Drone Videography Los Angeles
FAA-licensed aerial cinematography for film, TV, and commercial productions in Los Angeles since 2012. Request a Quote
Watch Reel
- 10+ years operating
- FAA Part 107 certified
- 50+ major productions
- Netflix approved vendor
Aerial Videography Built for Production
Drone Tech Aerial provides professional drone videography for the Los Angeles film, television, and commercial production industry. Our pilots hold FAA Part 107 certification with active night flight and airspace waivers across the LA metro area. We operate DJI Inspire 3, Freefly Alta 8 with ARRI Alexa Mini, and custom FPV platforms. Our work spans studio features, streaming originals, automotive campaigns, and live events.
Still comparing vendors? Our producer guide covers what to look for in a drone company in Los Angeles: the certifications, payload, permitting, and on-set experience to verify before booking.
Credentials
- FAA Part 107 Certified Pilots
- Night Flight Waiver Holder (active)
- Insured for Motion Picture and Television
- Netflix Approved Drone Vendor
- Operating since 2012
- IMDB: nm8013961
From the Archive
Netflix: Inside Bill’s Brain (2019)
2020 Golden Globe Awards
P!NK: American Music Awards
Harrison Ford: Firehouse World
Capabilities
- Cinematic 4K/6K aerial footage
- DJI Inspire 3 with Zenmuse X9
- Freefly Alta 8 with ARRI Alexa Mini
- FPV drone cinematography
- Night flight operations (FAA waiver)
- Insert unit and second unit aerial
We serve productions across Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Orange County, and the greater Southern California region. Available for single-day calls and multi-week productions. All productions receive a written flight plan, safety meeting, and certificate of insurance before the first call.
What Drone Videography Means on a Los Angeles Production
Drone videography is not the same discipline as aerial photography. On a Los Angeles film, television, or commercial production, drone videography is motion picture capture in a moving frame: sustained camera moves, matched color science, coordinated action with on-ground camera and stunt teams, and delivery of usable footage into the editorial pipeline. The pilot is one half of the operation. The camera operator on the second stick is the other half. What lands in dailies is what the audience will see.
Producers vetting a drone videography vendor in Los Angeles are usually filtering for four things: platform choice matched to the show’s camera package, FAA and airspace compliance covering the specific neighborhoods on the location list, workflow integration with the DP and the AD department, and delivery that clears the DIT without re-transcodes. The rest of this page walks through each of those in the terms a production coordinator or line producer needs to spec the aerial unit.
The Camera and Platform Stack
Drone videography for LA production runs on two primary platforms and a handful of specialty rigs. The DJI Inspire 3 with the Zenmuse X9 handles most streaming and commercial work: 8K full-frame capture with ProRes RAW support in a compact form factor that clears tight location constraints. The Freefly Alta 8 is the heavy-lift platform, configured to carry an ARRI Alexa Mini with the lens options the A-camera is running. When the show is shot on Alexa, matching the aerial to the same sensor keeps color and grain consistent with the rest of the show through the grade. For fast-vehicle and interior work, we run custom FPV rigs, with the DJI Inspire 2 and Zenmuse X7 and the Mavic 3 Cine covering tight-access and travel-light days.
The lens package matters as much as the airframe. Most producers ask about drones. The right question is what glass is on the front. See our cinema drone gear list for the current platform and camera detail, and our breakdown of flying the ARRI Alexa Mini on the Alta 8 for the specifics of matching aerial capture to the on-ground camera package.
FAA, LAANC, and FilmLA Compliance for LA Shoots
Los Angeles airspace is among the most complex in the country. Class B airspace around LAX, Class C around Burbank, and Class D around Van Nuys and Santa Monica cover most of the metro area where productions actually shoot. LAANC authorization is required for controlled airspace, and altitude ceilings vary by grid square. We handle LAANC in-house before the call sheet goes out. Night operations run under an active FAA Part 107.29 waiver. Flight over people is handled under Part 107 Category 2 and 3 rules with documented compliance.
FilmLA permitting for aerial units in the City and County of Los Angeles is handled in-house alongside the general production permit. Restricted areas around Dodger Stadium, temporary flight restrictions during major events, and the fire TFRs that appear during Southern California fire season all get checked before we arrive on set. For a working reference on how LA restricted airspace shapes the shot list, see our post on drone cinematography in restricted LA airspace.
Workflow: Pre-Production Through DIT Delivery
Aerial pre-production starts the moment the location list is finalized. Locations get checked against sectional charts, LAANC grids, FilmLA restrictions, and any active TFRs. Shot list and storyboard review with the DP defines the platform, camera, and lens package. A written flight plan and safety meeting cover crew positioning, hard decks, abort points, and stunt coordination. Certificate of insurance is delivered to production before the first call.
On the shoot day, the aerial unit is on production comms with the 1st AD and the camera department. Cards pull to the DIT the same way A and B camera pull. Footage delivers in the codec and container the DIT is expecting, so there is no re-transcode step and dailies cut the aerial in alongside the rest of the day’s coverage. For the crew and pilot side of the operation, see our Part 107 crew page and the drone pilot Los Angeles service page.
Drone Videography vs Helicopter Aerial
Drone videography and helicopter aerial are complementary tools, not substitutes. Drone is the right call for low-altitude proximity work: sustained moves under 400 feet, tight parallax against buildings and terrain, reveals that start on a foreground element and rise, interior-to-exterior shots that pass through a doorway or window, and dynamic vehicle chases where the camera holds close to the action. Setup is measured in minutes. Repositioning between takes is quick.
Helicopter aerial owns high-altitude wide shots, sustained long-distance travel, and any move that requires more than about 25 minutes of continuous airtime. Most LA productions we work on use both: helicopter for the establishing wides and drone for everything at production altitude. Booking those units as one aerial department, rather than two separate vendors, removes coordination overhead from the AD’s day.
How We Work With Your Production
Drone Tech Aerial has operated as a drone videography company in Los Angeles since 2012. Credits span Netflix originals, Disney+, Peacock, MTV, live event broadcast for Dick Clark Productions, and commercial campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, Ferrari, Polestar, Polaris, Nitto, Hankook, and Lululemon. The operation runs as an aerial department integrated with the camera team, not as an outside vendor.
For a look at recent work, see the aerial cinematography reel. For a broader view of the company across all production types, see our Los Angeles drone company page. To scope a specific project, book a consultation and share the location list, shoot dates, and camera package. We will come back with platform, crew, and compliance detail sized to the show.
Ready to Book a Consultation?
We work with production companies, agencies, and brands across Los Angeles and Southern California. Request a Quote
Drone Video Services: FAQ
What drone video services does Drone Tech Aerial offer in Los Angeles?
Drone Tech Aerial provides aerial cinematography for film, television, commercial, and music video productions across Los Angeles and Southern California. Services include cinematic 6K aerial footage with the DJI Inspire 3 and Zenmuse X9, heavy-lift aerial with Freefly Alta 8 and ARRI Alexa Mini, FPV drone cinematography, and night flight operations under an active FAA waiver.
Is Drone Tech Aerial FAA certified for drone video in Los Angeles?
Yes. All pilots hold FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification. Drone Tech Aerial carries active night flight waivers and operates under LAANC authorization for controlled airspace across the Los Angeles metro area. FilmLA permitting is handled in-house for production shoots requiring location permits.
Does Drone Tech Aerial work with film and TV productions?
Yes. Drone Tech Aerial is a Netflix Approved Vendor with credits including Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+), Netflix original series, the Golden Globe Awards, and major commercial campaigns. The company has operated as an aerial department on film and TV sets in Los Angeles since 2012.
What areas does Drone Tech Aerial serve for drone video services?
Drone Tech Aerial serves Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Orange County, and the greater Southern California region. The company is based in Los Angeles and available for single-day calls and multi-week productions throughout the area.
How does Drone Tech Aerial handle permits and airspace for drone video shoots?
FilmLA permits, LAANC airspace authorization, and certificates of insurance are handled internally before the shoot day. A pre-production call with the DP and 1st AD covers the shot list, safety protocols, and crew positioning. By the time the call sheet goes out, all aerial pre-production is closed out.