Air-to-air aerial cinematography
The Cub Cam: air-to-air filming in Alaska
The Cub Cam is Mountain Mind Media's stabilized 8K cinema camera, built for the Piper Super Cub. It gets helicopter-style aerials for a fraction of the cost, stays up for 5+ hours, and reaches country drones can't. Brendan Wells, a commercial pilot, built the system and flies our Super Cub.
What the Cub Cam is
A cinema-grade aerial camera system for small fixed-wing aircraft, built around the DJI Ronin 4D 8K on a custom lightweight vibration-isolation mount. It's the result of more than five years of testing cameras, mounts and isolation systems, all on the Super Cub: the workhorse of Alaska and the right plane for the remote places we film.
Why film from a Super Cub
Hours in the air
5+ hours of flight time, so you can cover more country and wait for the light in one flight.
Off-strip anywhere
On skis, floats and tundra tires, the Cub lands on snow, water, gravel bars and tundra.
Beyond drone range
Follow a subject for miles over glaciers, rivers and mountains, far past where a drone can fly.
Where drones can't fly
Drones are generally banned in national parks. A crewed aircraft like the Cub Cam can fly there within FAA and park rules.
Helicopter look, smaller budget
Smooth, stabilized 8K for a fraction of what a helicopter and a large gimbal system cost.
Built and flown in-house
Our team designed the mount, built the system and flies it, so the camera and the aircraft are set up for each other.
What it's good for
Air-to-air
Aircraft in flight, filmed from our camera plane.
Scenic aerials
Glaciers, mountains, rivers and coastline anywhere in Alaska.
Adventure and action
Skiers, rafters and expeditions in remote country.
Commercials and brand films
Hero landscapes and establishing shots for campaigns.
Our crew, our plane
The Cub Cam always flies with our own pilot and camera operator. That's an insurance rule, and it means the people in the plane know the aircraft and the camera system. Our Super Cub is owned by Mountain Mind Media and carries commercial aerial photography insurance, with certificates on request. Your director can't ride in the Cub, so we plan every shot together before we take off.
Flown for Red Bull
Brendan filmed all of the air-to-air shots for Red Bull's Originate series with the Cub Cam, over the Wrangell–St. Elias, and shot on the slopes too. See more in our work and on Alaska aerial cinematography.
How a Cub Cam shoot works
Send the shots
Tell us what you need to see, where and when.
We plan the flight
Route, airspace, landing spots, weather windows and the camera setup.
We fly
Our pilot and camera operator fly the shots, with backup days for weather.
You get the footage
8K footage delivered on a hard drive you supply.
Cub Cam questions
What camera does the Cub Cam use?
A DJI Ronin 4D 8K on a custom vibration-isolation mount, built for the Piper Super Cub.
How long can it stay in the air?
5+ hours of flight time, so one flight can cover a lot of country.
Can our director or DP ride along?
No. The Cub Cam always flies with our own pilot and camera operator, for insurance reasons. We plan every shot with your director before we take off.
Can the Cub Cam film in national parks?
Drones generally aren't allowed in national parks, but crewed aircraft like the Cub Cam can fly there within FAA and park rules. We check the rules for your location before we plan the flight.
Is the Cub Cam cheaper than a helicopter?
For many shots, yes. It gets a similar stabilized look for a fraction of the cost of a helicopter with a large system like Shotover or GSS. When a shot needs a helicopter, we bring one in.
Can it land off-airport?
Yes. The Super Cub flies on skis, floats and tundra tires, so it can land on snow, water, gravel bars and tundra where it's legal and safe.
Need air-to-air shots in Alaska?
Send the shots you have in mind, your location and your dates. Start a project or call (907) 521-8133.