Your best option might be having a friend operate the drone from the shore. What would you do if the battery runs out or the drone needs to land? It might be too much to manage while you’re surfing.
Derry said:
Your best option might be having a friend operate the drone from the shore. What would you do if the battery runs out or the drone needs to land? It might be too much to manage while you’re surfing.
Fair point.
Even if a drone could track you, the footage might not be great. Without someone piloting it, you’d likely end up as a tiny figure in the shot, with most of the frame focused on the ocean and waves. It wouldn’t be very engaging to watch. Plus, the kind of drone you’d need for this just doesn’t exist yet.
@Oswin
Thanks for the honest feedback 
Merritt said:
@Oswin
Thanks for the honest feedback
You could try finding an FPV pilot who wants practice. It might be a win-win, as they’d get good footage for their portfolio, and you’d get the shots you’re looking for.
@Parker
That’s a great idea! Thanks.
Merritt said:
@Parker
That’s a great idea! Thanks.
No problem. Let us know how it goes!
Flying a drone over the ocean puts it at serious risk of being lost.
Think about these questions:
- How long does it take you to paddle out?
- How long before you find a wave to ride?
- How long to get back to shore?
Now check the battery life of most drones and see if this would actually work.
Most high-end DJI drones could technically do this, but it’s almost certainly illegal in most places. You’re required to maintain control of your drone at all times. Without the remote, you risk losing your insurance coverage if anything goes wrong. It’s not worth the risk, especially over water.
The DJI Neo could potentially work, but not for over water. Drones can’t reliably track movement over water due to the lack of stable ground reference.
Skydio drones can track you using visual recognition, but it’s tough to manage everything alone while surfing.
Even a $200 Neo can technically follow you, but there are two main problems:
- It’s illegal in most places to fly a drone without active control unless you have special permission.
- Drones and water don’t mix well. Waves make it even harder for drones to avoid crashing. You’d need to fly it higher up, which might not give you the footage you’re looking for.
DJI Neo 