My name is Pierce Gainey, a.k.a the Florida Drone Dude! I am a drone pilot, photographer, aquaholic and devoted vinyl collector. I currently reside in sunny South Florida, where I call the beach my home and the ocean my muse. My passions and hobbies are diverse, but every since drones were introduced, this has been my favorite hobby. I’ve been photographing the world below sea level from a bird’s eye view for about five years now.
“This photo is one of my all-time favorites that was taken with my DJI Phantom 4 Pro Drone. While in Bimini, Bahamas on an assignment for some photos, we came across this fantastic cay called Honeymoon Cay. When we pulled up by boat, it was overflowing with life. From sharks to stingrays to fish and birds, it was thriving. I couldn’t wait to capture this special moment and share it with the world. Because time and daylight were both running out, I knew I had to quickly decide between flying the drone or getting in the water with underwater housing. I decided to trust my gut and go with what I knew better than anything.
I flew my drone and spotted a group of stingrays swimming together. It looked like the ocean’s version of a flock of birds. I took the risk of flying my drone extremely low over the water’s surface to capture this shot. Little did I know, though, that it would be such a challenge to keep up with them. I wasn’t even sure if I had gotten the shot, but was extremely satisfied, and surprised, when I took a look at my photos later. We tried to come back the next day but the conditions were much different and I knew I wouldn’t be able to get another photo like this, which makes this shot even more special to me. I hope to return to Honeymoon Cay soon to capture more of these special moments.”
