Acclaimed drone aerial photographer Joanna Steidle has received numerous awards for her work. Her love of the ocean and drone photography has become a powerful tool in the fight for ocean conservation.
The Drone Girl team recently connected with Joanna Steidle, a professional drone pilot based in the Hamptons, Long Island, New York. She shared how she got into drones, how she continues to break barriers, and how her drone photography supports marine conservation efforts on the East Coast.
Protect our oceans with drone photography
Joanna Steidle grew up on the beach, and since she started flying drones, the ocean has become her favorite place to fly. “It’s like a second home to me,” she said. There is a huge amount of marine life. You never know what you’re going to see,” Steidle said.
She enjoys the unpredictability of marine life, saying, “Just a heartbeat can take you out of the frame. I find it challenging and I really enjoy that aspect.”
Joanna turned her love of capturing the ocean into conservation efforts. She uses a drone to track the whale and sends her photos to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
She also uses her platform to promote how conservation efforts can improve marine life, explaining how something as simple as placing catch limits on certain fish can cause fish populations to explode.
“Now the shark, whale and ray populations have really rebounded,” Steidle said.
Joanna loves taking budding drone pilots to the beach, where she not only teaches them drone skills, but also shares the importance of protecting the ocean and marine life.
Beyond the sea photos
Joanna's curiosity about drones goes beyond ocean photography. She got her first plane ride at a young age thanks to her grandfather.
“My grandfather flew model airplanes when I was little, and my first flying lesson was on my 18th birthday,” Steidle said. But it wasn't until she was 42 that she started flying her drone.
Her first drone was a Hubsan, and she spent the whole winter flying it around her house.
“I really liked it, and once I got a camera drone, it was game over,” Steidle said. “I am in love.”
When Joanna is not photographing marine life, she enjoys flying FPV (First Person Perspective) drones. “FPV gives me a thrill because I always want to fly as fast as possible,” said Steidle.
Top Gear by Joanna Steidle
For FPV flights, Joanna pilots the DJI Avata. The DJI Avata is an FPV drone from a Chinese drone manufacturer that can be flown outdoors but is especially suited for indoor flights. Although she has flown many different brands of drones, DJI remains her number one.
“DJI is pretty much the only thing I fly,” she said. “DJI drones are drones I can rely on.”
How to become a female drone pilot
Joanna Steidle continues to break barriers in the predominantly male drone industry. She was recently named a Global Woman to Watch by Women and Drones and became the first woman from the United States to be invited to become a DJI Creator.
As a DJI Creator, Steidle is able to provide DJI recommendations and her work is featured across DJI platforms.
“It feels really good because you don’t always know if something is good,” Steidle said. He added that previously he was hesitant to share his photos because he didn't know how they would be received.
“I had a photo of a surfer and people loved it,” Steidle said. “It’s strange to me and it’s taken me a long time to get my work out there.”
Steidle continues to break barriers as a female drone builder. For women looking to enter the world of drones, she recommends finding a mentor.
“I have mentees who have grown on me, and that’s a really cool sight,” Steidle said. “There are so many people in the drone community and we are all willing to help each other.”
Finally, she advises women to ignore the voice in their head that tells them they can't do it.
“I know a lot of women have that voice in their head. Go out and fly.”
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