Halemaumau Crater, Kilauea Caldera, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island, Hawaii, USA

For video: http://youtu.be/hpr7QXXw6OE
It turns out that flying over lava is tricky business. The lava lake is a little larger than a football field (200 meters diameter). Our ground station was a little more than a mile away and we flew deep down into the crater, below our horizon. Our lowest approach was at about 100 meters above the lava. The heat was so intense and the updraft so turbulent that it almost knocked down our plane. Full throttle through the carbon dioxide and sulfur fumes saved the day – though only to realize that we are almost lost in the otherwise uniformly gray landscape in the twilight. It took three people working together to navigate to come back safely home, including flashing a tiny flashlight (can you spot it?). Footage captured by GoPro Hero3 Black edition set to 1080p HD 60 fps, wide angle – simply the best camera!