"The unimaginable grandness of the mountain compared to the minuteness of the humans made me realize that our so-called 'conquering the mountain' was actually an exercise in conquering our physical limitations to persist with the arduous journey to the top," Li says.

The video won him the best flight control award at the 2017 International Drone Photography Contest held by Sohu.

"The lure of gaining precious images by overcoming the extreme environment and uncertain weather conditions attracts me," Li says, adding that he believes his enthusiasm for aerial photography will last for a long time.

Cities like Shanghai also attract numerous photographers and videographers, leading to increased competition and technical innovation. One aerial photography enthusiast, Chen Sheng, developed his own technique of drone "hyperlapse" filming.