Let Amelia the Drone show you the North End
Brad Young keeps Amelia in a backpack. He lets her fly on the prettiest days. Her latest journey took her over the North End as revellers below celebrated St. Anthony’s feast.
Amelia is a plastic DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone. People’s typical reactions are fear or concern, so he gave her a friendly name.
“They’re worried about it being dangerous or about privacy concerns, so I personified it with Amelia, so people can be more accepting,’’ Young told Boston.com
And you can probably guess that Amelia Earheart, the famed American pilot, is the inspiration behind the name.
Young moved to the North End from North Carolina three years ago. When he took up video photography this summer, he saw an opportunity for Amelia to provide a sky tour of the neighborhood he calls “a little slice of Europe.’’
“Old time residents would enjoy seeing something new and innovative of their neighborhood. It’s a close knit community, so I’m doing my part as a young, tech person who can give back to the community,’’ Young said.
You’ll have to see the results for yourself.
So far, Amelia has cruised above the North End over four separate sunsets and most recently soared over the neighborhood’s St. Anthony’s feast. Other trips have taken her to western Massachusetts, Newport, Iceland, and Colorado, where Young is originally from.
The secret behind Young’s steady hand?
Young and Amelia are accompanied by a friend who acts as a spotter, so Young can focus on filming and keep his cool while flying her hundreds of feet above ground.
“If she goes down,’’ he says, “you’re never getting her back.’’
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