9 Mind Blowing Videos from Johnny FPV
BY Zacc Dukowitz
1 February 2022Over the last few years drone pilot Johnny Schaer (aka Johnny FPV)—has gone from viral drone pilot to famous Hollywood drone cinematographer.
He first broke onto the drone scene as one of the first drone racing pilots to compete in the Drone Racing League (DRL), which launched in 2015. From there he went on to compete in the Drone Champions League (DCL) as well, but ultimately turned his attention to cinematic FPV flying.
This shift in focus turned out to be a great thing for the drone world, because he’s produced some of the most high quality FPV drone videos that have been ever made. In fact, he’s built such a name for himself that he’s had drones and cameras named after him—you’ll see them listed below in the details about his videos.
Throughout his drone career Schaer has worked with major brands, including Red Bull, Mercedes, Nike, Ford, DJI and BMW (to name just a few).
Last year alone, he worked with Porsche to shoot for the launch of its Taycan Cross Turismo, shot FPV action sequences for the Netflix blockbuster Red Notice, and partnered with the NFL to shoot a fast-paced promo for the 2022 ProBowl.
And those are just some of his recent projects. Check out this roundup of our favorites among his videos to see his impressive flying and his incredible eye for getting just the right shot on full display.
1. NFL ProBowl
Talk about energy! In the description of this video Johnny Schaer writes, “‘Go rip up the Las Vegas Strip hahaha challenge accepted.”
And that’s exactly what he did. The video starts at Caesar’s Palace, then takes a huge plunge down a replica of the Eiffel Tower before shooting over to Allegiant Stadium at high speed. The flying is so fast in this video that it makes the average cinewhoop-style fly through look like it’s barely moving.
Video details
- Drone: Lumenier QAV-S—JohnnyFPV Special Edition
- Camera: RED Komodo
- Music: Run It by DJ Snake, Rick Ross and Rich Brian
2. Porsche
You don’t have to be a fan of sports cars to enjoy the impressive aerial cinematography, trick flying, and exotic locations featured in this video, which was made to promote the launch of Porsche’s new Taycan Cross Turismo in 2021.
Two identical race tracks were made in two completely opposite locales for the creation of this video—one in the snowy woods of Finland, the other in the desert landscape of the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.). Watch as the two tracks blend seamlessly into one in this mesmerizing video.
Video details
- Drone: Custom build
- Camera: RED Komodo; FreeFly Wave camera; GoPro Hero 7 Black
3. Welcome to Paradise (Miami FPV Freestyle)
From high rise hotels to remote lighthouses, this FPV video shot in Miami features some skilled piloting coupled with beautiful shots of the ocean and beach.
Video details
- Drone: AstroX X5 Freestyle Frame—Johnny FPV V2
- Camera: GoPro Hero7 Black; RunCam Swift Mini 2—JohnnyFPV Edition
- Music: Silence by Marshmello ft. Khalid
4. Red Notice Action Footage
Johnny Schaer shot all the aerial action shots in Red Notice, an action-comedy starring Gal Godot, The Rock, and Ryan Reynold that came out late last year. Netflix made Red Notice, and it secured the top spot for biggest opening day for a movie on the platform when it premiered.
This was Schaer’s first time working on a Hollywood movie—we’re pretty sure it won’t be his last.
Video details
- Drone: Lumenier QAV—Johnny FPV Special Edition
5. Mercedes Rented out an Airport in Spain
Although Schaer put this movie out late last year, the footage was shot two years back, when he was working on a commercial for Mercedes.
The shoot took place in Ciudad Real, in Spain, where Mercedes rented out an entire airport just to get shots for the commercial. Take a look!
Video details
- Drone: Lumenier QAV—Johnny FPV Special Edition
- Music: Boy by Muddy Monk
6. My Craziest FPV Experience
Johnny Schaer is an amazing tour guide. In this video he made for YouTube channel Beautiful Destinations, we get an up close, whirlwind tour of Cappadocia, Turkey, which is home to famous hot air balloons, fairy chimneys, and ancient cave towns.
The video featured above is a short cut made by Schaer—watch the longer version he made for the Beautiful Destinations channel here.
Video details
- Drone: AstroX X5 Freestyle Frame—JohnnyFPV V2
- Camera: RunCam Swift Mini 2—JohnnyFPV Edition; GoPro Hero 7 Black
- Music: 6 Days by Mahmut Orhan & Colonel Bagshot
7. Sandscape
To make this video, the city of Adu Dhabi gave Schaer permission to fly in some of their most iconic locations. Which makes sense, because the video is an advertisement made for the Department of Culture & Tourism Abu Dhabi.
In the video, you’ll see the Presidential Palace of the U.A.E. (Adu Dhabi is the capital of the country), the world’s fastest roller coaster, and—of course—the beautiful golden sand dunes that surround the city.
Video details
- Drone: AstroX X5 Freestyle Frame—JohnnyFPV V2;
- Camera: RunCam Swift Mini 2—JohnnyFPV Edition
- Music: Drifting by Two Lanes
8. Deep in the Guatemalan Jungle
The name for this video is a bit of a misnomer, since it features footage not just from Guatemala but also from three other locations—here’s the video description, which calls out all four spots where this beautiful footage was captured:
Deep in the Guatemalan jungle with Yes Theory, the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, sending it down buildings with Formula Drift, and some Mountain Biking with Red Bull. Life’s been crazy recently!
Video details
- Drone: AstroX X5 Freestyle Frame—JohnnyFPV V2
- Camera: RunCam Swift Mini 2—JohnnyFPV Edition; GoPro Hero 7 Black
9. Diving the Tallest Building in the World—Burj Khalifa FPV
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world—it has 160 stories and stands about 2,716 feet in the air.
If you’ve seen Mission Impossible—Ghost Protocol, then you’re familiar with this building, since it’s the location for a hair raising fight scene with Tom Cruise. And this video, if you can believe it, features footage shot Johnny Schaer was allowed to shoot there.
Given that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently banned recreational drones, this footage could be the last we’ll ever see from the Burj Khalifa. Lucky for us, it’s incredible.
Video details
- Drone: Johnny Frame V2
- Camera: RunCam Swift Mini 2—JohnnyFPV Edition; GoPro Hero 7 Black
Want more? Check out Johnny FPV’s YouTube channel to see all of his work.
