Traveling with a drone, or even becoming one of these new age ‘drone nomads’ opens up a whole new way of travel.
Read on to discover exactly what a drone nomad is and how you can become one.
What is a drone nomad?
We’ve probably all heard of the term ‘digital nomad’, but if not, a digital nomad is someone who travels the world, earning money to do so either passively or using the internet. Someone who isn’t tied to any specific place, and can make money on the go, from anywhere in the world.
But lately the term ‘drone nomad’ has been popping up. So what and who are these drone nomads?
Basically, drone nomads are those who spend their days traveling with a camera drone as their companion. So wherever they go, they can capture not just what they see before them, but also the view from way up above – the view that most people can only dream of seeing.
But more than that, drone nomads can be considered a type of digital nomad. How so? They publish their drone images and videos (mainly videos) online, on their own sites or on sites like YouTube and other social media platforms. In doing so, they build up a following of drone fanatics and travel addicts alike.
And as any online entrepreneur will know, the larger the following, the higher the potential for profit.
So lots of drone nomads actually fund their travels by making use of their drone footage.
Why would you want to become a drone nomad?
If like me, you’re already sold on the idea of this high-tech drone version of the digital nomad life, then the chances are that you don’t need any reasons why this way of life is one of the best.
But if you’re still not sure and it all sounds a bit ridiculous, traipsing around the globe with a flying camera, here are just some of the reasons why this could be the perfect lifestyle choice.
You get to see the world
People are starting to realise that travel is one of the best things you can ever do. It makes you a better and more well-rounded person, and it can even contribute to your success.
Becoming a drone nomad means you get to live a life that is centred around travel. You can go on exploring the furthest corners of the world, and if you want to get all cliche, bettering yourself, potentially indefinitely.
There aren’t many lifestyle choices that offer you complete freedom to do and see everything you want. But drone nomads have the world at their fingertips.
You master a new skill
Drone flying and drone videography might sound like good fun, and it is, but it’s also a skill.
You need to learn how to fly your drone, and like any skill, the more you do it, the better you’ll become.
What use is it being able to fly a drone? Once you’ve flown one drone, you’ll feel confident controlling any other drone. You could even go on to become, dare I say it, a master of drone flying, which opens new doors like racing and competition opportunities.
Plus, learning a new skill is a great way to develop and boost your brainpower. If you want to know the science behind it, mastering a new skill basically makes the myelin (white matter) of your brain more dense, which in turn makes you a faster learner.
New brain cell growth can also help slow cognitive ageing, making dementia and Alzheimer’s disease less likely as you grow older.
You make money doing what you enjoy
There aren’t many jobs out there where you can make money just walking across a sandy beach, or paragliding down from a mountain. But by monetising your drone videos, any adventure or activity you undertake can be filmed, and can be used to top up your bank account and fund new adventures.
You can capture truly interesting travel videos
Let’s face to, most of the time when someone shows you their travel photos, you’re bored beyond belief.
You don’t want to see a picture of your Grandad in speedos, or a selfie of your friend with a cocktail you wish you were drinking.
But when you whip out your drone travel video, suddenly you’ll have people’s attention and an avid audience. Who doesn’t want to see a flyover of a tropical rainforest or an exotic beach?
You can view the world from a new perspective
When you visit somewhere new, you’re amazed by everything, right? Everything is new and exciting and it’s one of the only times in life when you get to experience childlike wonder as an adult. The scenery is different, the food is different, even the toilets are different!
With a drone, you can take that novelty and excitement to a whole new level. Think of how exciting everything at eye level is. Now imagine you’ve got al that AND the view from the sky as well.
You’ll see things you would never have seen otherwise and you can even experience your drone videos through VR goggles, and pretend you’re actually flying over your destination.
You’ll meet new and interesting people
Having a drone is one hell of a conversation starter. If you pull out a shiny and futuristic looking flying contraption, people are going to stop and talk to you.
So if you’re traveling solo, this is great! You’ll meet tons of people, make new friends from new places, and you might even find a few like-minded drone flyers, with tips on the best places to fly.
There’s never a dull moment
Being a drone nomad is no boring office job. There’s no sitting around waiting for the day to end. The day begins and ends when you say it does. And the day consists of exactly what you fancy doing.
You’ll become a part of the ‘new rich’
The new rich are those with income streams that mean they have all the time in the world to spend doing what they enjoy. Time is fast becoming the most valued currency, and by becoming a drone nomad, you’ll technically be able to class yourself as part of this ‘new rich’.
How can you become a drone nomad?
First thing’s first, f you want to become a drone nomad, you’re going to need to buy yourself a drone (one with a camera). And of course, you need to travel the world with, otherwise you’re just a drone owner.
Once you’ve found yourself a trusty camera drone companion, and you’ve set off on your travels, it’s up to you to take the best photos and videos you possibly can. You want to capture everything!
The more footage you have, the more you can do with it, and the more material you have to attract people with.
So you’ve got your drone, you’re well into your travels, and you’ve got memory cards full of great drone films, but what now?
Now you need to DO something with your them. Edit them if need be, and turn your amateur footage into a cinematic piece of art. Make each clip flow smoothly to the next, apply effects if you want to, and what really transforms a drone video is music.
Find the perfect piece of music to play in the background of your video. Something that screams excitement and adventure. And if you really want to take it to the next level, get the music to coincide with the pans and zooms of your videos.
Of course if you’d rather not edit though, there’s nothing that says you can’t upload the raw footage for a more authentic flying video. It’s all about personal taste!
Once you’re happy with your drone videos, try publishing them on YouTube and social media sites. People love drone videos, and you’ll soon build up quite the following.
To make money from your drone footage, monetise your videos with ads and affiliate links to the drone you’re using and other relevant products.
You can even monetise the experience of flying drones. If you have a website, write blog posts detailing flights you’ve had, drones you’ve loved and hated, and even flying tips and tricks.
Follow all of these steps and you’ll be able to class yourself a drone nomad in no time.
I live in the UK, in the country’s most uneventful city, where the most interesting story in the local paper is about banning dressing gowns in supermarkets.
I travel and I write, because surely there are more interesting stories than that to write about and share.