World’s best FPV drone shot?
An iconic event captured like never before
The challenge
Red Bull came to us with a bold idea: capture the chaos of Cerro Abajo—the world’s wildest urban downhill mountain bike race—in a single, continuous FPV drone shot. No cuts. No do-overs. Just one take to make history.
We needed to plan, shoot, and deliver something truly unforgettable—not just for the MTB faithful, but for a global YouTube audience with sky-high expectations.
The pressure? Immense. The margin for error? Zero.
The insight
We know what makes people stay, share, and shout online. And on YouTube, the best content rewards the viewer’s patience and attention with a payoff that hits hard. That was the human truth at the core of this idea.
That meant more than just tech wizardry. We had to build anticipation, structure the story to tease the hero shot, and make sure that final FPV sequence delivered—a jaw-dropper worth rewatching, commenting on, and sending to your mates with a “you NEED to see this.”
The game plan
We’d use the opening minutes of the film to ramp tension and curiosity, before unleashing a full, no-cuts FPV flythrough of one of the gnarliest courses in mountain biking. Think rooftops, stair gaps, alleyways, crowds—threaded at speed in a single, flowing drone move.
It would be the first time the race had ever been filmed this way—and with it, we’d show fans an iconic event from a perspective they’d never seen before.
Bringing it to life
We partnered with the Dutch Drone Gods to develop a custom FPV drone setup that could survive Valparaíso’s brutal, unpredictable terrain. But pulling this off needed more than just flying talent. Our Production team meticulously prepped every second of the route—navigating permissions, timing runs, safety logistics, and contingency plans.
We applied our YouTube-first strategy from start to finish—editing for maximum retention, shaping the viewer journey, and pushing engagement through smart promotion. Then we hit the ground in Chile, took a deep breath… and nailed the one-shot wonder.
The results
Red Bull’s most-engaged-with YouTube content of 2022
6.5+ million organic YouTube views (and counting)
Massive boost in watch time and audience retention metrics
Winner – Best Short Form Content, 2022 Broadcast Sport Awards
Silver – SportsPro OTT Awards
Viral success across MTB and mainstream audiences alike
In Cut Media, we found a crew that did not shy away from the unknown. Together, we achieved something most mere mortals could only dream of.”
ARCHIE HAWKES, RED BULL SOCIAL CONTENT PRODUCER
WORLD’S BEST FPV DRONE SHOT
