Tex Kelly Productions
Aerial drone photograph from Point Arena Lighthouse in Point Arena, California

Drone Photographer · Point Arena, California

Drone Photographer in Point Arena, California.

Drone FAA Part 107-certified aerial photography and cinema.

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

Hi. I'm Tex.

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

Now booking Point Arena drone projects and real estate aerial.

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

FAA Part 107 · The Operator

The pilot, on every flight.

Every Point Arena 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 Point Arena, California. Tex Kelly Productions

A note from Point Arena

FAA Part 107 commercial drone work in Point Arena, California. Point Arena Lighthouse aerials, Stornetta Public Lands overhead, Bowling Ball Beach, and the most isolated and dramatic stretch of Mendocino coastline.

The Approach

Drone in Point Arena. Flown with intent.

The Point Arena airspace

Point Arena from above, shot legally.

Point Arena's lighthouse and the Stornetta Public Lands' sea cliffs photograph spectacularly from above, westernmost point of mainland California, dramatic Pacific cliff aerials, and Bowling Ball Beach's sandstone concretions at low tide. FAA Part 107 work for hospitality, tourism, and editorial cinema.

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

The Point Arena flight

FAA Part 107. LAANC-coordinated.

A drone shoot here runs under a Part 107 license, and the airspace work gets handled in writing before we drive out to the coast. Point Arena sits in quiet airspace, so the planning is mostly about wind and tide. We fly real estate aerials, construction progress passes, and brand films. At Bowling Ball Beach the concretions only read from above at low tide, so the flight window gets booked around the tide chart, not the calendar.

The Mendocino County scouting advantage

Point Arena, Scouted from above.

Knowing this stretch from the air matters because it is the most isolated part of the Mendocino coast. The wind off the Pacific is steady at the lighthouse, so we launch on the lee side and let the aircraft work into it. The Stornetta Public Lands sea cliffs hold light longest in late afternoon, when the bluffs go warm and the tidepools sit dark below. We know which angle keeps the lighthouse off the horizon line.

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

Now booking, Point Arena

Now booking Point Arena drone projects for the year ahead.

Point Arena 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 Point Arena flight → or call (707) 382-1108

Recent Work

Drone Photographer in Point Arena. 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 Point Arena.

  • Point Arena Lighthouse

    Iconic windswept lighthouse aerial, the signature Point Arena composition.

  • Stornetta Public Lands

    Sea cliffs and tidepool overhead, the most dramatic coastal-bluff aerial in Mendocino.

  • Bowling Ball Beach

    Sandstone concretion-ball aerial at low tide, distinctive geological capture.

What's Included

What's included with drone photography and videography in Point Arena.

  • 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 Point Arena.

  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 Point Arena. FAQs

Frequently asked questions.

  • Can you fly drone work at the Point Arena Lighthouse?
    Yes, lighthouse aerials are some of the most-requested Point Arena flight types. The lighthouse foundation coordinates filming access for commercial flights; we pull the right authorization in advance and respect the property's operating hours.
  • 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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