日本在中の外国人ドローンPilotに役立ち情報　Hamish O’Connell

【JDAドローンマガジン　2022年6月12日掲載】

Kia Ora, everyone.

My name is Hamish, and I am a drone operator from New Zealand. I first moved to Japan in 2014 to work as an Assistant Language Teacher. I purchased my first drone in 2016, and the rest is history.

I first became interested in drones while working in Hokkaido. As a keen snowboarder, I often used a GoPro while riding to capture footage of Japan’s powder or Japow. One day I came across a video of a snowboarder filming themselves with a drone. The aerial footage was stunning, and I was amazed at how engaging and cinematic the video was from a unique angle. I purchased a DJI Phantom 4 and began filming as much as I could across Hokkaido.

Since then I have acquired over 100 hours of flying, and provided high-end imagery/video for multiple clients. My most recent work includes:

• Real estate
• Drone mapping
• Promotional work
• Photo and video editing

This year, I won a Gold Prize at the Drone Movie World Championship in Kusu, Oita.

From June, Japan will welcome back overseas tourists since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. However, since then Japan has tightened its drone regulations, with all drones (200g or above) to be registered by June 19th. For tourists planning to bring drones to Japan, it is essential they are familiar with the latest drone laws to ensure safe and responsible flying.

I will provide the latest information on drone laws, as well as how to register your drone with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

In addition, I will explain the different drone courses available through JDA, and how to prepare for the skill tests.

Happy flying everyone!