Bachir Moukarzel: Interview about Aerial Photography

Bachir Moukarzel, a certified commercial drone pilot, started his journey in aerial photography back in 2014 while drones were not that popular at the time. His aerial pictures recognized with many important rewards. Being featured in various books, TV channels, and news; he was also interviewed by many famous magazines and newspapers. Today, Bachir Moukarzel is still pursuing his passion and conquering the sky with his drones.

Biography of Bachir Moukarzel

What was the first sparkle to consider to be a drone pilot? Was there any inspirational person or incident for you?

I started my journey with drones in 2015. It was a new technology and back in 2015, drones wasn’t popular and not easy to use. So that I didn’t have an inspirational person since few people were pilots in the market. I got in love with this new perspective and I considered to be a drone pilot and focusing only on this hobby.

The world looks different from above, and that’s what’s special about it.

Bachir Moukarzel

How many drones do you use? Can you also let us know about their technical abilities?

My current fleet is 3 drones. I fly the Inspire 2 for my commercial jobs and occasionally Phantom 4 Pro. And, I fly Mavic 2 Pro whenever I travel. For the Inspire 2, it can handle all weather conditions. Also, I fly it at night and it can handle the high temperatures in Dubai during the summer. It’s a great drone for commercial use. It can fly up to 24 minutes. As for the Mavic, my best friend in traveling, it can handle normal weather but not so great in wind. And, it can fly up to 30 min usually.

Do drone pilots need a permit in advance especially in urban areas to fly a drone? Have you ever had a memory that you faced with some legal problems because of flying a drone in a certain area?

Well, in Dubai each flight needs a permit. This is the law here. Any commercial job that involves a commercial purpose needs 3 different permits: Dubai Film and TV Commission, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and the Ministry of Defense. However, when I travel I check the law for my destination country and follow the rules. I had an incident in Nepal, where I took my drone to a fly zone in the mountains, but unfortunately, as soon as I flew I noticed that there is a big military base beside me. And, it was too late for me to land it. After that, they came directly and checked my videos/pictures and confiscated the drone. The next day I took it from the police station and made me sign on some papers to avoid flying beside military bases.

How do you finance your trips? Are you able to make a considerable amount of money from your Instagram account?

Well, my Instagram account is just my gallery of work. I don’t make money from it and I am not aiming to. My main income is from my commercial jobs in Dubai. I do sell prints and stock videos as well. I get a lot of requests on my Instagram account from different brands but I prefer to keep it as my gallery showcase.

Do people need training to become a drone pilot or can it be self-learned? Are there any crucial tips and bits of advice to share with our readers especially for beginners?

For the basics, everyone needs to train on their own to understand the drone and the different maneuvers. Practices over practices make a pilot pro. There are some tips for pilots on Youtube and can be found from different pro pilots, but the practice is the only way to become pro. The first step to start practicing on shooting a fixed subject, such as a tree a parked car, etc… And the next step is to shoot a moving subject such as a car, train, etc… These two steps will train a pilot on maneuvers and other abilities.

Where and when was your first trip for drone photography?

My first trip was to the Philippines, one of my favorite places to have a drone. The law is flexible and it has a lot to offer such as island volcanoes whale sharks, etc.

Have you ever broke any of your drone in a crash?

Yes, I lost a drone in the Philippines somwhere in the ocean, I lost the signal while following dolphins and never found it.

Top 3 countries with its nature:

Iceland, Philippines and Switzerland

What’s your favourite drone?

My favorite drone is the Mavic 2 Pro , great quality and performance.

How many hours does it take to capture a great photo?

Well, with a great planning, it should take much time from 5 to 10 mins.

The most reasonable drone to use for beginners in terms of price/quality performance:

Mavic Air 2, the combo is around 1k$ and the quality is not bad at all. It will do the job for social media.

Top 3 cities you enjoyed photographing:

Dubai, Paris and Siena

How many days do you stay in a destination usually?

Around 10 days, I move a lot and I plan all locations before visiting ( time of the day for the pictures, sun direction, etc).

How many countries do you visit per year and where’s next?

I visit 2 countries usually, since I have my commercial drone jobs in Dubai. Next is Iceland.