Drone Filming at Summit Station, Greenland for CNN

Emmy-nominated drone cinematography at Summit Station on the Greenland Ice Sheet, filmed by Lewis Whyld for CNN’s Global Warning: Arctic Melt. Located at around 10,530 feet above sea level and hundreds of kilometres from the nearest coastline, Summit Station presented an unusually demanding combination of altitude, extreme cold, wind and isolation. Lewis prepared bespoke winterised drone systems and cold-weather battery procedures specifically for the assignment, filming aerial sequences in an environment where both aircraft performance and human endurance were constantly affected by the conditions. The work formed part of the CNN production later nominated for a News & Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Video Journalism: News.

Drone cinematography above the Greenland Ice Sheet at Summit Station, where Lewis Whyld operated camera drones at more than 10,500 feet in extreme Arctic cold and wind. The remote research station sits roughly 400 kilometres from the nearest land edge, with effective pressure altitude capable of reaching around 13,000 feet.

Project Details

Client / Broadcaster: CNN
Production: Global Warning: Arctic Melt
Location: Summit Station, Greenland Ice Sheet
Role: Videojournalist / Drone Cinematographer — Lewis Whyld
Filming: Specialist aerial and documentary cinematography in an extreme polar environment
Altitude: Approximately 3,200 metres / 10,530 feet above sea level
Living Conditions: Crew camped in tents at Summit Station during the assignment
Environment: High-altitude polar research station on the Greenland Ice Sheet
Conditions: Severe cold, strong winds, exposed terrain and reduced battery performance in sub-zero temperatures
Technical Challenge: Maintaining reliable drone and camera operation in extreme cold while working at altitude and away from conventional support infrastructure
Coverage: Summit Station, Greenland Ice Sheet, scientific research environment and wider Arctic landscape
Story Focus: Climate change, Arctic warming and the scientific monitoring of changes to the Greenland Ice Sheet
Recognition: Global Warning: Arctic Melt was nominated for a 2018 News & Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Video Journalism: News, with Lewis Whyld named as a Videojournalist
Specialism: Extreme Environments / Polar Filming / High-Altitude Drone Operations / Climate Journalism / Documentary / Aerial Cinematography

Drone Cinematography at Summit Station in Extreme Arctic Conditions

Filming at Summit Station meant operating at roughly 3,200 metres above sea level on the Greenland ice sheet, in an environment where cold, wind and altitude all affected both the crew and the aircraft.
The team lived in tents on the ice, with equipment exposed to prolonged sub-zero conditions and little protection from the weather. Battery performance became a constant consideration, with cold temperatures reducing usable flight time and requiring careful management of power systems before every launch.
The altitude added another layer of difficulty. Although Summit Station sits at around 10,500 feet, the combination of elevation and polar conditions can make the effective pressure altitude feel significantly higher, affecting both people and aircraft performance.
For Lewis, the challenge was not simply getting a drone airborne, but keeping camera systems, batteries and aircraft reliable enough to work repeatedly in an environment where weather could change quickly and recovery options were extremely limited.

Operating Drones at 3,200 Metres in Extreme Cold

Summit Station sits roughly 3,200 metres above sea level on the Greenland ice sheet, where altitude, severe cold and strong winds all affect how a drone performs. The thin air reduces propeller efficiency, while low temperatures can significantly reduce battery output and usable flight time.
Lewis and the CNN team were living on the ice in tents, so the aircraft, batteries and camera equipment had to be managed continuously in an environment where there was effectively no warm indoor base to return to between flights.
Battery temperature became one of the most important operational considerations. Packs had to be kept warm until immediately before take-off, with flight times planned conservatively and sufficient reserve maintained for changing wind conditions and the additional power required to fly at altitude.
The cold also affected the pilot, controllers, displays and every part of the normal filming workflow. Gloves, condensation, wind chill and prolonged exposure all had to be considered alongside the actual flying.
At Summit Station, the technical challenge was not simply getting a drone airborne. It was maintaining predictable aircraft performance and reliable camera operation while working for extended periods at high altitude in one of the coldest and most isolated environments in which Lewis has filmed.

Emmy-Nominated Cinematography for CNN’s Global Warning: Arctic Melt

The Summit Station filming formed part of CNN’s Global Warning: Arctic Melt, a major climate-reporting project led by Clarissa Ward examining Greenland’s rapidly changing ice sheet and the wider consequences of Arctic warming. CNN combined broadcast reporting with an immersive digital project built around drone footage and visual journalism from across Greenland.
For Lewis, Summit Station was one of the most technically demanding parts of the assignment. The research station sits at approximately 10,530 feet above sea level on the summit of the Greenland ice sheet, while atmospheric conditions can make the effective pressure altitude feel closer to 13,000 feet. Temperatures remain extremely low even in summer, strong winds are common, and researchers traditionally slept in tents on the ice during the summer season.
Lewis was working as a videojournalist and drone cinematographer, operating aerial equipment in cold, wind and thin air where battery performance, aircraft response and human endurance all became significant considerations. In his own account of the assignment, he describes studying the wind and light, preparing and building drones for extreme environments, and pursuing shots at Summit Station that others considered overly ambitious.
The resulting work received a 2018 News & Documentary Emmy nomination for Outstanding Video Journalism: News. The official NATAS nomination lists Lewis Whyld, Christian Streib, Mark Phillips and Peter Kavanagh as the four videojournalists credited on Global Warning: Arctic Melt.
That recognition is particularly relevant to this case study because the category specifically honoured the video journalism itself. Rather than being a general programme nomination, it directly recognised the cinematographic and visual-reporting work produced in Greenland, making Summit Station and the wider Arctic Melt assignment one of the strongest independently verified examples of Lewis Whyld’s extreme-environment broadcast cinematography.

Recognition

CNN’s Global Warning: Arctic Melt received significant international recognition for its visual journalism and immersive reporting from Greenland.

At the 75th Pictures of the Year International competition, Lewis Whyld received three separate honours connected with the project. He was awarded an Award of Excellence for Multimedia Photographer of the Year, while the CNN project — listed by POYi under the title Global Warming: Arctic Melt — received Judges’ Special Recognition for Documentary Project of the Year. Lewis also received an Award of Excellence for Online News & Issue Story Editing for the same project.

The production was also nominated at the 39th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards for Outstanding Video Journalism: News. The official National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences nominations record names Lewis Whyld, Christian Streib, Mark Phillips and Peter Kavanagh as the videojournalists on Global Warning: Arctic Melt.

The immersive element of the project received further recognition at the 2018 VR Awards, where Global Warning – Arctic Melt was selected as a finalist for the Social Impact Award, recognising XR work addressing significant social or environmental issues.

The project was also shortlisted in the Short Documentary category at the 2018 AIB Awards, adding further international recognition for the production’s documentary and visual storytelling.

Pictures of the Year International — 75th Competition Winners →
News & Documentary Emmy Awards — Outstanding Video Journalism: News →
2018 VR Awards — Social Impact Finalist →
CNN — Global Warning: Greenland Interactive →

Related Case Studies

Global Warning: Arctic Melt — Greenland — Emmy-nominated CNN cinematography across Greenland, including glaciers, sea ice, wildlife and extreme Arctic environments.
Iceland Volcano FPV Filming — Custom Moonshot FPV flights inside an active eruption in extreme heat, rain and high winds.
Ukraine — Emmy-Winning FPV & Drone Cinematography — Specialist aerial filming for CNN in an active conflict environment.
Chernobyl Reactor 4 — 360° drone cinematography inside a radiation-controlled and highly restricted environment.
Explore All FPV & Drone Case Studies →

Planning Drone Filming in Extreme Environments?

Through Whyldthings, I provide specialist FPV and drone cinematography for remote, high-altitude and extreme environments where weather, access and equipment performance become part of the production challenge.
At Summit Station, more than 3,000 metres above sea level on the Greenland ice sheet, the crew lived and worked from tents while operating in severe cold, strong winds and thin air. Drone systems, batteries and flight planning all had to account for rapidly changing conditions and the reduced performance that comes with extreme temperature and altitude.
For productions in polar regions, mountains, deserts, active volcanoes or other hostile environments, the aircraft and operating procedures are adapted to the location rather than relying on standard drone workflows.
Discuss an Extreme Environment Drone Project
Explore FPV & Drone Case Studies →