SCENE 01 / AERIAL DRONE SERVICES
Aerial Drone Services
Licensed drone operators delivering cinematic aerial footage across New York.
Aerial drone services deliver cinematic overhead and sweeping views across New York's famous skyline. We cover the towers of Midtown Manhattan and the bridges that span the East River. Drones give you low-cost aerial coverage for establishing shots, building reveals, and any production that needs a high vantage over iconic New York scenery.
We run fully FAA Part 107-licensed aerial drone services built for New York's busy Class B airspace. Our team handles FAA waivers and LAANC airspace sign-off. We also plan with the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), so your production captures stunning aerial footage safely and legally.
Capabilities
Complete Aerial Services
From sweeping establishing shots to dynamic FPV sequences, our certified drone teams deliver the aerial perspectives your production needs.
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Cinematic Aerial
- Sweeping establishing shots
- Tracking & reveal shots
- Orbit and point-of-interest
- Low-altitude proximity flying
- High-altitude panoramas
Stunning Perspectives
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FPV Drone Services
- Dynamic chase sequences
- Indoor FPV flying
- Action sports capture
- Through-the-gap shots
- High-speed proximity
Immersive Action
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Regulatory Compliance
- FAA certification
- Airspace authorization
- Flight plan submission
- Insurance documentation
- Safety assessments
Fully Licensed
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Specialized Operations
- Night aerial filming
- Heavy-lift payloads
- Long-range operations
- Multi-drone coordination
- Live broadcast feeds
Advanced Capabilities
On Location
FAA Part 107 drone operators across NYC's Class B airspace
Aerial drone services in New York work inside one of the tightest airspace settings on earth. LaGuardia, JFK and Newark Liberty all run Class B controlled airspace that covers most of the five boroughs, while Teterboro Class D wraps the western New Jersey side. Standing Temporary Flight Restrictions also sit over Times Square, the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade route, the UN General Assembly during session, the Statue of Liberty, and the final approach paths for the three major airports.
Our pilots hold FAA Part 107 commercial certifications and file the LAANC airspace authorisations. They also pursue the Section 333 legacy waivers and over-people Type 2/3 waivers when the storyboard calls for crowd flights. Our operating partners include Pearl Aerial in Brooklyn, 1080 Filmworks in Manhattan, Sandcrane Aerials, and the Helinet aerial unit's New York rotations. The cinema-grade kit runs from DJI Inspire 3 and Mavic 3 Pro Cine bodies up to Freefly Alta X heavy-lift platforms that carry ARRI Alexa Mini LF and RED V-Raptor packages. FPV pilots trained on the NY motocross and parkour circuits take the tight proximity work for brand films, music videos, and the Marvel/DC New York unit pickups.
The NYC permit workflow starts with the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) Made in NY drone permit. It then runs through the NYPD Movie & TV Unit for any street-level closure and lines up with the FDNY film safety officer for stunts and pyro-adjacent flights. We file LAANC authorisations through Skyward and Aloft and prepare the B4UFLY assessments. We also submit the FAA waivers for night work, over-people flights, and beyond-visual-line-of-sight shots when the brief calls for them.
Planning with the Hudson River Park Trust, NYC Parks, MTA Bridges & Tunnels, and the National Park Service for Liberty Island and Governors Island flights happens at the scout stage. Our coordinators also pre-clear sensitive corridors around One World Trade, the UN, Trump Tower, and the standing diplomatic protection zones. The New York State Film Tax Credit at 30%, with the extra 10% NYC uplift for qualifying outer-borough work, applies to aerial-unit spend on qualifying shoots. Our paperwork tracks the spend through the Empire State Development application, alongside the IATSE Local 600 crew records for unionised aerial cinematographers.
FAQ
Aerial Cinematography Expertise
What drone certifications do your pilots have?
All our pilots hold the New York FAA certifications needed for commercial drone work. Many also carry certifications from other aviation authorities. We keep full records, from flight logs to insurance and operational manuals.
Can you fly drones in cities like Manhattan?
Urban drone flying in New York needs special sign-off. Manhattan holds large off-limits airspace, yet we can secure permits for set locations with advance notice. Our team handles every filing and lines up the work with authorities.
What cameras can you mount on drones?
We fly everything from built-in camera systems like the DJI Inspire and Mavic lines to heavy-lift platforms that carry RED, ARRI Mini, and other cinema cameras. We then match the platform to your image quality needs and shot difficulty.
Do you provide FPV drone services?
Yes. We have skilled FPV pilots for dynamic shots like chase sequences, indoor flying, and high-speed proximity work. Our FPV team flies purpose-built drones with cinema-quality cameras for broadcast-ready footage.
What about night aerial filming?
We are signed off for night drone work, with proper lighting systems, stronger safety rules, and the right certifications. Night flying needs extra planning and sign-off, so please raise it with us early.
How far in advance should we book?
Standard aerial shoots can often be set up with 1-2 weeks notice. Bigger jobs that need special sign-off, off-limits airspace access, or multi-drone setups may need 3-4 weeks for proper planning and approval.
Related Services
Productions in New York that need this often pair it with Helicopter Filming, High Speed Filming, and Cable Cam Systems for full coverage. Most projects also draw on Camera & Cinematography and Drone Videography.
On Set
Need Aerial Filming?
Tell us about your aerial shots and we'll provide licensed drone services.