Award-winning Bad Wolf Horizon drone company shares their pick of unique images taken from Cornwall’s skies
Sunny St Mawes in August 2017. Filming a promotional video for an estate agent, who wanted film from both the ground and the skies. We were in the right place at the right time as we capture the moment the St Mawes water taxi passed underneath us.
As part of a promotional film we were producing for a bed & breakfast in St Ives, our client wanted us to capture the beautiful white sands and turquoise waters of St Ives. Drones are not allowed to fly directly over people, so we waited until the low season, in early October, to capture this shot. It is truly amazing how beautiful Cornwall can be all year round!
We are always travelling around Cornwall, searching for the most scenic areas to capture from a higher perspective. This image was captured in Charlestown, near St Austell, in January this year. As we explored this sea stack from our drone, we noticed a small silhouette exploring the coastline on foot.
We make sure to take our drone with us at all times and this photo is the reason why. Sitting at one of our favourite restaurants on the beach - Hooked on the Rocks, the clouds suddenly parted and the sky filled with a warm glow. Within 5 minutes we were up in the air and we managed to capture this shot of people enjoying the last of the summer sun.
Another perfect day in paradise. Our take off location was the other side of the river, but as a commercial drone pilot, the maximum distance we can fly is 500 metres from where we took off. As the St Mawes ferry pulled into the harbour at St Mawes, we managed to capture this beautiful photo, from just under half a kilometer away.
One of the things that draws people to Cornwall is the tropical, blue waters and as Cornish residents that is part of the reason we have decided to stay. This shot was captured near St Michael’s mount. The shape of the bay, direction of the wind and the tide came together to create these small, but perfect waves, nearly 500 metres long.
Being commercial drone pilots, we have to complete pre-flight paperwork and risk assessments before every flight we conduct. This includes meteorology, airspace restrictions and identifying safe take off locations before arriving on site. It is a very important part of what we do, but a nightmare when all you want to do is to be out flying in the sun! The beautiful Portscatho in the summer.
The landscape around the Land’s End area is breathtaking. Millions of years of rock erosion and the crystal clear waters of Pedn Vounder, near Porthcurno, makes for an unbeatable combination. Nature does all the work for us. We just make sure to fly the drone in the right place!
Our drones have one of the longest flight times of any drone on the market. Being in the air for around 25 minutes per flight, gives us plenty of time to explore the coastline from the skies. At Caerhays beach, at our maximum height of 400 feet, this top down shot shows off the stunning ruggedness of the Cornish coastline.
They say that St Ives has the best sunsets, caused by the crystal blue waters of St Ives bay. After having flown around one of the most incredible skies I have ever seen, I’m starting to believe them.
Port Isaac is one of the most idyllic fishing villages in Cornwall. As the camera on our drone is pretty wide angle (24mm equivalent) we are often featured in our own images. This means we have to edit ourselves out in post. Magic.
We have been flying the DJI Phantom 4 Pro since 2017 and we have taken it all over Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. After having racked up over 48 hours of flight time, there’s no better place than home. Pendennis Point looking majestic as the sun sets over Falmouth.
Our drones can fly in wind up to 20 mph. Any higher than that and you can run into difficulties and worst case scenario, the drone can’t return before running out of battery. Windy days create wild seas, which make for great photographs, but add an extra level of fear into us drone pilots. Make sure to consider the risks before flying!
Poldhu is one of Cornwall’s most loved beaches and is a bit of a hidden spot. A surfers paradise and a cafe lover’s dream. There’s no need to say what this place can do for a drone lover who is a sucker for a sunset!
We use polarising filters on our drones to get the most out of our images. This allows us to see through the water, as it cuts out any unwanted reflections entering the lens. Two paddle boarders explore the ocean just off of Gylly beach - make sure to avoid the dark, scary bits!
The beacon. It was one of those days where nothing was planned, but everything went right. After a cloudy filled day, we decided to head for Godrevy for the sunset. The sun came out and bounced off of the clouds. With St Ives as a backdrop, everything fell into place.
We don’t just fly in Cornwall. We are asked to travel to create promotional material for companies and brands all around the world. A campervan company in Portugal wanted us to create a lifestyle video, showcasing the beautiful scenery around Aljezur. After a lot of paperwork, we managed to get some brilliant shots and the client was thrilled with the result.
Our hometown, Falmouth. This is one of my favourite images we have captured since entering the world of UAVs and this is the reason this is one of the best jobs in the world. The pink highlights in the clouds reflect beautifully off the water, littered with boats, as the sun sets up the river towards Penryn.
The famous Poldhu Beach with a generous dusting of snow. After flying, I bought a hot drink from the cafe to warm up, sat down and enjoyed the view, before heading back to the office to edit this photo. It’s not often you get to see a sight like this and I hate to waste a view!
Main image:
This image was part of an aerial time lapse, produced for a luxury apartment in St Ives. Aerial time lapses are new to the drone world and we are proud to be leading this movement in Cornwall. To capture this time lapse, we left the drone in the same position for 20 minutes, while the tide washed in and filled the harbour.
Find out more about the award-winning Bad Wolf Horizon at badwolfhorizon.com
