If the pictures were critical, my business, or involved low flying - then I'd certainly separate the role of pilot and photographer, and have.
For the fun of it - just go for it. Compacts and Bridges are generally much easier to operate one handedly than DSLRs, and Bridges have much better zoom capability than most affordable DSLR options. Bridges also, in my experience have *most* of the direct image control of a DSLR, which you won't get on a comapact.
This is just an example, my Canon SX50 Bridge, about 1500ft, one handed, other hand on the bar of my microlight - south coast of the New Forest.
And another, again one-handed, light aircraft, same camera, through a perspex canopy - all of course done at a safe height, and a long way from that balloon using the zoom as Mr Canon intended. Just North of Reading around 1000ft IIRC.
G