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FPV drone video tracks swimming race before ending with a splash

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Fast-action drone videos where the pilot throws on a headset to perform beautiful and incredible flying maneuvers are getting a lot of attention just lately.

This popular bowling alley video, for example, blew us away, while the fly-through of Man City’s soccer stadium was just as breathtaking. And we mustn’t forget this jaw-dropping tour of the Mall of America and this astonishingly creative wedding video.

The latest first-person-view (FPV) drone video to land on our radar comes courtesy of Will Strathmann, via DroneDJ.

The Denver, Colorado-based filmmaker and ace drone pilot has just posted some awesome footage of a swimming race. No, it wasn’t filmed at the Tokyo Games, but we won’t be at all surprised to see shots like this added to the coverage of the sporting extravaganza in the coming years. Check it out below.

400m Freestyle Swimming Relay - EPIC FPV One Take

Strathmann’s drone skills allow him to hurtle around the pool, mixing things up with rapid turns, climbs, and dives, while at the same time dodging obstacles such as bunting strung across the pool and tall poles around its perimeter.

The impressive 73-second video was filmed using a custom-built, waterproof FPV that allowed Strathmann to end the sequence with a spectacular splash. An audio track was recorded separately and added later to cover the sound of the drone.

In comments posted with the video, the skilled pilot says he’s now “two drones down,” suggesting Strathmann — or his remotely controlled copters — suffered several catastrophic accidents in the making of the video. But the final result suggests the losses were worth it.

Want to see more? Then check out this collection of some of the best FPV videos ever made, including an astonishing acrobatic sequence shot in and around an abandoned building, and an epic chase involving a roller coaster.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
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