The 5 AM Drone Hustle

in voilk •  20 days ago

    Office days? Meh. Let’s be honest, they’re rarely my favorite, you can read all about that in... well, almost all my posts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. That’s why, when I do have to drag myself into one, I make damn sure I’m armed with at least one drone, one camera, and one GoPro. Why? Because if the weather is good enough, I fly. If it’s questionable, I take photos. And if the gates of hell open and the floods start rolling in, well, at least I’ve got the GoPro to document the end of civilization.

    But this last office day? Oh, this one was a beauty.

    DJI_0875.jpg

    Spring forward, fly first

    Now, let’s set the scene. My alarm goes off at an ungodly hour (because corporate life demands sacrifices even when you're a freelancer apparently). I roll out of bed, chug some coffee, and hit the road. The good news? It’s springtime! The bad news? That means the sun is rising earlier (that's the good news!). Still not early enough for me to catch it (that's the bad news!), though, I’m already knee-deep in SQL and Python wizardry by the time it bothers to show up.

    But that morning? I found the sweet spot.

    As I was driving out of the Brussels Airport No-Fly Zone, the clock struck that magical moment: 30 minutes before sunrise. Meaning? I was ALLOWED TO FLY.

    This is where I should mention that I don’t always carry my green aviation lights. (I should though. Note to self: buy more green lights. Put some in (or on) the car.) But that morning, luck was on my side.

    So, what did I do? Threw my DJI Mini 3 Pro out of the car window and launched it into the sky. (Don’t worry, I parked first. I’m not a total maniac. But I did stay in the car! It was still freezing.)

    DJI_0873.jpg

    DJI_0872-HDR.jpg

    Brussels awakens, and so does my drone

    And what a sight it was. Brussels waking up under a golden sky, the city stretching and yawning as the first light of day kissed the skyline. It was one of those moments where everything just clicked, the timing, the lighting, the placement, the city, the sheer joy of capturing it all.

    Now, in retrospect? Even happier I flew THEN and THERE. Why? Because my lunch break got obliterated by back-to-back meetings (thanks, corporate bastards!), and by the time evening rolled around? Too much wind...

    So yeah, I got the shot. And not just any shot, probably some of my best work this year so far (easy, only march!).

    DJI_0881.jpg

    Lessons Learned:

    1. Timing is everything. Even when you think you’ve missed your shot, there’s always a window. You just gotta find it.
    2. Always carry the gear. Because the one day you don’t is the day the sky looks like a freakin’ masterpiece.
    3. Fly first, meetings later. Okay, okay, maybe don’t tell your boss that. But you get the point.

    Moral of the story? If you’ve got a passion, make time for it. No excuses. No "I’ll do it later." Just go, create, capture, and enjoy.

    Now, time to edit the next batch of shots and pretend I’m working. ✌️😏



    📸 Captured & Edited

    Shot with: Apple iPhone 14 Max Pro
    Edited using: Lightroom Mobile & Skylum Luminar AI

    All photos are my own work. Dive deeper and explore more on my website or check out my links.


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