Last Updated on August 19, 2023
Drones are now more popular than ever. Even just a year or so ago the sight of a drone buzzing by would have been enough to stop us in our tracks, now we’re getting used to drones. We’re all getting used to seeing drone footage used in television and film, and don’t think twice about the amazing aerial views we enjoy. Even drone footage focussed programs like the brilliant ‘Drones in forbidden zones‘ on Channel Four focus as much on the history of the places they film as much as they do on the tech.
But you might not know that an increasing number of hobbyists are creating beautiful aerial short films of Ipswich and Suffolk. As showcased in the aforementioned ‘Drones in forbidden zones’ program cameras mounted to drones give the viewer a perspective that just wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
With the cost of powerful drones and high-quality video cameras reducing all the time this is a golden age for the drone. We’re looking forward to seeing an increasing number of amazing drone films on Vimeo and YouTube over the next few years, but in the meantime we wanted to show you the best of what’s available right now. You’ll see parts of the Suffolk countryside around Ipswich from a perspective you may not have seen before. You will be treated to a peek inside landmarks that are usually inaccessible. Most of all we hope you will be fascinated and entertained by some of the best drone footage on offer locally today.
Our showcase of some of the best drone footage of Ipswich barely scratches the surface of what is available online. We recommend searching Vimeo and YouTube, although we should warn you, you will lose hours of your time watching countless brilliant videos.
Walking Sky by Chris
We love the creative way that Chris has captured the gentle vastness of the arable crops that dominate so much of the Suffolk countryside. The crops sway and undulate beneath the watchful eye of Chris’s drone. There is also some quite breathtaking footage that showcases just how far the development of the Ipswich Waterfront has progressed in the last few years.
Walking Sky from Chris on Vimeo.
Former British Sugar Silos, Ipswich by Marc Holliday
Local drone pilot Marc Holliday has a quite remarkable collection of fascinating drone videos on his YouTube Channel. We chose this video of the former British Sugar site at Sproughton because it is a great example of how local drone film makers are documenting parts of our town that are about to undergo drastic change. The British Sugar site closed in 2001 and is due to be demolished at some point later this year.
The Mavic from over borne Park Ipswich by Martin Carr
We stay with the Ipswich waterfront for this short, but wonderful film showing the River Orwell and Bourne Park from the air. It’s from this perspective that we can see just how enormous the expanse of the Orwell is. This film captures the landscape from a starting point of the iconic Orwell Bridge and leads the viewers’ eye all the way out to see. You can see more of Martin’s great drone footage on his YouTube channel…
Ipswich Willis building by Volare Alto
Everyone who lives in Ipswich knows that the Norman Foster-designed Willis Building has a garden on the roof. But how many people have actually seen it? If if you were to be granted access to the Willis rooftop you still wouldn’t get a view as breathtaking as the one in this drone video. It’s not just the view that makes this video special, it’s the lighting and the composition. We’re guessing it was film very early in the morning; the streets are empty and it looks like most of the town is still fast asleep.
We recommend you take a look at the Volare Alto channel on YouTube
Speedeworth Stadium at night by Volare Alto
When we set out to write this article we decided to only showcase one video from each of our favourite drone pilots. But then we found this video showing Foxhall Stadium at night and had to share it. This video is another brilliant example of drones showing us places we’re familiar with in a way that would otherwise be impossible.
Ipswich Tidal Barrier by Sky Cam East
This video is a classic example of drones being able to show us what’s inside areas that would be impossible to see otherwise. The vast majority of people are fascinated by large construction projects. This is why the safety walls around construction sites often have windows cut into them, so we can take a look at what’s happening. But some construction projects are in places that make them almost impossible for the public to get a good look at. The ongoing tidal barrier construction at New Cut West in Ipswich is one such project. The footage below, originally filmed for BBC Look East is now available on YouTube.
The company who filmed this video has an incredible portfolio of drone footage, some of which you can see on the Sky Cam East YouTube channel.
So there’s our current favourite drone films of Ipswich. What gems have you found recently? Let us know in the comments section!
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