Banzai Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii is a surf spot that serves up some of the largest and deadliest waves in the world. If you can hold your own above its razor sharp reef, the surfing community will respect you forever.

Using a GoPro camera and a DJI Phantom quadcopter, aerial photographer Eric Sterman has captured the world’s top surfers taming these massive waves. The result is a truly breathtaking video from a perspective which used to be impossible for filmmakers to achieve without hiring a helicopter.

Whether you call it a quadcopter, quadrocopter, quadrotor, UAV or (gasp) a drone, DJI’s new GPS-equipped Phantom is certainly a nifty little radio-controlled aircraft. The Phantom is an excellent aerial platform for the GoPro HERO actioncam, and it comes with an adjustable-angle mount designed specifically for the camera.

DJI’s Phantom quadcopter is the gear of choice for next-generation filmmakers, extreme sports enthusiasts and R/C hobbyists. Despite all the advanced functions, it’s easy to learn, so if you’ve never before owned an outdoor helicopter, this is the place to start. With innovative features such as Intelligent Orientation Control, automatic navigation back to home and a sleek, integrated design, see for yourself why the Phantom is the rig used by pros and beginners alike.

At the flip of a switch, you can change the Phantom from flying relative to its front and back to flying relative to a home point, allowing you to perform sweeping camera motions without losing track of how to make your Phantom go in the intended direction. This innovation is made possible by the Naza-M autopilot and needs to be turned on before using. Using the included USB cable and downloadable Naza Assistant software, you can enable IOC and other advanced functions.

– Ready-to-Fly design means no complex tuning or “binding”–each Phantom is pre-configured at the factory
– Internal autopilot can return to home and land via GPS automatically
– Transmitter range over 980 feet (300m)
– Compatible with Zenmuse H3-2D Gimbal for super stable videos (sold separately, requires upgrade board)
– Up to 15 mins. of flight time with included rechargeable battery

producer: dji innovations
period: 2014