Exclusive | Now you can soar over the world’s most spectacular scenery and wildlife – without ever leaving your sofa

Talk about scaling new heights.

A wild concept has literally taken off, allowing people to fly drones over some of the world’s most beautiful places – from the comfort of their living rooms.

From South African wildlife reserves to volcanoes in Iceland to Peru’s Machu Picchu and Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, a California company called NatureEye will send an autonomous remote-controlled flying device into the sky for an aerial tour – and will give you the checks.

Users can book a half-hour slot for just $95 — using their computer keyboards to take pictures with 360-degree control over the drone’s motion and camera, while an on-site guide serves as your local sherpa.

The optics are so sophisticated that they can be switched to an infrared mode to better spot moving wildlife through animal heat signatures.

“The idea is that if you can’t go there, you can at least send an avatar of yourself and have as much control over that experience as you can,” CEO Jonathan Duff told The Post, adding that the company founded in pandemic era. was created to show people our beautiful planet while we are united.

NatureEye began as a team effort, partnering with local drone pilots over the sites who would be willing to give guided tours of the region. Duff said pilots all over the planet are so excited to get involved that the company deploys a new location about once every two weeks.

The Antioch Game Reserve in South Africa, teeming with zebra, hyena and buffalo, is one of the most popular spots – originally written as a suggestion by a local pilot.

NatureEye has quickly become a powerful educational resource for students and backpackers alike.

“When I joined Nature Eye, I thought, ‘This is so cool for kids,'” said Duff, from South Africa.

“Imagine you’re studying geology or volcanoes, and then you can fly from your classroom over a live volcano in Iceland without having to leave and spend a fortune.”

Continuing to appeal to younger generations, NatureEye is also “on the road map” for their drones to work with game controls — and a portion of its proceeds go to aid conservation efforts and organizations.

How it works

All that is required of amateur pilots is a 10-minute crash course in how to use their keyboard as the primary control for their vehicle to take to the skies.

A recent post-test flight over Antioch brought to mind the drone gameplay in “Call of Duty” — with similar controls and visuals.

NatureEye’s friendly on-site pilot will walk you through the brief take-off procedures and just like that, you’re flying the bad boy with gentle instruction in the back seat.

Users will instantly feel the excitement as the drone reaches several hundred meters in the air – a guided map keeps you focused on a specific area – as you embark on your personal safari.

And while it takes a moment or two to get the hang of the controls — and to figure out whether you’re adjusting your camera or moving the rig itself 360 degrees and at different heights — that’s why a pilot on the ground is there to given a hand. The ground navigator can also take over the controls so you don’t stray outside the restricted area or go too low into terrain or wildlife.

They can also help you reposition or move the drone so you can focus on spotting and shooting wildlife photos to download later, rather than obsessing over the mechanics.

Guides who know the area well will also suggest various points to fly over which are known exotic animal habitats. In our last case, the guide warned of a fire nearby and reported areas where buffalo had moved.

Once you get the hang of things, the sky really is the limit.

When you’re moving around, using the tap of a button to hit the infrared camera makes it much more feasible to spot herds of animals – they do move fast, after all – and is quite handy when looking over bodies of water.

The upside-down footage helped a reporter spot a family of hippos emerging from a watering hole along with catching some swift hyenas and gazelles.

Even if your focus isn’t on finding wildlife, there’s always the simple thrill of speeding through the skies so close to some of nature’s lesser-seen treasures, spinning the drone around for a 360-degree panoramic view that leaves you speechless. spirit worth the experience alone. .