Dronethusiast Roundup | The Best Drone Videos Of January 2019
Welcome to the Dronethusiast Roundup, a new regular article series that Dronethusiast will be creating to showcase some of the great writing and video production from content creators across the Internet. These are the videos and articles we love sharing around the office – only now, we’re sharing them with you.
I think there’s no denying that drone video is one of the most exciting fields in the entire industry. Many people get into drone culture after they see a stunning view from a great online video. We love getting to see the work of the many talented drone videographers and photographers working in this field, so we’ve decided to gather as a staff and select what we think are the 5 best drone videos of January 2019.
“Anak Krakatau Volcano”
This video, whose full title is technically “Anak Krakatau Volcano Incredible Drone Footage After Collapse & Major Eruption”, is notable for being the first detailed video footage of Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano after its eruption in December. It was filmed by Earth Uncut TV, a group which specializes in taking professional stock footage of disasters, and according to their website it was filmed using a DJI Phantom 2 drone.
In addition to being a significant work that benefits the international community, the soundless video is extremely beautiful. The orange discoloration of the water makes it look like this footage was taken from another planet, a gorgeous contrast to the black rock cooling on the side of the mountain itself.
“SVP REEL”
This video was posted on AirVūz, the world’s leading platform for sharing videos and photography created from drones since 2015. We’ve written before about the site’s weekly video contests, for which “SVP Reel” was recently nominated. As the name suggests, the video is a showcase reel for Simply Visual Productions and was filmed by videographer Ty Poland using a DJI Inspire 2.
What drew our eye to this video was the fact that it shows a lot of subjects you don’t normally see in drone videography. The urban landscape shots are lovely, as is the “following in front of a moving train” motif, but what really stands out is how good those interior shots look. Check out the corner turn at 0:15 – that’s hard to do with a drone as large and unwieldy as the Inspire 2!
“#PIPELINE January 2019”
The hashtag in the name might be a bit gauche, but don’t judge this video by its cover. Chris Kincade is an ocean and surf photographer known more for still images, but “#PIPELINE January 2019” shows he has some impressive video skills too. The drone (whose model was unidentified) was flown by Steven Tiralongo, while Kincade himself directed and edited the video.
Parts of this video almost have to be seen to be believed. Tiralongo flies the drone shockingly close to the waves, and does an excellent job tracking across shots that could become tumultuous in less capable hands. The beautiful cutaway at around 2:20 is a nice change in perspective, and just when you think it can’t get more impressive you get to see an honest-to-goodness whale breaching.
“Η ΑΤΤΙΚΗ ΣΤΑ ΛΕΥΚΑ” [Snowy Attica]
Great drone art is being made all across the world, and we’re proud to spotlight the work of Up Drones, an account dedicated to promoting the beauty of Greece through drone photography and videography. Their newest video, “Η ΑΤΤΙΚΗ ΣΤΑ ΛΕΥΚΑ” (or “Snowy Attica” in English), shows the urban beauty of the titular region by highlighting areas such as the OAKA Olympic Stadium, Kifisias Avenue, and the roundabout road on Kifisias.
There’s a lot to love about this video – the sense of scale that’s absent from a lot of urban drone photography, the gorgeous pan-and-zoom on the first shot of the roundabout, that perfect rotation over Kifisias. But the cherry on top of the whole project is the music, which tells a story without being as intrusive as some of the blaringly over-the-top choices made even by videos we like (such as “SVP Reel”). It just shows how much of a difference it can make to have a dedicated composer – in this case, one Adam Panagopoulos.
“Lilburn in the Snow”
As the name suggests, “Lilburn in the Snow” was shot in the city of Lilburn, Georgia on January 17th. It was posted by “Greenshortz” (AKA Tom Mills) an environmental engineer and media expert who mostly makes videos about environmental conservation, though he also dabbles in nature photography from time to time as seen here.
This is a lovely video from top to bottom, but we especially liked the opening shot of the drone taking off. Most videographers cut the takeoff and landing out of their videos, but the beginning of “Lilburn in the Snow” shows how it can be used to build anticipation as the camera goes higher and higher over the scenic frost-covered town.
Conclusion
Well, readers, what do you think? Was there something here that particularly spoke to you? Is there a drone video from this month that you love that we missed? Be sure to let us know in the comments. And, hey – if there was a particular drone creator on this list whose work you loved, be sure to let THEM know as well on their own YouTube, Video, or AirVūz channels. Maybe even throw them a subscribe to show your support!
Kennedy Martinez
kennedy@dronethusiast.comKennedy Martinez is a resident writer who joined Dronethusiast at the beginning of 2019. She has years of experience reviewing drones and other tech products. When it comes to flying drones, Kennedy loves the ability to create artistic videos from a unique point of view. Kennedy enjoys researching new drones and other exciting products that are available to consumers which is why she is committed to creating the best buyer's guides for our readers.
