Film & TV Drone Operators in California
Aerial cinematography for productions, commercials, music videos and documentary work. Post the shoot dates, the look you are after and any waiver requirements, and operators come back with a reel and a day rate.
3 pilots offering film & tv work list a California service area
No account needed to see quotes come in. You are never obliged to hire.
Hiring in California
Describe it once. Pilots come to you.
- 1Post the briefWhat needs flying, roughly where in California, and when. Takes a couple of minutes.
- 2Pilots quote youIt goes on the public job board every pilot can see, and the ones whose service area and job types match are emailed the moment you post.
- 3You pick oneCompare quotes, message anyone with follow-up questions, hire whoever fits. You pay the pilot directly.
Free to post · No commission · No obligation
Drone work available in California
What the 6 pilots with a California service area list on their profiles. Open a service to see the pilots who offer it.
- 5 pilots
Real estate
Elevated exteriors, lot and boundary context, twilight shots and property tours for listings.
Real estate pilots in California → - 3 pilots
Inspection
Roofs, facades, towers, solar arrays and industrial plant — close-range, without scaffolding or a lift.
Inspection pilots in California → - 3 pilots
Construction
Monthly progress sets, stockpile volumes and as-built context. Recurring runs are priced as a run.
Construction pilots in California → - 3 pilots
Mapping & survey
Orthomosaics, contour and topographic data, volumetrics, 3D models and GIS-ready exports.
Mapping & survey pilots in California → - 5 pilots
Events
Festivals, sports, races and openings. Dates are fixed and airspace matters — post early.
Events pilots in California → - 3 pilots
Wedding
Venue, ceremony and party coverage, cut in with whatever your ground videographer shoots.
Wedding pilots in California →
Film & TV pilots covering California
Real published profiles. Open any one to see their credentials, kit, service area and sample work before you post.
Andy Jones
California, United States
12 work samples
FAA Part 107 Certified Remote Pilot based in Southern California, specializing in construction documentation, infrastructure inspections, mapping, orthomosaics, and aerial imagery. With more than two decades of experience managing complex federal construction projects, I understand the importance of accuracy, safety, and delivering actionable data—not just photos. I operate professional DJI Enterprise aircraft, including the DJI Matrice 4E, DJI Matrice 4T, as well as the DJI Air 3S for high-resolution imaging and the DJI Neo 2 for specialized close-range operations. My services include construction progress documentation, roof and property inspections, land development, infrastructure photography, photogrammetry, mapping, and custom aerial imaging. I also conduct search operations for lost pets using aerial search techniques and thermal imaging. Every mission is conducted in compliance with FAA regulations, with careful mission planning, clear communication, and a commitment to delivering high-quality results on schedule. Whether you need a single inspection or recurring project documentation, my goal is to provide reliable aerial data you can confidently use to make decisions.
Real estateEventInspectionMapping / surveyConstructionAgricultureOtherFilm / TVWedding- CIChandler Irwin
California, United States
4 work samples
InspectionReal estateWeddingEventConstructionAgricultureOtherMapping / survey 
Sage Rockcastle
California, United States
experienced in real estate photography and videos, I have all the gear needed.
Real estateEvent
What it costs to hire a drone pilot in California
There is no single rate. A short real-estate shoot, a single roof, and a multi-day mapping run are three different jobs with three different prices, and pilots price on flight time, travel, how much editing you want and what deliverables you need back.
The practical way to find the number is to post the job with a budget range you are comfortable with — pilots either quote inside it or tell you why the work costs more. Posting costs nothing and you are free to walk away from every quote you get.
What to put in your brief
The quotes you get back are only as accurate as the brief you write. Four things do most of the work:
- The site — what it is and roughly where.
- The deliverable — stills, video, a report, a map file, and in which format.
- The date — when you need it back.
- Anything that constrains the flight — a controlled-airspace address near an airport, a site that needs a permit, a tenant who has to be told first.
Pilots in California will tell you up front if a site needs an FAA authorisation and how long that usually takes.
Hiring a drone pilot in California
How do I hire a drone pilot in California?+
Post the job on SkyLog with what you need flown, roughly where, and when. It goes on the public job board every pilot can see, and pilots whose service area and job types match are emailed about it. They send you quotes; you pick one. Posting is free and you are not obliged to hire anyone.
What does it cost to post a job or get quotes?+
Nothing. Posting a job and receiving quotes is free, and SkyLog takes no commission and adds no markup — you pay the pilot you hire, at the price the two of you agree.
Are these pilots licensed to fly commercially in California?+
Commercial drone work in the US requires an FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate. Pilots list their certifications on their SkyLog profile, and you can ask any pilot for their certificate number before you hire — as with any contractor, verifying credentials is worth doing yourself.
How soon will I get quotes?+
It depends on how many pilots cover your area and how specific the job is. There is no guaranteed turnaround — you will see quotes arrive in your account as pilots send them, and you can message any pilot with follow-up questions before deciding.
What kind of drone work can I post?+
Aerial photography and video, real estate shoots, roof and asset inspections, construction progress, mapping and survey work, events, weddings, film and TV, and agricultural work. If it does not fit a category, post it as other work and describe it.
All drone pilots in California
Every service in California (6)Post your film & tv drone job in California
Describe the work once and let pilots come to you. Free to post, no commission on what you pay, and no obligation to hire.