Last week the Fagradalsfjall volcano, not far from Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, began erupting for the first time in 800 years, spewing photogenic lava everywhere.
Triggered by thousands of small earthquakes experienced in Iceland in the preceding days, the “minor eruption” in the words of the Icelandic Meteorological Office is set to last a couple of weeks, and no one is in any danger as long as they don’t get too close to the eruption site.
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Crowds of hikers have even been making trips to look at the lava flow.
And daring drone operators like Björn Steinbekk have recorded some truly stunning footage right up close to the erupting volcano, which resembles a cute Mount Doom.
Steinbekk, 48, told VICE World News over email he only took up flying drones a couple of years ago. “I just bought a drone and it became so easy to me. Just like playing PlayStation,” he said.
He said that his drone survived filming the lava without a scratch, and in fact he had sent it past the eruption about 12-13 times. Somehow he doesn’t even rank this video as among his best work, even though he concedes it’s his “15 seconds of social media fame.”
Asked if he specialised in shooting volcanoes, he replied: “I really just specialise in doing what I like and is fun, entertaining and inspiring to others.”
