Hiring a drone photographer in Oxford, MS and Jackson, MS

Aerial photos in Oxford, MS

Licensing and gear

Do you need permission to fly where I want the shots?

Two kinds. The FAA controls the airspace and the property owner controls the ground, and I only fly where both allow it. Near an airport I request FAA authorization first, and on Ole Miss property every flight goes through UPD, the university police, for approval before I take off.

Do you handle the paperwork?

Yes. I check the airspace for your address, file any FAA authorization myself and, on campus, file the request with UPD. I have a working relationship with UPD and I'm authorized to fly on campus. You tell me where and when; the rest is mine.

How much notice do you need?

In open airspace, like most of Oxford, Madison and Ridgeland, the only limit is my calendar. Anywhere a flight needs extra approval, such as the Ole Miss campus or the controlled airspace around the Jackson airports, I generally need at least a week.

Can you fly in Jackson near the airports?

Usually, with FAA authorization. Downtown Jackson, Belhaven, Fondren, Pearl, Flowood and Brandon sit inside the FAA's grid around Hawkins Field and Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International, so I request authorization before I fly, and in most of that grid the FAA's LAANC system answers within minutes. Part of Fondren has a 0 foot ceiling on the FAA's facility map, which means a manual request that takes longer. Madison, Ridgeland and Clinton need no authorization at the spots I checked.

What about Oxford and Ole Miss?

Oxford's airspace is open at drone altitudes, so most of town needs no FAA authorization. There are two exceptions: every flight on Ole Miss property goes through UPD for approval, and on home football game days no drone can fly within 3 nautical miles of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium from an hour before the game to an hour after. It's all in my guide to flying a drone at Ole Miss.

Can the drone fly over a crowd?

Not directly over it. FAA rules limit flying over people who aren't part of the shoot (14 CFR 107.39), so at an event I frame the crowd from the side and from above the open ground around it.

How high and how far can it go?

Up to 400 feet above the ground, and always where I can see it with my own eyes (107.51 and 107.31). Most property and event shots come from well below that.

What happens if the weather turns?

Rain and strong wind ground a drone, so drone work is always weather permitting. For a property, we move the flight to the next good day. At an event, the rest of the coverage goes on and the aerials are the part we lose.

How much does drone photography cost?

It depends on the job. Drone is already part of my Story and Legacy wedding films, the date party and formal film, and the Premium brand film, and those prices are on my video pricing page. For listings, land and other stand-alone flights, I quote by the property: its size, photos or video or both, and the airspace.

Do I get photos, video or both?

Your choice. I deliver edited aerial photos, color-graded 4K video or both, and a short film can mix aerial and ground shots, like the property film on my commercial page.

How do you deliver the files?

By private download link. Tell me where the photos are going, like a listing, a website or social, and I'll size them for it.

Can you add drone to a photo or video job?

Yes, wherever the airspace and the location allow it. It's an add-on to SLP Media event coverage, and it comes with the wedding, Greek life and brand film packages listed above.