Dimitris Rizikianos is 44 years old and lives in Athens, Greece. He is director of photography and is working as a cameraman at ANT1 TV in Greece for more than 20 years. He’s also one of the Top Pilots of Dronestagram.
When did your passion for the drones begin ?
My passion about flying objects gets lost in time. It began a long time ago, when I made my first paper airplane, when i was 5 years old.
What kind of drone do you have for the moment?
I have several types of drones but for now im proud of my participation to Parrot ‘s Bebop Ambassador programme.
Which drone innovation-related topics are of greatest interest to you?
I get crazy with the drones technology. The accurate control of four, six or eight motors to execute a single maneuver with the desired speed course is insane, gimbal technology, the remarkable reactions of motors to keep the camera steady against any vibration.
What are your favorite flight areas?
Every view from above the eye level is a picture that is worth to see, so every area I can fly with my drone become my favorite one.
What image do the people from Greece have of drones?
Greeks is a nation that love flights. In greek mythology exept Gods even mortals could fly like Icarus and Daidalos ,son and father, managed to fly. In that myth we have a long journey from Creta to Athens, two pilots, one success ,one crash and the first rule of flights. “Never fly near the sun”. So Greeks i think that have the bases to understand everything about flying, technology (greek word ), safety and respect the rules of flight.
What are the rules to follow in your country and what do you think?
The rules in my country about r/c models habe been made before the drones revolution but I think that they are modern enough to give the neccessary freedom to the pilots in condition that they know what they are doing.
In your opinion, what are the top three skills you need to be a good pilot?
A good pilot has to know his equipment capabilities and its limits, respect the safety and the privacy of the people around him and during a flight, pilot’s senses and mind must be wired with his fingers.
What movie or photo are you the most proud of?
Every photo or video is the best until the next one comes of course, but the photo i am the most proud of is the one with Athens Kids. A photo that Mashable and BBC news included in two different packages of the best 2014 drone pictures.
What areas of the world would you like to explore with your drone in the future?
I dont have any particular best place to explore because every time i am above ground i feel like the guy who flies for the first time over the “Nazca desert” in Peru. It is amazing to discover from above the designs from both human and nature hand.
Any particular anecdote you may wish to share with us?
I have some stories about animals, old people, interferences during my flights but i want to use this space to congrats for first time in public Eric Dupin and you for fast reflexes to create a site like dronestagram, where dreamers like me can show to the world how this world actually looks like from above.
Thank you VERY MUCH Dimitris.
The End.
