[Fall in Love with Sailing with a Young Captain] Confidently Say "I'm an Open-Water Drone Pilot!" — A Practical Drone Flying Guide

In recent years, drones have become increasingly widespread, thanks to the remarkable perspectives aerial photography provides. Regardless of where you're shooting from the air, today I'd like to share some insights into one of the most unforgiving environments for aerial photography — flying over open water.

I'll say it without fear of embarrassment, and I think many of you will relate: shooting anything out at sea is a genuinely grueling task. Pitching waves, strong winds, saltwater spray, spatial constraints — and on top of all that, you have to keep your eyes glued to the monitor the whole time. Very few photographers step back onto dry land with a smile on their face. Sailing makes it even harder: the complex rigging and sail surfaces create serious obstacles for flight, and the heeling of the hull means you have to find your balance before launching or recovering the drone. All of these challenges have led me to witness, on more than a few occasions, drones going for an unplanned freediving session. But you have to agree — the aerial footage of any water-based activity is so breathtakingly beautiful that some people consider it worth the risk of losing their drone to the sea.

帆船空拍機離岸生活 offshore — Start of the 2018 Taiwan-Ryukyu Cup International Sailing Invitational

Let's start with what aerial photography brings to the sport of sailing:

First and foremost, stunning, awe-inspiring visuals.
Second, in countries where sailing is popular, drone footage is used as a broadcast medium for races — many invisible course boundaries become instantly clear from the air.
Third, many professional sailing race teams use aerial footage as material for training analysis, since the elevated perspective gives a far more comprehensive view.

The Volvo Ocean Race — the world's most prestigious offshore sailing event — has produced footage celebrated worldwide year after year. Ever since aerial drone coverage became part of VOR, those extreme images have become the hottest topic among photographers everywhere.

Experiencing the race's slogan "LIFE AT THE EXTREME" through the official YouTube channel footage is the most perfect interpretation of those words.

Behind all that footage you can watch again and again, the most critical — and most drone-drowning — moments are actually the hand-held launches and recoveries.

Volvo Ocean Race entry Team Brunel's spectacular aerial footage from the Southern Ocean — reportedly captured in wind speeds of 40 knots (74 km/h) with 5 m wave heights.

The Golden Gloves Award goes to Team Brunel's helmsman Kyle Langford.

Alright, wipe the drool off your chin — let's get back on topic. What exactly do you need to keep in mind when flying in open water?

Before Takeoff

Always confirm your GPS signal. A strong signal ensures stable flight control so you won't be flying in a cold sweat.
Think through and set your distance and altitude parameter limits. Don't get lost in the moment — if you exceed your set range, the drone will hover in place and you'll have to turn it around and bring it home. (The Editor speaks from personal experience.)

Launching the Drone

Pay close attention to wind direction. Whenever possible, launch from a clear, downwind area to ensure the drone won't accidentally snag the rigging or sails upon release.
Point the camera away from you so that all drone movements feel natural and in sync with your inputs.
Constantly monitor the distance between the drone and the boat, and refresh the home point regularly. The boat is always moving, so the home point shifts continuously after takeoff. Refreshing it means that even if the drone loses connection, it will automatically return to near the vessel, reducing the chance of losing it.
Watch your flight altitude. Know how tall the mast is to avoid low-altitude collisions with the mast or rigging.

Landing and Recovery

Recover in a clear downwind area. Fly the drone backward with the camera pointing away from you to keep all movements natural and in sync.
It is recommended to first bring the drone down to a height level with the hull to make recovery easier.
Keep an eye on battery level. If it drops below 10%, fly the drone directly above the boat's footprint to minimize the chance of it falling into the water after shutting down.

Hard-Won Tips from the Field

If the vessel has large areas of metal construction, flying is not recommended — metal will interfere with signal transmission and significantly increase the risk of failure.
Flying downwind is your best angle when you're not confident the drone can fight its way back against the wind.
When the drone is returning, it is recommended to disable all obstacle-avoidance functions: glare off the water can cause the downward-facing obstacle avoidance sensors to misread the surface; rear-facing obstacle avoidance can also interfere with efficient recovery. Re-enable it immediately after the drone is back in hand.
Back up your footage regularly — don't let precious shots be lost all at once.

All of the above comes straight from the heart. But my sincere advice: get thoroughly comfortable flying on land before venturing into open-water aerial photography. Respect the ocean — and respect your wallet.