Drone footage is mainstream, but when an elite racing pilot decides to edit his best footage captured all over the world, the result is amazing.
This video titled “The sky is not the limit” was filmed by Johnny FPV like a “Fast and Furious” movie. There is no gimbal, GPS mode, or anti-collision systems here. Instead, this production relies on pure flying skills and a one-pound drone fitted with a GoPro 7 Black camera.
The drone frame used to film this video (AstroX X5 JohnnyFPV Edition). Notice the red pilot camera in front and the empty GoPro slot on top where the HD camera is installed. The overpowered motors ensure an insane weight to lift ratio at the expense of the flight time.
Unlike DJI drones, racing aircraft are able to do all sort of aerobatics, can fly extremely fast (more than 70 mph), and come with a huge level of power to perform fast climbs and brutal accelerations. But there is a catch: the flight time is usually limited to less than 3 to 5 minutes and this type of drone doesn’t come with any sort of pilot assist mode like attitude control or return to home feature. The vast majority of seasoned DJI drone pilots couldn’t even keep that type of quadcopter in the air for more than 10 seconds due to the extreme sensitivity of the control and the lack of stabilization.
Getting into this type of hobby also requires basic knowledge of electronic assembly and soldering in order to build the drone and fix it after you crash (and you will crash a lot at the beginning). Because every milliseconds matters, the radio and video link is carried over analogic signal to avoid the latency of digital link usually found on regular video drones like the DJI OcuSync. Therefore, the video downlink is poor and looks like a low quality VHS tape from the 80s which further complicates the drone handling.
In case you are worried about the safety aspect of this video, please keep in mind that Johnny FPV is one of the best freestylers and racing drone pilots in the world who achieved this performance after years of practice and countless awards won in racing arenas. Don’t try this at home.
Amazing!.
could be slightly nauseating but fabulous skills and some amazing angles, combined with that accuracy and speed. Amazing.
I think I said that already.
By far one of the most impressive drone videos I have seen! No clue how the pilot is able to keep the subject in the frame when turning at those speeds. However, the animal shots seem a bit intrusive. I’m no expert, so it may be totally fine, but it did make me question it a bit.
Totally agree, very talented but the animal shots were taken way too close, I am no zoologist either but have spent a few years in Africa and can confirm those rhinos where clearly running from the drone, and likewise the lion is lashing at it, that is not ok - there should be no interference or the least possible imo
The rhino sequence was hugely disappointing as they were clearly running away from the drone. That destroyed the remainder of the video as now it was obvious Johnny FPV was willfully compromising ethical integrity in order to get the shot.
Great vid expect for the animal sequences. Way too close. Those rhinos were running out of fear. You could see them watching the drone as it went from left to right and then changed their course. Not cool at all.
From what I have read, it was done to help navigate the rhinos away from popular poaching areas.