Watch: 8-year-old named world's youngest drone videographer
May 23 (UPI) -- An Indiana 8-year-old whose drone footage earned her an award at the AZDroneFest International Film Festival earned a Guinness World Record as the world's youngest drone videographer.
Louisa Royer, an Evansville Day School third-grader, brought her drone along on trips to Europe, Japan, Australia and South Korea, and her teacher encouraged her to submit her footage to film festivals.
"I asked for a drone as a gift because I love science, and it seemed like a fun way to explore the world from a different viewpoint," Royer told Guinness World Records.
Her drone footage earned her the 2023 Best New Drone Pilot Award at the AZDroneFest International Film Festival.
"Understanding how to safely fly the drone in different countries and locations was tough," she said. "You have to be very aware of your surroundings to avoid airports and obstacles like power lines or trees."
Royer said she was watching videos on YouTube when a 13-year-old boy who used drones for mapping inspired her to seek a Guinness World Records title.
She was named the world's youngest drone videographer (female) at the age of 8 years and 258 days.
"It's amazing," she said of receiving her Guinness World Record certificate. "It is really exciting and all of my friends and family are very proud of me which is a great feeling."
