Drone operator
Drone operator in the French Alps: certified pilots for mountain aerial shots
Aerial shots are what people remember from a mountain film, and they are also where things go wrong fastest. Our drone pilots are certified, take care of the paperwork, and are used to flying where wind, altitude and protected areas set the rules.
What a drone operator does
A good drone operator on your shoot will:
Fly the shot
Pilot the drone and capture the aerial images your director asks for, from wide establishing views to tracking shots.
Handle the paperwork
Declarations and authorisations are prepared before the shoot, not on the day. We tell you the minimum lead time from the quote.
Know the mountain
Wind, altitude, changing weather, protected areas and airfields: the pilot checks the map and the forecast before promising a shot.
Plan a fallback
Drone days depend on the weather. We plan a backup date or an alternative shot with you.
The rules, in short
- Our drone pilots are certified by the French civil aviation authority (DGAC).
- We fly in the European standard scenario STS-01: visual line of sight, below 120 m, over a ground area that is delimited and reserved for the people involved in the shoot.
- In populated areas, a declaration to the prefecture is needed at least 5 working days before the flight. A derogation, for a night flight or a flight above 120 m, takes at least 30 days.
- National parks, nature reserves and the surroundings of airfields are prohibited or heavily restricted. We check the map before we promise a shot.
Good fit for
- Establishing shots of valleys, ridges, lakes and villages.
- Mountain locations that are hard to show from the ground.
- Corporate films, documentaries and branded content.
- Large sites such as factories, construction sites and venues.
Shooting in the mountains is not for everyone
Filming at altitude is a different job from a city shoot. The weather turns fast, access is limited, and a wrong decision has real consequences. That is why we work with specialists.
Specialised mountain guides
They read the terrain and the weather, choose the safe route, and decide with you what is possible on the day. They look after the crew and the equipment where a wrong step matters.
Certified drone operators
Our drone pilots are certified by the French civil aviation authority (DGAC) and know the mountain: wind, altitude, protected areas. They prepare the declarations before the shoot. About the drone operator →
Our equipment
The drone we fly:
Drone
- DJI Mavic 4 Pro Cinema
Where we work
Annecy, Chambéry, Grenoble and Valence, and the locations around them: from city productions to mountain shoots.
- Annecy
- Chambéry
- Grenoble
- Valence
What to tell us
A few lines are enough to start:
- the exact location, and any protected area nearby
- your dates, and a backup date in case of bad weather
- the shot you have in mind: establishing, tracking, reveal
- whether people will be in the frame
- the format you need to deliver
Questions we often hear
Are your drone pilots certified?
Yes. Our drone pilots are certified by the French civil aviation authority (DGAC), and we take care of the declarations for each flight.
How far ahead should I book a drone day?
As early as you can. In populated areas a declaration needs at least 5 working days, and a derogation at least 30 days. In the mountains, also plan a backup date for the weather.
Can you fly in a national park or near an airfield?
These areas are prohibited or heavily restricted. We check the maps before the shoot and tell you what is possible, or find another angle.
Can you fly over people?
Flying over people who are not involved in the shoot is very restricted. In most cases we film at the edge of a crowd, before the public arrives, or from an area reserved for the crew.
The rest of the crew
Production manager
Someone has to hold the shoot together: schedules, crew, transport and budget.
Read more →Sound engineer
Clean location sound, so your interviews and dialogue are usable in the edit.
Read more →Need a drone operator for your shoot in the French Alps?
Tell us your dates, your location and what you need.
We will put the right team together.