Photographer decries Iceland's drone ban at natural sites

Photographer Jeroen Van Nieuwnhove faces an uphill battle with Iceland's Nature Conservation Agency, which has suddenly banned drone photography for independent artists at many of the country's most stunning natural sites. Van Nieuwnhove, who has spent years capturing the Icelandic highlands with his drone and teaching workshops, says the agency's decision came as a shock. He claims the agency is using "illogical and emotional" reasoning, unfairly targeting independent photographers while exempting helicopter flights and major foreign film productions that cause far more environmental damage.

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It is absurd to ban drone photography in the highlands as I have been doing for years.

His work, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram and been featured by outlets like National Geographic, is seen as a vital form of international promotion for Iceland. Van Nieuwnhove states that he has always operated with the necessary permits, followed all conditions, and paid his fees without issue until this recent policy change. The agency's new administrative measure prohibits drone flights for "recreational and educational purposes" at iconic locations like Goðafoss, Gullfoss, Geysir, Dyrhólaey, Látrabjarg, and Mývatn year-round, with further restrictions in place for areas like Hornstrandir and Snæfellsjökull National Park during the summer.

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The agency is using illogical and emotional reasoning and discriminating against independent photographers.

Van Nieuwnhove disputes the agency's claim that his drone photography negatively impacts the "tranquility and general nature experience" of these areas. He points out that the agency has not provided any measurements, field research, or peer-reviewed data to support its decision. He contrasts this with previous permits where the agency deemed his activities unlikely to harm the sites' conservation value. The photographer questions the agency's logic, especially when compared to the impact of large-scale film productions, and insists that drone photography is now a standard tool for professional photographers.

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For several years, I have been engaged in drone photography in the Icelandic highlands and taught courses in it with the required permits from the Nature Conservation Agency.