so i finally did the trip ive been planning for like two years, brought the mini 4 pro and honestly it was incredible but also kind of stressful at times because i had no idea how different the rules are over there compared to flying at home in the US

first thing that caught me off guard was how fast the weather changes, like i had a perfect window at sunrise near skogafoss and then 20 minutes later it was just wall of mist and wind. lost maybe 3 good shooting days just waiting around. also the geofencing around reykjavik is tighter than i expected, had to get a permit through the icelandic transport authority website which honestly wasnt that hard but took a few days so glad i did it ahead of time

the one thing i really wasnt ready for was how many other photographers are in the same spots, felt weird launching when theres 40 tourists standing around watching you. not a rule thing just kind of awkward. anyway if anyone is planning a trip there happy to answer stuff

the permit thing is real, i got caught out in norway doing something similar, assumed it would be fine because it was wilderness and there was literally nobody around for miles. ranger still flagged me down and asked for docs. these nordic countries take airspace pretty seriously even out in the middle of nowhere

did you find the wind at altitude was worse than the surface wind suggested? thats always what gets me in those coastal spots, looks calm on the ground and then the drone is fighting like crazy once its up even 50 meters

omg the tourist thing is so relatable, i flew at antelope canyon area once and someone literally walked under my drone mid flight. just strolled right under it. people have no awareness at all around drones