Drone Video Looks to Enlighten Papal Pilgrims About Philly’s Awesomeness

A screengrab from Philadelphia in 4K | Via Matt Satell

If you take a moment to look at Philadelphia from a grand-scheme-of-things kind of perspective, one thing is immediately evident: this city is damn beautiful. We’ve got acres of city parkland, ornate fountains, gorgeous rivers and a wonderful array of buildings, old and new, short and tall.

Of course, we know this, but does the rest of the world know how awesome Philly is? Thanks to a new drone video, they’re about to get a glimpse.

Matt Satell of Philly By Air, a company specializing in drone videos, just released a stunning “aerial tour” that looks to enlighten the estimated 2 million or so visitors coming in September for the World Meeting of Families and the Papal mass on the Parkway. “I think many out of towners underestimate how beautiful the city actually is,” said Satell, who has compiled his fair share of amazing views of the city using a fleet of high performance drone quadrocopters. “I’m hoping the video will give them a new perspective.”

Though the drone buzzes over the Parkway, floats above the University City and glides past historic locations like Independence Mall and Boathouse Row, you won’t be seeing hovering shots of the masses during the Papal mass on the Parkway. Satell said the FAA will be implementing a temporary no-fly zone over the city as part of the heightened security efforts for the special occasion. “It would have been cool to capture some shots on the parkway with 2 million plus people, but I can understand the security concerns.”