United Arab Emirates from an Aerial View

Created over a 10 month period, this short film by Ghadir Shaar is meant to show off the United Arab Emirates and all the country has to offer. See the UAE's sharp, rugged mountains and endless, sandy deserts, its sprawling city of Dubai with its world-renowned architecture (as well as the world's tallest skyscraper), camels, deserted towns, and stunning sunrises.  This video was AirVuz Drone Video of the Week, December Week 2 and is now a Drone Video Awards' Nature & Landscape nominee.

Former Drone Video of the Week Winner and 2023 DVOY nominee oculusfilms brings us this magnificent drone video from the sand dunes of the vast Empty Quarter desert in Dubai, one of the kingdoms which makes up the United Arab Emirates.  Also known as the Rub' al Khali, the Empty Quarter covers roughly the southern one-third of the Arabian Peninsula, including much of the UAE and portions of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman.  With a land area of about 250k square mi. (around 650k square km), it's considered one of the world's largest continuous deserts.  

Bachir_Photo_Phactory is one of the top content creators in the AirVuz community; he has been picked as a finalist for multiple awards and contests.  In this incredible piece, you'll get to see the highlights of his work over the course of 2019.  Most of the footage was captured in the United Arab Emirates, beinning with some epic shots of the Empty Quarter - the world's largest contiguous desert.  From there you'll see a series of "action" shots, including some great work with shadows, before heading to the skyscrapers of Dubai.  

He’s been nominated for a Drone Video Award for his aerial work featuring the city of Dubai, but this time around Bachir_Photo_Phactory is taking things up a notch. Featuring shots of the Arabian Desert, the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque, and the dozens of skyscrapers that make up Dubai’s skyline including the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa. He’ll also include shots of car racing, polo players, camels, horseback riders and many other people that make up the city.

What happens when the world's best freestyle first-person view (FPV) pilot takes on the planet's tallest building?  Find out in this epic piece by johnnyfpv, who managed to dive the Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper.  Completed in 2010, the 154 story behemoth rises nearly a kilometer (over a half a mile) into the sky - it's architectural height is 828 meters, or just over 2.7k feet. This video earned a nomination in the Cityscape category at the 6th Annual New York City Drone Film Festival.

Johnnyfpv is the undisputed king of the emerging art form known as cinematic first-person view.  In contrast to freestyle FPV or competitive FPV racing, with cinematic FPV the pilot's goal is to maximize the visual impact of the video captured. In this he has succeeded spectacularly; his work has appeared in TV commercials, music videos, and feature movies, and he has one of the largest social media followings of any drone pilot.  This video earned a nomination in the Cinematic FPV category at the NYCDFF.

The renowned hospitality found in Abu Dhabi draws millions of tourists every year to this city in the UAE. Locals warmly host all guests, just as travellers across the desert were welcomed in centuries past.  In addition to these courtesies, tourists are also offered attractions like the Drive Yas Marina Curcuit and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.  Top contributor Robin Maeter collaborated with Visit Abu Dhabi and Filmemacher Deutcheland to showcase the city in this impressive drone video for Etihad Airlines.

Bachir_Photo_Phactory has given us some of the best aerial views of Dubai we have ever seen. It should come as no surprise that his 2018 showreel contains some epic aerial views of this Middle Eastern city. Filled with shots of the Dubai skyline, endless sandy deserts surrounding the city, motocross and car chases, the reel culminates with a stunning shot of fireworks erupting from the Burj Khalifa tower - since its opening in 2010, the tallest building in the world. This video was a Drone Video of the Week Nominee in January of 2019.

The imposing yet perfectly arranged cityscape of Dubai enjoys a whole new look when captured via dronelapse, and top content creator Bachir Photo Factory knew just to pull this edit, which was nominated for Drone Video of the Week in October 2018 - together.  The glow of pulsing traffic at night, as well as the stunning night shots perfectly illustrate the busy, vibrant feel of modern Dubai. This video was also chosen as a Finalist in the Cities category for the second annual AirVuz Drone Video Awards.

When people think of the Middle Eastern nation known as the United Arab Emirates, they tend to think of its two great cities: Dubai and Abu Dhabi.  What's forgotten is that the UAE is actually a good-sized country in terms of land area: it covers almost 84k square km, or a bit over 32k square miles.  Only a small portion of that land is urban.  In this drone video by top contributor Moadh_Bukhash, you'll get a bird's eye view of a very different UAE, a stunningly beautiful landscape far from the towering skyscrapers.  

Check out these marvelous aerial views of one of the world's largest deserts and some epic dune buggy action, compliments of former DVOW Finalist twentyonebyninefilms.  The video filmed was with a DJI Mavic 3 Cine (and supplemented with ground camera footage) over the Empty Quarter in Dubai, one of the emirates which make up the Persian Gulf nation of the United Arab Emirates.  The Empty Quarter (Rub' al Khali) is a vast desert which covers roughly the lower third of the Arabian Peninsula, an area roughly equal to the USA state of Texas.  

Rub' al Khali or Liwa Desert (also known as the Empty Quarter) is the largest contiguous sand desert in the world.  Part of the Arabian Desert, it covers much of the Arabian Peninsula, including most of the United Arab Emirates.  The UAE portion of the desert became much more well known following its appearance as the dusty world of Jakku in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), the first of the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy.  In this video, you'll get an epic bird's eye view of Planet Jakku, courtesy of content creator and drone pilot Verano47.

The United Arab Emirates is comprised of seven semi-independent emirates, the largest and best known of which is Dubai.  The second largest is Abu Dhabi, which sits to the west of Dubai on the Persian Gulf and which accounts for nearly 90% of the total land area of the UAE.  Contributor Humzz used a drone to create this stunning aerial tour of the Abu Dhabi's namesake capital.  The UAE's "second city", Abu Dhabi has experienced less explosive growth compared to Dubai, yet still boasts an impressive array of its own skyscrapers.   

AirVuz contributor dvzvb brings us this excellent drone video of the Persian Gulf city of Sharjah, the third-largest city in the United Arab Emirates after Dubai and Abu Dhabi.  It's the capital of its namesake emirate, one of the seven which make up the UAE.  Sharjah is a bit north of the city (and emirate) of Dubai, roughly halfway between Abu Dhabi and the northern tip of the UAE.  The video features footage of the city's impressive skyline as well as other landmarks such as the Al Noor Mosque.

Top contributor Moadh_Bukhash created this amazing drone video of a popular tourist spot in the desert of the United Arab Emirates.  Fossil Rock is located just a few km/mi. to the south of Dhaid in Sharjah, one of the seven emirates (kingdoms) which makes up this Arab Middle Eastern federation.  It's located towards the northeastern end of the country, inland from the Persian Gulf.  The area around Fossil Rock is popular with off-roaders and is also home to some important archaeological sites.  

Qasar Al Sahab is a five-star resort in the heart of the Middle Eastern desert.  It's in the United Arab Emirates, not far from the city of Dubai.  Top contributor Fabio Knoll created a stunning drone video of the recently built resort.  The property is situated at the edge of the Empty Quarter, which covers roughly the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula and is the largest uninterrupted area of desert in the entire world.  This area achieved a degree of fame by appearing as the planet Jakku in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).

The Moreeb Dunes in the United Arab Emirates contain some of the highest sand dunes in the world.  The highest stands 300 meters (1k ft) above the desert floor, with a slope of nearly 50 degrees.  Contributor Paul Vlad used the dunes as backdrop for this stunning drone video, featuring aerial footage of a car driving through the endless desert as well as a model standing atop one of the dunes.  The Dunes are in a part of the Arabian Desert commonly known as the Empty Quarter, one of the world's largest contiguous desert areas.  

One of the fascinating things about the United Arab Emirates is the way that the very old and traditional scenes of its hinterlands contrasts with the modernity of it cities.  In this drone video by PaulVlad, you'll get an aerial view of a very traditional scene - a group of camels crossing the UAE desert.  Not so far geographically from the skyscrapers of Dubai, it would be almost impossible to distinguish this scene from one which could have been filmed (albeit not from a drone) two hundred years ago.  

Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the oil rich country known as the United Arab Emirates. Sitting off the mainland on an island in the Persian Gulf, the modern skyline and white-marble domes of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque make the city look like Dorthy’s mythical Oz. This incredible piece by T.E.S.T. Srls features the city, doing an excellent job showcasing its culture. We particularly enjoyed the shot at 20 seconds, where the protagonist stands in the white desert sands, staring ahead into the mirage-like city.  

There is a reason every drone pilot is willing to wake up in the early hours or stay out in the cold for just the last few minutes of sunlight. It is Golden Hour, aptly named because of the beautiful, golden hue the setting or rising sun casts on everything around it. In this video by Ghadir Shaar, you'll see a series of epic golden hour shots showing the intense natural beauty of the United Arab Emirates.  His previous video, "In Search of Elysium", was a finalist for the second annual Drone Video Awards.  

Somewhat confusingly, "Dubai" refers to one of the seven emirates (essentially, states) which make up the Persian Gulf nation of the United Arab Emirates, as well as the emirate's (and the UAE's) largest city.  In this drone video by Julien5720, you'll get a nice aerial mini-tour of the emirate as well as the city of Dubai.  The first part of the video was filmed outside of the city, in the vast desert known as the Empty Quarter.  Starting at about the 1:20 mark, you'll head into the city itself, home to the world's tallest skyscraper.  

Here's a nice aerial view of a resort-island in the Middle Eastern country of the United Arab Emirates, compliments of AirVuz contributor mohamadfilmmaker.  He filmed Nurai Island, which is a small private island in the Persian Gulf, just north of the city of Abu Dhabi.  It's reminiscent of the larger (and more well-known) island resorts in sister emirate Dubai (a bit further to the north), although Nurai is a natural (not man-made) island.  The island is reached via a 15 minute boat ride from the Abu Dhabi mainland.  

Already one of the world's top destinations, the United Arab Emirates is emerging as a global magnet for aquatic recreation enthusiasts.  In particular, the city's (generally) calm waters offer splendid spots for jetski enthusiasts.  In this drone video by AirVuz contributor and pilot obnasr4k, you'll see the jetskiing scene at the Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa in Ras Al Khaimah.  Ras Al Khaimah is the northernmost of the seven emirates which make up the UAE.  The video was shot with a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone.  

Top contributor and pilot PaulVlad used a DJI Mavic Pro drone to create this remarkable aerial video of the desert of the United Arab Emirates.  It was taken around Al Madam, which is a small town in Sharjah, one of the seven kingdoms (emirates) which makes up this important Middle Eastern country.  As you'll see from this video, this is serious sand dune country.  It's part of the so-called Empty Quarter, the largest contiguous desert area in the world. The desert covers much of the Arabian Peninsula.  

Treat yourself to this aerial tour of the expanses of the United Arab Emirates, compliments of contributor DxbDrone.  The video will take you into the desert territory of this country on the Arabian Peninsula, far from the towers of the UAE's two main cities.  This is the Empty Quarter (Rub' al Khali) a vast desert covering much of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and their Persian Gulf neighbors.  It's the largest contiguous desert in the world, covering about 650k square km (about 250k square mi.) of territory.  

Mleiha is a town in the Emirate of Sharjah, one of the seven kingdoms or emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates. It is known for its Archaeological Center and is home to a number of significant sites, including Bronze Age tombs and pre-Islamic forts. The desert surrounding the town is part of the great Rub' al Khali, the largest contiguous desert area in the world, which covers much of the Arabian Peninsula.  Check it out from above in this stunning drone video of the area by contributor Aerial Eye Visuals. 

The deserts in the non-urbanized parts of the United Arab Emirates are stunningly beautiful. The endless miles of sand, sun, and dunes make it quite the destination for aerial cinematographers. The "golden, silky sand dunes," as top aerial cinematographer Moadh_Bukhash puts it, are also perfect for off-roading. Take in the aerial views of these off-roaders tearing it up in the Empty Quarter, the world's largest contiguous stretch of desert.  The Empty Quarter covers roughly the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula. 

Like it's towering skyscrapers, Dubai's Love Lake represents another instance of this Middle Eastern emirate pushing the limits of humanity's ability to shape its environment.  It's a set of two heart-shaped interconnected lakes in the middle of the Empty Quarter, the world's largest contiguous Desert.  Opened in 2018, the giant lakes are visible from outer space.  An instant tourist attraction, you can check it out from a much lower altitude in this drone video by contributor and pilot Saw Johnnie.

See the remarkable deserts that surround Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and some of the fascinating creatures that inhabit it in this aerial film by drone pilot obnasr4k. The Arabian Gazelle is a herbivorous animal that lives only in the Arabian Peninsula. By adulthood, their average weight is around 53 pounds. What better way to see them than by Jeep?  Obnasr4K also captured a Jeep Wrangler, as it navigated through the sands, with his DJI Mavic 2 Pro and PolarPro Vivid Collection ND Filters in this short film

Here's a remarkable drone video of the "other Louvre", located not in Paris like the original but in the Middle Eastern nation of the United Arab Emirates.  It's situated in the island city of Abu Dhabi, the UAE's capital and second-largest city.  The massively expensive museum was undertaken with the full support and cooperation of the French government, and is the largest art museum on the Arabian Peninsula.  Opened in 2017, its collections include some of the world's finest works of art.

Check out this drone video of one of the largest mosques in the United Arab Emirates, compliments of contributor obnasr4k.  The Sharjah Mosque is located in Sharjah, one of the easternmost of the seven Emirates which make up this Persian Gulf country.  The mosque was inaugurated in 2019, following a five year construction period.  The site (including adjacent gardens) covers an enormous area of 190k square meters (about 2 million square ft.).   It can accommodate up to 25k worshipers, including 5k within the building itself.

Have you tried out the ActiveTrack flight mode setting on your DJI Mavic 2 Pro yet? Obnasr4k and his crew did on a recent mountain biking trip through a stretch of the Arabian Desert in the United Arab Emirates and we think it worked out pretty well! Hatta is an exclave of Dubai, the most well-known member of the confederation known as the United Arab Emirates. Located high in the Al Hajar Mountains, it is a popular getaway spot for residents of Dubai (and also Abu Dhabi, the UAE's second city) to travel to in the summer to escape the heat.  

Check out this excellent drone video of a well-known rock formation in the desert of the United Arab Emirates, compliments of AirVuz contributor and pilot obnasr4k.  Fossil Rock is located near the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in Sharjah, one of the seven emirates which make up this Persian Gulf federation.  As its name suggests, the rock is packed with fossils, remnants of the marine life which once thrived here when the area was underwater.  The area is part of a new desert park currently being developed.  

Multiple DVOW Winner oculusfilms brings us this fantastic drone video from the emirate of Dubai, which is part of the United Arab Emirates.  The video opens with some brilliant shots of the Marina District, an ultra-modern high-rise neighborhood just south of the CBD.  Then you'll get an overhead of the E11 highway, the main artery of the city.  At the :24 mark, you'll see the Atlantis The Palm hotel on (man-made) Palm Jumeirah archipelago.  Other highlights include the Jumeirah Mosque (:48), the Ain Dubai Ferris Wheel (1:27), and more.  

In one small corner of the UAE, one can see a desert, visually unchanged for centuries, juxtaposed against one of the world's most impressive and modern skylines.  Top content creator and pilot Madebyvadim used a DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone, combined with Sony and Canon ground cameras, to create this short but amazing video montage of the great city rising from the dunes of the ancient desert.  The city of Dubai sits on the edge of the Empty Quarter, generally regarded as the largest continuous desert area in the world.

Filming human subjects with drones is surprisingly difficult, in part because it's difficult for people to stand out with any kind of distance.  That's one of the reasons why deserts, with their wide-open and typically monochrome spaces make the perfect backdrop for these types of videos.  To see what we're talking about, check out this fantastic piece from Sinbad the Aviator, who filmed some beautiful and colorfully dressed women in the desert of the United Arab Emirates; note the distance from which they can be recognized as humans.