San Antonio, TX Live Event and Concert Drones
Air Views Media is a live event drone company serving San Antonio and South Texas for festivals, arena concerts, parades 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
Live event drones in San Antonio
This page is for event producers, promoters and venues planning a live event in San Antonio. 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 San Antonio, TX drone videographer page.
Festivals and parades
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, parades and concerts the same way, inside the organizer'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 Live drone feeds for video boards and Concert and festival FPV drones across the US.
Frost Bank Center and the Alamodome
Frost Bank Center, home of the Spurs and the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, and the Alamodome downtown host concerts and arena events 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.
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 live event drones | Houston, TX live event drones | Dallas, TX live event drones | Austin, TX FPV drone pilot | Houston, TX FPV drone pilot | Live drone feeds for video boards | 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 live event drones | College Station, TX live event drones | Galveston, TX live event drones | Fort Worth, TX live event drones | Arlington, TX live event drones | Plano, TX live event drones
FAQs
Do you need a city permit to film an event 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 during an event?
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 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.