Drone Shark Alert
California Man Uses Drone to Alert Surfer to Circling Shark Off Santa Cruz Coast
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A California man used his drone to save a surfer from a circling shark off Santa Cruz on June 18, 2026. Nick Boude spotted an 8-to-10-foot shark — believed to be a Great White — within 15 feet of a surfer known as "Hydro" near Seascape Beach in Aptos. The shark had been circling for over two minutes before Boude acted. NBC Bay Area reported the dramatic footage has since gone viral.
With no speaker on his drone, Boude dove the device to within 10 feet of the water and gunned the motors. "I didn't have a speaker, so I just gunned the motors to make as much noise as possible," Boude said, according to NBC Los Angeles. The surfer heard the buzz, spotted the shark's tail break the surface behind his board, and paddled safely to shore.
How a Drone Buzz Pulled a Surfer from Danger
Boude launched his 4K-equipped drone at 9:15 AM to shoot surf footage. Seven minutes in, his live feed showed a dark silhouette circling roughly 15 yards from a lone surfer. He descended the drone and repeatedly revved the motors. The shark stayed within 15 feet of Hydro for 140 seconds before the warning worked.
Hydro later told reporters the drone "was buzzing like a giant hornet right over my head." He thought it was a tourist's camera until he saw the shark. He made a controlled paddle toward the Seascape cliffs and was out of the water by 9:30 AM, according to NBC Philadelphia. The shark lingered in the area for another 10 minutes before moving to deeper water.
Warming Waters Are Pushing Sharks Into Surf Zones
This encounter is not a fluke. Water temperatures at Seascape Beach hit 68.4°F — about 8 degrees above the average for June. Marine biologists at the CSU Long Beach Shark Lab say warmer nearshore waters have pushed juvenile Great Whites north toward Monterey Bay. This marks the 4th major close encounter captured by drone in Santa Cruz County since May 2026, according to NBC Miami.
Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the CSULB Shark Lab, says Monterey Bay has become a "nursery aggregation" site as seas warm. Lowe noted that revving the drone likely did not scare the shark. It simply alerted the human. "Sharks in this area are often curious, not predatory," he said. "But the drone provides a vital eye in the sky that lifeguards lack."
Drone Hero or Wildlife Harasser? Legal Questions Loom
Boude's quick thinking may have saved a life — but it could also land him in legal trouble. FAA Part 107 rules ban actions that "harass wildlife." Flying 10 feet over a shark clearly pushes that line. California State Parks issued a beach advisory for the Aptos shoreline after the footage spread. Legal analysts are now watching to see if Boude gets cited or celebrated, according to NBC DFW.
Local authorities are urging private citizens not to try managing wildlife on their own. They say sightings should be reported to the Junior Lifeguard program or State Park officials. Some community members are pushing back, calling for a volunteer drone patrol corps along the 10-mile stretch between Capitola and Rio Del Mar. Privacy-minded surfers on Reddit warn against a "24/7 drone fleet watching every wave."
Shark Sightings Are Already Hitting Local Tourism
The broader "Sharky Summer" is taking a financial toll. Shark sightings in 2026 have already caused a 15% dip in surf school bookings in the Aptos area. The CSULB Shark Lab has requested Boude's footage to identify the shark by its tail fin. Researchers want to know if this is a repeat visitor to the Aptos nursery zone, according to NBC Boston.
Authorities and scientists see the event as a turning point. The California Shark Beach Safety Program may soon bring private drone data into official lifeguard systems. For now, Seascape Beach carries an active advisory. Hydro is safe. And Nick Boude's drone footage is the most-watched shark video of the summer.
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