Did you get a drone for Christmas? I know some of you did and I know a lot more people will be interested in the video I’m publishing in today’s blog. I predict a range of reaction from slack-jawed wonder to spittle-spewing high dudgeon that people like this are now invading our sacred airspace. (Better get used to it.)
The FAA would have apoplexy if anyone tried this in the U.S. because it would want the operator to have an ATP, a current medical and a filed flight plan. So they did the thing in Finland, were drone regulations are much more liberal. Next time you think to complain about the social democracies in Europe stifling innovation, know that drone development is often more creative there than here. Having said that, I believe the drone was designed and built in the U.S. and it’s a piece of work.
First, a little background. Unless you’re a YouTube aficionado, you’re not likely to know who the protagonist is, Casey Neistat. Short description: He’s a high school dropout from Connecticut who built a multimillion-dollar fortune by becoming among a handful of YouTube stars with millions of subscribers and views. He’s done more than 500 daily VLOGs, many shot on a booster board sluicing through Manhattan traffic. Drones figure prominently in his productions. Yet he’s not even in the top 10 YouTube stars. Not the top 20, either.
The man-carrying drone project produced several videos, this being the main one. (Short version.) But the more interesting one is the version I’ve placed in the viewer, in which Neistat explains how it all works. I think it’s better on several counts. First, it shows him in his shop and based on the many videos I have seen, he’s a skilled and creative builder of things. This video also shows his manic but engaging style which shouldn’t work, but does. I’ve made enough YouTube videos myself to understand the technical challenge and stylistic brilliance of what he does—like three camera angles for a two-second shot. It’s a kind of filmmaking that’s perfectly suited to YouTube and looks easy—until you try it.
What I like about this drone project is its unfettered creativity marked by the marriage of two technologies—emerging drone tech and burgeoning online media. The aircraft itself is a tour de force, but there’s no point to it other than the entertainment value of the video. That’s enough.
Shortly after this appeared, barely a week ago, the conspiracy theories claiming it was faked popped up almost on cue. Neistat explains how the film was shot and you can decide for yourself what parts you think may be faked. Looks real enough to me. I’m standing by to be corrected.
The specs on the drone itself are staggering if they’re correct. It’s a hexadecacopter (16 rotors) or, if you prefer, an octocopter with dual rotors. Total horsepower is just over 100, with a 165-pound gross weight and 1050 pounds of thrust. According to Neistat, the total lifted vehicle weight for the video was about 365 pounds. (In some of shots, he’s wearing a lift web.)
I realize some in our pilot audience will hate the very idea of what’s going on here. Something involving flying done purely for spectacle. But really, how’s that any different from an airshow? I’ll admit to being enthralled by the fascinating intersection of two technologies in a creative and entertaining way, showing once again that we live in an age of wonder.
Casey Neistat’s wild drone ride.
