Chicago, IL FPV Drone Pilot and Operator
Air Views Media is an FPV drone company serving Chicago and Cook County for arena events, festivals, venue fly-throughs and live broadcast feeds. Our crew flies EDC Las Vegas as a three-pilot drone team, with over-the-crowd drones fed into the Hulu live stream. FAA Part 107 certified pilots, $10M liability standard (optional up to $25M).
Chicago
FPV drone pilot in Chicago
We fly FPV and small cinewhoop drones in Chicago for arena events, festivals, venue fly-throughs and live broadcast feeds. FPV adds close, fast, continuous moves that a standard camera drone cannot get, flown by pilots who rehearse each line first. For general aerials, homes and events see our Chicago drone videography page.
Arenas and ballparks
The United Center, Wintrust Arena and the city's theaters suit indoor FPV, flown with each venue's approval. Indoor flights at an arena need the venue's approval and a flight plan agreed with production, security and the lighting crew, and we fly small, lightweight drones close to the action. Outdoors, Wrigley Field, Rate Field and Soldier Field are on the FAA stadium list, so the 3 nautical mile flight restriction applies from an hour before to an hour after covered events. See FPV drones for live broadcast, Indoor arena FPV drones and Concert and festival FPV drones across the US.
Chicago's drone ordinance
Chicago Municipal Code 10-36-400, passed in 2015, bars drone flights over people or property without consent, within five miles of an airport, at night and near schools, hospitals, places of worship and open-air venues, among other limits. It exempts operators flying under an FAA authorization such as Part 107, but only in line with applicable city requirements, so we treat it as a planning checklist. Chicago Park District code also requires a permit to launch or land any aircraft on park property.
Downtown shoots and the Film Office
The Chicago Film Office says the city does not issue drone-specific permits, but in dense areas like downtown the city and Chicago Police review flight plans and can approve street or sidewalk closures for a closed set, staffed by police and fire officers at the production's cost. Requests start with the office's Drone Flight Request Form. Festivals like Lollapalooza in Grant Park run under the promoter's production plan, so we fly only inside it. Flying directly over an open crowd is only allowed when the drone and the operation meet FAA rules for flying over people, so otherwise we keep flight paths over the stage, closed areas and open lanes.
Airspace
O'Hare's Class B and Midway's Class C airspace cover much of the city. We check every Chicago location on the FAA sectional, B4UFLY and NOTAMs before quoting, and file LAANC or FAA authorization for any address that needs it.
Credits
EDC Las Vegas live on Hulu, drones inside Climate Pledge Arena for Paramore and FIFA Fan Festival Atlanta.
Related
Chicago drone videography | Milwaukee, WI drone videographer | New York, NY FPV drone pilot | Detroit, MI FPV drone pilot | FPV drones for live broadcast | Indoor arena FPV drones | Concert and festival FPV drones across the US | Augusta drone videography (headquarters) | Lynchburg, VA drone videography (second location) | Live broadcast drones | Concert and festival drones | All locations
Nearby cities we fly
Milwaukee, WI FPV drone pilot | Madison, WI FPV drone pilot | Grand Rapids, MI FPV drone pilot | Fort Wayne, IN FPV drone pilot
FAQs
Does Chicago have its own drone ordinance?
Yes. Municipal Code 10-36-400 limits flights near airports, over people and at night, with an exception for FAA-authorized pilots who follow city requirements.
Do you need a permit to fly a drone in downtown Chicago?
There is no drone-specific city permit, but busy downtown shoots need the Film Office and Chicago Police to approve the flight plan and any closures.
Can you fly a drone in a Chicago park?
Only with a Chicago Park District permit, which its code requires before launching or landing any aircraft on park property.
Can FPV footage go live to a stream or screens?
Yes. We send live FPV video to the stream, LED screens or a broadcast truck, and agree the format with your production team before the event.
What insurance do you carry?
Our standard policy is $10M liability, with optional coverage up to $25M when a venue, league or network requires it. Certificates naming your venue or production are issued before the shoot.
Request a Quote
Tell us the date, location and what you need filmed. Request a Quote or call 706-284-8364.