Tree Proximity FPV

AirVuz-sponsored first person view (FPV) pilot phluxyfpv got started in racing quads using an FPV simulator, and then graduated to "Tiny Whoop" style micro-drones.  That was just the beginning: he has since become a member of the elite fraternity of professional drone racing pilots, having sign on with the Drone Racing League for the DRL's first season on NBC.  In this amazing piece, he shows us what one of the world's top FPV pilots can do with the classic FPV "sub-genre" of tree proximity flight.  

Since its beginnings, one of the most challenging type of first person view (FPV) drone flight has been to fly through and over groups of trees.  Initially, such efforts yielded thrills for pilots but the resulting video footage was often difficut to watch.  How times have changed.  Check out this fantastic "tree proximity" FPV video by top AirVuz contributor Lervik FPV.  Soaring over a forest in Norway, the highly cinematic piece is a true joy to watch; that's why it was picked for the FPV Pilots to Watch list in December of 2021.     

An idyllic city park in Tarbes, Frances provided both the technical challenge and serene backdrop for this beautiful flight from FPV pilot CaZa FPV.  Watch carefully as he weaves through the tightest of gaps between branches, along the walking trails, under the weeping willow, and along a small stream to give us all an aerial tour just as the birds would see it.  This was CaZa FPV's first video on AirVuz, and based on how zen we're all feeling after watching, you can see why we put him on our FPV Pilots to Watch list in February 2020. 

Top AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot Harley Queen FPV is back with a new way of flying. The Australian-based pilot is always working on her technique and pushing the boundaries for what a mini quad can do. This time she’s found a relatively open field to fly through, mixed with some nearly-barren trees. Her tree proximity work is what really stands out in this technical piece. This outstanding view was selected for the AirVuz FPV Pilots to Watch list in November, 2019. 

Beware when flying in close proximity to solid objects. FPV pilot Florian LE PRIOL was reminded of this when flying between some thick brush and trees recently. Tree proximity flying is when a drone racing pilot freestyle (or flying without a pre-made race course) flies as close as they can to trees and their branches. This video shows just how hard that can be, especially when flying at speeds like Florian LE PRIOL. Good thing his technique is on point; this video earned a spot on the FPV Pilots to Watch list in August, 2019. 

It’s amazing what GoPros and mini quads can do when paired together.  To see what we mean, just look at this video by AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot Dragon FPV. It’s a tree proximity freestyle technical flight, the likes of which we’ve rarely seen. He’s using his skills as a pilot and matching them up with the software behind the GoPro MAX to create this surreal look at the forest around him. This video was selected as an AirVuz FPV Pilots to Watch video in November of 2019.

Collaborating with a dynamic mountain biker, FPV pilot Upsidedown FPV brings us this epic mini quad video. A German World Cup circuit rider, Jasper Jauch is an impressive athlete. Pilot and rider met at a closed course in Bavaria, Germany to capture this fantastic chase through the woods.  Watch as pilot and biker a like twist, fly and nearly crash down the dominating hillside, all in dynamic, high-definition quality.  This video was selected for the AirVuz FPV Pilots to Watch list in May of 2019.

This was just one of those moments where everything clicked for pilot Gab707. A perfect location he’d never flown that just worked for the professional pilot as soon as he powered up. The tree proximity work in this piece is absolutely insane. You almost forget to appreciate it because of how silky smooth his flight and lines are. Give it a watch, any Star Wars fan will feel like they’re taking a ride through the trees at Battle of Endor.  This was picked for the FPV Pilots to Watch list in July of 2019.

Just like the title says, top AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot Humboldt710 is just an eagle in the trees. The location he’s taking us to in this freestyle flight is so lush and green, it looks like he’s in the middle of a mystical movie set. Flying tight to the treeline and through the thick foliage, this short, high-definition video by one of the world's top FPV pilots is cinematic and highly entertaining. Humboldt710 was named an AirVuz FPV Pilot to Watch in October of 2019.

In this excellent person view (FPV) piece by AirVuz contributor and FPV pilot SE_FPV, you'll see the effect that the ReelSteady post-production stabilization software has on FPV footage.  The software took the footage from a GoPro Hero 5 Session and stabilizes it, in effect compensating for the lack of a gimbal on FPV racing quads.  Beginning with some great tree-proximity work and then shifting to a concrete jungle setting, it's a highly cinematic piece which was picked for the FPV Pilots to Watch list in July of 2019.

Sometimes all you need is a challenge and 24 hours. At least that was the case with this stellar tree-bending, proximity winter flight by AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot mrram_fpv. The Drone Video Awards nominee was challenged to create a fantastic flight in just 24 hours by Rotor Riot’s StingersSwarm, and man did he deliver. It’s new-age cinematic FPV meets old school raw, but it’s 100% fabulous to watch, earning him an FPV Pilots to Watch nod in February of 2019.

Tree dancing, tree proximity, ghost branches and more. This first person view (FPV) video by top AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot KrissKwadd runs the whole tree-gamut, demonstrating a whole range of technical tricks necessary to master this difficult flight form. You’ll be left impressed and inspired after seeing just how quickly he can navigate the branches through these trees. This flight was great enough to land our pilot on the AirVuz FPV Pilots to Watch list in April of 2019.

Let’s face it, we all crash. Truer words have never been spoken in the first person view (FPV) drone community, which is why AirVuz contributor and FPV pilot AsikDrone is giving us this tree proximity video with both smooth footage and crashes alike. The space he’s found is like something out of a children’s book, a public woods with thin, winding gravel trails between trees and ground completely covered in green foliage. It’s such a cool space with such nice flying you’ll find yourself saying, what crashes?

With his legendary first person view (FPV) drone flying skills, Canadian pilot and AirVuz contributor has produced some of the most amazing freestyle FPV videos.  Given his home in heavily forested Western Canada, it's perhaps not surprising that some of his best videos have been of the "tree proximity" sub-genre, which (as the name suggests) involves flying a racing quad at insanely fast speed through the woods. See for yourself in this sweet session, where he effortlessly dodges pine trees in the woods of British Columbia.  

While tree proximity flight has long been a staple of the first person view (FPV) freestyle video world, most of these videos are meant to show flying skill - as you can imagine, flying a mini-quad at high speed through a forest involves some serious hand-eye coordination.  This piece by AirVuz contributor and FPV pilot mrram_fpv represents a different take on the tree proximity video.  Shot at sunset, the focus of the video is much more cinematic, using the quad as a way to show the inherent beauty of the forest from a new perspective.  

AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot Wild Willy FPV is without doubt one of the world's top mini quad pilots.  One of the few true professional drone racers (he's been a fixture on the Drone Racing League for several seasons), his technical flying skills are as good as they get.  That's what makes this reel so well worth a watch.  While it features footage from a variety of settings, the core of the reel is one of the most technically demanding styles of flight: flying through the woods, aka tree proximity flight.  

AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot zsolteefpv put together this fantastic twist on the classic "tree proximity" style of FPV video.  Highly cinematic, the video shows him flyng through the woods, in the wintertime.  In a twist though, the objective isn't just to get through without crashing.  Rather, it's to find a castle hidden somewhere in the deep woods.  We won't give away the ending, but we will tell you that this is a highly watchable and creative bit of FPV video.   

Check out the crazy layers of color in this fall, first person view (FPV), through the woods flight by AirVuz contributor and FPV pilot andersbjerkness. In this under-one-minute piece, he’ll take his mini quad through northern state of Minnesota in the peak of fall. You’ll see pockets of completely bare birch trees surrounded by gold, yellow, and orange, but not a leaf of green. Andersbjerkness does a little tree proximity work through those bare spots, highlighting the beauty of even the empty trees. 

Join FPV master airblastr while he races through the woods chasing a professional mountain biker! The lines and cinematic shots he's able to capture are one of a kind, as they were taken at a super-high speed that's only possible with a nimble, yet lightning-fast racing drone. This cruise through the woodland track around the biker will blow your mind (and perhaps push your heart rate up a few clicks as well). This video is a 2nd Annual Drone Video Awards' FPV Freestyle Technical nominee.

Some of the earliest first person view (FPV) videos were filmed in the forests, including the famous "Star Wars" video which lit up YouTube in 2014.  While most of the so-called "tree proximity" videos have focused on pilot flying skills rather than watchability, the sub-genre has seen some shift toward more cinematic video content.  That's definitely the flavor in evidence here in this beautiful video from Germany's fabled Black Forest by nik.scherer, who won himself a spot on the FPV Pilots to Watch list in June, 2020.  

FPV plus MTB is the shorthand for this video.  A first-person view (FPV) mini-drone flying through the woods chasing mountain bikers (MTB).  And who better to pull this off than DVA winner and FPV pilot extraordinaire Red-FPV?  Watch as he takes us through an adrenaline-charging flight in this mountain bike chase drone video.  Riding in perfect tandem with the cyclist as he charges downhill, winding through trees, he also takes a few chance moments to throw in a few maneuvers and exhibit his epic technical flying skills.  

Go on a slow-mo first person view (FPV) drone flight through a fresh green forest, complete with a babbling brook (for full effect, right?) in this charming yet enthralling drone video.  Pro drone racer and Team AirVūz pilot Gab707 really rustles up the foliage, keeping his customized quad tight to the woodland features in his gallant ode to the beautiful trees and surrounding landscape. This one will definitely "leave" you wanting more (and no, we're not apologizing for that pun either...)

Natural sound in video editing is like the cherry on top of the best ice cream cone. Is it absolutely necessary? No, but it adds everything to the finished look, or in this case, sound. Top AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot Stephen Peot inserts nat sound from the forest he’s flying through, really allowing all of us to take in a true, first person view experience. This video was such a great example of FPV "tree proximity" flight, we had to share it on our AirVuz social media pages.

Bangdung is the capital of Indonesia's West Java province.  Tegalega Park, a heavily forested area surrounding the city, is perfect for first person view (FPV) "tree proximity" flight, in which is (as the name suggests) flying a mini-quad through the trees.  That's exactly what AirVuz contributor and FPV pilot Ramboaripratama did in this video, which (unlike many tree proximity videos, in which the emphasis is on showing the pilot's technical flying skills) is highly cinematic and easy to watch.  

Flying a first person view (FPV) mini-quad at high speed through trees is no easy task, and many a quad has been lost in these settings.  How about this for a twist on the standard "tree proximity" FPV sub-genre: chasing another quad through the woods(!).  That's exactly what top AirVuz contributor and FPV pilot Team Farins does in this piece.  It's vaguely reminiscent of the famous video shot by a French team in the (long ago) year of 2014, a video which was hugely influential in launching the first generation of FPV pilots. 

Brilliant yellows, rusty oranges, lime greens, chocolate browns are the colors that litter the forest in fall and pop off the screen in this camera drone / first person view (FPV) combo film by AirVuz contributor and drone pilot Droneruk. The piece opens with top-down views of the colors, shot on the DJI Mavic Pro and Mavic 2 Pro. It set the mood, but the real meat of the piece was in the freestyle element. Flying his 5 inch quad through the colorful forest, the tree proximity flying had to have been epic for this pilot.

The sakura, aka cherry blossoms, are world-famous in Japan. The island country sees a boost in tourism in March and April because of the blossoming reds, pinks, and whites of the trees. First-person view (FPV) pilot luvtheearth1984 shows us what those blossoms look like up close in this micro quad flight, in which he films the blossoms with an HD camera mounted atop a small racing drone. His proximity flying through the candy-colored trees creates a new perspective on this visually appealing scene.  

AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot FrankyMoiss shows off some VERY impressive flight skills in this piece, which was shot flying through the trees on a snow-covered mountain.  Flying through forests with an FPV racing quad is not for the faint of heart, but doing this in the snow takes things to a whole different level - one false move in this environment and that drone is gone forever.  For his bravery and flying skills, FrankyMoiss earned a spot on the FPV Pilots to Watch list in February, 2021.  

Did you know Sun Wukong - also known as the Monkey King - is a legendary character in Chinese folklore with immense strength and speed?  In this fantastic first person view (FPV) drone video, AirVuz contributor and FPV pilot Fit FPV cleverly shows us how the legendary figure would get through the foliage himself!  A highly cinematic example of "tree proximity" video content, this highly watchable video was picked as a selection for the AirVuz FPV Pilots to watch list in December of 2018.

AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot antonvs fpv is keeping it crispy in this autumn FPV flight video. His location is filled with the beauty of fall color; bright oranges and reds fill all of the trees while the grass remains green at the countryside estate in Austria. He’ll work on his tree proximity throughout the piece, flying low to the ground and making tight turns around the various sculptures in the garden. It’s an easy viewing flight for any fan of FPV or fall colors. 

Check out this tree proximity flight work by AirVuz contributor and first person view (FPV) pilot MagFly.  He uses his FPV mini-quad to take us out through the trees that surround Lake Arareco, located high in the Sierra Madre Occidental range in northwestern Mexico. The U-shaped lake is surrounded by the unique rock formations and pine forest through which this talented pilot is floating.  In a twist on the typical tree proximity video, much of the video is shot with the HD camera facing backwards.  

One of the first video applications of first-person view (FPV) mini-drones was tree proximity flight - basically, flying very fast through a forest.  While it can be exhilarating to watch for some, it can induce motion sickness in other viewers.  That's what makes this piece by MiLiKo such an easy watch.  He used a "cinewhoop" style drone to fly through the forest, but at a much more cinematic speed. At the same time, he uses the greater maneuverability to put some real "prox" in "tree proximity"!  

In this special AirVuz Originals production, a group of FPV pilots head to the Redwood Forests of California to re-create a famous movie scene using racing drones.  One of the most memorable scenes from the 1983 Star Wars film Return of the Jedi (the third to be released but officially Star Wars VI) was the speeder bike chase scene on the planet Endor.  In this video, the racing drones are decked out to look like speeder bikes, and the "race" is held in the California's Redwood Forest, the same location where the movie was filmed.