Chicago, IL Live Event and Concert Drones

Live event drones in Chicago

This page is for event producers, promoters and venues planning a live event in Chicago. We fly concerts, festivals, parades, arena shows, races and brand activations, with drone feeds sent live to screens, the stream or a broadcast truck, plus fast edits for social. For homes, tourism and general aerials see our Chicago drone videography page.

Grant Park and festival season

Festivals like Lollapalooza in Grant Park run under the promoter's production plan, so we fly only inside it, from agreed launch spots and with no-fly areas marked. Our crew flies EDC Las Vegas as a three-pilot drone team with over-the-crowd drones fed into the Hulu live stream, and brings the same planning to big festival sites here. Chicago Park District code requires a permit to launch or land any aircraft on park property, so drone use goes into the event's park permit. 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.

Municipal Code 10-36-400

Chicago's 2015 drone ordinance bars 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. Operators flying under an FAA authorization such as Part 107 are exempt only in line with city requirements, so we work through the list for every event site.

Downtown events and the Film Office

The Chicago Film Office does not issue drone-specific permits, but downtown flight plans are reviewed by the city and Chicago Police, who 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. 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.

United Center, Wintrust Arena and the ballparks

The United Center and Wintrust Arena host indoor shows where we fly with the 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. 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 Live drone feeds for video boards and Concert and festival FPV drones across the US.

Credits

EDC Las Vegas live on Hulu, Ultra Music Festival and drones inside Climate Pledge Arena for Paramore.

Related

Chicago drone videography | Milwaukee, WI drone videographer | New York, NY live event drones | Denver, CO live event drones | EDC Las Vegas case study | Concert and festival FPV drones across the US | Live drone feeds for video boards | 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 live event drones | Madison, WI live event drones | Grand Rapids, MI live event drones | Fort Wayne, IN live event drones

FAQs

Can you fly a drone at Lollapalooza?

Only inside the festival's production plan. Grant Park is park property, and the Park District requires a permit to launch or land any aircraft there.

Does Chicago have its own drone ordinance?

Yes. Municipal Code 10-36-400 limits flights near airports, over people, at night and near open-air venues, with an exception for FAA-authorized pilots who follow city requirements.

Do you need a permit to fly at a downtown Chicago event?

There is no drone-specific city permit, but the Film Office and Chicago Police review downtown flight plans and any closures, starting with the Drone Flight Request Form.

Can you send a live drone feed to screens or a stream?

Yes. We send live drone video to LED screens, the livestream or a broadcast truck, and agree the format and cue points with your production team before show day.

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.