Notes from the Field

Drone Cinematography in Restricted LA Airspace: LAX, BUR, LGB, and VNY

Class B and Class C airspace mechanics around LAX, Bob Hope, Long Beach, and Van Nuys. LAANC authorization for LA film and TV production.

The Drone Producer's Compliance Checklist: Part 107, Night Waivers, LAANC, COIs

Part 107, night waivers, LAANC, COIs, and FilmLA permits. The compliance checklist producers should expect from any drone vendor in Los Angeles.

Aerial Cinematography for Director-Led Commercial Production

How aerial cinematography fits director-led commercial production. Working with Reset Content, Porch House, Furlined, and MALKA on premium spots.

Choosing the Right Drone for an ARRI Alexa Mini Package

Matching a heavy-lift drone to an ARRI Alexa Mini package. Freefly Alta 8, Inspire 3 with X9, payload math, and color matching for cinema production.

The Drone Department: Why Your Aerial Unit Should Operate Like Camera, Not Like a Vendor

Most aerial units are booked as vendors. The drone department model integrates with camera. What changes in pre-pro, shoot day, and delivery.

Cold Weather and Altitude: How They Cut Your Drone's Flight Time and What We Do About It

Cold weather and altitude cut drone flight time. Here is what that means for your LA shoot and how we plan around it before the call sheet.

Why Camera Prep Saves Luxury Commercial Productions: What Almost Went Wrong on the YSL Libre Shoot

A burned-out gimbal, vintage Panavision lens motors stiff in the cold, focus rings that needed maximum torque. Here is what camera prep caught before the YSL Libre shoot stopped.

Shooting the YSL Libre Campaign with Dua Lipa: ARRI Alexa Mini, Vintage Panavision Glass, and a Drone at the Grand Canyon

How we shot the YSL Libre campaign with Dua Lipa across Malibu, Santa Clarita, and the Grand Canyon, ARRI Alexa Mini on an Alta 8 with vintage Panavision glass, for the same price competitors quoted for an Inspire 2.

Night Flight Waivers for Drone Production: What They Are, How We Got Ours, and What It Means for Your Shoot

Night flight drone waivers require a separate FAA petition. Here is what our waiver authorizes, what it took to get it, and what it means operationally for your night shoot in Los Angeles.

Flying Drones Alongside a Jetpack: What We Learned on the White Rabbit Project for Netflix

Our first Netflix production involved flying a drone in the same airspace as a jetpack, two FAA-regulated unmanned aircraft coordinating in real time. Here is how it worked.

What a Plan of Activities Is, and Why Your Drone Operator Should Hand You One Before Shoot Day

Most productions have never heard the term Plan of Activities. Here is what it is, why a professional drone operator produces one before every shoot, and what it means for your production day.

Aerial Cinematography for Hilltop Estates and Acreage Listings

When a luxury listing requires dual-operator aerial, Alta 8 heavy lift, and a different production package than a standard residential drone shoot.

Working with Drone Tech Aerial as Your Aerial Subcontractor

A B2B guide for LA real estate photographers. White-label aerial workflow, billing, raw deliverables, liability, and standing accounts.

FAA Part 107 and Malibu Airspace: What Listing Agents Need to Know

LAX TRACON, LAANC authorizations, NOTAMs, and TFRs explained for Malibu listings. A practical airspace guide for luxury real estate agents.

What Cinema-Grade Aerial Does for a Luxury Listing That a Mavic Cannot

Why an Inspire 3 with X9 full-frame produces aerial footage that reads differently on MLS than prosumer drone work. A technical breakdown for listing agents.

How We Shot Background Plates for Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+

How Drone Tech Aerial served as second unit aerial on Percy Jackson and the Olympians for Disney+, shooting VFX background plates at Santa Monica Beach with zero production overhead.

We Lost Our Home and Our Business in the Woolsey Fire. Then We Built a Service to Help Others Who Did the Same.

We lost our home and our business in the 2018 Woolsey Fire. Here is how that experience shaped the wildfire documentation service we now offer to homeowners and law firms across Malibu and Los Angeles.

I Authored One of the First FAA 333 Exemptions for Commercial Drone Operations. Here Is What That Means in 2026.

In 2013, before Part 107 existed, I authored one of the first FAA 333 Exemptions for commercial drone cinematography, without an attorney. Here is what that means for your production.

The Real Cost of Drone Production in Los Angeles: FSOs, LAANC, and What Actually Shows Up on Your Budget

Film permits, fire safety officers, LAANC authorization, here is what drone production actually costs in Los Angeles, and what your budget needs to account for.

How Drone Tech Aerial Became a Netflix Approved Drone Vendor

The real story behind Netflix’s drone vendor approval process, what it takes, why it matters on set, and why most operators can never get in the door.

What to Look for in a Drone Company in Los Angeles

How to choose a drone cinematography company in Los Angeles: certifications, payload, permitting, and on-set experience to verify before booking.

Heavy Lift Drones for Film Production in Los Angeles: When and Why

Heavy lift drone services for film and TV production in Los Angeles. Freefly Alta X for large cinema cameras. FAA licensed operators, DJI Inspire 3 available.

Why Law Firms Should Use Drones for Homes Lost in the Southern California Wildfires

Why Law Firms Should Use Drones for Homes Lost in the Southern California WildfiresAs Southern California faces the devastating impact of recurring wildfires, particularly in high-risk areas like the Palisades, Malibu, and Pasadena, the legal landscape is evolving to address the needs of homeowners seeking justice. For law firms representing clients who have lost their […]

What kinds of shots are possible with drones?

Are drones going to replace helicopters in film making? The short answer is no. While helicopters and drones do share the airspace and can both cary professional grade cinema cameras, each platform has strengths to create shots that the other cant. Drones have already made a significant impact on the movie production industry, providing filmmakers […]

What is the most most popular drone for video work?

There is no one "most popular" drone for film and TV use, as different drones are better suited for different types of projects and applications. Some factors to consider when choosing a drone for film and TV use include: Some popular drones for film and TV use include the DJI Matrice 600, the Freefly Alta […]

A Few Quick Facts About the DJI Inspire 2 and X7 Super 35mm Camera

The DJI Inspire 2 with the X7 camera is a professional-grade drone designed for use in film and TV production, as well as other applications. Some of the key features of the DJI Inspire 2 with the X7 camera include: Overall, the DJI Inspire 2 with the X7 camera is a powerful and versatile drone […]

Bit Depth of a DJI X7 Super 35mm vs Red Komodo

Red Cam is a name that synonymous high image quality and professional camera work. To fly a Red Cam almost always requires the use of a heavy lift system like a Freefly Alta 8 or similar system. While the Red/Alta 8 combo is a powerful cinema capture tool, it may not always be necessary or […]

Freefly Alta 6 vs Alta 8 vs Alta X: Cinema Drone Comparison

Compare Freefly Alta 6, Alta 8, and Alta X for cinema heavy lift. Payload specs, camera options, and flight performance for Los Angeles film production.

Drone Failsafe Technology as a Safety Feature on Film, TV and Commercial Sets

Freefly Alta X vs DJI Inspire 2 for film television and commercial production

Freefly Alta X vs DJI Inspire 2 for film and TV production. Payload, sensor support, flight time, noise, and use cases compared by a Los Angeles crew.

DJI Inspire 2 VS Mavic 3 Cine for production use

Inspire 2 VS Phantom Pro- Which is the right choice?

DJI Mini Drones for Smaller Jobs

How Drones Have Changed Film and TV Production

How drones changed film and TV production: more flexible camera movement, faster setups than cranes or helicopters, safer shoots, and higher image quality.

Can drones replace jibs in film production?

Drones can be used to capture shots that are similar to those that can be achieved using a jib, which is a type of camera mount that allows the camera to be moved vertically and horizontally in a smooth, fluid motion. However, drones are not a direct replacement for jibs and each has its own […]

FPV in film and TV Overview

FPV drones, or first-person view drones, are drones that are equipped with cameras and transmitters that allow the operator to see a live video feed from the drone's perspective. These drones are often used in film and television production to capture aerial shots that would be difficult or impossible to capture with a traditional camera […]

Dual Operator v/s Single Operator and the Correct Application of Each

Defining the Differences  Before we begin, let me define what a dual operator and single operator setup consist of. A single operator drone pilot consists of an individual person manipulating the controls of the aircraft, (drone) and the camera system simultaneously to achieve the shots requested of him by the director of photography, or […]

Access is Everything! We Have Part 107 Airspace Waivers for the Los Angeles Area

I was speaking with a client a while back who wanted to do have us carry some 3D Virtual Reality equipment using one of our drones near the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles, CA. With only a few days’ notice, I had to explain how the FAA does not work on the same time […]

In Defense of Small Drones

When we started out filming with drones over 5 years ago, consumer drone technology was becoming more easily accessible at lower price points. As the drones of the day became more capable and feature rich, camera technology seemed to always leave us wanting more. We scoffed at Phantoms and GoPro rigs and opted to […]

Full Service Advertisement Production from a Drone Company in Los Angles

Drone Tech Aerial is now offering end to end production for advertisement and promotional media specializing in, but not limited to action sports and motorsports. If you are looking for an advertisement production company, look no further than Drone Tech Aerial.  We have a variety of camera and lens options, plus multiple aerial platforms (drones) […]

Making Ojai Look like Georgia from a Drone

As drone pilots and a commercial production company we travel a lot in our line of work. We are centrally located in the greater Los Angeles area, in The greater Los Angeles area is a haven for drone pilots given the diverse landscapes. How did our drone production company find Georgia in the city of Ojai

P!nk Live @ The American Music Awards 2018

DroneTechAerial covering Pinks performance at the American Music Awards on ABC. @DroneTechAerial #pinkxamas #pinkamas #AMAs #amas2017#djiglobal #inspire1pro #inspire2 #djix5 #djix5r #djix7 #dronetechaerial #legaldronela #faaexempt #Part107 #nightwaiver Https://dronetechaerial.com

LAFD Training Videos

Training As One from LACoFD Training Films on Vimeo. Project Description Project Details Client: LAFD

Porch House Pictures

Project Description Project Details Client: Porch House Picture

Lululemon Athletica-ivivva

Project Description Project Details Client: ivivva (lululemon)

City of Malibu 25 Year Anniversary

Project Description Project Details

Open Campaign

Project Description Project Details Client: Open Campaign

Formula Drift

Project Description Project Details Client: CBS Sports / Dust2Glory

King of The Hammers | Ultra4 Off Road Racing with Drone

Drone production and filming for the Ultra4 King of the Hammers. Unlimited off-road racing with drones and cameras at high speeds as well as rock crawling.

SCORE San Felipe 250

Project Description Project Details Client: SCORE Racing

2017 AMA P!NK Performance Drone

pink AMAs from Drone Tech Aerial on Vimeo. Project Description Part 107 Night Waiver Live Performance for the 2017 American Music Awards Project Details Client: Dick Clark Productions

Rover Skate Demo

Drone Tech Aerials Rover Skate Test from Drone Tech Aerial on Vimeo. Project Description Test footage from the drone camera car, aka "Rover",  that we put together in less than an hour. Project Details Client: DTAC

Flying with Multiple Drone Pilots at an Event

While filming qualifying for the 50th anniversary of the Baja 1000 in 2017 we were required to coordinate the use of multiple drone pilots to capture the racing event from different angles.

2018 Demo Reel for Drone Service in Los Angeles and Southern California

2018 Demo Reel for Drone Service in Los Angeles and Southern California

OSMO Pro/Raw Wired Video Adapter Review …No Brainer,Buy One!

DJI did select Drone Tech Aerial, a Los Angeles based drone company as beta testers for this unit, in exchange we were able to keep this product ($19 value)  for our own use. Executive Summary: This small device that allows direct connection from the osmo to an android device flat out works and makes the […]

"Rover" Drone Camera Car Los Angeles

Take a look at building the most refined drone camera car in Los Angeles. No post stabilization required with this bad boy.

First Official Drone Company of the SCORE BAJA 1000

Drone Tech worked with Brentwood Communications International Incorporated (BCII TV) and SCORE International Off-Road to become the first drone company

Social Media Creation Utilizing Drone Footage

Drone Tech has been providing our clients in the Los Angeles area and beyond the ability to create daily social media content while shooting on location.

Flying a Drone CBS Sports at the SCORE San Felipe 250

Drone Tech Aerial kicked off this year with the SCORE racing series down in Mexico filming the San Felipe 250. This is the first in the series of races concluding with the famous Baja 1000. Although this is far away from home in Los Angeles, we are international travel ready. Filming trophy trucks with drones […]

We Have the FAA Part 107 Night Waiver for our Part 107 Legal Pilots

Drone Tech Aerial has the Part 107 Night Waiver to legally fly at night not just in Los Angeles but anywhere in the US with our legal drone pilots.

Pro Racing Demo Reel 2017

Check out a little recap of our 2017 pro racing coverage. From the dust of the Baja 1000, King of the Hammers, to the tire smoke of formula drift. We've seen a lot of action this year.

Late 2016 Demo Reel

Shooting 360 VR (GoPro) with a Drone

We were recently contacted by a company from outside of the United States to do a 360 Virtual Reality (VR) experience using a drone for a shoot of a citrus grove. The client contacted us because they were looking for a company local to the Los Angeles area, FAA Section 333 Exemption, Insured, with the […]

2016 Demo Reel

Drone Tech Aerial Demo 2016 from Drone Tech Aerial on Vimeo. Project Description 2016 Demo Reel Project Details Client: Drone Tech Aerial

Flying a Drone Indoors in Los Angeles

When people visualize drone shots, they think high and away, wide landscape shots. Here at the Los Angeles drone company, Drone Tech Aerial, we think that

Hiring a Drone Company for your Next Production? Here is Your Guide to Getting a Qualified Company and Permit..

It pains me to say it but the drone industry has become flooded with under qualified "fly by night" operators and businesses trying to make a quick buck. Couple that with the fact that permitting offices are still struggling with being competent or consistent when it comes to drones and you can have a hell […]

Drone Tech Aerial Cinematography (DTAC) An FAA exempt drone operator in LA

Hello and welcome to Drone Tech Aerial. We are an FAA exempt Drone company in Malibu, CA. As you'v seen on our site we love our unmanned aerial vehicles. We have a passion for things that fly that can only be matched by our love of quality video. Where did it start? In a shed full […]

LA Drone Company, Drone Tech Aerial Cinematography, Goes FAA Exempt in 2015

As the year comes to a close, the team at Drone Tech Aerial reflects on the past 365 days. The highs, the lows…success and hard lessons learned. The most notable advance made by Drone Tech Aerial this year has been the procurement of a section 333 FAA exemption. In conjunction with commercial drone insurance, the […]

Our Story as Seen in The Malibu Surfside News

It's always fun to see yourself end up in the local paper. What was even more fun was recounting the events that led up to our success thus far. Our moment of inspiration, failures, and successes was relived and retold in the Malibu Surfside News article about starting an FAA legal drone company among the chaos of a wild west of technology with cowboys to boot. Come to take a trip down memory lane with us and learn how and why we started and what we have done to preserve our brand.