Drone Filming Services
CAA-compliant aerial filming, on its own or as part of a production.
Floating Harbour, a film production company in Bristol, provides CAA-compliant drone filming in Bristol, the South West and across the UK, on its own or as part of a production. We are based on a Dutch barge at Welsh Back in central Bristol, and we fly for production companies that need aerial shots for their own films and for organisations that commission a film from us, such as South Gloucestershire Council, the West of England Combined Authority and Vattenfall. Aerial footage adds scale and context to a film: the wide establishing shot, the smooth track along a site, the pull-away reveal. We fly it as filmmakers, so the drone shot is planned for the edit rather than added to it.
More drone work. Linking the Levels, Investing in Communities, Climate and Nature, Mobilising Nature, South Gloucestershire Council.
Already working with us?
We can add drone footage to a film you are already making. Drone footage can elevate your film, adding production value and visual impact. By incorporating wide landscape shots, smooth tracking, or pull-away reveals, drone footage can bring an entirely new dimension to your existing project.
Filmmakers & Production Companies
Drone filming for commercial applications requires a licensed pilot and insurance. At Floating Harbour, we ensure full compliance with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations, so you don’t have to worry about paperwork or safety. Whether you need a simple aerial shot or a large-scale sequence, we handle the logistics and provide a collaborative, can-do attitude to make sure the shoot is both smooth and stress-free.
For those needing both aerial and ground-based footage, we offer a combo package that pairs our drone services with ground videography, providing a cohesive set of visuals for your production or marketing campaign. This package is ideal for projects that need comprehensive coverage with a unified style and direction.
Businesses & Organisations
Drone footage can transform the way you present your business. Whether you're capturing aerial views of your headquarters, facilities, or products, or need footage for marketing, internal presentations, or social media, we can tailor the service to your specific needs.
Imagine high-resolution aerial shots for your website banner or a time-lapse video showcasing your site over time. Our ground and aerial combo package gives you both perspectives in one seamless package, perfect for making a strong impression.
Examples of Our Work
Bee Bold Awards: Drone footage added unique perspectives and boosted production value with stunning overlays.
Vattenfall District Heat Network Tour: Combined aerial footage with graphics and animation to elevate the quality and simplify the explanation of complex energy concepts.
Chrysalis Adverts: Drones provided a strong narrative ending and a great backdrop for integrating graphics.
- Combined Authority Nature Recovery Films: Using a 249-gram drone, we captured vast landscapes with minimal paperwork, simplifying the shoot.
Aerial filming we have done
We have flown in cities and on wetlands, and we plan each flight around what the film needs.
Vattenfall: a larger drone shoot for the Bristol heat network film, planned and flown safely from Bristol's tallest building across the city.
South Gloucestershire Council: a three-film nature recovery series. Linking the Levels uses sweeping aerial cinematography over the Severn Estuary levels, and Mobilising Nature uses drone cinematography to show habitats being reconnected along major transport routes.
Bristol Waste: drone shots of the transfer station in a film made to replace physical tours of the plant.
Bristol Zoo: drone footage of the site for the 2016 baby gorilla summer advert, broadcast on Sky and Made in Bristol TV.
If you would rather fly the drone yourself, we also hire out drones. If you need a crew on the ground as well, see our camera crews and filming.
If you are interested in our Drone Services, get in touch!
Please make sure to provide the following information in your email:
Overview: Can you give us a brief description of what you need?
Location: Where will the shoot take place? Are there any specific restrictions or considerations for the area? Please provide the postcode or, even better, a what3words address or coordinates.
Private Land Access: Do you have permission to access and take off from private land?
Shot Requirements: What kind of shots are you looking for? Will members of the public be present?
Subject Matter: Are you looking for one specific subject to be filmed, or are there multiple subjects?
- Dates: How much flexibility do you have on dates? Drone work is subject to weather and availability.
Drone filming questions
Are your drone pilots CAA approved?
Our commercial drone filming follows Civil Aviation Authority regulations. It is flown by licensed, insured pilots, and we deal with the paperwork so that you do not have to.
Do you film from the air outside Bristol?
Yes. We are based in Bristol and fly across the South West and the rest of the UK. Our aerial work has taken us from the centre of Bristol for Vattenfall and to the Severn Estuary levels for South Gloucestershire Council.
Can you add drone shots to a film we are already making?
Yes. We can fly for a single sequence, such as a wide establishing shot, a tracking move along a site or a pull-away reveal, or as part of a full production. If you need aerial and ground footage together, our combo package pairs the two with one visual style and direction.
What do you need to know before a drone shoot?
We need to know what you want to film and where, ideally with a postcode, a what3words address or coordinates. We also need to know whether we have permission to take off from private land, which shots you want, whether members of the public will be present, and how flexible your dates are. Drone work depends on the weather, so a little flexibility on dates helps.
Where this fits
Drone filming is one of our production services, alongside camera crews and filming and studio filming. Much of our aerial work is for renewable energy, transport, leisure and tourism and government and public bodies.
Got a film in mind?
Tell us what you want to make. A few quick questions, or attach a brief, and we’ll come back to you quickly, usually the same or next working day.