Imagine your favorite vacation photo: that perfect sunset shot with waves gently crashing and an amber crescent reflecting off the ocean's glassy surface.
Now imagine it from above.
Photos and videos taken from drones' unique perspective have begun invading our social media feeds.
"The cue for me was when consumer drones started offering features and verbiage like 'takes selfies' or 'captures sound,' " said Dirk Dallas, founder of the website FromWhereIDrone.com.
He noted that the price of drones has come down and manufacturers have added user-friendly features.
Websites such as Airmap.com can help, as can formal training to learn the rules of the sky.
"Drone companies are marketing drones as these easy-to-use intuitive devices, and they're certainly sophisticated. But that being said, if they were easy to use, you wouldn't see so many YouTubes of drones crashing into streets," said Lana Axelrod, chief strategy officer at UAV Coach, which has certified more than 7,000 drone students through the FAA since last year. "People see these sexy ads where they can do all these exciting things, and it's true, but you need to have a sense of operation and the rules."
Other common mistakes? Don't fly at night, except during the 30 minutes after sunset and before sunrise. Flying over people is another violation. And don't stray too far.
"You must maintain a line of sight," Axelrod said. "If the drone flies behind a building or behind trees, you are not complying with the rules."
But the inventive traveler will find a way.
"We went to Namibia earlier this year for a trip for fun," Axelrod said. "You're not allowed to fly over the national parks there, but we were able to fly through the desert and the beach. We stitched it together for a 90-second video of our trip to send to our family and friends. It's a memory we can now share."
Some stunning drone shots:
A drone image, shot off the coast of Maui, in Hawaii. The photographer has taken her DJI Mavic Pro through Europe, Asia and North America. Picture: Elena Buenrostro.
A drone shot of Jokulsarlon, a large glacial lake in southeast Iceland. Picture: Dirk Dallas.
Rachel Raczka