XD motion captures Olympic Flame relay for France TV

As the Olympic Flame arrived in Marseille yesterday, XD motion was on hand to capture the action with its live drone for France Télévisions.

The extensive production, directed by David Montagne, involved two pilots flying the drone over water for more than 15 hours as thousands of spectators lined the city’s Old Port to welcome the flame to France.

After departing the Greek city of Piraeus on 27 April, the Olympic flame arrived aboard the famous three-masted Belem on Wednesday (8 May) to signal the start of a day of celebrations and the prologue to the Olympic Torch Relay.

Four directors worked in shifts between 6am and 11pm to ensure the day, including fireworks, a concert and a flypast from the Patrouille de France, were broadcast amid high security.

Olympic champion Florent Manaudou was given the honour of being the first Torchbearer on French soil with local rapper Jul lighting the Olympic Torch Relay cauldron to huge applause.