Drone Cinematography Companies in Los Angeles: 2026 Comparison for Producers

Los Angeles has more drone cinematography companies per square mile than any production market in the country, and most of their websites say the same three things: FAA Part 107, heavy-lift capable, worked with Netflix. This page compares eight of them on what their own sites actually state, so a producer or coordinator building a vendor shortlist can see the differences before making the calls. Drone Tech Aerial is one of the eight. The same criteria and the same tone apply to our entry as to everyone else’s.

Quick answer

If you need a name today, here is the short version. Each label reflects what the company’s site emphasizes, not a ranking.

• Gung Ho Films: broad studio credit list (Tulsa King, 1923, Creed III), Inspire 3 and Alta X, FPV, $5M liability stated.
• CineDrones: Local 600 and non-union crews stated, wide service menu including stunt drones, drone light shows, and aerial lighting.
• Lithium Aerials: Local 600-qualified crews stated, Alta X with Alexa Mini, RED Komodo, and Sony FX6 named, custom FPV.
• Skyecam: operating since 2012, night flight waivers stated, Alta X and M600 for Alexa Mini and RED, plus drone lighting and custom UAS engineering.
• AMK Films: Alta X with Sony Venice, ARRI 35 and LF, RED Komodo and V-Raptor, night and over-people waivers stated, $5M liability, multi-city footprint.
• Beverly Hills Aerials: sports and live broadcast emphasis, drone light shows, East LA base.
• Precision Aerial Filmworks: film, television, commercial, and real estate aerials; the site does not state platforms, certification, or insurance.
• Drone Tech Aerial: two-pilot crew operating as an aerial department, Alta 8 with ARRI Alexa Mini, Inspire 3, FPV, Netflix Approved Vendor, active night waiver, $5M aircraft liability per flight.

How this list was built

Criteria. Each company was checked for eight things a production office needs before it books: how long it has operated, whether FAA Part 107 certification is stated, union status, heavy-lift platform and the cinema cameras it carries, FPV capability, insurance limit, night flight or over-people waivers, and named credits.

Sources. Every fact below comes from the company’s own website as read on September 1, 2026, unless a different source is named. Where a site does not state something, the table says “not stated”. That is not a judgment about the company. It means a producer will have to ask.

Who wrote this. Jaron Denson, owner and aerial director of photography at Drone Tech Aerial, FAA Part 107 remote pilot, drone operator credits on IMDb since 2014. Drone Tech Aerial is included in the comparison. We competed for the same jobs as several companies on this list and have shared sets with some of them.

Last updated. September 22, 2026. Companies change gear, crews, and insurance. Check the company’s site or ask for a current certificate of insurance before you book.

Comparison table

Company	Operating since	Part 107 stated	Union status stated	Heavy lift stated	FPV	Insurance stated	Night waiver stated
Gung Ho Films	2013	Yes	Not stated	Alta X	Yes	$5M+	Not stated
CineDrones	2013	Yes	Local 600 and non-union	Not stated	Yes	$5M	Not stated
Lithium Aerials	Not stated	Yes	Local 600-qualified	Alta X (Alexa Mini, Komodo, FX6)	Yes	Not stated	Not stated
Skyecam	2012	Yes (Part 107, prior 333)	Not stated	Alta X, M600 (Alexa Mini, RED)	Yes (RED Komodo FPV)	“Fully insured”	Yes
AMK Films	Not stated	Yes	Not stated	Alta X (Venice, ARRI 35/LF, Komodo, V-Raptor)	Yes	$5M	Yes, plus over-people
Beverly Hills Aerials	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated
Precision Aerial Filmworks	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated
Drone Tech Aerial	2012	Yes	Local 600 via network, non-union in-house	Alta 8 (Alexa Mini)	Yes	$5M per flight	Yes

The companies

Gung Ho Films

Hollywood-based, established 2013. The site states that all operators hold FAA Part 107 certification, lists the Inspire 3, Alta X, FPV drones, and custom UAS builds, and carries $5 million or more in liability coverage. The credit list is the widest on this page: Netflix, Disney, HBO, Paramount, FX, Hulu, Apple, and Sony Pictures as studios, with Tulsa King, S.W.A.T., 1923, Creed III, Bosch: Legacy, 9-1-1: Lone Star, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour among the named productions. Services also cover real estate, events, and inspection.

Tradeoffs: the site does not state union status or night flight waivers, and does not name which cinema cameras fly on the Alta X. Ask for both if the show is union or shoots after sunset.

CineDrones

Hollywood-based, flying since 2013, FAA Part 107 certified, $5M aviation liability, and explicit about offering both Local 600 union and non-union crews. The service menu is unusually broad: full-service drone cinematography, stunt drones, VR and 360, drone light shows, aerial lighting, on-camera drones, and FPV. Named clients include Hulu, Netflix, Apple, Sony, Showtime, HBO, Amazon, MTV, CBS, AMC, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and the NFL, with NCIS, 9-1-1, You’re the Worst, and Modern Family among the shows.

Tradeoffs: the site does not name its drone platforms or the cinema cameras it carries, so payload questions have to go through a phone call. Night waivers are not stated.

Lithium Aerials

Los Angeles-based, operating nationwide and internationally. The site states FAA Part 107 pilots and Local 600-qualified, union-compliant crews, and is specific about gear: Freefly Alta X, DJI Inspire 3, custom FPV rigs, with the ARRI Alexa Mini, RED Komodo, and Sony FX6 named as carried cameras. Services include heavy-lift camera movement, drone lighting, and event aerial production.

Tradeoffs: no founding date, no insurance limit, no night waiver, and no named credits on the site. The portfolio is described by category (features, episodic, automotive, sports) rather than by title.

Skyecam

Hollywood-based, established 2012, one of the longest-running names on this list. The site states FAA Part 107 certification with an earlier Section 333 exemption, waivers for night flights, and a platform list that runs from the DJI Mavic 4 Pro to the Inspire 3, DJI M600, and Alta X, with support for the Alexa Mini, RED cameras, film cameras, LED lighting systems, and 360/VR rigs. Named clients include Netflix, HBO, Disney, National Geographic, BBC, Marvel, Hulu, Cirque du Soleil, and Lana Del Rey. Skyecam also does custom UAS design and engineering, drone lighting, thermal inspection, and lost pet search.

Tradeoffs: insurance is described as “fully insured” without a limit, and union status is not stated. The service range is wide, which is an advantage for unusual rigs and a question to ask about crew depth on a film day.

AMK Films

Los Angeles-based with crews listed in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Albuquerque, Austin, Chicago, and London. The site states FAA Part 107 compliant operators with night and over-people waivers and a $5 million aviation liability policy. The gear list is the most detailed on this page: Freefly Alta X carrying the Sony Venice, ARRI 35 and LF, or RED Komodo and V-Raptor; Inspire 3; Mavic 3 Pro Cine; Matrice 350 RTK; Avata and DJI FPV; plus cable cams, helicopters, and gimbal systems. Credits include The Misfits, Jay Leno’s Garage, Selling Sunset, Jurassic World, Ready Player One, and commercials for Mazda, Shell, Amazon, and Bank of America.

Tradeoffs: no founding date or union status stated. AMK is also a full production company, which suits a client who wants one vendor for the whole shoot and is less relevant to a production that only needs an aerial unit to slot into an existing camera department.

Beverly Hills Aerials

Based on East Olympic Boulevard in Los Angeles. The site emphasizes drone filming for sports, film, and television, drone live broadcast (an MLB All-Star example is shown), and drone light shows, and displays client logos including Hulu, 20th Century Fox, and Apple TV.

Tradeoffs: the site does not state a founding date, Part 107 certification, union status, platforms, insurance, or waivers, and does not name specific credits. Every one of those is a question for the first call.

Precision Aerial Filmworks

Los Angeles-based. The site describes aerial cinematography for commercials, scripted television, and feature films, and lists film, television, real estate, construction, and events as markets served.

Tradeoffs: the site does not state certification, platforms, insurance, waivers, union status, or named credits. That does not mean the company lacks them, only that a producer cannot verify any of it without asking.

Drone Tech Aerial

Los Angeles-based, operating since 2012, IMDb drone operator credits since 2014. Two pilots, Jaron Denson and Randall Berkeley, have flown every credit together as pilot and camera operator. Platforms are the Freefly Alta 8 configured for the ARRI Alexa Mini, the DJI Inspire 3 with Zenmuse X9, and custom FPV rigs. FAA Part 107, active night flight waiver, $5M aircraft liability per flight, Netflix Approved Vendor, FilmLA permitting and LAANC authorization handled in-house. Credits include Inside Bill’s Brain, Unstable, Living Undocumented, and White Rabbit Project for Netflix, Percy Jackson and the Olympians for Disney+, Based on a True Story for Peacock, Lucy in the Sky for Fox Searchlight, the 2020 Golden Globe Awards, the 2017 American Music Awards, and the 2025 MTV VMA-nominated long-form video FUNNY little STORIES for Damiano David. The operating model is an aerial department rather than a vendor: permits, airspace, insurance, and the written flight plan are closed out before the call sheet goes out. The service-by-service breakdown sits on our Los Angeles drone company page.

Tradeoffs: it is a two-pilot company. A show that wants three aerial units flying on the same day needs advance notice so the network crew can be booked. Local 600 operators come through that network rather than an in-house union roster. The heavy-lift platform is the Alta 8, rated for the Alexa Mini and similar packages; a full Alexa 35 or LF build with anamorphic glass is an Alta X conversation, which we will say on the phone rather than after the truck arrives.

How to choose

Choose a heavy-lift house when the aerial has to match the A camera. If the show is on Alexa or Venice and the DP wants the aerial to grade with the rest of the day, the payload question decides the vendor. Gung Ho, Lithium, Skyecam, and AMK state the Alta X; Drone Tech Aerial flies the Alta 8 with the Alexa Mini. Ask which cameras and lens weights the company has actually flown, not just what the platform is rated for. Our notes on heavy-lift drones for Los Angeles film production cover the payload math.

Choose a company that states union status when the production is union. Only CineDrones and Lithium state Local 600 on their sites. Drone Tech Aerial works with Local 600 operators through its network. Everyone else on the list needs to be asked.

Choose a specialist when the shot is the whole job. Drone light shows, aerial lighting, stunt drones, and custom rigs are specialty lines at CineDrones, Skyecam, and Beverly Hills Aerials. A one-take FPV fly-through of a building is a different skill from a heavy-lift crane replacement, and a company that lists both should be able to name who flies each.

Avoid any operator who cannot produce three documents before the call. A current FAA Part 107 certificate for the pilot who will actually fly, a certificate of insurance naming the production, and the airspace authorization or waiver for the specific location. In Los Angeles that last one matters more than anywhere else; the restricted airspace guide explains why. A site that says “fully insured” without a number, or “Hollywood’s biggest names” without a title, is not disqualifying, but the paperwork has to arrive before the aircraft does.

Weight named credits over logos. A named show with a season and a role is verifiable on IMDb. A wall of network logos is not. The longer producer checklist is in what to look for in a drone company in Los Angeles.

What it costs

Rates across these companies are not published, ours included, because a drone day in Los Angeles is priced on crew configuration, platform, location airspace, and whether a fire safety officer and permit rider are required. Ask each company for a quote on your specific configuration; the answers will differ more than the websites do.

FAQ

How many drone cinematography companies operate in Los Angeles?

Dozens. This page compares eight whose sites position them for film, television, and commercial work in Los Angeles. Real estate, inspection, and mapping operators are a separate market and were left out.

Is FAA Part 107 enough for a film shoot in Los Angeles?

Part 107 is the floor. Most Los Angeles locations also need LAANC authorization for controlled airspace, a FilmLA permit with an aerial rider, and, for night or over-people work, an FAA waiver. Ask the company which of those it handles in-house.

What is a Local 600 drone operator?

An operator who is a member of IATSE Local 600, the International Cinematographers Guild, which covers camera crew on union productions. Union shows may require it or may accept a waiver. Two companies on this list state Local 600 crews on their sites.

Which drone can carry an ARRI Alexa Mini?

The Freefly Alta 8 and Alta X both carry the Alexa Mini with standard prime lenses. The Alta X has more payload margin for heavier builds. Every company on this list that states a heavy-lift platform names one of the two.

Does Drone Tech Aerial recommend competitors?

When a job needs something we do not do, yes. Three simultaneous units, a drone light show, or a full production package with cable cam and helicopter are better served by companies above that list them. What we do is a two-pilot aerial department with an Alexa Mini in the air, and we would rather say that plainly than win a job we are wrong for. Request a quote if that is what your show needs.