Eric Cheng

Eric Cheng (born 1975) is a Taiwanese American entrepreneur and professional photographer specializing in aerial and underwater photography. He is Director of Aerial Imaging at DJI, the makers of the popular Phantom aerial-imaging quadcopter, and owns and publishes Wetpixel, an underwater photography community website. He serves as DJI's board representative as a member of the Small UAV Coalition and is on the advisory board of Drone World Expo (DWE)

Eric frequently gives talks about drones, photography and technology, and has spoken internationally at events including TEDxBerkeley, the Churchill Club, LeWeb, Photoshelter Luminance, CES, SXSW, and others.

On February 3, 2015, Eric piloted a DJI Inspire 1 drone into the Holuhraun volcano eruption in the Bárðarbunga volcanic system in Iceland, broadcasting live for ABC's Good Morning America.

In 2016, Cheng appeared in the Australian television series Tales by Light.

Eric is active as a marine conservationist and previously served on the Board of Directors of Shark Savers (a Program of WildAid), and on the Board of Advisors of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. He was head photographer for Operation Musashi, Sea Shepherd's campaign against the Japanese whaling fleet in Antarctica in late 2008 / early 2009, which was also documented by Animal Planet for Whale Wars Season 2.

Aside from lecturing and writing about photography, he is a concert cellist and software engineer. Eric has been seen on stage with Vienna Teng in San Francisco, San Jose, Houston, and New York.

Previously, Eric was Director of Photography of Lytro.

Cheng was born in 1975 in Madison, Wisconsin, to immigrant parents from Taiwan. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer Science from Stanford University.