Safe distance for drone photography during East Coast whale watching
8 Answers from travellers
You cannot legally fly a drone over whales at any distance in Sri Lanka without a specific permit from the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC). The high-frequency buzz causes massive distress to marine mammals. Ethical boat captains in Trincomalee will refuse to let you launch from the deck, and the Navy actively monitors the harbor and ocean. Bring a good telephoto lens instead.
Keep a polarizing filter on the lens to cut through the ocean glare.
Is a 300mm lens long enough if the boats stay 100 meters away
Great advice. I will respect the rules and leave the drone at the hotel.
Make sure to shoot at a fast shutter speed, the boats rock constantly.
I saw someone try this and the Coast Guard boat actually pulled up and gave them a severe warning.
Yes, blue whales are massive. 300mm is a great focal length for getting the tail fluke on a full-frame camera.
Also, landing a drone on a moving boat in the ocean swell is extremely dangerous for the people on board.
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