LA looks oh-so-fine from above in this new drone video

The verdict is certainly still out on whether drones should be seen as an exciting new technology or a serious threat to the survival of the human race, but they sure do provide us with some great footage of Los Angeles.

A new video from prolific drone photographer Mingomatic offers a nice look at the contrast between the vertical environments of Downtown LA and the horizontal spread of the Westside.

Highlights from the Downtown portion include impressive glimpses of the US Bank Tower, recently dethroned as LA’s tallest skyscraper, but still plenty vertigo-inducing at its helipad-equipped peak. There’s also a swooping view across the often-overlooked John Ferraro Office Building (home to LADWP) and a flyover of the soon-to-reopen Angels Flight railway.

Meanwhile, video overhead Beverly Hills gives a rarely-seen and strangely mesmerizing perspective of Two Rodeo Drive and the city’s famous six-way intersection.

Further west, the Santa Monica Pier looks surprisingly cubist from above, while the lawns, parks, and freeway interchanges around Santa Monica City Hall combine for an oddly disorienting effect.

Also included are some very cool shots of Richard Meier’s Getty Center, the always exquisite Urban Light installation at LACMA, and Los Angeles City Hall (complete with protesters).

• LA looks beautiful from above in this first-rate drone video [Curbed LA]
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• See Cool Los Angeles Sites in a Rare View From Above [Curbed LA]