Sky to Sea: How Alexander Forrest combined Drones and Wildlife Photography for the shot of a lifetime | Episode 10
Drone As The FutureShow Notes
This episode follows wildlife photographer and expedition filmmaker Alexander Forrest, whose drone footage of a humpback whale birth drew major attention and turned into a broader conversation about conservation, ethics, and the power of aerial perspective. He and host Mark Masterton trace Alex’s path from photographing cars as a teenager to filming whales around Australia, with a focus on consistency, preparation, and reading animal behavior.We discuss how the viral whale birth was captured, what happened in the moments before and after, and why drones are becoming such a valuable tool for wildlife documentation without disturbing the animals. Key topics Chapters 00:00 - Luck, preparation, and the birth footage everyone is talking about 00:57 - Intro to Alex Forrest and the Drone as a Future conversation 02:03 - Getting into drones through a birthday gift and a trip through Western Australia 03:07 - Growing up in Denmark, Western Australia, and starting photography with a phone 04:13 - Learning manual settings and building skills at car events 05:52 - Why Alex learned to shoot differently and look for light, angles, and detail 06:46 - The first drone flights, early crashes, and learning by doing 08:31 - Why wildlife became the main focus and why video works so well for whales 10:22 - Farm life, Anvil Beach, and the first aerial images that got local attention 12:08 - Starting a photography business at 15 and getting formal bookings 13:04 - The day the humpback whale birth happened while filming the Humpback Highway 14:01 - Why consistency matters and the quote about preparation meeting opportunity 14:53 - What makes the footage historic and why drones captured a rare perspective 16:21 - Misreading the whale’s behavior before realizing she was in labor 18:12 - Seeing the calf emerge and reporting the event to researchers 20:16 - How the story spread through social media, TV, radio, and news outlets 21:41 - Managing a viral drone video with domestic and international rollout 24:52 - Wildlife ethics, research, and why distance matters 26:53 - How the footage may help scientists study maternal behavior in humpbacks 28:03 - Looking for other unique whale individuals and patterns 29:18 - What excites Alex about drone technology: quieter aircraft, better batteries, and better zoom 31:52 - Bucket-list wildlife goals, including Antarctica and big cetaceans 34:32 - Advice for young photographers: be consistent, follow passion, and keep practicing 36:29 - Studying film on the Gold Coast and aiming for expedition storytelling 38:45 - The documentaries and nature storytellers that shaped his path 40:05 - Closing thoughts on conservation and what comes next
More from Drone As The Future
Mike Yoder joins us on the podcast to discuss his journey from Drone Deer Recovery to NuWay Ag to his drone on podcast and beyond! We discuss how he got into the industry in the first place and how it led him to starting his own businesses, growing youtube audiences, and pushing the industry. We discuss the very breaking news of his FAA license suspension. Disclaimer: The opinions, claims, and statements made by guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the podcast, Zenatech, its employees, or its affiliates. websites: Drone Deer Recovery https://www.dronedeerrecovery.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@dronedeerrecovery NuWay Ag https://nuwayag.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@nuWayAg Drone On Show Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@TheDroneOnShow droneasaservice.com zenadrone.com 00:00 - Skiing behind a drone and setting the tone 01:36 - From Amish upbringing to choosing a different path 03:03 - Tree work, ownership, and learning entrepreneurship 05:44 - Back injury and the Workmen’s Comp audit that changed everything 06:43 - Discovering thermal drones for deer recovery 08:26 - Social media opens the door to spray drones 11:10 - Learning thermal workflows the hard way 12:25 - Buying the DJI Dual and then the Matrice 30T 14:20 - First paid deer recoveries and early nerves 16:03 - Using YouTube on purpose to document the business 17:41 - Making fifty thousand dollars in ten weeks 18:40 - Bringing in business partner Kevin 20:50 - Millions of views and a fast-growing audience 22:38 - FAA scrutiny and the six-month suspension 24:08 - Why the rules around drone work are still unclear 28:57 - How Mike plans to keep operating during the pause 30:06 - Teaching others what the regulations actually allow 31:40 - Why FAA decision-making feels painfully slow 32:59 - What comes next for drones and the company 34:23 - The jet ski and big-wave rescue experiment 36:24 - Stories from other drone entrepreneurs 38:56 - Involving family while building multiple businesses 40:35 - What Mike wants to see improved in spray and thermal tech 43:18 - Drone delivery and a future of on-demand transport 45:05 - Advice for growing a drone YouTube channel 48:47 - Why he keeps pushing boundaries and documenting the consequences
Bob Dempsey of Old Farts with Drones joins us on the podcast to discuss his journey into the world of drones. From humble beginnings to leading a facebook of more than 28,000 drone pilots Bob gives us a glimpse into his creative life and what he thinks the future of drones looks like for himself and the world abound!
Mark Masterton speaks with Desiree Ekstein, also known as Drone Diva Desi, about how she got into drones, how her background in events and logistics shaped her safety-first approach, and how she now uses drones for teaching, history preservation, and off-grid desert work. Desi also shares what it was like becoming one of the early women to earn a Part 107 certificate and why she sees drones as a serious career path, not toys.In this episode, Desi explains how her work spans flying, teaching, public speaking, writing, and mentoring, with a strong focus on opening doors for women and young people. They also dig into her Arizona desert adventures, her book Desert Escape, Off Road, Off Grid, and In the Air, and her hopes for the future of drone use in medical delivery and beyond. Links: https://onthegovideo.biz/ https://www.youtube.com/@DroneDivaDesi https://a.co/d/05NuGm05
NOTE: This episode was recorded Feb. 02 of 2026 for the most up to date figures and numbers please check out the Zenatech youtube channel! We sit down with Linda Montgomery to explore the rapid growth and strategic vision of Zenatech a leading drone and AI company. Topics include acquisition strategies, regulatory advancements, product innovations, and future opportunities in defense and commercial markets. keywords Drone Technology, AI, Acquisition Strategy, Defense Market, Regulatory Compliance, Future of Drones, Zenatech, Drone as a Service, NDAA Compliance, Quantum Computing Topics: Zenatech's rapid growth and acquisition strategy Regulatory landscape and NDAA compliance Product portfolio including Zenadrone 1000 and IQ series Future applications in defense, power, and agriculture Impact of US government contracts and international expansion
A very special episode recorded on the expo floor at at Xponential 2026 with Dustyn Brewer of Zephyr Drone Simulator, Doug Rodzon of Skyway Range, and Alvin Brummer from the FAA.This episode of the Drone is the Future podcast explores the evolving role of drones in military and civilian applications, highlighting innovations in technology, regulatory challenges, and the integration of AI and autonomous systems. The conversation features insights from industry experts on the future of drone operations, their impact on defense, and real-world success stories in training and application. Chapters 00:00 The Future of Drones in Defense 06:58 Innovations in Drone Technology 14:02 Regulatory Challenges and Developments 22:07 AI and Autonomous Systems in Drones 29:01 Real-World Applications and Success Stories #drones #military #AI #autonomoussystems #regulations #technology #defense #innovation #training #agriculture