It shouldn't be emerging from the pond like that! Dragonflies usually emerge while still in their nymph stage (usually climbing marginal vegetation to do so) then emerge from their nymph case, before pumping blood into their wings to extend and inflate them and waiting for them to dry before taking flight for the first time (unless they become bird food in the meantime!). I suspect that one is probably egg laying extra deeply (possibly because of the drought) which I've not seen before, or if not (particularly if an eagle-eyed dragonfly entomologist can tell if it's a male!), perhaps it's taken a dunking and is climbing out of the water?