Drone footage shows painters suspended in sky whilst painting Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth

By Sophie Lewis
Published 30th Aug 2023, 14:33 BST
Updated 30th Aug 2023, 15:00 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
Drone footage shows the daring job that the painters of Spinnaker Tower have to do each year.

A film, which was commissioned by Spinnaker Tower and shot by award-winning pilot Hugo Healy, has captured the fearlessness of two painters who were suspended in the air whilst painting the tower.

The footage was shot using a GoPro camera mounted on an agile “First Person View” (FPV) drone and Hugo was approached by Compass Photography Services, who work with the Spinnaker Tower team to create a unique piece.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Brian Bracher, of Compass Photography Services, said: “We are the official drone photographer for Spinnaker Tower and have captured lots of stunning footage, but we wanted to do something from a different perspective.

default:Drone photographer captures the amazing moment where two painters were suspended in the air to paint Spinnaker Tower. Picture: Hugo Healy - Drone photographerdefault:Drone photographer captures the amazing moment where two painters were suspended in the air to paint Spinnaker Tower. Picture: Hugo Healy - Drone photographer
default:Drone photographer captures the amazing moment where two painters were suspended in the air to paint Spinnaker Tower. Picture: Hugo Healy - Drone photographer

“We’d seen some of Hugo’s previous footage and when we got in touch he was really excited, as there just so few opportunities to film ‘dive’ footage like this in the UK.

SEE ALSO: Thorney Island Nursery in Emsworth has received a good Ofsted rating

“We started early to get the sunrise and the light was beautiful – then when it came to flying through the tower, Hugo made it look stunning.“

The painters captured in the footage are fully qualified abseilers who refresh one section of the tower at a time each year, using a special non-drip paint that weighs around a tonne per full coat.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Brian added: “They were happy to be involved – The drone captures how high up they are and what an amazing job they do.”

Spinnaker Tower, owned by Portsmouth City Council and operated by Continuum Attractions, is the iconic landmark of the waterfront skyline of Portsmouth.

Visitors experience stunning 23-mile views from three viewing decks and the opportunity to experience a thrilling walk across a glass floor 100m above the harbour.

Tony Sammut, Spinnaker Tower General Manager, said: “This footage has been captured by highly skilled experts in such a unique set of circumstances that it can’t be replicated. It’s a privilege to see the tower from unique angles and we are blown away by the results, which give us a fantastic new perspective on the tower and the stunning views thousands of our visitors enjoy every year.”