• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

New Drone Footage From Over Tesla’s Massive Gigafactory

By
John Patrick Pullen
John Patrick Pullen
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Patrick Pullen
John Patrick Pullen
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 7, 2017, 5:36 PM ET

Elon Musk is a man with big dreams. But it’s difficult to fully grasp the enormity of his vision until you see it unfurl across the landscape below you.

That’s what happens with footage taken from a drone of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Sparks, Nev., released Friday, Aug. 4. The vast plant is impressive to watch from above.

Fuel cell production has already started in the factory, which is still partially under construction. And that productions is just getting started.

Unveiled in 2014, Gigafactory 1 had its official grand opening in July 2016. At the time of the ribbon cutting, the $5 billion factory was only 14% complete, but it was already on its way in changing the world’s energy use. Gigafactory 1 creates fuel cells for Tesla’s electric vehicles and Powerwall batteries for the company’s solar arrays.

The drone footage, shot by videographer Duncan Sinfield on a DJI Inspire 1 Pro, reveals a factory site that appears like a mirage from the desert, swarmed by tiny parked cars, little construction cranes, and tractor trailers that look smaller than ants. Then again, being situated next to a 6 million-square-foot building will make almost anything seem small.

As Fortune‘s Kirsten Korosec has noted, Tesla’s first battery factory is critically important. “It’s the cornerstone to all of what Tesla hopes to achieve: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy,” she wrote.

And as battery factories pop up around the globe, it seems Tesla’s hopes have already been acheived. For example, by 2021, China plans to produce 3.5-times more batteries than Tesla’s factory. And Germany is also joining the competition, with its own plans to open two battery foundries.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

But don’t expect Musk to whither in the face of competition. Tesla already has plans to open three more Gigafactories, the automaker revealed in Feb. 2017. Gigafactory 2 will be built in New York, while the rest of the facilities have yet to find a home.

It’s also worth noting from the drone footage that Gigafactory 1 is hardly complete. You can even tell by looking at it—there are no solar panels installed on its roof, yet.

About the Author
By John Patrick Pullen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Anthropic caused panic that Mythos will expose cybersecurity weak spots, but one industry veteran says real problem is fixing, not finding, them
CybersecurityTech
Anthropic caused panic that Mythos will expose cybersecurity weak spots, but one industry veteran says real problem is fixing, not finding, them
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezApril 13, 2026
7 minutes ago
A person holding a blue piggy bank
Personal FinanceSavings
Best savings account bonuses for April 2026
By Joseph HostetlerApril 13, 2026
47 minutes ago
trump
CommentaryWhite House
The futility of Trump’s grandiose personal branding of public assets, from ballrooms and bills to ships and planes
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianApril 13, 2026
2 hours ago
craig piggott
AIAgriculture
After growing up on a dairy farm, this Peter Thiel–backed founder is using AI to save cattle ranching
By Jake AngeloApril 13, 2026
2 hours ago
Luis Von Ahn points.
Workplace CultureLeadership
‘I’m not going to force you’: Duolingo CEO backs off from evaluating employees on their AI usage 
By Jacqueline MunisApril 13, 2026
2 hours ago
The most valuable worker in the AI economy is Nurse Dana from ‘The Pitt’
EconomyJobs
The most valuable worker in the AI economy is Nurse Dana from ‘The Pitt’
By Nick LichtenbergApril 13, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

'This is the last warning.' Iran threatens U.S. warships after they throw down the gauntlet for winner-take-all Strait of Hormuz
Politics
'This is the last warning.' Iran threatens U.S. warships after they throw down the gauntlet for winner-take-all Strait of Hormuz
By Fortune EditorsApril 11, 2026
2 days ago
'People are trying to be creative': Tariff-battered American companies are so cash-starved they are using refund claims as collateral for loans
Economy
'People are trying to be creative': Tariff-battered American companies are so cash-starved they are using refund claims as collateral for loans
By Fortune EditorsApril 12, 2026
1 day ago
A 93-year-old refused to sell her home to the Masters golf course that’s spent $280 million on expansion: ‘Money ain’t everything’
Real Estate
A 93-year-old refused to sell her home to the Masters golf course that’s spent $280 million on expansion: ‘Money ain’t everything’
By Fortune EditorsApril 12, 2026
1 day ago
Here's how a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could work. 'This is a big task, and it's a big gamble'
Politics
Here's how a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could work. 'This is a big task, and it's a big gamble'
By Fortune EditorsApril 12, 2026
1 day ago
The 'affordability economy' has created a housing market nobody predicted: Prices collapsing in the Sunbelt, soaring in the Rust Belt
Real Estate
The 'affordability economy' has created a housing market nobody predicted: Prices collapsing in the Sunbelt, soaring in the Rust Belt
By Fortune EditorsApril 11, 2026
2 days ago
‘Almost unmanageable’: Raising a child in the U.S. now costs more than $300,000
Economy
‘Almost unmanageable’: Raising a child in the U.S. now costs more than $300,000
By Fortune EditorsApril 12, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.