I bought my first drone in 2020. It was the very first DJI Mini. At that time, the European regulations were not yet in force and Belgium still had its own legislation.
Because I wanted to learn things properly, I followed the Class 1 Pro training with Espace Drone, located at the Temploux airfield. That is where I learned the basics of piloting, safety and regulations.
One year later, the European regulations arrived. I suddenly found myself with almost a “heavyweight” training course to fly a drone weighing less than 250 grams! In the end, though, that experience gave me a very solid foundation.
I started simply, making a few flights in parks near my home while submitting the necessary notifications through the Belgian applications. At first, you do not really dare to approach major monuments. You tell yourself it probably is not possible. Then, as flight hours build up, you learn to understand the rules, plan your missions properly and gain confidence.
In the Open category, recreational flights remain relatively straightforward. As long as certain rules are respected and the drone remains in direct visual line of sight, it is possible to fly in many places after submitting the required notifications.
I kept practising in parks, including one winter when Brussels was covered in a beautiful white blanket. I took the opportunity to capture a few images of the Cinquantenaire park in the snow. I also really wanted to discover night flying. It is perfectly allowed in the Open category, provided the drone is equipped with a flashing green light and remains visible.
That allowed me to make one of my first night videos around the fully illuminated Cinquantenaire arches. A magical atmosphere.
But there was one monument I had dreamed of filming for a long time: the Atomium.
Built for the 1958 World’s Fair, this national symbol has always been part of the Brussels landscape. I knew exactly the kind of images I wanted to capture: nice sunlight, little wind and a few precise shots in mind. That helps enormously when preparing a flight.
I went there several times and even used Google Earth to study the monument in three dimensions and imagine different camera movements.
In August 2024, I was finally ready.
I initially thought I would fly some shots up to 100 metres high to get a strong upward perspective. But while preparing the flight, I realised that would not be possible. The Brussels region is divided into different sectors with altitude limits, and in that area exceeding certain heights means moving into a different category of operation.
So I contacted Skeyes to make sure I fully understood the applicable rules. I could have ignored those limits, as can unfortunately sometimes be seen in videos posted online. But I prefer to be one of the pilots who sets a good example.
I adapted the flight and limited my altitude.
In the end, that constraint turned out to be a chance. By staying at mid-height on the structure, the images showed the impressive dimensions of the Atomium even better. Sometimes, limitations actually lead to better shots.
Before publishing the video on YouTube and social media, I also contacted the Atomium ASBL to ask for permission to use the image of the monument. They kindly accepted and even really appreciated the video.
Even today, this video remains one of the ones I am most proud of.
Because beyond the images, what I love about drone flying is also the preparation, the respect for the rules and that special satisfaction when everything goes according to plan.
And sometimes, the most beautiful images are the ones you get by simply respecting the limits.
The video is available in the My Videos section of the site.