No matter if you are a filmmaker or a regular traveler, you gotta admit, drone videos are just mesmerizing to watch. They often give us a unique and different perspective on many of our beloved places from around the world.
It is almost as if we are flying high above the world and observing it from a superior perspective, just like the haunting intro of the movie, The Shining or the beautiful experimental documentary, Koyaanisqatsi, which I highly recommend if you haven't watched them.
No matter whether you are a travel filmmaker just looking for inspiration for your next trip or if you are stuck at home and getting itchy feet to go traveling, you will enjoy what I have in store for you in this article.
Over the years, I have been watching a lot of travel videos for ideas and inspiration, and as I have recently purchased a drone myself, I started collecting all these beautiful drone travel videos for future reference.
And today, I have decided to put all my findings here in one place, so you don't have to scour the Internet for them. Without further ado, here are the 8 best drone travel videos of all time. Let's begin with what makes a drone travel video great.
- What Makes A Great Drone Travel Video?
- 1. Moscow Russia Aerial 5K By Timelab.pro
- 2. Magic of Hong Kong By Timelab.pro
- 3. Beautiful Destinations - Turkey By Johnny FPV
- 4. Flying Over Switzerland By Danny Mcgee
- 5. Above America By Harrison Sanborn
- 6. Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan By Guillaume Juin
- 7. Korean Mirrorworld By Rufus Blackwell
- 8. Bangkok Contrast By Pitou Drone
- Further Reading for Filmmaking
What Makes A Great Drone Travel Video?
First and foremost, we have to ask this question: what constitutes a video as a drone video? As you may know, a lot of travel videos contain all kinds of footage, from the regular run and gun style to the aerial shots from drones. Since it is hard to draw that line, I would say that a video that contains more aerial shots than others is eligible to be on the list.
For the criteria, like with most travel videos with no underlying stories, the most important thing that differentiates an okay drone video from a great one is how long it can engage the audience throughout the length of the video.
The filmmaker could use a variety of shots from a different perspective, or they could utilize advanced techniques and skills to keep us engaged. No matter what they do with their videos, if it keeps us interested and engaged for the entire length of the video, it deserves a spot on this list.
Other than that, the creativity and how these filmmakers approach drone videos will also receive extra points from me, as these drone videos can become quite repetitive real quick. Now that the rules are laid out, let's begin with the first video:
1. Moscow Russia Aerial 5K By Timelab.pro
We first begin with probably one of the most professionally shot drone videos I have ever seen. "Moscow Russia Aerial 5K" is a video that will take you through Moscow's cityscape and let you see many of the most beautiful places in the city from a perspective that you have never seen before.
The epic music in this video, together with the way they color-corrected the footage, is just perfect for Moscow, a metropolis that boasts many futuristic skyscrapers as well as traditional architecture that is breathtaking to see from the air.
Timelap.pro is a company based in Russia that shoots aerial cinematic footage professionally. Hence, the quality is top-notch compared to others. They do not only shoot in Russia but also travel to places like Hong Kong. The next drone travel video we will be watching is from Hong Kong.
2. Magic of Hong Kong By Timelab.pro
With the introduction of Timelab.pro in the previous video, we now know what to expect from drone videos produced by this aerial cinematography agency: stunning cityscape, beautiful color correction, and epic music.
With the "Magic of Hong Kong" video, Timelab.pro took it to the next level with not only better aerial shots of the Hong Kong skyline but also timelapse footage of fireworks, the crowded streets of Hong Kong, and flying through some truly dense areas like the Yick Cheong Buildings in Quarry Bay.
Let's just say, I am never disappointed by Timelab.pro's drone videos. They are really at the top of the game here, and it really shows that they have a passion for aerial cinematography.
3. Beautiful Destinations - Turkey By Johnny FPV
When I first finished watching this video, I almost forgot to pick my jaw back up. "Beautiful Destinations - Turkey" is one of the most intense drone videos I have ever watched.
Johnny, the drone pilot, utilized an advanced pilot technique called FPV (First-person view) that I have only recently learned about. FPV is a method used to control a drone from a first-person perspective via FPV goggles. The goggles receive the onboard camera images in real-time and feed them to the pilot's goggles as he/she flies the drone.
That is why he was able to pull off some of the craziest stunts you can do with a drone, from flying through a narrow passage to swerving around the hot air balloons in Cappadoccia, Turkey. That part of the video had me screaming in disbelief all the way to the end.
This video is truly the pinnacle of travel drone videos. It surprises you at every turn and puts you on the edge of your seat for the entire 3-minute mark. I have yet to find any other drone video that kept me on the edge of my seat like this one.
4. Flying Over Switzerland By Danny Mcgee
As you are now a bit familiar with the concept of FPV, I have another FPV drone video that I really like that utilized a similar technique. But instead of Turkey, this video will fly you through the stunning mountains and valleys of Switzerland.
As you know, Switzerland is already a beautiful country when seen from ground level, but imagine being able to see the country from the air using a fast-moving remote-controlled aerial vehicle. Well, you don't have to imagine anymore.
"Flying Over Switzerland" video will take you along the valleys, crisscrossing mountain ridges, down the waterfall of Lauterbrunnen, and many other beautiful places that are hard to describe in words. Simply hit play on the video above and get your mind blown by the sheer epicness of it.
5. Above America By Harrison Sanborn
In the intro of this article, I mentioned a few films and documentaries released in the 80s where they used these dramatic sweeping "drone shots" way before drones even existed. Within these films, instead of using a $700 USD drone like we do now, they actually had to go on a helicopter equipped with a stabilization rig either in front of the helicopter or from the helicopter's door.
And that is exactly what they use here in the video above. "Above America" by Harrison Sanborn is a collection of aerial footage shot by Harrison's father in the late 80s. He accidentally found his dad's aerial footage collection and decided to convert the films into 2K resolution and compile them into the video we see here.
As you can see, the video is very similar to documentaries and movies I mentioned earlier, like the intro of the movie "The Shining." Do you see it? There is something different about these aerial videos when you compare them with other drone videos on this list. There is just something more authentic that I can't quite put my finger on.
Maybe it's the imperfection of the footage, like the shaky camera motion caused by the weight of the helicopter as it flies around or the washed-out colors that are common in older cameras. I don't know what I know is that you won't be able to easily recreate the authenticity of these drone shots with modern drones.
All in all, this drone video is a great example of the incredible ambition the filmmakers had during that period, all for the sake of telling stories better, and it definitely deserves a spot on this list.
6. Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan By Guillaume Juin
So we have covered the old, the intense, and the new. Now, let's change the direction a little and go with the creative. "Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan" By Guillaume Juin is a drone video that combines both the stunning landscapes of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in one frame and creates a trippy travel video unlike any other drone videos you have seen.
As you know, the landscape of Kyrgyzstan is out of this world, and seeing it from the perspective of a drone makes the statement even more true. From the snowy peaks of Ala Kul to the sweeping beauty of Song Kul lake, this video will surely make you wonder where these "stan" countries are on the map and might even inspire you to visit them yourself in the future.
7. Korean Mirrorworld By Rufus Blackwell
Next on the creative list of drone videos, let's take another trippy journey and fly through the "mirrorworld" of Korea. "Korean Mirrorworld" by Rufus Blackwell used a similar technique as the intro of the "Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan" video above, but this one takes that technique and dials it up to eleven.
Combining the trippy footage of showing two landscapes at once, the technique called drone lapse, which is basically shooting a timelapse on a drone, and the upbeat retro synth wave music, the video creates one of the wildest and trippiest aerial videos I have ever seen.
This video really shows the full potential of combining a relatively new medium like drones with raw human creativity in order to create a new experience and perspective for all of us to enjoy. So, kudos to Rufus Blackwell for creating such a beautiful work of art.
8. Bangkok Contrast By Pitou Drone
Last but not least, we take a slower ride through the cityscape of my home city, Bangkok, with the "Bangkok Contrast" video by Pitou Drone. From modern skyscrapers to Buddhist temples, the video will let you see Bangkok from a bird's eye view as it flies high above, moving from one area to another.
The video also includes several handheld shots from ground level where all the interesting things actually happen, which is a great way to ground the video a little, make it relatable, and keep us engaged to the very end.
Want to take your filmmaking game to the next level? Here are some resources to help you upgrade your work and filmmaking gear:
Further Reading for Filmmaking
Looking for more articles about travel videos and filmmaking? Here are a collection of articles about filmmaking that you might find useful:
- Let’s lose ourselves in a short adventure documentary with this 10 Most Inspiring Short Adventure Documentaries to Watch.
- Looking for the best travel videos of all time? Check out 20 Most Creative Travel Videos Of All Time.
- Looking for the best timelapse and hyperlapse travel videos? 10 Best Timelapse/Hyperlapse Travel Videos to Watch.
- To be a great traveler, you need to learn about the world and see its uniqueness in every culture. To do that, you will have to first expand your worldview. Here are 7 BEST Short Documentaries About The World To Watch.
- Want to learn more about travel filmmaking? Here is A Step-By-Step Guide on How to Make a Travel Video.
- Want to improve your travel filmmaking game? Here are 10 Practical Tips for Making a Great Travel Video.
- Want to Know Which Camera I Used for Filmmaking? Here is Why the Sony A6500 Is the Best Travel Camera to Get.
- Looking for a fool-proof way to store your travel photos and videos? Here is How I Store My Photos and Videos.
- Looking to buy new filmmaking equipment for your next film? Here is The Ultimate Advanced Travel Filmmaking Gear Guide.
- Not so fond of carrying heavy camera equipment while traveling? Here is The Extremely Lightweight Travel Photography Gear Guide.
- Want to watch my travel videos? Check out our Travel Videos page.
- For all articles about Filmmaking, visit the Filmmaking Article page.
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