Perceptive New Yorkers will notice, thanks to the movement of construction cranes in the background, that this video was compiled over several months. Shot by Bronx-based drone enthusiast Victor Chu on a DJI Phantom 2 rig, that amount of time was necessary to cover the amount of ground seen throughout this 5-minute fly-by of iconic NYC sites, which gives equal exposure to locations in all five boroughs. Some are fairly obvious (Brooklyn Bridge, Staten Island Ferry), while you might have to look up the name of others, even if you know the location (Fort Wadsworth Light in the Gateway National Recreation Area). The clip that gives away the multiple-month schedule might be the fly-over of graffiti mecca 5 Pointz in Queens, which these days is mostly rubble, and almost gone entirely.
Of course, my favorite shot is of the Unisphere (seen above). I’m biased; I live in Queens. I moved here because of sites like this former World’s Fair structure and adjacent site to the NYSCI, our host for World Maker Faire in NYC. But the flight path into the Unisphere is both daring and daunting, especially given the internal suspension wires. It’s pretty remarkable the tight spaces a good drone operator can squeeze into.
Close second-favorites include the Arthur Kill Ship Graveyard and City Island; and I’m especially glad Chu gave seagulls their few seconds of fame (given the amount of coastline here, they really are a vital part of the ecosystem). Of course this video is just a glimpse of places of awe here. NYC is a giant sprawling metropolis, and many other sites could still be added to this compilation. A few suggestions include the Great Hall, Fort Totten, the view from Sunset Park, Kissena Velodrome, cricketeers in Canarsie, Marble Hill, Co-Op City, the breadth and length of Ocean Parkway, the Hurricane Sandy-battered shoreline of Staten Island, Broad Channel and the Rockaways, not to mention more obscure sites like the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant, Irish Hunger Memorial, the Flushing Bay, Creek, and River, and of course the dozen or so smaller islands that constitute America’s largest city.
(Judging from Victor’s company photostream on Facebook, there were plenty of other sites shot that didn’t make the final cut.)
So watch the video below and see how many sites you can identify. Hopefully you’ll find a few places to explore on your next trip here, (World Maker Faire takes place this year on September 26th and 27th! *wink wink*.)
[via Pix11, h/t Dan Wempa]
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