Watch: Visitor captures Longboat's beauty in video

Washington D.C. resident Nicole Glass said she enjoyed Longboat Key’s beauty on her recent trip to the island. But you don’t have to take her word for it.

Glass, an employee at the German embassy in D.C. and a part-time photographer, shot an aerial video of the island using a 4K camera mounted to a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone. Flying as high as 390 feet, the drone captured a bird’s-eye view of the island, as well as its beaches and waterfront.

“When you’re looking down, you get a whole different perspective on the island,” Glass said. “Everything looks so tiny and peaceful. It really shines a different light on Longboat Key. It’s fascinating.”

Glass’ parents live on the island during part of the year and she has come down to visit them several times before. She had purchased the drone a few days prior to her most recent visit in November and decided Longboat would be the perfect testing ground for a video.

Drone flyers are required to follow standards laid out by the FAA, Glass said. Before launching her drone, she programed it to stay below a government-mandated 400-foot limit.

Glass said people sometimes feel uncomfortable when they see her fly her drone, but said they have nothing to worry about. She said she avoids close passes by buildings or interactions with people in her videos.

“I understand people value their privacy, but if they realize they’re tiny specks on the video, maybe they’d feel more comfortable,” Glass said. “A drone can’t zoom in or see what they’re doing.”

Within those limitations, Glass said she had no problems capturing the island’s beauty with her video. She said she most enjoys the island’s wildlife on her trips to Longboat.

“I love watching the little people and the pelicans flying over them,” Glass said. “It’s so cool to see everything from an aerial perspective.”