A flying drone's eye view offers a different perspective

You can see the world from a different perspective by flying a drone. 

Greg Behrens, a retired geologist from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, demonstrated his drone for The Star in April at his home east of Grand Coulee in the Spring Canyon area. 

Behrens got his drone in July of 2021 and his commercial license in October, but he didn't really need it; he just enjoyed the intellectual challenge of passing the test for certification and learning all there was to learn about it.

"You have to understand plane aerodynamics, airport operations, how planes circle the airport, how they approach it, aeronautical decision making, what your thought process is when you run into a situation where you need to bail out," Behrens said. "Airspace is a big thing."

"There's so much technology in this thing," Behrens said about his DJI Mini 2, which cost him about $300 on its own, $600 total with accessories such as extra batteries.

"How do they pack all of that technology into something like that?" he said. "This thing will take off, it will locate itself; when you're flying, it leaves a map on your phone of where it is, and then you can be out there two miles and hit 'go home' and this thing says, 'Okay'."

Behrens demonstrated the drone's ability to land within a few feet of where it originally took off from his driveway. He said that, in the past, when he has lost the connection between the drone and his smart phone, the drone automatically knew to come home.

The drone is said to be capable of going 10 kilometers away from the controller, but Behrens said he hasn't taken it that far, and that you are supposed to keep the device within eyesight. 

As a retired geologist, Behrens enjoys observing rock features from a birds-eye view. 

"When I was flying over the bluff [near the Almira hill]," he said, "I knew this was landslide material that happened hundreds of years ago. It was interesting to see some of the landslide scarps up there that have progressed that far in the geology of it. It's really interesting, a different perspective from the air."

Getting a certificate is a requirement for anyone attempting to make money from drone usage, including making money from a YouTube channel, Behrens explained. But otherwise, recreational and commercial users have the same rights and limitations with their drones in regard to where they can fly and how high.

"One very positive reason for anyone to get a certification is so you know the rules of flying and keeping the public safe," Behrens said. "Nothing will ruin the future of drone flying more than the pilot who doesn't know the safe, and respectful, operation of drones." 

Behrens said that he would be happy to take aerial footage of a house for somebody for various purposes, but that most people who do that sort of thing for money likely aren't certified, which could result in hefty fines from the Federal Aviation Administration if they were to get caught.

The FAA certifies drone pilots for commercial operation. Behrens took his certification test at Big Bend Community College's flight training center in Moses Lake.

While National Parks are off limits to both recreational and commercial users, state parks are accessible with permission, and Behrens said that he'd love to fly his drone in the Steamboat Rock area once he is able to get permission.

Airspace rules are a large aspect of drone piloting, with much of the commercial certification tests focusing on them.

People don't own the airspace over their homes, Behrens explained, noting that there are apps that show maps of where restricted airspaces are.

He also plans to fly on the Oregon coast soon and noted that laws are in the works regarding flying drones at the ocean.

As far as cons to having a drone goes, Behrens said that "some people don't like drones. They think they're spying on them."

While demonstrating his drone for The Star, he connected his smartphone to a remote control, which showed the elevation and other data related to the drone's flight, while showing what the drone sees with the ability to record video or take photos.

A gimbal on the drone's camera keeps the footage steady as she goes.

When a bird of prey takes interest in the drone, Behrens said, he brings the drone back home, because birds have been known to take them down.

With a DJI Mini 3 recently released, Behrens may be looking to upgrade. He anticipates having a continuing interest in the hobby, and encourages those interested in drones to buy them and use them responsibly.

"If folks learn to see them in a positive way, that is great for everyone!" he said.