A drone operator captured video of a large shark circling an unnamed surfer off Seascape Beach in Aptos, California [1, 2, 3].
The incident highlights the emerging role of unmanned aerial vehicles as real-time safety tools for ocean users. While sharks are common in Northern California waters, the ability to alert a swimmer from the air can prevent dangerous encounters.
The encounter occurred around 8:45 a.m. [1] on June 10, 2026 [1, 2]. Nick Bertocch, the drone operator, spotted the shark from the air and used the drone as an airborne warning system to alert the surfer [3, 4].
Footage released this week shows the shark swimming in close proximity to the surfer as they remained in the water [5]. The drone pilot buzzed the surfer to draw their attention to the predator circling below [3].
According to reports, the surfer successfully paddled back to the shore without injury [1, 2]. The video was later featured in a news segment on June 19, 2026 [5].
Seascape Beach is a known spot for surfing in the Aptos area, but the proximity of the shark in this instance created a high-risk situation. The use of drone technology allowed for a vantage point that is impossible from the beach or the water's surface, providing the surfer with the critical information needed to exit the ocean safely [3, 4].
“A drone operator used his aircraft to alert a surfer about a large shark swimming nearby.”
This incident demonstrates a shift in coastal safety, where hobbyist drone operators can provide immediate, life-saving surveillance that traditional lifeguards might miss. As drone accessibility increases, these devices may become a standard supplementary tool for monitoring wildlife threats in real-time, potentially reducing the number of shark-human conflicts in popular surfing regions.
