Technology Is Amazing

#followcamfriday putting the new Skydio 2 drone to the test in Sedona with Lars Romig. 

What a time to be alive. If you had told me 10 years ago that a drone that follows you around is coming, I would have laughed in your face. Well, now I have seen everything. Whatever your stance on drones is, you have to admit that this is a pretty amazing bit of tech. The possibilities are endless. Sky's the limit. 

So you are saying that this drone follows the #followcam??? Yup. That is correct. The Skydio 2 is autonomous. This is certainly a tool that will come in very handy for my current style of filming. This thing has subject tracking and obstacle avoidance, so basically, you just launch it, lock it onto a subject and ride. Mind melted. 

This is a tool that will keep things fresh and breath new life into trails that I have filmed several times. Like the infamous "white line" . If you ask me, it's easy and has certainly been done to death on the internet. I still have full respect for this line and while it does require full-focus, it's been done before and isn't exactly revolutionary. This drone will allow me to show this sort of thing in a different way, from a different perspective. Fresh. 

And about getting bored of "white line" ....... Well, Lars and I decided to try and ride some lines above the traditional route, just to keep things fresh. Linking this from almost the top of the ridge, through the normal descent, and all the way to Chicken Point is actually a reasonable chunk of "trail". The upper part is steep and exposed, proceed with caution. Lars is the man for the job, no one has more experience riding the steep red rock slabs of Sedona. 

I compare riding exposed lines like this to ski mountaineering. The aesthetic is important. This is a beautiful line, etched into the side of a dramatic landscape in an iconic location. Much like some of the greatest ski descents in the world. The beauty of the mountain and challenge to overcome fear is enticing. Intoxicating even. The natural beauty is humbling. None of this is for the camera, just to be clear. This is for us, to feed out need. Without risk, you have nothing, are nothing, and will accomplish very little in life. 

Happy New Year! I am not a fan of resolutions, because I try to always live correctly and don't need a certain date to make a change for the better, or an excuse for that matter. My resolution is to keep riding my bike, keep loving my friends, and keep exercising my dog every day, and to keep drinking gin. Cheers to 2020. Thanks for the ride.