Emirates, Boeing launch ‘View from Above’

Emirates and Boeing have partnered together to sponsor ‘View from Above’, one of the largest aerial filming projects ever conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones.

Filming was conducted in 18 destinations on five continents including Emirates’ hub in Dubai and Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ home, Seattle. Footage for Dubai was provided by Dubai Film.

All of the films can be viewed here on the ‘View from Above’ site, enabling visitors to spin the globe to one of the 18 destinations, and be taken straight to their desired video.

Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand said: “The beautifully crafted films produced for this project not only feature destinations within our network in a stunning new light, but also utilise innovative technologies in creative ways to produce dramatic footage. Our aim is to always connect with our audiences around the world, and we hope that people are inspired by these unique films.”

“Partnering with Emirates for this project was a tremendously exciting venture,” said Jerry Verghese, Vice President, Global Brand Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The combination of technology, art and innovation to bring about these fabulous vignettes of Emirates’ destinations around the world is remarkable. We are proud that the Boeing 777 is an integral part of Emirates’ fleet taking people to all these amazing destinations.”

Keeping safety at the forefront, the aerial capabilities of the drones meant the project team could produce previously unseen aerial imagery and perspectives with incredible precision and accuracy, even when operating in tighter spaces, in destinations like Vietnam where drones grazed rice fields, Norway in between mountain crevices, and over lily pads in the Seychelles, to name a few. The drones were also able to reach locations that would have been challenging with traditional helicopter and fixed wing aerials, like deep caves and beneath jungle foliage. Once such example is Japan, where drones were used to film in between the branches of cherry blossom trees and closely hover over steep waterfalls. In Rio, drones were able to vertically float above Maracanã Stadium producing a fresh new take on the iconic football arena.

Justin Thomas Ostensen from Shotwell media, who piloted the drone to shoot the Seattle film, commented on the extensive preparation involved in the filming process: “Safety really comes down to the individuals and companies flying drones to be responsible, cautious, follow common sense rules and operate within a strict set of pre-flight and post-flight procedures. Drones are very safe with failsafe features that create high levels of reliability and stability. However, extensive experience is required to operate drones for aerial filming. A blend of technical knowledge and creativity are a prerequisite to achieving cinematic aerial imagery.”

Over 13 qualified drone pilots from around the world worked on the filming project, which was produced and directed by MOFILM.