If you ever take a walk around downtown Rock Hill, you might notice something in the sky. Above the skies soars one of the many drones belonging to the Rock Hill Drone Guy. Also known as Aaron Longstreth, he has become a staple in the Rock Hill and surrounding community.
Longstreth has been taking aerial photographs and videos since 2015, but his experience with photos and videos stretches longer. His two-decade-long passion for photography and videography began while attending York Technical College in the late ‘90s to study television production.
Longstreth said he first became interested in aerial photography because he “is always looking for ways to get a better or more compelling shot[. W]hen drones became more accessible it was like a dream come true. Until getting my first higher quality drone in 2015, I could’ve never imagined having the ability to get shots from all these unique angles.”
The company, Rock Hill Drone Guy, is an FAA–certified drone company that specializes in almost any services where a drone would be useful, such as photography, videography, event recaps, commercial development planning, and real estate photography.
Longstreth has had many stories to tell since becoming a community staple. His favorite, however, comes from the 2020 prayer vigil that was held in Kannapolis, NC in the wake of the George Floyd killing.
“I saw people from all ethnicities and backgrounds united in a beautiful call to action. I remember police officers joining the protests and denouncing the actions of Derek Chauvin. I even saw officers driving senior citizens in golf carts so that they could take part too. Those moments really struck me. We’re not so divided after all despite the extremes we see on a national level.”
Longstreth also believes in giving back to the community. “There are so many great leaders and organizations locally doing incredible things. If I can be a sponsor or use my photos or videos to help show off these people and events that inspire the community and bridge some of the social, economic and political gaps, then I am all in.”
One of the biggest community members that benefits from Longstreth’s talents is the Main Street Children’s Museum. “He volunteered his services to create a commercial for the museum. He also has given advice to our marketing team on drone photography and videography,” said volunteer manager for the Main Street Children’s Museum, Windy Cole.
Community relations coordinator Marie Cheek added on to this statement. “He took his drone and recorded footage of our Harry Potter Science Saturday. He produced a cool video and shared it to his social media, and we shared it to ours. It really helped the museum.”
If anyone has a need for a drone, the Rock Hill Drone Guy is here. You can contact him at 803-579-8384 or Rockhilldroneguy@gmail.com.
