For brands, agencies & productions
Drone Videography Services
Free to post · Usually a reply the same day
86 film & video pilots listed · Pay the pilot directly, no commission
Free to post
Two minutes, no card, no commitment.
Pay the pilot directly
No commission or markup on their price.
FAA Part 107 pilots
The license all paid drone work requires.
Usually a reply the same day
From a pilot, or from our team if no pilot has answered.
How it works
Three steps, and the first one is free
Describe the job
The questions adapt to the work: area for a mapping job, access and asset for an inspection.
A pilot near you sends a price
Pilots whose service area and services match are emailed. Usually a reply the same day, from a pilot or from our team.
Book them and pay them directly
Check their certificate, kit and sample work, then pay the pilot. SkyLog takes no cut and adds no markup.
What to know before you book
Specifying footage properly
Tell the operator what your post workflow needs: resolution and frame rate, whether you want a flat or log profile for grading, what codec and bit depth your editor can handle, and whether you need proxies. A log-profile clip looks washed out straight off the card and is exactly right if it is being graded — and exactly wrong if you planned to cut it straight in. If the aerials are being intercut with ground footage, match frame rate and shutter with the rest of the shoot or the two will never quite sit together.
What drives the day rate
Experience and reel quality first — aerial cinematography is a craft and it prices like one. Then equipment: a cinema-payload aircraft with an interchangeable camera is a different proposition from an all-in-one prosumer drone. Crew matters too, since some shoots need a separate camera operator alongside the pilot, and complex or crowded locations need a spotter. Then the location itself: airspace authorisations, permits, road closures, and flight over people all add planning time before anyone flies. Finally, the deliverable — footage, a cut, or a cut with rounds of client revisions.
Planning around weather and light
Aerial work is the most weather-exposed part of a production. Wind is the real limit rather than rain, since gusts at altitude cost you the smooth move even when the ground feels calm, and the golden-hour light most briefs ask for lasts under an hour twice a day. Build a contingency day into the schedule for anything that matters, agree in advance who carries the cost if the day is scrubbed, and shoot the essential material first rather than saving it for the end.
What a shoot delivers
- Footage shot to your post workflow — resolution, frame rate, codec and colour profile agreed in advance.
- Aerial moves that intercut with ground coverage, when frame rate and shutter are matched to the rest of the shoot.
- A crewed operation where the location needs it: a separate camera operator alongside the pilot, and a spotter on complex sites.
- A cut, if you commission one, with an agreed number of revision rounds.
What to settle before the day
- Deliver a gradeable log profile and a ready-to-cut file at the same time. A log clip looks washed out straight off the card, on purpose.
- Survive a windy day. Gusts at altitude cost the smooth move even when the ground feels calm.
- Include road closures, flight over people, or airspace authorisations without planning time before anyone flies.
- Absorb a scrubbed day for free. Agree who carries that cost when you book the contingency.
Shoot the essential material first rather than saving it for the end, and build a contingency day into anything that matters.
Why post it on SkyLog
Footage or finished cut
Decide before you book. Footage delivery is a shooting job priced by the day; a finished film adds edit, grade, sound and revision rounds, which is a different scope and often a different person's skill set.
Moves, not just altitude
The reveal, the orbit, the pull-back, the low fast pass — the move is what makes aerial footage read as cinematic rather than as a survey. Describe the moves you want or share references.
Rights, in writing
Who can use the footage, where, and for how long is a commercial term, not a technicality. Agree it before the shoot, especially if the material is going into paid media.
Free to post
Posting and receiving quotes costs nothing, and SkyLog takes no commission and adds no markup. You pay the pilot you hire, at the price the two of you agree.
Drone operators with published profiles
Real published profiles. Open any one to see credentials, kit, service area and sample work before you post.
chris aldridge
Texas, United States
20 work samples
I’m a commercial drone pilot providing aerial mapping, property line overlays, topographic mapping, construction site data, radiometric thermal inspections, 3D modeling, real estate listing photography and video, property marketing, and professional aerial imagery for businesses and landowners.
Real estateWeddingEventInspectionMapping / surveyFilm / TVConstructionOther
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. For ground work, I use a Cannon EOS R50 for photography and video.
Real estateEventInspectionMapping / surveyConstructionAgricultureOtherFilm / TVWedding
George Colonna
Maryland, United States
12 work samples
Started flying drones for General Dynamics Robotics Systems in 2009 as the subject matter expert and lead test engineer for RCTA and a program called the Soldier Machine Interface. We developed leader/follower code for up-armored autonomous assets a full decade before Google fielded their driverless car "train" and a UI that let soldiers/marines plan missions on the ground and in the air. My job was to ensure the software worked, more importantly, met customer requirements. Working in the field afforded me a wealth of experience regarding process and implementation, but also how to think critically and resolve issues on the fly. If interested in learning more about my credentials, please see my website. My current fleet is primarily DJI and Autel. I have RTK capability and a complete field kit to sustain remote operations for several days.
InspectionMapping / surveyConstructionOtherFilm / TV- K Enagonio
Tennessee, United States
10 work samples
I've been flying since 2015 and specialize in both cinematic filmmaking as well as surveying, construction, sensitive infrastructure capture, and music videos and events.
Film / TVConstructionInspectionEventAgricultureReal estateMapping / surveyOther 
Jeremy
Texas, United States
9 work samples
I’m Jeremy, a certified Part 107 aerial operator based in Spring, Texas. I specialize in delivering clear, accurate, and high‑quality aerial data for real estate, roof inspections, insurance claims, and property marketing. With a background in collections, accounting and operations, I bring a detail‑driven, business‑minded approach to every project. I have owned Aerial Depictions & Recordings for over 3 years now. I enjoy creating images and discovering views from an aerial perspective. To me, these are more than just images - they are Aerial Depictions. Capturing life's moments and movements you will never see from the ground.
Real estateWeddingEventInspectionMapping / surveyConstructionOtherAgricultureFilm / TV
shawn patterson
Kentucky, United States
9 work samples
I've been flying drones for 3years. I own a DJI air3s, avata2,neo. Skyrover x1 and s1. Potensic atom2.i can do Ariel photography, social media, real estate
Real estateConstructionFilm / TVInspectionOtherWeddingEvent
Drone operators by state
Before you post
Should I hire a drone operator or a full production company?
If you have an editor and a plan, hiring the operator directly is usually cheaper and gives you the footage. If you need someone to own the outcome end to end, buy the finished film — and expect to pay for the craft after the flying as well as the flying.
How much usable footage comes out of a day?
Less than people expect. Batteries mean flying in short blocks, and a good aerial shot is often several attempts at one move. Plan for a handful of strong sequences per day rather than continuous coverage.
Who owns the footage?
Whoever your agreement says. Operators commonly license the material for a defined use and retain copyright, so if you need broad or perpetual rights, negotiate and document that before the shoot.
Can you fly over a crowd at an event?
Flight over people is restricted and depends on the aircraft category and the operator's authorisations. Some shots that look routine on screen required specific approvals. Describe the event honestly and let the operator tell you what is achievable.
Do I need a permit as well as the pilot's certificate?
Sometimes. The certificate and any airspace authorisation cover the aviation side; filming permits from a landowner, a city or a park authority are separate and are usually the client's to arrange. Ask early — permit lead times are the thing that most often moves a shoot date.
From a job poster
The jobs nobody else would quote
“I was not expecting to have a response so quickly after calling countless different companies.”
Post your aerial shoot free
Describe the footage or the film you need and let drone operators quote you. No commission, no obligation to hire.
Free to post
No commission · about 2 minutes