San Antonio, TX FPV Drone Pilot and Operator
Air Views Media is an FPV drone company serving San Antonio and South Texas for arena shows, festivals, brand activations and live broadcast feeds. Our crew flew drone coverage at Austin City Limits in Zilker Park for the festival's Hulu live broadcast. FAA Part 107 certified pilots, $10M liability standard (optional up to $25M).
San Antonio
FPV drone pilot in San Antonio
We fly FPV and small cinewhoop drones in San Antonio for arena shows, festivals, brand activations, venue fly-throughs and live 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 San Antonio, TX drone videographer page.
Festival and concert work
Our crew flew drone coverage at Austin City Limits in Zilker Park for the festival's Hulu live broadcast, and we plan San Antonio festivals, concerts and brand activations the same way, inside the promoter's production plan from agreed launch spots. 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. See FPV drones for live broadcast, Indoor arena FPV drones and Concert and festival FPV drones across the US.
Alamodome, Frost Bank Center and indoor venues
The Alamodome downtown, Frost Bank Center on the east side and the city's hotels, convention spaces and music venues suit FPV 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. Fully enclosed indoor flights are generally outside FAA airspace rules, so we fly one-take fly-throughs with the owner's approval; see indoor fly-through tours.
City film permits and the Riverwalk
The San Antonio Film Commission requires a Film/Photography permit for any drone filming or photography over city-owned property, including streets and sidewalks. The permits are free, applications are due at least 10 business days before filming with a certificate of insurance naming the City, and drones are not permitted over the Riverwalk. The Alamo and Alamo Plaza need separate approval. San Antonio International, about 7 miles north of downtown, has a control tower and Class C airspace, and Stinson Municipal, Kelly Field and Randolph have controlled airspace too, so many addresses need LAANC. We check every San Antonio location on the FAA sectional, B4UFLY and NOTAMs before quoting, and file LAANC or FAA authorization for any address that needs it.
Texas drone law
Texas Government Code chapter 423 makes it an offense to fly at or below 400 feet over fenced or posted critical infrastructure, such as refineries, chemical plants, power plants, water plants, ports and rail yards, or over a sports venue with 30,000 or more seats, unless an exception applies, such as prior written consent. The Fifth Circuit rejected the facial free-speech challenges to the law in National Press Photographers Association v. McCraw, and the Supreme Court denied review on October 7, 2024, so the law is fully in force and we get written consent first. Texas bars cities and counties from regulating drones except during permitted special events, for their own drone use, or near their own facilities with FAA approval, so we check festival and parade rules with the organizer and the city.
Credits
the Austin City Limits Hulu live broadcast, Science Channel's Impossible Engineering aerials of the Jenga building in Austin and EDC Las Vegas live on Hulu.
Related
San Antonio, TX drone videographer | Austin, TX FPV drone pilot | Houston, TX FPV drone pilot | Dallas, TX FPV drone pilot | Arlington, TX drone videographer | 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
Corpus Christi, TX FPV drone pilot | College Station, TX FPV drone pilot | Galveston, TX FPV drone pilot | Fort Worth, TX FPV drone pilot | Arlington, TX FPV drone pilot | Plano, TX FPV drone pilot
FAQs
Do you need a city permit to film with a drone in San Antonio?
Over city-owned property, yes. The San Antonio Film Commission requires a free Film/Photography permit for drone filming over city property, including streets and sidewalks, applied for at least 10 business days ahead.
Can you fly a drone over the Riverwalk?
No. The San Antonio Film Commission does not permit drones over the Riverwalk, and the Alamo and Alamo Plaza need separate approval, so we plan shots around both.
Is the Texas drone law still in force?
Yes. The Fifth Circuit rejected the facial challenges to chapter 423 and the Supreme Court denied review on October 7, 2024, so we get written consent before flying over covered venues or facilities.
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.