FilmLA will issue the permit, but the City of Los Angeles requires a Hold Harmless agreement and verified insurance behind it. Here's what actually gets checked before an aerial unit can fly.
Read More ›Program 4.0's next feature film application window opens August 10-12. Here's how the jobs ratio math and out-of-zone uplift affect budgeting for aerial coverage.
Read More ›With the Las Vegas Grand Prix returning Nov. 19-21 on top of an already packed fall calendar, producers need to lock in FAA airspace authorization and aerial vendor schedules earlier than usual.
Read More ›Austin and Houston have layered fresh local incentives on top of the state's $1.5 billion TMIIIP program. Here's how the new math affects budgeting, crew sourcing, and aerial unit bookings.
Read More ›FilmLA's Q2 numbers show LA production is down overall but television is up sharply — here's what that split means for producers booking aerial units on episodic schedules.
Read More ›A specific checklist of paperwork, insurance, and deadlines FilmLA requires before a drone can legally fly on an LA production — plus the four stadium no-fly zones every producer should know.
Read More ›Texas film incentive news: SB 22 pays up to 31% in rebates. Here's what producers need on drone permits in Austin, Dallas, and Houston before booking an aerial shoot.SB 22 turned Texas's film incentive into a $300-million-a-cycle program with rebates up to 31%. Here's what producers need to know about qualifying, and about the permit process for aerial coverage in Austin, Dallas, and Houston.
Read More ›Las Vegas producers: Nevada's studio tax credit bill failed in the Senate. Here's what it means for drone permits and airspace before booking a Vegas aerial shoot.Nevada's Senate just killed the marquee bill behind Summerlin Studios. Here's what that means for producers budgeting a Las Vegas shoot, and why the real logistics bottleneck was never the incentive.
Read More ›Feature shoot days are up sharply under California's expanded Film & TV Tax Credit Program. Here's what producers need to know about permitting and airspace before booking an aerial unit in LA.
Read More ›A county-approved drone program that kept aerial units flying over Venice Beach for the "Baywatch" reboot expires this week. Here's what it allowed, what it didn't, and what producers scouting LA County beaches should watch for next.
Read More ›With Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Chesney's new Sphere residency, and Marc Anthony all running concurrently on the Strip, producers scoping Vegas aerial work need more than an FAA waiver. Here's what the insurance and permitting conversation actually looks like.
Read More ›Paramount+'s biggest series debut ever just filmed in North Texas. Here's what the state's expanded incentive program and on-the-ground aerial logistics actually look like for producers right now.
Read More ›On a studio production, the aerial unit isn't a standalone shoot — it's a department that has to sync with the AD, DP, and safety team. Here's how CineDrones plugs in.
Read More ›Mike Fortin on the pricing mistakes that keep new drone operators broke, and a framework for quoting jobs that actually cover your costs.
Read More ›For luxury listings, the story is often the land, the setting, and the context around the house - and that's exactly what aerial video is built to show. Here's how CineDrones approaches it.
Read More ›Mike Fortin on why CineDrones expanded city by city instead of all at once, and what actually has to be in place before a drone cinematography business is ready to grow into a new market.
Read More ›A producer's guide to FAA airspace, local permitting, and crewing when filming with drones in Atlanta.
Read More ›A producer's guide to FAA airspace restrictions, city permitting, and crewing when filming with drones in New York City.
Read More ›A producer's guide to aerial permitting, airspace restrictions, and crewing when filming with drones in Los Angeles.
Read More ›A production-side look at what CineDrones' Austin-based crew handles differently for Texas shoots, from rural ranch locations to fast-growing downtown cores.
Read More ›A production-side guide to what actually determines whether an aerial shoot on the Las Vegas Strip or downtown comes together on schedule, from a company cleared to fly there.
Read More ›How CineDrones decides between a lean single-operator setup and a fuller aerial crew, and why that choice matters most for low-budget and independent productions.
Read More ›Mike Fortin on how new drone operators can build a real niche in luxury real estate or live events instead of chasing every job that comes along.
Read More ›Great aerial real estate video isn't just about the drone - it's about timing the shoot around light. Here's how CineDrones plans every luxury listing around the window that makes a property look its best.
Read More ›Mike Fortin breaks down what union and non-union drone work actually mean day to day, and how CineDrones has built a career flying both sides of the line.
Read More ›A rundown of everything Mike Fortin can teach - from the business side of running an aerial cinematography company to composing the shot itself.
Read More ›Stadium TFRs and multi-day festival grounds each bring a different set of airspace and logistics challenges - here's how CineDrones plans for both.
Read More ›Mike Fortin on the unglamorous work, referrals, and paperwork that actually opened studio doors when CineDrones was starting out.
Read More ›A great aerial shot doesn't need a studio budget. Here's how CineDrones builds lean, fast, permit-ready aerial coverage for independent and low-budget productions.
Read More ›Mike Fortin on the business mistakes — not flying mistakes — that actually keep new drone operators from building a lasting career, and how CineDrones has navigated them since 2013.
Read More ›A drone pass over a property is table stakes now. Here's how CineDrones turns a listing into a full production — aerial, ground, edit, and interview — in one package.
Read More ›Part 107 gets you in the air legally — it doesn't get you hired. Here's what actually separates a hobbyist with a drone from a working aerial cinematographer.
Read More ›A look at how CineDrones plans, clears airspace for, and delivers aerial coverage for concerts, residencies, and other live events across Las Vegas.
Read More ›Mike Fortin on what actually convinces a producer or agent to hire an aerial operator — and why most new pilots' reels get it wrong.
Read More ›A full rundown of what working with me actually covers — from the first decisions of starting a drone business to insurance, permitting, flying, and the collaborations that keep the work coming.
Read More ›Mike Fortin on the pricing lesson every new aerial operator learns the hard way — and how to quote a shoot so the business actually survives past year one.
Read More ›Micro-budget indies are out-earning studio tentpoles at the box office this year, and a handful of well-chosen aerial shots are a big reason a small film can look like a much bigger one.
Read More ›Ed Sheeran's July 18 stadium show at Allegiant Stadium is a reminder that Vegas production now extends well beyond the Strip's resort corridor — and requires its own airspace clearance.
Read More ›Twelve state attorneys general are asking a federal court to freeze the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger before it closes — here's what a delay or a block could mean for production.
Read More ›From Dolby Live to The Colosseum to Fontainebleau's new BleauLive Theater, this summer's residency calendar is stacked — and it's a reminder of how much promotional and aerial production work moves through the Strip's resort corridor.
Read More ›Nolan's $250M IMAX epic hits theaters this week having shot entirely on location and on film — a bet on practical craft that's good news for anyone in the business of real, in-camera aerial footage.
Read More ›New mid-year data on the luxury real estate market shows buyers weighing lifestyle over almost everything else — and that's reshaping what agents need from their listing video.
Read More ›The Television Academy handed out its 2026 nominations on July 8, with "The Pitt" leading the pack — a signal that big, location-heavy prestige television isn't going anywhere.
Read More ›With 64 shows and counting, the Eagles' Sphere residency is now the longest-running in the venue's history — and a preview of how much ongoing aerial production work Vegas's residency economy is generating.
Read More ›A year into California's $750 million Film & Television Tax Credit expansion, the state has real numbers to show for it — and aerial and below-the-line crews are among the beneficiaries.
Read More ›The Strip sits inside Harry Reid International's Class B airspace, making it effectively off-limits to drone operators without direct FAA authorization. CineDrones holds that clearance.
Read More ›A proposed FAA rule would let owners of stadiums, amusement parks, and energy facilities petition for standing drone flight restrictions, a shift production teams will need to plan permits around.
Read More ›Milano Cortina 2026 deployed 15 custom FPV cinewhoops alongside traditional broadcast cameras, offering the clearest look yet at techniques increasingly showing up on film and TV sets.
Read More ›A contested fight over who yields the sky, drones or manned aircraft, has stalled the FAA's Part 108 rule past its February deadline, pushing routine beyond-visual-line-of-sight filming further out.
Read More ›A record-breaking 22,580-drone display and a new industry safety alliance mark a fast-moving start to 2026 for the drone light show business.
Read More ›New industry data shows drone video adoption among agents has jumped sharply, and a fresh California disclosure law is reshaping how altered listing photos can be used.
Read More ›Remote ID enforcement, insurance requirements, and the coming BVLOS rules are reshaping how production teams plan aerial shoots.
Read More ›AI-assisted flight, immersive 3D archiving, and heavy-lift rigs are pushing aerial storytelling into new territory this year.
Read More ›Hollywood is changing, but production is still alive. CineDrones provides professional aerial cinematography, drone filming, and cinematic drone services for film, TV, commercials, and branded content.
Read More ›Mike Fortin founded CineDrones in 2013 and helped pioneer modern aerial cinematography in Hollywood. A feel good story about building a leading drone company, weathering industry slowdowns, and expanding into new services.
Read More ›Drone light show consulting from CineDrones founder Mike Fortin. Get help with show strategy, safety planning, site logistics, proposals, pricing, and execution systems for cities, venues, and brands.
Read More ›Warner Bros. Discovery's restructuring and the network TV pullback made for grim headlines, but the reshuffle is opening new lanes for production — and CineDrones has been flying in them.
Read More ›The writers' and actors' strikes and the streaming shakeout hit production jobs hard — but they also forced a more diversified industry to take shape. Here's how CineDrones adapted along the way.
Read More ›Vague "Hollywood is back" headlines can ring hollow to crews still rebuilding client rosters. Here's what real, measurable traction has actually looked like for CineDrones.
Read More ›Production spending pulled back hard over the past two years. Instead of waiting on the sidelines, CineDrones used the downturn to build new revenue lines across live events, real estate, and new markets.
Read More ›The old geographic center of gravity for production is shifting away from a single zip code. CineDrones has been tracking — and following — where the work is actually going.
Read More ›It's been a hard couple of years for production crews. Here's an honest look at what's actually changed — and what CineDrones has done to keep working through it.
Read More ›Drone Company for Aerial Cinematography
Read More ›drones, hollywood, fpv, Los Angeles, atlanta, car commercials, music videos, feature films
Read More ›Over the past decade, drones have transformed the landscape of Hollywood filmmaking. From their humble beginnings in 2015 as niche tools for capturing unique perspectives to becoming indispensable assets in 2025, drones have elevated storytelling to new heights.
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Get ready to elevate your production to new heights with CineDrones! Operating in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, Albuquerque, Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, and New Orleans, we bring the power of cutting-edge drone technology to every project. Whether you're capturing breathtaking aerial footage, thrilling FPV shots, or immersive drone-based virtual reality, our expert teams of FAA-certified pilots, aerial camera pros, and drone techs have you covered. From inspections to mapping, even drone deliveries—CineDrones does it all. Fully compliant with Part 107 regulations and protected by a $5M aviation liability policy, we guarantee precision, safety, and creativity. Plus, with Local 600 union and non-union crews available, we’re ready to deliver jaw-dropping results wherever you need them!