Tex Kelly Productions
Aerial drone photograph from Cal Poly Humboldt Aerial in Arcata, California

Drone Photographer · Arcata, California

Drone Photographer in Arcata, California.

Drone FAA Part 107-certified aerial photography and cinema.

Inquire Call (707) 382-1108
Tex Kelly, drone photography and videography for Arcata, California

Hi. I'm Tex.

Welcome to FAA Part 107 drone, Arcata edition.

I'm a North Coast filmmaker and FAA Part 107 commercial drone pilot, voted Humboldt County's Best. Commercial drone photography and videography in Arcata runs across real estate aerial, construction-progress documentation, brand campaigns, and the kind of broadcast-grade aerial cinema that lifts a property listing or a brand film into a different category.

My job is to fly the FAA Part 107-rated DJI Mavic 3 Pro and DJI Matrice 350 RTK platforms safely, legally, and at cinema-grade quality in Arcata airspace. LAANC authorization handled on every commercial flight, all coordination documented in writing.

Now booking Arcata drone projects and real estate aerial.

Book your Arcata flight →
Tex Kelly piloting a DJI drone on a commercial FAA Part 107 flight, Arcata, California

FAA Part 107 · The Operator

The pilot, on every flight.

Every Arcata drone flight on the calendar is operated personally by Tex. FAA Part 107 commercial Remote Pilot Certificate current and valid, LAANC airspace coordination handled in-house, and the local-knowledge advantage of years scouting Humboldt County skies for clean takeoffs, golden-hour windows, and the airspace boundaries that matter for the flight.

Drone Photography and Videography in Arcata, California. Tex Kelly Productions

A note from Arcata

FAA Part 107 certified commercial drone photography and videography in Arcata, California. DJI Mavic 3 Pro aerial cinema for Cal Poly Humboldt institutional work, Plaza-area brand campaigns, and Community Forest documentary. LAANC airspace authorization handled.

The Approach

Drone in Arcata. Flown with intent.

The Arcata airspace

Arcata from above, shot legally.

Arcata shares the same KACV Class E airspace as Eureka. LAANC required for commercial flights below 400ft. The Cal Poly Humboldt campus is a frequent drone subject for institutional brand films and recruitment cinematography. The Arcata Community Forest's redwood canopy is too dense for drone work below the canopy but offers spectacular above-canopy aerial sweeps.

Drone Photography and Videography, Arcata, California
Aerial composition, Humboldt County.
Drone Photography and Videography, Arcata, California
FAA Part 107, LAANC-coordinated.

The Arcata flight

FAA Part 107. LAANC-coordinated.

Every flight is Part 107 compliant, the airport-adjacent airspace makes that non-negotiable. Unauthorized commercial drone work in controlled airspace carries FAA civil penalties in the tens of thousands per violation, and institutional clients (universities, brokerages, marketing agencies) are increasingly being held responsible for verifying pilot certification before using aerial footage. Hiring a registered, insured Part 107 pilot transfers that risk where it belongs.

The Arcata hometown advantage

Local to Arcata. Scouted from above.

Knowing Arcata matters. After years scouting Humboldt County airspace for clean takeoff/landing zones, identifying LAANC-controlled airspace boundaries, and tracking microclimate wind patterns over the coast and ranch country, every flight day on the calendar gets the same local-knowledge advantage.

Drone Photography and Videography, Arcata, California
Hometown aerial scouting, Humboldt County.

Now booking, Arcata

Now booking Arcata drone projects for the year ahead.

Arcata aerial flights book on a rolling calendar, real estate listings often need 24–48 hour turnaround, commercial brand work books 4–6 weeks out. Send a note with your timeline and we'll scope the right LAANC authorization window.

Reserve your Arcata flight → or call (707) 382-1108

Recent Work

Drone Photographer in Arcata. A look at the work.

  • Tex Kelly piloting a DJI drone on a commercial FAA Part 107 flight
  • Aerial view of Eureka rooftops and the Humboldt Bay
  • Drone aerial captured by Tex Kelly Productions. FAA Part 107 commercial flight
  • Aerial composition from a Tex Kelly Productions drone flight
  • Coastal cliffs and Pacific surf shot from above
  • High-altitude drone aerial by Tex Kelly Productions
  • Pink Lady Victorian at sunset, drone aerial over Eureka
  • April 2024 drone flight composition. Tex Kelly Productions
  • Redwood canopy and coastline aerial composition
  • October 2025 drone aerial. Tex Kelly Productions
  • September 2023 drone flight. Tex Kelly Productions
  • July 2025 drone aerial composition. Tex Kelly Productions
  • Sequenced drone aerial. Tex Kelly Productions
  • Working harbor and fishing boats from drone elevation
  • Aerial composition over a North Coast country estate
See full drone photography and videography portfolio →

More from the studio

Beyond the aerial. Selected wedding films.

Drone work is one capability inside a broader cinematic practice. Here's the wedding-film side, feature-length wedding documentaries and editorial cinema. Click any thumbnail to play in place.

  • David & Monica's Wedding Documentary, 35 Years Before They Met, His Dad Saved Her Dad's Life

    Feature-length wedding documentary

  • Brunton Wedding Film

    Northern California wedding cinematography

  • Shane & Sofia Weekly. A 45-Minute Wedding Documentary

    Northern California long-form wedding film

  • Mrs. & Mrs. McClurg

    Cinematic wedding film

  • An Emotional, Romantic & Cinematic Wedding Film. Trinidad Elopement

    Trinidad, California elopement

DaVinci Resolve wedding-film edit in progress. Tex Kelly Productions editing suite

The Editing Process

Months in the edit suite, curating the story.

A wedding film isn't shot in a day, it's made over months. Hours of raw cinema footage, multi-camera audio, drone aerial, and second-shooter coverage get assembled, color-graded, and scored frame by frame in the edit suite.

Every transition is intentional. Every cut earns its keep. The goal is a film couples actually want to re-watch, not a montage of clips. That kind of editorial discipline is the difference between a wedding film and a wedding highlight reel, and it's why these turnarounds run weeks instead of days.

Locations + Airspace

Where I fly in Arcata.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Aerial

    Campus sweep cinematography for institutional and recruitment films.

  • Arcata Plaza Aerial

    Historic plaza overhead for brand films and event documentation.

  • Arcata Community Forest Canopy

    Above-canopy redwood sweep. Below-canopy is too dense for drone.

What's Included

What's included with drone photography and videography in Arcata.

  • FAA Part 107 Certified Pilot

    Current, registered, and current commercial drone pilot license. LAANC airspace authorization for restricted areas. Insurance documentation on request.

  • Five-Platform Drone Fleet

    DJI Mini 3 (sub-250g, for tight regulated airspace and travel); DJI Mavic 3 Pro (broadcast-grade 4K cinema, Hasselblad sensor, three-camera array); DJI Avata 2 (cinematic FPV, immersive single-take flythroughs); DJI Matrice 350 RTK (enterprise-grade industrial workhorse); Zenmuse L2 (LiDAR payload on the M350 for survey-grade scanning). The right drone for the right job, every time.

  • Pre-Flight Risk Assessment

    Documented airspace check, weather review, property-owner permission, and flight plan for every commercial flight.

  • Commercial Insurance

    Fully insured for commercial drone operations. Certificate of insurance available before the shoot for venue or client requirements.

  • Edited Aerial Deliverables

    Color-graded 4K video clips, high-resolution stills, and any specialty formats (vertical for social, broadcast 16:9, slow-motion sequences).

  • Permit Coordination

    FAA LAANC clearance, state park permits, and venue authorizations handled ahead of the shoot, no day-of surprises.

How It Works

How it works in Arcata.

  1. 01

    Inquiry & Scope

    Send the location, intended use (real estate, wedding, brand, industrial), and timeline. I pull the airspace map for the location.

  2. 02

    Authorization

    LAANC permit if needed (1–14 days lead time depending on airspace). Property owner releases for private land.

  3. 03

    Weather Window

    I monitor forecasts and identify the best-light, lowest-wind window. Coastal Humboldt fog often dictates timing.

  4. 04

    The Flight

    On-site arrival 30 minutes early for visual airspace check. Pre-flight checklist. Multiple altitude and angle passes for editorial flexibility.

  5. 05

    Post-Production

    Color grade, stabilization polish, format export. Standard turnaround 1–2 weeks for video, 3–5 days for still imagery.

Investment

Drone work is priced per shoot, half-day, full-day, and multi-day rates scale with scope. Most real estate aerials run a few hundred; wedding integrations and brand campaigns scale up. Send the project and timeline for a quote.

Drone Photographer in Arcata. FAQs

Frequently asked questions.

  • Can you shoot Cal Poly Humboldt aerial?
    Yes, campus aerial cinematography for institutional brand films, recruitment videos, and athletic event opens is regular work. Cal Poly Humboldt sits in the same KACV Class E airspace as Eureka. LAANC required and handled.
  • Can you shoot above the Arcata Community Forest?
    Above-canopy aerial sweeps work great. Below-canopy redwood drone work isn't possible (too dense, GPS unreliable, branch hazard). For below-canopy redwood cinematography we use a broadcast-grade cinema rig instead.
  • Are you FAA Part 107 certified?
    Yes. Tex is FAA Part 107 certified, fully insured, and operates as a licensed commercial drone pilot. All flights comply with FAA regulations including airspace authorization, altitude limits, and visual line-of-sight requirements. Insurance documentation is available on request.
  • What can drone footage be used for?
    Wedding aerials, real estate listings, brand and commercial campaigns, event coverage, construction progress documentation, industrial inspections, and editorial storytelling. Output ranges from short Instagram clips to broadcast-grade 4K cinema and high-resolution stills for print.
  • What about restricted airspace?
    Most of Humboldt County is unrestricted Class G airspace, but locations near the Eureka airport, Arcata airport, or military airspace require pre-flight FAA authorization. Tex handles all permitting through LAANC. Plan two extra days of lead time for restricted areas.
  • Can you fly over private property?
    Yes, with the property owner's written permission. Tex provides a release form for property owners. For shoots over public land, we follow Park Service and BLM regulations, some redwood and state parks require special permits, which Tex coordinates ahead of the shoot.
  • What weather conditions limit drone work?
    Coastal fog, sustained winds above 25 mph, and rain are the main limits. Tex monitors forecasts in the days leading up to a shoot and will reschedule if conditions don't allow safe flight or quality footage. Coastal Humboldt fog can lift mid-morning, so we often plan flights for a forecast window with a backup time.

Nearby drone photography and videography cities

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Flexible on where you shoot? Many clients book a hometown location + a destination second location in the same day. Below are the other cities where I'm currently booking drone photography and videography, same playbook, same editorial eye, different backdrop.

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