Efteling Summer Recordings: the 20 Minute One-Take

In the summer of ‘26, Efteling came to us with an unusual request: a very low-pace but very long video to show the whole (empty) park for their youtube channel. Initially, the plan was to make different short takes and then edit them together with some cuts. More than that was unrealistic, since we only had a few hours of recording time spread over 2 evenings, and there is no way to get those shots in one-take with the drone signal. Not even thinking about the different attractions actually running and needing very specific timing to get each shot right.

We wanted to raise the stakes though: what if we use our unique existing RF technology developed for the RBD1 and Mountainbike projects, aka the Relay Drone, to drastically increase the length of each take we could do before having to move between take-off spots in the park? If we then also spend enough time beforehand planning the exact route, collecting timings of the rides, planning the seamless-cuts and take-off spots? Maybe then we could create something not done before: a full one-take shot of the whole park, even with only 4 or 5 hours of recording time. Efteling supported us in taking on this challenge and try to make this plan a reality.

So we set out to do just that. The goal was simple: show as much as we could of the park, no matter how long the video would become, so people can play this video on youtube in their living rooms to experience the feeling of being at the park from home. Executing this was a challenge, not just the timing, technology and flying skills, also the logistics of clearing the park, timing the rides with all the operators, dealing with last-minute changes in the schedule and dealing with different lighting conditions between different takes.

Remembering the route

For the pilot, the biggest challenge was not just flying each shot perfectly in only one or two takes each, but also to remember some of the routes through the park. Some of these takes took 5 minutes each, navigating a complex path through dense forest paths with 20 specific objects to each film in a specific choreographed way. Luckily, pilot Ralph has a lot of experience flying long complex one-takes behind mountainbikers, through big warehouses and also used some of his skills for remembering complex FPV-race tracks as fast as possible from back in the days of professional drone racing. But even then, help from spotter Rene were critical, as he visits the park regularly and could give Ralph turn-by-turn instructions during flight telling him where to go in case of any doubts