively thought-about a frontrunner in group excursions of the North and South poles, wholeheartedly embraces drones.
In reality, I went on a Quark Expedition myself in 2018 to the Arctic Circle the place, naturally, I introduced my drone.
When you’re particularly within the drone group holidays by way of Johan Drone Adventures, take a look at Johan’s web site right here. Or if you happen to’re involved in an excuse to have a drone affiliated trip however the Johan Drone Adventures aren’t fairly your factor, there are many different 2024 drone occasions on the docket, together with conferences all all over the world.