Kamloops resident Will Hill showcases the natural wonders of the Shuswap, Kamloops, Hope and Princeton areas with his drone videos including plunging waterfalls, serene lakes and both burnt and lush forest landscapes.

Every weekend, Hill drives a new dirt road into the backcountry carrying his drone, bear spray and first aid kit to “see what he can see.”

“Sometimes there is a destination, but not always,” he said. “I just pick a direction and go as far as I want to go that day. I like lush green areas and finding waterfalls in spring when the snow melts and its gushing.”

Most recently, Hill compiled footage of the Chase Creek Falls located off of Highway 1 beside the small town of Chase. Thanks to winter melt, the falls are full at this time of year and are seen in the video spraying and cascading over the rocks and plunging into deep, frothy pools.

Born in Kamloops, Hill has spent years living in Calgary where he adventured in the back country with his dog. After his dog passed last year, he moved back to Kamloops and bought a drone, and continued doing solo adventures.

“Being alone, there’s always a little bit of fear, but that’s not a bad thing, it keeps me alert,” he said. “I have a big can of bear spray and a hunting knife in case.

“It’s just nice to go out in the bush in nature and listen.”

He flies a DJI Mini Four Pro drone that is light enough it doesn’t require a special license to operate, and he follows a strict user etiquette.

“I try not to put people in videos, I don’t get faces or license plates,” he said. “There’s a lot of stigma around drones, there are always bad apples that ruin it for everybody else.”

He tends not to find unexpected wildlife in his footage as he keeps a respectful distance from livestock and wild animals.

“The drone is really loud and it freaks animals out and raptors are also prone to attack drones, so I try to be respectful of nature when I’m out there,” he said.

It has taken practise flying the drone and editing the footage to create the smooth and steady videos Hill makes. He adds calming instrumental music and shares the videos on his YouTube channel Hamartia Studio.

“I don’t have a massive following, it’s a hobby for me, I enjoy doing it and if a few people watch them and enjoy them, that’s fine by me,” he said. “I just wanted people to see what it’s like living around here through my eyes.”

Go here to view more of Hill’s videos, or subscribe to his YouTube channel.