Stunning Drone Footage Captures The Ocean Race Europe 2025’s High-Speed Action
Ocean Race. Photo credit: DroneXL
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The Ocean Race has released breathtaking aerial drone footage showcasing the speed, power, and beauty of Europe’s premier offshore sailing competition. The stunning cinematography captures seven teams that battled challenging conditions across European waters in high-performance racing yachts during the recently concluded race.
The footage offers viewers an unprecedented perspective on one of sailing’s most demanding competitions, which wrapped up its second European edition last month.
The Ocean Race Europe 2025: A 4,500-Mile Maritime Challenge
The Ocean Race Europe 2025 launched from Kiel, Germany on August 10, with seven teams navigating a grueling 4,500-mile route through the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, English Channel, Mediterranean, and Adriatic Sea. The race concluded with a grand finale in Boka Bay, Montenegro on September 21.
The fleet consisted of 60-foot foiling IMOCA yachts—the same cutting-edge vessels used in the legendary around-the-world Vendée Globe race. These boats can reach speeds exceeding 30 knots (35 mph) while literally flying above the water on hydrofoils. Each team included four sailors plus an onboard reporter who captured footage but was strictly prohibited from assisting with sailing duties.
Each yacht was equipped with satellite technology enabling live streaming, giving spectators real-time access to the action through drone footage, onboard cameras, and audio feeds throughout the competition.
The Technical Challenge of Maritime Drone Cinematography
Capturing smooth, cinematic drone footage from moving sailboats in challenging ocean conditions requires exceptional skill and specialized techniques. As DroneXL previously reported in March 2024, drone pilots operating from racing yachts face unique obstacles: limited deck space for launches and landings, moving platforms, high winds, and the constant risk of losing expensive equipment to the sea.
Drone operators typically use DJI Mavic 2 or Mavic 3 models, favoring their compact size and advanced features. However, the sleek design of modern Mavic drones lacks the built-in grips that made the older DJI Phantom 4 ideal for hand-catching on boats. Inventive pilots have solved this by 3D printing custom grips that attach to the Mavic’s body, allowing safe hand launches and catches without requiring landing pads on cramped yacht decks.
The newly released footage demonstrates how far maritime drone cinematography has evolved, with sweeping aerial shots that capture the raw power of wind and waves while showcasing the precision and skill of world-class sailing crews.
DroneXL’s Take
The Ocean Race continues to push boundaries in sports broadcasting by fully embracing drone technology as a core element of their media strategy. When we covered their drone operations last year, it was clear that aerial cinematography had become essential to telling the story of modern offshore sailing—not just a novelty addition.
What makes this footage particularly impressive is the context: these aren’t controlled conditions or calm waters. These are 60-foot racing machines that pushed the absolute limits in open ocean conditions, often in weather that would ground most commercial drone operations. The fact that crews could consistently capture this caliber of imagery while racing at speeds exceeding 30 knots speaks volumes about both the technology and the skill of the operators.
For drone pilots interested in maritime cinematography, The Ocean Race’s YouTube channel offers a masterclass in dynamic aerial shooting. The combination of moving platforms, harsh environments, and high-speed subjects creates challenges that push drone capabilities to their limits—and the results are absolutely spectacular.
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