Flying Pictures has introduced its “Cinematography’s Most Powerful Drone” called ULTRA. This heavy-lift drone is capable of a maximum payload capacity of up to 60kg/132lbs and a Maximum Take-Off Mass of 110kg/243lbs. The ULTRA is dedicated to high-end cinematography applications and can be used as a valid alternative to a helo.
Flying Pictures – An Aerial Filming company
Flying Pictures is a world leader in the provision of helicopter & drone filming services for feature films, television, commercials, and live broadcast events. They are based in the UK, but operate throughout Europe and worldwide. Flying Picture experts have designed the ULTRA form the ground up in order to allow solutions for filmmakers that need to take up their cinema cameras paired with cinema lenses up in the air to get the shot.
Cinematography’s Most Powerful Drone.
Flying Pictures
ULTRA: “Cinematography’s Most Powerful Drone”
According to Flying Pictures, the ULTRA is “Cinematography’s Most Powerful Drone”. The ULTRA was developed and built in-house to set a new benchmark in drone cinematography. “With a maximum payload capacity of up to 60kg and the UK CAA approved to operate in congested areas, ‘Ultra’ is the biggest and safest drones out there” the company states.
Check out the video below to see the ULTRA in action:
60kg/132lb payload
The Ultra can lift previously unheard of payload combinations with a maximum payload capacity of up to 60kg/132lb. An example package would be the Libra L7 with the Flying Pictures designed 3-Camera Alexa Mini Multi-Array, CP3 lenses, and full RTMotion lens control system weighing in at 50kg/110lb. Furthermore, the company says that the Ultra is the only drone capable and approved to fly the industry-standard Libra L7 remote head.
An example package would be the Libra L7 with the Flying Pictures designed 3-Camera Alexa Mini Multi-Array, CP3 lenses, and full RTMotion lens control system weighing in at 50kg/110lb.
Shotover M1 on a drone
The ULTRA has a Max Take-Off Mass (MTOM) of 110kg / 243lbs, and a top speed of 56kts+/105kmh making it a valid helo alternative for dynamic high-speed action sequences. It is capable of mounting all payload combinations either underslung or top-mounted, offering limitless creativity. The Ultra can even put the sublime stability and performance of the Shotover M1 to work.
Heavy drones for high-end productions
The price of the ULTRA yet to be revealed. However, I assume that you can’t buy it. This mighty drone needs a specialized team to operate it professionally. The closest drone that I can think of, in terms of payload capacity, is the XM2 Sierra that can lift an ALEXA 65 (read: Meet the XM2 Sierra: A Drone for the ALEXA 65). Nevertheless, its payload is about 65 pounds and a maximum takeoff weight of 150 pounds which is a lot less than the ULTRA. Flying and operate these beasts is an art that demands a high level of professionalism. In some cases, it will be smarter to rent a team that can bring a helo, which allows more cinematographic freedom in many aspects (we’ll get to that in a later post). Nevertheless, the combination of payload and speed locates the ULTRA in a promising stance for aerial cinematography.
