Markarfljót riverA drone image of the Markarfljót glacial river.

Many of you have probably visited Iceland sometimes and enjoyed the beauty of our nature and landscapes. Taking your camera with you on a journey like that is a must, which will capture your memories and experiences here. Iceland is not a big country, only 102 thousand square kilometers, but full of beauty and surprises. One thing you can do to enhance your experience is bring a drone on your tour, or hire a private pilot who will take you flying over the beautiful landscapes of Iceland, and it does not hurt that he is also a photographer. Yes, that's right! And you know what, this guy is a friend of mine :-)

BláhnjúkurFlying over Brennisteinsalda, mt Bláhnjúkur in the center.

Fly over Iceland

I did go on one of these flights last September in a 4 seater airplane where you could open the windows for better photography. It was more than a 2 hour flight covering some of the most beautiful river deltas in south Iceland and into the Landmannalaugar area in the highlands. The experience was great and so much different from photographing with a drone. First of all, you can use your real camera, in my case the Sony A7R3 + 24-105/f4 lens, which suited perfectly for that mission. Dressing in warm clothes is essential here, gloves, hat and a winter coat because you are flying at 130-160 km/hour and often in high altitude. It is an experience that you must try next time you come to Iceland. Contact me for more info.

Ljótipollur crater. Torfavatn lake and Stórasúla mountain.

Þjórsárós_140920_PJP5061 Ölfusá_140920_PJP4881

Flying the drone

In Iceland we do have regulations regarding drone flying as most countries do, and to make things easier it is good to get to know them before bringing the drone over here. The Icelandic Transport Authority has published some information material about drone operation, which shows in a simplified manner some fundamental things to keep in mind when preparing and during flights. This material can be accessed here.

Also, you need permission if you want to fly within the National Parks, Vatnajökull National park, Snæfellsnes National Park and Þingvellir National Park. Here you can see the regulations for Vatnajökull National park and apply for a licence if you plan to fly there. 

Even though some locations are out of reach, there is plenty of space here to fly your drone if you follow guidelines and do not disturb birds, animals or other people. You just check it out and take off, you might be surprised of what you see up there.

Here you can see a few of my aerial and drone photos that I have recently shot. Do not hesitate to send me a message if you have any questions.

Markarfljót river. Highlands of south Iceland

River delta. Rauðaskál crater.