FAA Licensed Drone Filming
Hypocenter Productions is FAA licensed for sUAV operations within the United States under Part 107 of the federal aviation code. We provide aerial cinematography for TV, film, commercials, real estate, and industrial inspections. When your project requires professional aerial filming, make sure that the operator has all of the proper licenses and authorizations. Controlled airspaces and aviation regulations are complex factors that affect nearly every shoot.
Conducting commercial drone operations illegally can be very costly in fines for violation of the law and also liability repercussions in the case of an accident. Hypocenter carries up to $5,000,000 in liability insurance and Ben Hansen, our PIC (Pilot in Command), has been a licensed fixed-winged manned airplane pilot for over 20 years. Our operations take place with that added experience and knowledge to conduct your filming project safely and legally. We also hold a Daylight Operation Waiver which means we can legally fly our drones after dark. Nighttime operations are otherwise banned under current law.
Aircraft and Cameras
We typically film in 4k with the DJI Phantom 4 platform, but with advanced booking clients can also request the DJI Inspire I or II. Depending on the project, specialty cameras like the thermal FLIR Zenmuse XT may be available. We have a great working relationship with FLIR. In fact, Ben introduced civilian use of thermal drone cameras on cable TV in 2011 while filming for the Syfy Channel. Since that time, we’ve filmed drone projects for many other notable TV networks such as A&E, Destination America, and ProSieben in Germany.
Filming Rates
Our rates vary depending on the drone platform and camera requested, whether editing and color correction to the raw footage is desired, the complexity of the shots over land or water, and the number of hours per day and location of your shoot. In general, a local shoot within the Los Angeles/Orange County area without footage editing is as follows (half day rates are negotiable):
| Drone Platform | Daily Rate (8 hours) |
|---|---|
| DJI Phantom 4 DJI Inspire 1 DJI Inspire 2 |
$600 $800 $900 |
Plan with Time to Spare
Please contact us with as much lead time before your filming project as possible. If your location is within 5 miles of a major airport, there’s a good chance an FAA airspace authorization will need to be obtained. With the current backlog at the FAA, such authorizations may take up to 90 days or more to obtain. We can provide you a free evaluation of your filming location to see what will be required. Let us know how we can help!