Annual Reels: Best of 2017

“As important as that is to look where you’re going, also take the time to stop and look back at where you’ve been.” In this vivid aerial showcase, drone pilot and filmmaker Michael Roberts reflects on an epic year of travel around New Zealand with his drone and his imagination.  The video features epic aerials of iconic New Zealand scenes such as boating Milford Sound and fishing the cliffs of Canterbury. A year in the making, this is a drone video which is not to be missed! 

KopterCam knows how to pull together their best footage into a carefully selected, highly-charged demo reel.  In this compilation video, they've showcased the premium moments of their 2017 productions, culminating with the recognition of a category 'win' at the 2017 NYC Drone Film Festival.  Their technique and raw talent is evident in the selection of drone footage. Bravo, KopterCam on this great recap of your impressive projects!

Sweeping shots, an intense sound track, and enough action to keep us glued from clip to clip...FNDKYPM includes all of the integral features of a highly stylized promo reel, and the video collage is remarkable.  Drones themselves are, of course, essential to the drama by offering both aerial views and zooming close-ups.  This edgy, captivating showcase of FNDKYPM's best work in 2017 is a true testament to their talent.

Top content creator Infinity Visuals is one of the most well-qualified professional drone piloting companies in Venezuela.  They have a nationwide reputation for doing some of the most technically demanding work, such as filming major concerts and sporting events, and in high-risk zones.  Their demo reel includes some amazing highlights of this highly demanding work, at the same time providing epic bird's eye views of some of the most beautiful spots in this major South American country.

AirVuz contributor Bahia Drones is one of the top drone piloting companies in Brazil. Operating out of Bahia (Brazil's fourth largest state by population), their work spans the width of Brazil.  This is their 2017 highlight reel, which gives an idea of the scope of their commercial drone work.  Created using several drone models, the video includes beaches, cities, people - all the sights and sounds of Brazil, particularly in the state of Bahia, the largest state in the country's Northeast region.  

Drone videographer Ben Freely had plenty of vivid footage from which to pull curated clips for his 2017 Showreel: his popular series "From the Sky" provided aerial content from stunning destinations like Vietnam, Singapore, and Ireland. Just as we're pretty excited he always packs his drone on his travels, we're also already looking forward to the montage of his 2018 adventures.

Top contributor French RC created this brilliant aerial reel showing some of the highlights of their work on the French Riviera.  The video opens with an epic shot of the tiny private island called Île d'Or, which lies off the coast of Saint-Raphaël, in the Var Department.  From there, you'll see some amazing views of the cities and coastal cliffs along the famed coastline and other landmarks like the bridge near the Massif de l'Esterel and even a hang glider around the 1:05 mark.  

Saskatchewan is one of Canada's prairie provinces, situated between Alberta (to the west) and Manitoba (to its east).  The landscape of Saskatchewan is similar to that of the USA state of North Dakota, which lies immediately to its south.  EpicJib, one of the top drone pilots in the province, created this epic demo reel showing both the breadth of their work as well as the beauty of this province which extends from the USA border to the Northern Territories and is the only Canadian province with no natural borders.