Drone pilot shows off ridiculous flying skills

Camera drone operator Paul Nurkkala just released a video titled “Flight of the Year” that shows his utterly outrageous drone piloting skills.

Nurkkala specializes in flying camera drones using a first-person point-of-view, and uses a live feed through goggles to give himself pin-point control. His custom-built drone for this shoot was equipped with a GoPro HERO5 Session, which is lightweight enough to keep the drone maneuverable.

“I recognize that this isn’t the most ‘flowy’ video or anything, but all of the things were all in the same flight, so I wanted to show that off,” Nurkkala writes.

The video is getting a considerable amount of attention online, but it appears to be in violation of both railroad and US government policies. In the video, Nurkkala flies next to, around, above and even under a Union Pacific Railroad train.

“Union Pacific operates in a safety-sensitive environment,” the Union Pacific Railroad’s drone policy states. “Never operate a drone in a manner that could distract or otherwise endanger yourself, Union Pacific employees, equipment or the public.

“All drone pilots must operate in compliance with applicable Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and safety guidelines. Flying a drone in a reckless manner is a violation of federal law and FAA regulations and could result in civil fines or criminal action.”