Minnesota drone pilot · aerial video · FAA Part 107
Aerial video across Minnesota, flown by a cinematographer.
Drone footage that cuts seamlessly with the rest of your video, because the same person shot both. Licensed, insured, and used to controlled airspace around the Twin Cities.
The drone reel
Placeholder clip. The finished drone reel goes here.
- The New York Times
- The Washington Post
- The Wall Street Journal
- PBS NewsHour
- VICE
- Getty Images
- MPR · APM
- Mayo Clinic
- Xcel Energy
- Macalester College
- Children's Minnesota
Aerials that belong in the film
Plenty of people can fly a drone. Fewer can make the shot match the interview that follows it. I fly as a cinematographer: slow moves, intentional light, the same color pipeline as the ground cameras, so the aerial is a scene rather than a stunt.
The best-known example is the sheep at Xcel Energy's Sherco Solar project, nearly 2,000 of them grazing between the panels in Becker. From the air the herd moves in waves. It is some of my favorite footage from any camera.
Licensed, insured, boring about safety
I hold an FAA Part 107 certificate, carry liability insurance and handle LAANC authorizations for the Twin Cities' controlled airspace. Pre-flight checks, visual observers when a site needs them, and a clear conversation with your facilities people before anything leaves the ground.
Aerials only, or part of the day
Aerial-only bookings are welcome, including construction progress series and site documentation. More often the drone is one tool among several on a shoot day. Either way, see the drone work and get in touch.
What's included
- FAA Part 107 certified pilot, liability insured (COI on request)
- LAANC airspace authorizations for the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro
- 4K/5.4K HDR aerial video and high-resolution stills
- Color-matched to ground footage when shot with video
- Aerial-only bookings or add-on to any shoot day
Good for
- Energy, solar and infrastructure projects
- Campus and real estate aerials
- Construction progress and site documentation
- Documentary and editorial establishing shots
- Rivers, lakes and the North Shore
Questions
Asked often.
Are you licensed to fly commercially?
Yes. I hold an FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate, carry liability insurance, and obtain LAANC authorizations for controlled airspace, which covers much of the Twin Cities metro near MSP, Flying Cloud, Anoka and St. Paul Downtown airports.
What drones do you fly?
A DJI Air 3S for most work and a DJI Mini 4 Pro when weight class or location calls for it. Both shoot 4K HDR video and high-resolution stills.
Can you add drone shots to a video shoot?
That is the most common way I use it. A few minutes of aerials at the top of a corporate or campus video make the whole piece feel bigger, and the color matches because the same cinematographer shot the ground footage.
Where in Minnesota do you fly?
Anywhere the rules allow. Recent work includes Becker, Eau Claire, Mille Lacs, the St. Croix valley and the Twin Cities. Travel is quoted at cost.
Need a drone pilot in Minnesota?
Send the location and what you are hoping to see. I will check the airspace and send a quote.