Tex Kelly Productions
Aerial drone photograph from Mendocino Headlands Aerial in Mendocino, California

Drone Photographer · Mendocino, California

Drone Photographer in Mendocino, California.

Drone FAA Part 107-certified aerial photography and cinema.

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

Hi. I'm Tex.

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

Now booking Mendocino drone projects and real estate aerial.

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

FAA Part 107 · The Operator

The pilot, on every flight.

Every Mendocino 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 Mendocino County skies for clean takeoffs, golden-hour windows, and the airspace boundaries that matter for the flight.

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

A note from Mendocino

FAA Part 107 certified commercial drone photography and videography in Mendocino, California. DJI Mavic 3 Pro aerial cinema for destination weddings, hospitality brand work, and Headlands State Park cinematography. Class G coastal airspace.

The Approach

Drone in Mendocino. Flown with intent.

The Mendocino airspace

Mendocino from above, shot legally.

Mendocino is Class G coastal airspace, unrestricted, no LAANC required for the village or Headlands work. Headlands cliff-top aerial sweeps are the signature Mendocino wedding-film opening shot. Hospitality brand drone cinematography for the inns and restaurants is steady year-round. Coordinate around afternoon coastal fog windows.

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

The Mendocino flight

FAA Part 107. LAANC-coordinated.

Class G doesn't mean rule-free. Part 107 certification is still required on every commercial flight, and Mendocino Headlands State Park additionally requires a State Parks commercial filming permit. The FAA's civil penalty framework allows fines that escalate into the tens of thousands per violation for unauthorized commercial operation, and commercial liability insurance won't pay out on a flight that broke FAA rules. Hiring a registered, insured Part 107 pilot keeps the exposure off the client.

The Mendocino County scouting advantage

Mendocino, Scouted from above.

Knowing Mendocino matters. Regular travel into Mendocino County for drone work over the years means the airspace scouting is already done. LAANC-controlled boundaries, clean takeoff/landing zones, and microclimate wind patterns. Not a resident, but the regional knowledge is built and ready before the flight day.

Drone Photography and Videography, Mendocino, California
Hometown aerial scouting, Mendocino County.

Now booking, Mendocino

Now booking Mendocino drone projects for the year ahead.

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

Recent Work

Drone Photographer in Mendocino. 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 Mendocino.

  • Mendocino Headlands Aerial

    Cliff-top wedding cinematography sweep. Class G; fog window dictates timing.

  • Mendocino Village Overhead

    Historic Victorian rooflines and water-tower silhouettes from above.

  • Big River Aerial

    Estuary and bay aerial. Boat traffic and tide create dynamic compositions.

What's Included

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

  • 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 Mendocino.

  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 Mendocino. FAQs

Frequently asked questions.

  • Can you shoot drone aerial over Mendocino Headlands State Park?
    Yes. Mendocino Headlands is unrestricted Class G airspace and a State Park. State Parks commercial filming permit required for any commercial drone work; we handle the permit pull. Plan around afternoon coastal fog windows.
  • Do you produce Mendocino destination wedding aerials?
    Yes. Mendocino destination wedding drone work is a signature offering. Cliff-top ceremony reveal shots, Bay aerials, and village overhead establishing shots in a single coordinated weekend shoot.
  • 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 Mendocino, 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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