The iconic scene of Tom Cruise driving off a cliff, now etched in Hollywood history, was filmed using drone technology developed by Melbourne-based company XM2.
The stunt was real, required months of preparation, and was captured under intense pressure by XM2’s camera systems, controlled by CEO Stephen Oh.
“It was millions of dollars for just a 20-second shot, and we thought we might only get one chance,” Oh said — but they managed to film it six times.
XM2 co-founder Aidan Kelly piloted the drone, having trained with Cruise at a quarry in the UK before executing the stunt in Norway.
“As Tom got more comfortable with the drone and I got more comfortable with his movements, we perfected the shot through rehearsals,” Kelly explained.
The result was a single, seamless shot that became one of the most remarkable stunts in film history.
When 9News visited XM2, Kelly was preparing to work on the next Spider-Man film, adding to the company’s blockbuster portfolio, which includes Jurassic World, John Wick, and The Fall Guys.
Recalling the filming of The Fall Guys, Kelly described weaving through traffic at 60–70 km/h with a drone on Sydney Harbour Bridge — one of the highlights of his career.
XM2 was founded in 2011 by Oh, Kelly, and Luke Annells, who originally bonded over flying hobby helicopters and set out to build drones capable of carrying 25-kilogram cameras.
Their breakthrough came when the director of Pirates of the Caribbean 5 requested a drone capable of carrying 40 kilograms — a challenge they met by building the world’s first of its kind.
Initially hired for three weeks, the team stayed on the Pirates set for six months due to their impressive work.
Today, XM2 has expanded to Los Angeles and London, designing stability rigs for everything from vehicles to animals, including for the film Ride Like a Girl.
Their innovative technology has attracted the attention of director Ridley Scott and earned praise from Victoria’s Creative Industries Minister, Colin Brooks.
XM2 is now developing tethered drones capable of flying for weeks to restore network coverage in disaster-hit areas and is working with Parks Victoria on drones that can deliver food to stranded native wildlife.
CEO Stephen Oh believes their Melbourne-born technology isn’t just shaping movies — it’s poised to save lives around the world.
