Video: Insane FPV with Kade Edwards on Red Bull Hardline DH Track

Sep 19, 2023 at 8:13
by Christie Fitzpatrick  

Words: Red Bull

Dive into the hardest mountain bike race through the eyes of an intense FPV drone shot. The @dutchdronegods followed Kade Edwards down the Red Bull Hardline downhill mountain bike race track, a tough trail that twists down the steep slopes of the Dyfi valley in Wales. It's known as the most difficult mountain bike race course in the world, and just getting down it on two wheels is hard, but to capture it in a single shot drone flight is presents a different kind of challenge.

Following Red Bull athlete and bike handling extraordinaire Kade Edwards down the world’s toughest downhill track, drone pilot Ralph Hogenbirk was able to keep pace with Kade in full flight, perfectly capturing his signature style set against the picturesque backdrop of the Dyfi Valley.

bigquotesThis was a crazy project and we’re super happy with the result! I’ve always loved watching Red Bull Hardline, and I knew our drones could give a sick new perspective at this event to show the skill of these riders. But didn’t know if it was even possible to follow them from top to bottom, and it definitely wasn’t easy. I had to push my drones to the limit and stay 100% focused all the way down to make it work!—Drone pilot, Ralph Hogenbirk

photo

bigquotesIt takes a lot of trust to have someone following you so closely with an FPV drone. The Red Bull Hardline course is unlike any other downhill track on the planet, and I was able to just concentrate on my riding with the drone flying behind me. With the tough conditions on the track and weather closing in, full concentration was really needed!—Kade Edwards


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76 Comments
  • 68 0
 That’s the most incredible footage of that track ever. Well done to both pilots. I know nothing about drones so it’s great to see what goes into filming something like that. I assumed the drones had near infallible proximity sensors and the operator wasn’t doing much, I was wrong.
  • 5 1
 I’ve watched this 4 times in a row and it gets better every time.
  • 53 0
 How does that not a get a must watch?
We've all seen the Hardline course before but there are so many variables had to go right to get that in one continuous shot! That was insane from a technical perspective. Hats off to those that pulled it off.
  • 78 33
 Incredible video. Didn't need the production fluff at the start. The quality of the run and the footage stands strong on its own.
  • 104 9
 Yes, it did. It shows how gnarly the camera guys work. It gives great context. Discovery needs this crew for their race coverage.
  • 6 0
 @Evo6: live race coverage and recording to something that will be cut up later have totally different techical hurdles.
  • 9 12
 For future viewers/readers: the goods start at 2:13.
  • 10 2
 The video is aimed at a general audience (Very obvious from the title) so it's structured like a general YouTube video so the fluff is appropriate for sure.
  • 7 16
flag scott-townes (Sep 20, 2023 at 3:00) (Below Threshold)
 @Evo6: No, no more friggen drones for race coverage. Its stupid, disorienting, crap quality and it doesn't add anything to the race other than the commentators mentioning how "coooool" it looks.
  • 5 0
 @scott-townes: I agree that drone shots are often inferior over stationary cameras; however, my guess is that drones are typically used in areas where stationary cameras aren't a good option. So in this sense they might still be better than having no camera coverage in those areas if that's the alternative.
  • 4 0
 Dude it was super cool to see all the tech, ingenuity, and skill that goes into bringing footage like that to us. Let the dedicated and talented camera crew get a few moments would ya.
  • 25 1
 Get these guys to Discovery. The current drone footage of races makes me so dizzy. This is top notch footage and amazing riding. Color correction team also deserve 3 thumbs up.
  • 4 0
 They can do it as shown in Jackson’s race run but they keep showing the woods section.

youtu.be/TjOAwtmtIPM?si=A7oAMlX9pXtX5Wjg
  • 24 0
 I think there is a huge difference between what can be uploaded weeks or days after the footage is captured, and what can be done live. If you noticed when they cut to the grainy footage that is what the pilot was seeing. In order to transmit with minimal latency to allow for precision flying you have to compromise significantly. Likewise, you're not going to be able to transmit 4k video from a gopro ready for broadcast on a super short time delay. At least not yet. Even that video of Jackson was produced after the fact not live.
  • 12 0
 This could be the future of enduro racing. A couple of drones, live transmission and a quick live direction could save the sport.
  • 9 0
 Super impressive. Does a really good job at showing how steep parts of it are as Go-pro makes some of it look relatively flat/tame compared to real life!
  • 9 2
 I usually comment to take the piss out of things like expensive bikes or Americans but credit where credit is due, that is incredible. Amazing riding, amazing drone footage and skill to fly it. Gives a new found appreciation of the track too.Genius all round! * stands up to applaud *
  • 1 2
 USA \m/ Bathory
  • 6 0
 Two men with very different skill sets but both at the top of their game, respect! I'd have liked to see another run with some wider-pan shots down some of the steeps and techy stuff in the clear cuts where the drone has shot off in front and turned to catch the action, I think that would be sick too!!
  • 8 0
 I don't know what Shaggy' hourly rate is, but it's not enough.
  • 4 0
 Seriously amazing footage of a mind blowingly amazing rider! I can’t believe that we have become so jaded that footage like this is picked apart! This wasn’t the latest mission impossible movie with 32 cameras, unlimited budget, 14 stunt riders and CG. that was one continuous shot of one ridiculously talented rider and an equally ridiculously talented drone pilot. Well fracking done!
  • 5 0
 Been said, but I'm saying it again!
How is this not a must watch?
Thos is the absolute best footage ever done for hardline or any really any DH or edit video. Absolutely awesome
  • 6 0
 A beer?!! pfff... Give that drone virtuoso a box of the best Champagne!
  • 2 0
 Really cool seeing the camera perspective of the riders schralping the corners from the drone following along, you can’t see these angles from a stationary camera as well from start to finish as well as how they are flowing through the trail at high speed
  • 3 1
 Really really technical impressive, but also a perfect demonstration of why follow drones are absolutely horrible to watch on anything except a flat out straight motorway section.
  • 4 0
 That next gen mtb videogame looks insane! Gonna need to upgrade my computer I guess. Oh wait...
  • 1 0
 Sick riding from Kade, but I don’t think drone footage is doing a good job on show chasing what riders are actually doing, the speed and steepness is getting lost in the fast moving surrounding.
If you growing up plying video games and not plying in the woods you might need that fake perspective!?
I hope this is not the future, just a wired episode in time…
Bring more Ed Bull Mediahouse or MoiMoi TV!!!
  • 1 0
 Perhaps they do and I'm too much of a pleb to know, but why don't they use a gimbal of sort sort on the camera mount? At least to help reduce that swaying back to back action when the drone is zipping through the trees.

That fast swooping action is pretty disorienting, to me at least. And takes away from watching the actual rider or terrain. I can only endure feeling like I'm on a speeder on Endor for so long.
  • 3 0
 The speed and control is amazing. Unbelievabe and inspiring. I'm gonna hit my 6 foot gap jump now for sure!
  • 3 0
 As someone who generally hates drone footage and thinks they're overused, that was really good drone footage. Well done.
  • 1 0
 Would this antenas work sticked to an helicopter with the drone pilot in it then getting close to the for followinf for instance with the whole megavalance ?... that might kick F1...
  • 1 0
 Great skill by both rider and drone controller, but I had to turn it off. It made me feel queasy like I had been on the turps and was trying to get to sleep on a rocking boat.
  • 2 0
 That's insane, now set this up at the world cup races and your onto a winner!
  • 2 0
 Thats the best thing I've seen on PB for a while. If only the WC drone work was as good as this. Stunning
  • 3 0
 Rampage footage will be off the hook if these guys go there this year?
  • 2 0
 I reckon the drone view shows way better how rough this course is. Video with context done beautifully.
  • 1 0
 Always sick watching Kade ride!! Drone pilot is amazing keeping up through that gnarly course!! I'll surely watch this many times today
  • 2 0
 How did I not realize that Kade is such a god on a bike? Perhaps kudos are due to the camera crew for making me see that.
  • 1 0
 Shaggy & Kade have to be two of the most talented people in their respective fields, but huge props to the sound designer on this!
  • 1 0
 Super vid. Needs to be watched on one of those mahooseve 180 degrees cinema screens, wher you’re stood up.
  • 2 0
 This felt like Downhill Domination with better graphics. 10/10 great job.
  • 2 1
 Super sick. A good video to show to people who ask what Downhill is and say "don't they just coast down a hill?"
  • 2 0
 Maybe drone footage is not that bad after all.
  • 2 0
 Kade could have done a chainless run
  • 1 0
 This is pure gold! Absolutely outstanding by itself and in comparison to all the other "shred hard" vids...
  • 1 0
 Wow. Is the audio from Kade? How did they get the riding noises with no drone noises?
  • 2 0
 Likely a subtle mic tucked where on Kade/the bike and then synced up and mixed as not to pick up the drone sound.

I’d imagine there Is some studio magic in there too!
  • 2 0
 I think what they did is have a mic mounted to Kade somewhere near the drivetrain but muffled it so it doesn't pick up on wind noise and barely picks up on the sounds of the bike but completely drowns out the sound of the drone.

Then they completely mute the audio from the drone footage and ramp up the volume/gain on the Kade mic and voila.

It sounds amazing without the whine of the drone doesn't it?
  • 1 0
 @karxarias: sounds absolutely pukka bud!
  • 1 0
 This just shows how completely nuts this track is and the rider skill to even stay on, never mind race!
  • 1 1
 So the costs of live stream dh/enduro racing are going to be cut down a lot soon and we ll have a huge leap in quality?
  • 10 0
 No. This wasn’t a live stream. This was high def video written to an on-board SD card and then meticulously edited on a powerful work station.
  • 1 0
 great gracious that was fast
  • 5 5
 I'm sorry but I still hate drone footage, this is the best I've seen but still rather just see raw camera footage.
  • 2 1
 How many static cameras would you like them to line the course with so you can see the entire track, exactly?
  • 2 2
 @suspended-flesh: Well the live Redbull coverage does a pretty good job, it's not that hard to edit a video together of all the different sections, and it would look 100 times better than any drone footage.
  • 1 0
 In Yoann's words: that was AMAZEBALLS!!!
  • 1 0
 Yeah, that was completely unglued. Insane work all around.
  • 1 0
 Hold the coffee I need a poo.
  • 1 0
 So good - doing the rounds outside the mtb community big time
  • 1 0
 Holy MTB DH computer simulator hahahahaah
  • 1 0
 bonkers! I was holding my breath whole run!
  • 1 0
 Truly unbelievable. Blown away.
  • 1 0
 Woah!! That was freakin sick!!!
  • 1 0
 One of the best bike videos I've ever watched. Awesome piloting skills!
  • 5 5
 Great footage. Hated the mock audio on the run and the fake walkie talkie.
  • 1 0
 Agree, but otherwise you would have only heard the whirring of the drone an nothing else.
  • 1 0
 Yeah not really a way around dubbing the audio, maybe have a mic strapped to Kades bike but it'd probably sound weird being so close to the rider vs the camera being far away.
  • 2 4
 Audio seemed perfectly synced, detailed, and natural to me, other than the assumption that something recorded from a noisy drone couldn't sound that good. So I'd like to know why I should believe that people spent many, many hours building this audio from scratch with samples and dubbing it in so perfectly vs. believing that they had something more natural like multiple mics on the drone to help with noise cancellation possibly combined with a mic on the bike
  • 4 2
 @showmethemountains: sound was made in a studio, not even questionable. Just one example. Check the technicians at 3:46 cheering Kade on like cazy in the audio. On the video the guys are barely awake.
  • 1 0
 shaggy is nice with it
  • 1 0
 Holy cr4p. Thats insane!
  • 1 0
 Mind Blown!!!
  • 1 0
 That was so sick!
  • 1 0
 Amazing!
  • 1 0
 That was amazing!







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