Selected Credits

Aerial Credits

18+ years on set

Trusted On The World's Biggest Productions

Specialist Helicopters has supplied the aerial unit, stunt piloting and aerial coordination for feature films, television, documentaries and live sport across Australia and worldwide — with a completely accident-free record over more than 23,000 flight hours. A selection of our credits is below.

Chief pilot David Adamson is lead pilot on these productions — verify on IMDb ›

Film, television & documentary

Features, Series & Docs

The Mongoose — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

The Mongoose

Feature film

Aerial FilmingStuntsAerial Coordination
Anyone But You — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

Anyone But You

Feature film

Aerial FilmingStuntsAerial Coordination
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

Feature film

StuntsAerial Coordination
Mad Max: Furiosa — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist Helicopters🏆 Oscar nomineeDetails ›

Mad Max: Furiosa

Feature film

Aerial FilmingAerial Coordination
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Feature film

Aerial Filming
Land of Bad — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

Land of Bad

Feature film

Aerial Filming
Poker Face — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

Poker Face

Feature film

Aerial FilmingAerial Coordination
Foe — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

Foe

Feature film

Aerial Filming
Lion — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist Helicopters🏆 6× Oscar nomineeDetails ›

Lion

Feature film

Aerial Filming
SAS Australia — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

SAS Australia

Television series

StuntsAerial Coordination
RFDS — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

RFDS

Television series

Aerial FilmingAerial Coordination
Planet Earth III — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

Planet Earth III

Documentary series

Aerial Filming
Puff: Wonders of the Reef — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist Helicopters🏆 Emmy AwardDetails ›

Puff: Wonders of the Reef

Documentary — Emmy winner, Outstanding Nature Documentary

Aerial Filming
Great Barrier Reef (IMAX) — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

Great Barrier Reef (IMAX)

IMAX documentary

Aerial Filming
Finke: There and Back — aerial filming and stunt coordination by Specialist HelicoptersDetails ›

Finke: There and Back

Documentary

Aerial Filming
Commercials & branded content

Commercials

  • Formula 1 vs Helicopter — Aussie Roadtrip2023Red Bull
  • Qantas Airways2024Qantas
  • Hyundai Ioniq TVC2022Scoundrel
  • Royal Australian Air Force2023, 2024Division Films
  • Royal Australian Navy TVCDivision Films
  • Lexus — high-speed car TVCLexus
  • Red Bull ‘Cracked’ ft Toby PriceRed Bull
Live broadcast & sport

Broadcast & Sport

  • World Rally Championship (WRC & ERC)2003–presentNEP
  • SailGP2019–presentSailGP
  • Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race2014–presentRolex / CYCA
  • Finke Desert Race2015–2023Red Bull / Nine Network
  • Santos Tour Down Under2014–presentEMG / Gravity Media
  • UCI Road World ChampionshipsNEP
  • Big Wave Surfing — Shipstern BluffRed Bull Media
  • Air Rescue2016, 2017Fredbird Productions
Studios, networks & brands

Who We've Worked With

On set worldwide

Proven where it
counts most

What directors & producers say

In Their Words

“I've been lucky enough to work with the best aerial cinematographers and pilots worldwide, and I rank David Adamson as one of the very best pilots I have ever worked with.”
Lucy van BeekSeries Producer, BBC (Britain from Above / Inside the Wildfire)
David is the best film pilot in the business. Chasing world rally cars at very low level, at ridiculous speeds, on terrain filled with tall trees, you need a pilot who only needs half a word to understand what a Cineflex operator wants as a shot.”
Bart Van AertDirector of Photography, Official WRC Promoter
“David's skills flying cameras and crews in remote locations were simply the best we have ever experienced. He made a difficult project happen when most pilots would not have bothered. Up there with Fred North — many shots and locations would simply not have happened with any other pilot.”
Bryan SmithDirector, Reel Water Productions
“David is the only pilot I have flown with who orientates his helicopter like a camera. His innate knowledge of light, angles and timing — and his ability to tell the story through the lens — is something unique.”
Jon DavisonAviation Photographer, Eye in the Sky
“The way he manoeuvred the helicopter on our shoot, myself and many others on set had never seen anything like it. He flew with incredible precision, skill and sheer expertise, and gave more to our film than I thought possible.”
Jonathan NyquistFilm Director, Rapid Films
“The Swiss production team had never seen a helicopter pilot like David. He is by far one of the world's best — if you are looking for a pilot, David would be my first choice.”
Jérôme ZbindenMarketing Manager, Pilatus Aircraft Switzerland
Questions

Credits & Experience FAQ

What films and productions has Specialist Helicopters worked on?

Specialist Helicopters has provided aerial units, stunt piloting and aerial coordination on feature films and series including Anyone But You, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Mad Max: Furiosa, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Land of Bad, Poker Face, Foe, Lion, SAS Australia, RFDS and Planet Earth III, plus IMAX and Emmy-winning documentaries such as Puff: Wonders of the Reef and Great Barrier Reef.

Which studios, networks and brands has Specialist Helicopters worked with?

We have worked with major studios and broadcasters including Columbia Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Amazon Studios, Netflix, 20th Century Studios, the BBC, the Seven and Nine Networks, Red Bull, Rolex, NEP and SailGP.

What sport and live broadcasts does Specialist Helicopters fly?

We are the long-standing aerial broadcast unit for the World Rally Championship (since 2003), SailGP, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the Finke Desert Race, the Santos Tour Down Under and UCI Road World Championships, among others.

How much aerial film experience does Specialist Helicopters have?

Chief Pilot David Adamson has more than 23,000 flight hours over 18+ years of motion-picture work, with a completely accident-free record across more than 40 countries — flying precision low-level, formation and stunt sequences for film, television and live broadcast.

Do you own a helicopter stunt platform?

Yes — Specialist Helicopters owns the only CASA-approved helicopter stunt platform (TSOP) in Australia, and works with the only K1 and F1 Rush stabilised camera systems in the country.

Talk to us

Put This Experience On Your Production

Tell us the shot, the schedule and the location — we'll build the aerial unit, stunt and coordination plan around it.