Before we get to the juicy drone footage that we’ve lured you here with, let’s take a look at the birth of some very primitive UAV technology. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), have been around in some shape or form for over 150 years. Long before the modern era of UAV pilots, Austrian armed forces were using miniature hot-air balloons to drop explosives over unsuspecting Venice. This technique was later abandoned when it became apparent that the balloons were at the mercy of the prevailing breeze. After a stiff headwind resulted in the Austrians getting a taste of friendly fire, it was back to the drawing board.
Not to be outdone, American troops experimented with the idea of using live bats during World War II as their bomb-carrying weapon of choice against Japan. It took them dozens of demonstrations and over $2 million to realise that this probably wasn’t such a great idea. Go figure.
Fast forward to the modern era of UAV technology and it’s pretty obvious we’ve made some pretty serious leaps and bounds. The application of drone technology in a commercial sense has exploded. Drone photography jobs (once reserved exclusively for CIA agents in black wraparounds) are now hotly contested amongst aspiring pilots.
With this in mind, we’ve decided to compile YouTube’s top 5 most breathtaking drone footage channels all in one place for you, as an ode to how far UAV technology has come.
No explosive-laden balloons, no squadrons of weaponised bats – just stunning drone footage from all over the world to inspire and amaze, courtesy of the best in the business.
- DronedOut: Outstanding variety of content from these guys, with regular fresh videos. You’ll find kite surfing in Africa, hypnotic building demolitions, fireworks close ups and Kanye West concert just to name a few.
- Epic Drone Videos: You guessed it – Epic drone videos! Jaw dropping footage of some of the world’s most stunning landscapes and scenery, some wild crashes and a smattering of surfing action to found here.
- DroneDude: DroneDude features plenty of product reviews and flight tests so you can see the latest technology in action. This guy knows his stuff and is very informative.
- DroneCompilations: Do yourself a favour and familiarise yourself with the Drones vs Humans series on this channel.
- That Drone Show: A wrap-up of everything that goes on in the world of drones, this channel is one worth subscribing to if you are interested in the industry, technology and emerging trends.
So there we have it, five of the most breathtaking drone channels out there. All that’s left to do is clear your schedule, put the kettle on and enter a YouTube vortex of drone footage awesomeness.
At UAVAir, it’s no secret that we live and breathe drones, so if you’d like to learn more, get in touch with us today.
And as a little bonus, we couldn’t resist sharing this hilarious 27 minute Drone crash compilation with you. Prepare to laugh!