A technology enthusiast has taken photographing Sidbury to a new height with the help of his drone.

James Eley bought the DJI Phantom 2 Vision drone three weeks ago and began to photograph and film the village from the sky.

The 23-year-old said: “I have always liked technology; I like playing with computers, tinkering with things and fixing them. This is just a bit of fun.”

The drones have been projected as one of Christmas’s most wanted items and James was quick to pick his up after they arrived at his workplace at PC World Exeter.

James described how the drone takes flight.

He said: “It makes the ground move and it can take some of the grass with it. You don’t want to be standing close because of the blades.

“I was nervous to fly it, but it has the return to home feature which means it will fly back to where it took off if you lose connection.”

His hobby has helped him to discover a love for photography after a few trial runs with the camera.

The camera is fitted on a tilt axis, which will keep the shot still and in focus while in flight. It can be controlled through a downloadable app.

James said: “I have never really been into photography, but this is the first time we did this and the pictures have come out quite good.

“It was for fun, but now I want to see where I could go from here. I would like to explore Sidmouth and the Sid Valley.”

He has uploaded his videos and photos to a website he has created. Viewers can flick through the footage captured and can see some of the village landmarks including the church, school and streets.

He is able to control the drone, which can fly for 20 minutes at a time, through a remote control.

James said: “All you had to put on were the blades; you can really be ready to fly in 10 minutes.”

He has his sights set on upgrading the camera to an Inspire, but the upgrade can cost over £2,000.

To view James’ photographs, visit: http://jamesjeley.wix.com/sidvalleydrones