Collection Item - Saugatuck-Douglas History Center

Dunes by Drone

Oral History

Scope and Content11-minute video compilation of aerial footage of the dune and lakeshore areas collected in 2014. The video clips were captured by a drone piloted by Jeff Zita in 2014. The recording has no sound beyond a generic, pop-music soundtrack. The drone lifts off from the Saugatuck-Douglas History Museum and flies over mostly open dunes and forested land.

James Schmiechen, John Peters, Dick Haight and unknown photographer.

Sign accompanying the video display of drone footage from 2013-2014 Dunelands exhibit; Drone Over the Dunes
a documentation by Jeff Zita
Fly with us. How do our dunes look from the sky?
These video clips were captured by a small drone piloted by Jeff Zita
at various times and seasons in 2014.
Goal: Air documentation of a small section of Lake Michigan dunes—the world’s largest freshwater dunes.
Camera and drone type: GoPro camera mounted on a DJI Phantom 2 “drone” (unmanned aircraft vehicle: UAV).
Battery powered.
Business and owner: Z-Drones, Jeff Zita.
Distance covered: From south of the Douglas lakeshore, inland following the Kalamazoo River and north beyond Saugatuck Dunes State Park.
What do you see? Look for dune “blowouts,” trails, sandbars, swamp lands, vegetation, the new and old harbors. The dunes push inland several miles—most are covered over with vegetation and or human habit.
Check out Z-Drones at www.zdronesphotography.com

Entry/Object ID

2026.01.19

Context

This compilation of drone footage was played as a continuously-looping movie in the Saugatuck-Douglas History Museum exhibit "Dunelands" in 2013-2014.

Collection

Development, landNature, ecology, the landscapeSDHC Exhibits

Cataloged By

Winthers, Sally

Acquisition

Accession

2026.01

Oral History Details

Interview Date

2014

Length of Interview

11:06

Dimensions

Dimension Description

digital content - 1.68 GB

Location

Box

AWS/VidArch SSD/DVD originals

Create Date

08/15/2026

Update Date

08/15/2026