DRONE TEAM iHOSTAGE
DRONE SHOTS IN THE CITY CENTER OF AMSTERDAM
THE STORY
On Tuesday, February 22, 2022, a hostage situation unfolded at the Apple Store on Leidseplein in Amsterdam. A 27-year-old man, armed with firearms and what appeared to be explosives, demanded 200 million euros in cryptocurrency. Inside the store, he held one person hostage while dozens of others hid throughout the building. Over the course of the hours-long standoff, some managed to escape — and the situation ended in a truly spectacular way!
This incredible story caught the attention of director Bobby Boermans, who, under the production of Horizon Film, turned it into a gripping Netflix production. Drone TEAM iHostage from Kiwi Aerial Shots was proud to handle all the drone cinematography for this film, now streaming worldwide on Netflix!
Curious to learn more about our Drone TEAM iHostage and how we create stunning drone footage in Amsterdam and beyond? Check out our website or get in touch with us directly!
DRONE & "HELICOPTER" SHOTS
Through Horizon Film, Kiwi Aerial Shots was brought on to handle all the aerial cinematography for this production. Our Drone TEAM iHostage was responsible for capturing dynamic drone footage, with some shots being used to mimic aerial views from police helicopters. All footage was shot using our Inspire 3 drones equipped with the Zenmuse X9 camera. In total, we conducted five major shooting sessions, most of which took place at night in Amsterdam.
For these complex flights, we operated under our SPECIFIC company certification. Additionally, for the nighttime operations, we obtained a special waiver allowing us to fly outside the UDP (Universal Daylight Period). On site, we maintained continuous communication with Schiphol Air Traffic Control via our RT-operator, using radio equipment and a 10-meter-high transmission mast to ensure full safety and coordination.
All flight locations were scouted beforehand during a recce with the production team, director Bobby Boermans, and DoP Daan. During these sessions, we discussed the desired shots and the logistics needed to achieve them. Mounted under the Inspire 3 was the Zenmuse X9 camera — a full-frame sensor camera capable of shooting in 8K resolution. Thanks to its dual native ISO, it proved to be the perfect setup for the challenging night shots we captured around Leidseplein.
LEIDSEPLEIN
The primary location where our Drone TEAM iHostage operated was Leidseplein — an incredibly busy square in the heart of Amsterdam, where filming is usually heavily restricted, especially with drones. Because of these limitations, the production team built a complete replica of the Apple Store inside a studio. This gave us the time needed to capture the scenes properly, although it was a massive challenge to recreate such a detailed environment.
The replica of Leidseplein was constructed inside a huge studio, where the physical store was rebuilt. To simulate the outside movements of the real Leidseplein, an enormous LED screen was used, projecting live visuals around the store. This impressive setup was crafted by the VFX specialists at Planet X. You can watch a fascinating Behind the Scenes video below that shows how this was all brought to life.
For the drone shots, however, filming in a studio was not an option. Therefore, Leidseplein was completely shut down for two nights to capture all exterior scenes — including police movements, the bomb robot, and the film’s climactic final scenes. It was a major operation, where time was extremely limited and every shot had to be captured with precision and speed. Thanks to the incredible production team at Horizon, everything ran smoothly and Drone TEAM iHostage was able to deliver all the drone footage exactly as envisioned.
AMSTERDAM CENTRAL STATION
For the drone footage at Amsterdam Central Station, the entire station area was not closed off — instead, we were able to film during the day. Of course, we operated from a safe location with all necessary mitigating measures in place.
One of the highlights was capturing the iconic aerial shot above the IJ River, revealing the large ‘Amsterdam’ letters — a view we’ve had the privilege to film multiple times for various productions. Shooting at the station square itself was slightly more challenging, as we didn’t have full control over pedestrians and passersby, who unknowingly became part of the scene as background actors. Thanks to the ongoing construction work and the surrounding water at the station square, we were able to execute all drone operations here safely and successfully.
PRODUCTION
Client
Netflix
Release
2025
Genre
Crime, Thriller
Format
Movie
Producer
Sabine Brian
Boudewijn Rosenmuller
Diederik van Rooijen
Co Producer
Caviar Antwerpen
Line Producer
Eveline Kortenaar
Production Manager
Florence van Venetien
Writer
Simon de Waal
Director
Bobby Boermans
DOP
Daan Nieuwenhuijs
Production Design
Florian Legters
Costume Designer
Fieke Nicolai
Drone opnames
Kiwi Aerial Shots
Hair and Make-up Artist
Joyce van ‘t Zelfde
Sound Mixer
Michaël Sauvage
Editor
Brian End
NR. 1 in 70 countries
Following the film’s release during Easter weekend 2025, it became an instant success, reaching the No. 1 spot in over 70 countries during its first week! Netflix dedicated significant promotion to the film, and especially in the Netherlands, it was impossible to miss its release.
Director Bobby Boermans, along with Soufiane Moussouli, who played both the hostage-taker and main character, appeared on the RTL talk show ‘Humberto op Zondag’ the day before the film’s premiere. You can watch the interview in the video above.
INFORMATION AND CONTACT
If you would like more information about the drone services we offer at Kiwi Aerial Shots, feel free to reach out via the contact details or the form below. You can also find more information about our team and our portfolio elsewhere on our website.
For a detailed overview of the equipment we use, please visit our Technology page.
