Drone trips to Africa

[eyeseeAfrica]

Hi Everyone

We are a travel company that organize trips for clients to destinations in Africa. I am also a very enthusiastic Mavic pilot and would like to know if anyone will be keen if we decide in the near future to organize trips to South Africa and Namibia where we will include permission to fly at certain spots during your trip.

 

[Duds]

Beautiful scenes of the wild. Once this lockdown is over I will love to join you guys on a trip.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Great footage.
It'd be good to get some pro drone travel happening in Africa.
Have read posts here saying that many lodges around the continent ban their use.

Some friends went on an overland from Cape Town to Nubia, there were in a small group and a couple of these with drones.
They could hardly fly them apparently.
If they could get away form the lodges, they could have, but risks with animals and other factors prevented this almost the whole trip.

 

[eyeseeAfrica]

Hi

Yes there are certain rules when flying drones like not flying at lodges, away from humans and you also do not chase animals. Many countries in Africa like Uganda, Rwanda would confiscate your drone at the airport and you will only get it back when you fly out again. There are however opportunities to fly a drone in South Africa and Namibia with the right permissions.

 

[Dale D]

Hi Everyone

We are a travel company that organize trips for clients to destinations in Africa. I am also a very enthusiastic Mavic pilot and would like to know if anyone will be keen if we decide in the near future to organize trips to South Africa and Namibia where we will include permission to fly at certain spots during your trip.

Hi- Absolutely loved your Namibia video! I was so jealous. My wife and I were in Namibia (we did all of the places in your video) in November, 2015. I did not have a drone then, but did a lot of time lapse photography.

I have been to Africa on safari 11 times, booking with various companies. The last two times (1) Rwanda/Uganda/Democratic Republic of Congo-with 5 gorilla treks, and in September,2019 to Zambia (South Luangwa) and Madagascar were with Africa Geographic in Cape Town. I was strictly forbidden to use my Mavic Air in South Luangwa, even while at the lodge, but manage to use it a lot in Madagascar.

Now planning a trip in December to Muscat (Oman), Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, but after months of writing, I have not been able to get a permit for flying RPS (drone). Flying anywhere now is highly fraught with risk of confiscation and even big fines and arrests.

You can see some of my stuff on Vimeo. Here is my site. Dale Davis

This is a 44 minute video on Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda

.

 

[Scubadiver1944]

Hi Everyone

We are a travel company that organize trips for clients to destinations in Africa. I am also a very enthusiastic Mavic pilot and would like to know if anyone will be keen if we decide in the near future to organize trips to South Africa and Namibia where we will include permission to fly at certain spots during your trip.

Visited South Africa from Jo'burg to Cape Town, including Kruger and the Garden Route, last year plus Zimbabwe & Botswana the year before. Purchased a Mavic 1 Pro three years ago to complement underwater footage I shoot on scuba diving trips e.g. New Guinea last November, but any wild life in warm climates suits me and an aerial perspective adds to the experience.
Made requests for permission to fly from all the game lodges and hotels I stayed at in South Africa, mostly with positive results, except understandably hotels in built up areas and Kruger Park, too much threat from poachers and those half-wit flyers who seem to think getting an aerial shot a couple of metres from a giraffe's or elephant's eye is a good idea!
Botswana not so good an experience as despite emailing our lodge situated outside the Chobe NP and getting permission to fly from one level of the management months beforehand, on arrival the general manager overruled his own people, so disappointment.
However, after the coronavirus pandemic subsides one way or the other, I'd be most interested.

 

[Dale D]

Visited South Africa from Jo'burg to Cape Town, including Kruger and the Garden Route, last year plus Zimbabwe & Botswana the year before. Purchased a Mavic 1 Pro three years ago to complement underwater footage I shoot on scuba diving trips e.g. New Guinea last November, but any wild life in warm climates suits me and an aerial perspective adds to the experience.
Made requests for permission to fly from all the game lodges and hotels I stayed at in South Africa, mostly with positive results, except understandably hotels in built up areas and Kruger Park, too much threat from poachers and those half-wit flyers who seem to think getting an aerial shot a couple of metres from a giraffe's or elephant's eye is a good idea!
Botswana not so good an experience as despite emailing our lodge situated outside the Chobe NP and getting permission to fly from one level of the management months beforehand, on arrival the general manager overruled his own people, so disappointment.
However, after the coronavirus pandemic subsides one way or the other, I'd be most interested.

put me on your drone trip mailing list anyway! [email protected]

 

[Scubadiver1944]

Hi- Absolutely loved your Namibia video! I was so jealous. My wife and I were in Namibia (we did all of the places in your video) in November, 2015. I did not have a drone then, but did a lot of time lapse photography.

I have been to Africa on safari 11 times, booking with various companies. The last two times (1) Rwanda/Uganda/Democratic Republic of Congo-with 5 gorilla treks, and in September,2019 to Zambia (South Luangwa) and Madagascar were with Africa Geographic in Cape Town. I was strictly forbidden to use my Mavic Air in South Luangwa, even while at the lodge, but manage to use it a lot in Madagascar.

Now planning a trip in December to Muscat (Oman), Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, but after months of writing, I have not been able to get a permit for flying RPS (drone). Flying anywhere now is highly fraught with risk of confiscation and even big fines and arrests.

You can see some of my stuff on Vimeo. Here is my site. Dale Davis

This is a 44 minute video on Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda

.

Excellent, Dale!