Filmmaker by trade Trent Palmer has long been passionate about cinematography and capturing aerial footage with drones. With years under his belt as an Unmanned Aircraft pilot, Trent decided to try his hand at manned aviation. Despite a healthy fear of heights at the beginning of his journey, Trent fell in love with the magic of flying. After sharing his flying experiences on YouTube, Trent gained a massive following and continues to share his passion for backcountry aviation. With a brand-new trailer and Battle Born Batteries power system, Trent is expanding his exploration to take on dirt roads and off-grid boondocking.

Exploring the History of Aviation

Although modern aviation has experienced rapid technological advancement in the last century, humans have been curious about flight for thousands of years. Some of the first evidence of aviation came from early BC China when kites were first invented. Attempting to mimic the flight patterns of birds, these wood and fabric structures were carefully crafted to take flight while tethered to a string.

Centuries later, artist Leonardo da Vinci created the first drafts of a rational aircraft in his sketches from the 15th century. By the 17^th century, further scientific revelations of wind patterns and jet streams led to the earliest model aircraft backed by science, and  Francesco Lana de Terzi came up with the concept of lighter-than-air flight.

While the science behind hot air balloons had been known for centuries, the concept of lighter-than-air flight kickstarted the rapid development of balloon aviation. By the late 18^th century, hot air balloons quickly transitioned from an idea to the first manned hot air balloon in 1783. “Ballooning became a major “rage” in Europe in the late 18th century, providing the first detailed understanding of the relationship between altitude and the atmosphere.”

The need for a more capable aircraft led Sir George Cayley to design the first “heavier-than-air” craft with his rigorous understanding of flight physics in the late 19^th century. These discoveries catalyzed aviation as rapid innovation over the next few decades ended in the Wright brothers’ first sustained heavier-than-air craft flight in 1903. Quick adoption for military purposes and a surge in innovation during industrialization took aviation from a novelty to a part of everyday life in less than a century.

Aviation Beyond Pilots | The Rise of Unmanned Aircraft

Digitalization of the 21st century has created the most efficient and advanced aircraft. As passenger planes and military aircraft continue to become more technologically advanced, the aeronautic industry has seen a return of unmanned aircraft. Early kites and balloon aircraft were unmanned and frequently used for military purposes and scouting. “At the beginning of the 21st century, digital technology allowed subsonic military aviation to begin eliminating the pilot in favor of remotely operated or completely autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).”

UAVs are some of the most technologically advanced aircraft available today, offering a wide range of capabilities through remote operation. Beyond the scope of military applications, UAVs have been adopted by the film industry. Equipped with high-tech cameras, these UAVs, commonly referred to as “drones,” are flown through a remote-control system, allowing the operator to get unique aerial views and unprecedented cinematography.

In recent decades, filmmakers within the industry have grown to specialize in using UAVs for filmmaking. Trent Palmer, an avid filmmaker, has spent his career as a UAV pilot. Over ten years ago, Trent’s film company started using RC helicopters with a frame he custom-designed to hold a camera. These units had minimal range and offered zero auto-stabilizing or focus functions, but they did the job. Now, aerial drones come pre-equipped with a state-of-the-art, 8k full-frame camera with video transmission that goes over 6 miles and perfect stabilization. These high-tech units deliver incredible footage and allow Trent to focus on his creative vision without worrying about manually adjusting the camera. Over the last decade, Trent has filmed for major car brands, movie and television productions, and his YouTube channel, flying various UAVs.

Trent Palmer’s Transformation from Drone Pilot to Aviator

Due to the potential risk with UAVs and the shared airspace with other types of aircraft, all commercial drone pilots must possess a Remote Pilot Certificate. Pilots must possess this certification and undergo recurring online training every 24 months to remain eligible to fly small, unmanned aircraft. While Trent already has his remote pilot’s license, in 2014, as a part of extra training for commercially flying UAVs, Trent pursued his recreational pilot’s license.

Ironically, Trent was terrified of heights and flying when he first started training. As a purely remote pilot, he hadn’t spent much time in the air, but over the course of his training, Trent quickly fell in love with manned aviation. After officially receiving his certification, Trent bought his first aircraft in early 2015.

“A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a conventional fixed-wing aircraft with short runway requirements for takeoff and landing. Many STOL-designed aircraft also feature arrangements on airstrips with harsh conditions (such as high altitude or ice).” Upon finding a 1997 STOL Kitfox V for sale, he jumped at the opportunity as it would be perfect for backcountry flying out of the Sierra in Northern Nevada. With its patriotic colors, Trent’s “FreedomFox” became his favorite mode of transportation as he grew more passionate about aviation.

While flying through the backcountry and capturing stunning drone footage, Trent began sharing his flying experiences on YouTube and quickly grew in popularity. With nearly half a million YouTube subscribers, Trent has captivated aviators and filmmakers alike with his unique bush flying and incredible cinematography skills. Although Trent is still a drone pilot by trade and has continued his career in the film industry, his YouTube channel shows off a behind-the-scenes look into his life as a pilot.

A Pilot’s Paradise in Northern Nevada

When Trent isn’t flying across the backcountry, you can find him enjoying his rural property in northern Nevada, upgrading his plane, or spending time outdoors with his wife Hailey and their adorable pup Maverick. Trent and Hailey’s rural oasis outside Reno, Nevada, comprises open space, a beautiful home with a detached garage, and a custom-built hangar for Trent’s plane.

They pulled an underground 400amp service from overhead power lines on the south edge of the property to the main living space. This 400amp service splits off to run separately into each building on the property. Additionally, without access to water lines on the property, Trent drilled a well. After failing to hit the water near the main house, they successfully drilled a well at the edge of the property. This well pumps up to the main house, where a 3,000-gallon holding tank provides water to their entire home.

Although powering and providing water to their home was a challenge when they first started building, all of Trent and Hailey’s work has paid off. Their rural home has plenty of power and water to offer all the modern conveniences of a home in the city while offering stunning views and plenty of space. Trent can fly his plane directly from the property by adding a custom hangar and a dirt runway strip. Additionally, the hangar gives him space to work on his plane. His 1997 Kitfox is still flying flawlessly with new avionics systems, a turbocharged engine, and a Vertical Power system integration.

Trent Palmer Boondocks with the Power of Battle Born Batteries

While Trent and Hailey love spending time on their property, they also love exploring the backcountry. When flying over stunning locations isn’t enough, Trent will bring along a tent and travel on multi-day camping trips by plane. This may be an unconventional method of travel, but it allows Trent to get further off the grid, sleep under the stars, and enjoy the beauty of the wide-open spaces around him. While plane camping, Trent loves fishing and flying his drone to capture the stunning beauty of the remote wilderness.

Recently, Trent and Hailey decided they wanted to camp off-grid without leaving behind the comforts of home, so they purchased an InTech Terra Rover RV. This RV has a full kitchen, split bathroom with a full shower, expansive dining area, and ample sleeping quarters in the back; Trent and Hailey have everything they need no matter how far off-grid they go.

In preparation to boondock at the “King of the Hammers” 4-wheel drive racing event, Trent decided it was time for a power upgrade. After a less-than-ideal performance from the stock batteries that came with the trailer, Trent put in a Battle Born Batteries power system that includes:

• 4 – Heated 12V 100Ah Battle Born Batteries
• Victron MultiPlus II 3000
• Victron Lynx Distributer
• Smart Shunt
• Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Bluetooth Built-in
• Cerbo GX
• MPPT Solar Charge Controller
• Rooftop Solar

With their new system installed and ready to go, Trent and Hailey headed out to King of the Hammers and spent four full days boondocking. Simply relying on their batteries and solar power, they were able to run all their lights, outlets, microwave, AC, and even Starlink without any problems.

Trent Palmer’s Quest for Adventure in the Sky and on the Road

Trent and Hailey can’t wait to continue boondocking, exploring in their RV, and enjoying more time off the grid. As his passion for aviation continues to grow, Trent will keep backcountry flying and shooting incredible aerial content while flying manned and unmanned aircraft. You can keep up with Trent’s latest adventures on his YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook channels.