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DRONE FLYING IS A RELATIVELY NEW FUN AND ENJOYABLE ACTIVITY, USED FOR PROFESSIONAL AND/OR PERSONAL PURPOSES BY GROWING NUMBERS OF PEOPLE ROUND THE WORLD. CYPRUS IS NO EXCEPTION AND NICOLAS THEOCHARIDES, CEO OF UPM, IS ONE OF MANY PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND WHO HAVE TAKEN UP THIS HOBBY. HERE HE SPEAKS TO GOLD ABOUT HIS NEW-FOUND PASSION FOR FLYING AND FILMING WITH HIS DRONE. By Voula Loizou | Photo by Jo Michaelides
N
icolas Theocharides started flying drones over a year ago when he realised the great potential for
high-definition aerial photography and filming that today’s drones provide. This exciting and new possibility was a key factor in his decision to buy his own drone and begin a new hobby. “We live in a beautiful country with great scenery,” he says. “The combination of sun, sea, mountains with blue, clear or cloudy skies is often breathtaking. So these days, on a day out I always take my drone with me and if I see beautiful scenery I will fly the drone and take some great shots or footage. Everything
WE LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY WITH GREAT SCENERY. EVERYTHING LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER FROM UP THERE
looks so much better from up there.” Theocharides owns a DJI Phantom 4 drone, which he sometimes flies with friends who share the same passion though, he tells Gold, he mostly he flies it on his own or with his sons. Fortunately, he explains, drones that weigh less than 3 kg do not need a licence if they are used for recreational purposes only. “If you are using a drone as a professional photographer, then you need a licence.” So what can Theocharides do with his drone? “Theoretically, it can fly up to 5 kilometres away from me without any problems and reach a height of up to 500 metres,” he says. “However, the law states that you should
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