Verge Aero flies world's first music video drone show with PNAU posted: 08/10/2019
Verge Aero, the specialist in high performance drone light shows, placed its drone technology at the heart of a ground-breaking new music video by award-winning Australian dance music trio PNAU, featuring American singer Ollie Gabriel. The project marked the first use of a large-scale drone light show in a music video.
PNAU's Nick Littlemore and video director Benjamin Kutsko came up with the concept for the All Of Us' video shoot, after Littlemore witnessed a drone light show at a festival. We wanted to do something that felt like a psychedelic Close Encounters' with this singer out in the desert, said Kutsko.
Kutsko's research led him to Verge Aero CEO Nils Thorjussen, who was able to answer his questions about the drones' performance and reliability, including how well they deal with winds. When Benjamin called me about his idea, I knew there was really nobody else who could give them the kind of services that we were able to give them, said Thorjussen. We're the only company with this kind of sophisticated toolkit.
In Kutsko's concept, the drones would appear as an intelligent force, interacting with Ollie Gabriel's character. I wanted it to feel alive, as if this organism was communicating, he said. The lights and shapes would be part of the universal language of math.
Over a six-week period, Kutsko worked closely with Thorjussen and the Verge Aero team, including programmer Tony Samaritano and developer Chris Franza, using WYSIWYG previsualization to perfect the various looks that would be flown on location. The Verge Aero team created algorithms to breathe life into Kutsko's designs, and programmed smooth color changes in his chosen palette of blues, purples and pinks.
The programmers helped to make the color changes feel organic, said Kutsko, as if they were moving through the swarm instead of just changing or blinking. I didn't want anything that felt electronic or programmed. I wanted to give it life.
On location, outside of Los Angeles, all 81 drones flew seven times over the course of the all-night shoot, with each flight carefully choreographed for safe operation. Their flexible and robust design meant they were always ready for action whenever needed by the film crew. We had videos of everything that would happen so we could really go through the moments with Ollie, Kutsko said. Everybody knew where the drones were and to not to go into the operational area, even while they were up in the air. We never crossed that area.
Safety was paramount throughout the planning process, said Thorjussen. Benjamin wanted to swarm the drones as close as possible to the singer, Ollie, while keeping safety in mind. We implemented a variety of additional safety measures and gave Ollie direct control over the drones so that he could initiate abortive maneuvers at any time.
It was great working with Nils and his team, said Kutsko. They're very passionate about what they do and they brought a lot of heart to this project.
About Verge Aero
Verge Aero's mission is to empower creative professionals with its proprietary drone show hardware and control software. Its fully integrated platform makes it fast in easy to go from creative vision to reality using sophisticated programming and previsualization tools. The robust Verge Aero system deploys rapidly, making it possible to go from creative brainstorming to actual flight in minutes. Verge Aero is fully approved by the FAA to fly drone shows in the US. Learn more at www.Verge.Aero
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
06/05/2026
Gravity Media Chief RF Communications Engineer Glenn Willems uses Wisycom RF over Fiber and wireless solutions across major cycling events and international mar...
06/05/2026
A Sennheiser Spectera module is now available in Bitfocus Companion and Buttons, enabling direct integration of Spectera with the two software platforms. The mo...
06/05/2026
Ted Turner, the visionary media entrepreneur whose appetite for disruption helpe...
06/05/2026
Peacock is going all-in on the beautiful game - streaming all 104 FIFA World Cup...
06/05/2026
New pricing tiers for vocal/dialogue restoration tool
NoiseWorks Audio's AI-powered vocal and dialogue processing plug-in is now available in three diff...
06/05/2026
Popular mixing & routing software overhauled
Following a recent public beta test, RME have launched the final release version of the powerful mixing and rou...
06/05/2026
New SOS Video Feature
Focusrites ISA C8X is a milestone product that brings together the companys analogue heritage and their expertise in digital audio. Yo...
06/05/2026
Polands Miecznik-class frigates are part of the largest contract in Polish shipbuilding history. (Image Credit: PGZ Stocznia Wojenna)...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Riedel Communications today announced the expansion of its leadership structure as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen both its operational management ...
06/05/2026
For nearly three decades, Veteran Production Sound Mixer and Five-time Emmy Award Winner Dirk Sciarrotta has helped define the sonic identity of the long-runnin...
06/05/2026
ZEISS CinCraft LensCore: Cinema Lens Looks for Compositing
Brie Clayton May 6, 2026
0 Comments
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a nove...
06/05/2026
Wisycom Solves Extreme RF Challenges Across Miles of Live Action for Gravity Med...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Narrative Entertainment has partnered with Encompass to deliver high-quality subtitling of its Great! network content using the Altitude Intelligence AI assiste...
06/05/2026
SipRadius, widely recognized for making content processing and connectivity secure and seamless, is proud to launch a dramatic new approach to AI content creati...
06/05/2026
When the broadband and media industry gathers at ANGA COM in Cologne from May 19 to 21, Big Blue Marble will be at the forefront. The international broadcast an...
06/05/2026
Cinegy GmbH, a leading developer of software-defined television technology, is proud to exhibit at MPTS for the first time. Visitors to the stand will discover ...
06/05/2026
Val Jeanty Receives 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award Jeanty, a composer, percussionist, and turntablist, is the fourth Berklee recipient of the prestigious award ...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
06/05/2026
When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chi...
06/05/2026
Oberkochen/Germany, May 5, 2026
ZEISS announces the launch of CinCraft LensCore, a novel solution for creating physically based cinematic lens looks for visual...
06/05/2026
06 May 2026
VEON's Kyivstar Authorized to Resell Starlink for Businesses & ...
06/05/2026
UKTV has secured the exclusive rights to the early back catalogue of iconic Australian drama series Neighbours, following a landmark content deal with Fremantle...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky commissions feature documentary to mark 10th anniversa...
06/05/2026
Wednesday 6 May 2026
Sky and Formula 1 agree long-term partnership across UK, Ireland and Italy
Sky in the UK & Ireland to remain the home of Formula 1 until ...
06/05/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign launches nationwide, supported by new...
06/05/2026
Wuppertal May 6, 2026
Riedel Expands Leadership Structure, Appoints Marc Engro...
06/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 6, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced its latest broadband innovations for ANGA COM 2026, highlighting its vision for a new e...
06/05/2026
Statement from Rupert Murdoch, Chairman Emeritus, Fox Corporation on Ted Turner&...
06/05/2026
Friday 8 May on RT One and RT Player
Meet the NSPCA team caring for and protecting animals in need in this six-part series
Fly on the wall, six-part series...
06/05/2026
The race to build the world's most powerful AI factories demands networking ...
06/05/2026
How changes to proteins can alter drug interactions for new precision therapies Scripps Research team maps how chemical modifications to proteins affect drug bi...
05/05/2026
Experts from the world of academia, tech, business, politics and media convened for a Thomson Talks at the Cambridge Disinformation Summit in April. It's th...
05/05/2026
Three phones were hardwired for power and transmission to the truck; camera feat...
05/05/2026
The creative studio behind campaigns for the NBA, Fanatics Sportsbook & Casino, ...
05/05/2026
Nielsen has announced results from a co-viewing pilot program covering February&...
05/05/2026
viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV, delivered global...
05/05/2026
ARRI has announced Omnibar, a battery-powered, IP65-rated multi-color LED linear...
05/05/2026
Imagine Communications has announced that France T l visions is the first broadc...
05/05/2026
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Bell Media today announced a multiyear agreement to broadcast and stream WNBA games in Canada beginni...
Verge Aero flies world's first music video drone show with PNAU posted: 08/10/2019 
