FPV Drone Pilot Swoops Over Paul McCartney Concert for Incredible Shot
Paul McCartney has released a thrilling video taken on an FPV drone at his recent concert in New Orleans as he was performing the iconic James Bond track Live and Let Die
The video was taken by Jay Christensen, a talented FPV drone operator who has pioneered modern aerial cinematography. The McCartney footage was shot on October 29 as the former Beatle performed at the Smoothie King Center as part of his Got Back tour. He first performed in NOLA in 1964 — 61 years ago.
The early footage of Paul performing alongside John, George, and Ringo is a far cry from the shot that Christensen was able to capture on his drone. The device smoothly flies around the arena, amid pyrotechnics, even briefly homing in on the Liverpudlian as he plays the piano.
Charlie Lightening is credited as the director and Owen Hofman as the camera assistant. Christensen famously captured a viral bowling alley video in Minneapolis on a Cinewhoop Quadcopter in 2021. Since then, he’s shot similar videos in shopping malls, college football fields, and Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.
Christensen, who goes by JayByd Films, says that the one-take drone flight at the bowling alley “captivated the world and redefined what cinematic FPV could be.” He adds, “that viral sensation launched a creative journey that led to partnerships with global brands and became a viral benchmark in FPV filmmaking.” JayByrd Films is now a full-scale creative studio working across entertainment, sports, live events, and branded content.
FPV drones make it possible to capture precise shots that would be difficult or impossible to get otherwise. PetaPixel reported on a perfect example of this just yesterday: Luke Bredar flew his drone directly into a tornado after dreaming for years that he wanted to film a twister from above.
But just like all FPV drone pilots, Bredar had to remain calm and keep his wits about him. It goes without saying that drone pilots cannot afford a crash — particularly at a packed concert with thousands of people in attendance. But Bredar did have to purposely crash his drone after the storm chasing crew he was with realized they were in danger and made the swift call to get out of dodge.
