Commercial drone operator in New Plymouth captures (near) infrared photography

Near infrared captures more detail than a normal lens or the naked eye.

At first glance, the picture above looks like a typical aerial shot of the Taranaki coastline taken using a drone aircraft.

But by using a near-infra-red lens, commercial drone operator Bevin Lealand has brought out detail that an ordinary camera, and the naked eye, would not have seen.

The red land is actually dirt and the pattern of delicate swirled lines is actually the result of a tractor planting cow feed, he said.

Bevin Lealand builds and modifies his own drones. He has about 14 that each do their own job.

"You can see things you can't see with your eyes."

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The New Plymouth man has spent 30 years taking photos, a hobby he said has a never-ending learning curve.

A sky high photo captures tyre tracks on a farm in Warea, Taranaki.

"It's a whole other skill to work a drone," Lealand said.

"I think I took maybe 1000 photos before I could wrap my head around the idiosyncrasies of it all."

​Lealand often worked within the oil and gas industry, taking aerial snapshots to map land, called "orthomosaic".

"It's sort of like Google Maps. The images are stitched together like a jigsaw puzzle."

With an integrated camera and a micro four thirds near infrared lens, Lealand flies high snapping pictures with the touch of an iPad.

The farm photo was taken after he had finished a mapping job off Stent Rd, in Warea, about three weeks ago.

He explained the near infrared lens captures "significant detail" that would normally go unnoticed.

Lealand is one of just 60 New Zealanders to have a drone licence, allowing him special privileges to capture photographs beyond the usual limitations.

Everyday drone users must avoid parked cars, animals, parks, sports fields in use, flammable vegetation and private properties.

But Lealand's permit allows him advantages, including nighttime photography.

"It's [licence] worth thousands and thousands," he said.

"But high-end photography has helped me produce some absolutely stunning stuff."

The "stunning stuff" included shots Lealand took just for fun.

"I remember once I was mowing the lawn and I left a heart in the grass," he said.

"And then I flew up the drone and took a photo. It came out really cool, actually."

 - Stuff

Source: Commercial drone operator in New Plymouth captures (near) infrared photography