By the guy who thinks drone flying should be covered by health insurance.
A few weeks ago, I traded screen time for sky time and ditched the desk for a slice of serenity in Bergnicourt, France. Now, I know what you're thinking, “Where the hell is Bergnicourt?” Exactly. It's that kind of "blink and you miss it" village where the cows outnumber people and your phone finally gets the digital detox it’s been begging for.
But you know what they say: “If it’s quiet enough to hear your thoughts, it's also perfect for flying a drone.”
And that’s exactly what I did.
🛸 The Gear: Still Rockin’ the DJI Mini 3 Pro
Before you jump in yelling, “Bro, why aren’t you using the DJI Mini 4 or 5 Pro Ultra Mega Whatever?”, let me stop you right there. First off, when I took this trip, the Mini 5 wasn’t even out yet. And second? I’m not about to drop €800+ just to say I own a newer plastic sky toy with 12 more buttons I won’t use.
The Mini 3 Pro is like that reliable old friend who doesn’t flake on you. It flies like butter, shoots like a dream, and still fits in my hoodie pocket. Back in my day, drones sounded like a lawnmower and weighed as much as a car battery. This thing? It’s the Tesla of pocket drones. Just saying... The Mini 5 Pro will come, just not sure yet about the timing (pre-winter? post-winter?).
🌄 The Mission: Get High (Legally) and Capture That Gold
Bergnicourt at golden hour? Chef’s kiss. Cue that moment where the sun starts dipping, the air gets still, and your inner voice goes, “Yo... this is it.”
From the cozy little rooftops to the endless crop fields that look like they were hand-painted by Bob Ross himself, I just had to capture it. The village melts into the fields like butter on a hot croissant (French simile, you’re welcome), and the sunset? Looked like someone poured honey on the entire horizon.
Swipe through the photos if you haven’t already. Or don’t. But if you don’t, you’re basically ignoring free therapy. That’s on you.
📷 Photography Tips (for those who skim blog posts and still expect to win awards):
Shoot during golden hour: Yes, the sun is in your face. No, it’s not a sign from the universe to stop. It’s literally called the golden hour for a reason. Use it.
Fly low, then high: You get texture and intimacy down low, then that classic “Google Earth vibes” from higher up. Mix it up like a DJ.
Panoramas are life: You see that wide shot? That’s what happens when you stitch images like a cinematic quilt. Worth every second.
Shoot in RAW. Always. Don’t let the JPEG lifestyle hold you back. Be the person Lightroom was made for.
💡 To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade?
Still torn between waiting out the winter or grabbing the DJI Mini 5? Honestly, unless you're filming snow leopards or doing client work for Apple, just chill. Winter is coming, and drone batteries hate the cold more than I hate TikTok tutorials that say “Hey guys!” before any actual information.
Wait until spring. You'll fly more. You’ll shoot more. And your wallet will thank you. It’s called intentional spending, not “Buy every shiny thing DJI drops on Instagram.” But agreed, it does hurt to wait.
💬 Final Thought (and life lesson, obviously):
Sometimes, you don’t need a 4-hour flight, a travel agent, or a $2000 drone to feel like you're living the dream. Sometimes, you just need to go somewhere quiet, throw a drone in the sky, and let perspective hit you harder than Monday morning.
The world looks different when you're 120 meters up. So go get high. Legally. With propellers.
And maybe, just maybe, you’ll see what you’ve been missing.
Images taken with love, sarcasm, and the DJI Mini 3 Pro. If you liked this, smash that upvote like your drone just barely cleared a tree line. Catch you in the clouds, ✌️😎
@Borniet (a.k.a. That Guy Who Still Thinks Drones Are Magic)
📸 about my images
All photos are my own, shot on my iPhone and sometimes edited in Lightroom.
AI images? Those are created by me too, using my own prompts.
Explore more: Borniet On Hive
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