KDE Takes Hollywood | KDE Motors Used to Shoot Box Office Smash Hits

Released on Friday, April 14th, 2017, Fate of the Furious directed by Felix Gary crossed the finish line just two days later as the biggest international opening in movie history at $532.5 million - beating out Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The film has since surpassed the $1 billion milestone.

Fate of the Furious is the first US Film by NBC Universal to feature cinematography by drone. Shot on 3 islands, including action sequence drone scenes in Georgia and Cleveland, KDE Direct industrial drone components were onboard to get the shots. In May 2016, shooting for Fate of The Furious closed airspace in downtown Cleveland while low flying drones flew over major downtown streets. 

KDE Direct industrial brushless motors and components were onboard an Aerobo X8 heavy lift multicopter drone used in the filming, ensuring that the film’s car chases, stunt performance sequences, and special effects were as intense and vivid as possible. The heavy lift multicopter drone flew through the chaos to capture an impressive variety of dynamic action scenes.

KDE Direct motors have also been used to help shoot a number of other films, including xXx: Return of Xander Cage, The Revenant, the Divergent Series, The Maze Runner, The Descendants, Power Rangers, Planet of the Apes, The Age of Adaline and TV shows including Lucifer, Riverdale, Wayward Pines, Once Upon a Time, and many more.

Drones in the Movie Industry

The rapidly growing drone market has presented a plethora of new opportunities for filmmakers. Today, aerial shots are more attainable (and much cheaper) than ever before. Today the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows the use of drones for aerial photography companies working alongside Hollywood studios. High-definition cameras are getting more durable and compact, allowing for higher quality cinematography. Custom drones can now use IMAX 3D, allowing for 6K quality aerials.

In addition to heavy lift, many of today’s drones smaller and lighter than a textbook, allowing them to reach places humans (and certainly helicopters) couldn’t get to. Drones in the air are approximately 10% of the cost of helicopters. By capturing previously unattainable shots, and shots that once cost thousands of dollars per day thanks to pricey helicopters, a slew of new cinematic possibilities has been unleashed.

Why Fly KDE

KDE Direct leads the field in technology, employing top-of-the-line components to deliver longer flight times and more durable systems. Designed and engineered in the United States, KDE Direct’s brushless motors provide best-in-class power, performance, and efficiency. From design redundancy standards and fail-safes to payload capacity and thrust performance, KDE Direct motors are engineered for longer flight times, higher efficiency and higher payloads that push the limits of today’s technology.

The KDE Direct UAS Multi-Rotor Brushless Motor Series presents high-quality and engineered motors specific for multi-rotor and UAS applications. The series was designed to provide market-leading performance and zero-vibration operation for hours of maintenance-free usage and market-leading performance.

As an industry leader in component design and production for UAV and multi-rotor systems, KDE Direct is pleased to remain the leading choice amongst aerial cinematographers and commercial producers who depend upon industrial quality and performance. KDE Direct heavy lift brushless motors, carbon fiber propeller blades and specialized electronic speed controller (ESC) systems and software have set the standard in the multi-rotor industry.