Tex Kelly Productions
Aerial drone photograph from Clam Beach + Pacific Bluffs in McKinleyville, California

Drone Photographer · McKinleyville, California

Drone Photographer in McKinleyville, California.

Drone FAA Part 107-certified aerial photography and cinema.

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

Hi. I'm Tex.

Welcome to FAA Part 107 drone, McKinleyville 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 McKinleyville 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 McKinleyville airspace. LAANC authorization handled on every commercial flight, all coordination documented in writing.

Now booking McKinleyville drone projects and real estate aerial.

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

FAA Part 107 · The Operator

The pilot, on every flight.

Every McKinleyville 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 McKinleyville, California. Tex Kelly Productions

A note from McKinleyville

FAA Part 107 commercial drone work in McKinleyville, California, coastal-corridor aerials, Hammond Trail overhead, real estate cinematics, and the growing residential growth corridor north of the bay.

The Approach

Drone in McKinleyville. Flown with intent.

The McKinleyville airspace

McKinleyville from above, shot legally.

McKinleyville's Pacific bluffs, the Hammond Trail corridor, Clam Beach, and the residential growth that's reshaped the town all photograph beautifully from above. FAA Part 107 work covers real estate aerials, coastal cinema, and the trade-business documentation that fits the area's service economy.

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

The McKinleyville flight

FAA Part 107. LAANC-coordinated.

A McKinleyville shoot starts with the airspace, because the town sits close to the airport up the road. The pilot is FAA Part 107, and the LAANC authorization gets pulled and logged in writing before anything leaves the ground. From there it's straightforward. Real estate aerials on the growth-corridor listings, construction progress on the new builds, and brand films for the trade businesses that run the area. One plan, one log, one flight that holds up if anyone asks.

The McKinleyville hometown advantage

Local to McKinleyville. Scouted from above.

Knowing McKinleyville from the air means knowing where the controlled airspace tightens and where it opens. The Hammond Trail runs clean along the Mad River, and the bluff line above Clam Beach reads best when the light comes in low off the Pacific in the late afternoon. The dunes hold their shape on an overcast day. We pick the launch points by the wind off the water and the angle that keeps the trail and the surf in one frame.

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

Now booking, McKinleyville

Now booking McKinleyville drone projects for the year ahead.

McKinleyville 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 McKinleyville flight → or call (707) 382-1108

Recent Work

Drone Photographer in McKinleyville. 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 McKinleyville.

  • Clam Beach + Pacific Bluffs

    Coastal cinema, dunes, surf, and the McKinleyville bluff line.

  • Hammond Trail Corridor

    Trail-corridor aerials and the Mad River corridor north of the bay.

  • Residential Real Estate

    Growth-corridor listings with overhead + property-context cinema.

What's Included

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

  • 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 McKinleyville.

  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 McKinleyville. FAQs

Frequently asked questions.

  • Do you fly over the Hammond Trail?
    Yes. Hammond Trail and the surrounding McKinleyville coastal corridor are inside Class E airspace, and most flights are LAANC-cleared in advance. We coordinate around trail traffic and weather windows.
  • 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

Drone Photography and Videography near McKinleyville, other locations I shoot.

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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