On January 21, 2022, around 9:15 in the morning, I pulled out my old Autel Robotics EVO drone while staying at the Riu Palace in Cabo San Lucas.
We were in Cabo celebrating several January birthdays in our family, and like a lot of family trips, the moment was really about being together. Sun, ocean, resort views, laughs, birthdays, and a chance to get away during a time when travel still felt a little different because of COVID.
Looking back now, this video is funny because I launched the drone from the balcony of the hotel. At the time, I did not fully understand that flying drones from the resort was likely against the resort rules. I was just excited to capture the view, the ocean, and the energy of the trip. So let me say this clearly: always check resort, city, airport, and country drone rules before flying.
But what happened next turned this simple drone flight into one of those memories you never forget.
As I flew out over the water, I noticed tourist boats gathering offshore. These were whale-watching boats, and they were circling an area where several humpback whales were active. In the background, the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship was sitting huge on the water, creating one of those scenes that looked almost unreal.
Then the whales started showing out.
They jumped out of the water. They blew water from their spouts. They slapped the water with their flippers in unison. It was one of those moments where nature, timing, and luck all came together. I was not out there planning a professional wildlife shoot. I was just a guy with an old drone on a family birthday trip who happened to be in the right place at the right time.
That is what makes the footage special to me.
After capturing the whales, I brought the drone back toward the Riu Palace. The video catches my buddies Scott and Ted still masked up, which instantly takes you back to that COVID-era travel window. It was a different time. People were traveling again, but masks, caution, and uncertainty were still part of the experience.
The video ends with one of my favorite parts: our family and friends waving at the drone from the resort pool.
That final shot is why I love old footage like this. It is not just about the drone. It is not just about Cabo. It is not even just about the whales. It is about remembering a moment in life — the people who were there, what the world felt like at that time, and how a simple video can bring all of that back years later.
This old school Autel EVO footage reminds me that sometimes the best memories are not perfectly planned. Sometimes they are random, imperfect, lucky, and real.
Video Details
Filmed: January 21, 2022
Time: Around 9:15 AM
Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Resort: Riu Palace Cabo
Drone: Autel Robotics EVO
Main Highlights: Humpback whales, whale-watching boats, Norwegian Bliss cruise ship, Riu Palace resort, family birthday trip, COVID-era travel memories
A Note About Drone Rules
Since shooting this video, I have learned to be much more aware of drone restrictions. Resorts, beaches, tourist zones, and international destinations can all have different rules. Before flying, always check the local drone laws, resort policies, and safety guidelines.
This video is shared as a family travel memory and archive footage from 2022.
Final Thought
This was not a professional drone production. It was an old school travel moment captured during a family birthday trip in Cabo. But between the whales, the cruise ship, the resort, the masks, and everyone waving from the pool, it became one of those videos that tells a bigger story than I realized at the time.
That is what BrandonJohnsonTV is about — real stories, real memories, and the moments that remind us to be alright.
