Drone Operators and Pilots for Professional Video Productions

Drone images are only as good as the people holding the sticks. An impressive flying platform is worthless without an experienced pilot who knows how a film set works, understands what a director is looking for, and maintains focus when it really matters. At Drone Department, we have been working on professional film sets across Europe for about 18 years, from feature films and national advertising campaigns to international sports broadcasts and festival productions.

In this article, we show who is behind the controllers, how we optimize solo operations for the best results, when we deploy our dual-operator system, and which certifications and EU licenses we hold to ensure your production flies safely and legally.

Our drone pilots: experience, certifications, and specializations

Drone Department is led by Matthijs van der Velden from the Netherlands. For productions that require extra expertise, he works with a select network of experienced freelancers. Below is an overview of his experience and specializations.

Matthijs van der Velden - Senior Drone Pilot, Safety Manager & Instructor

Matthijs is the initiator of Drone Department and a drone pilot at heart. He began building custom drones as early as 2006 and has since accumulated thousands of flight hours on professional film sets. He holds a full EU Specific drone pilot license and an EASA drone instructor license.

On set, Matthijs is the lead pilot and also the Safety Manager. In addition to flying, he is responsible for flight safety, communication with air traffic control, and compliance with all EU drone regulations. As a certified EASA drone instructor, he possesses the highest achievable licenses to carry out complex operations. His calmness and precision are exactly what you need when flying heavy cinema drones over a film set. In his free time, Matthijs is active as a drone racer, meaning he knows better than anyone how to control an FPV racing drone at high speeds.

When to choose dual-operator?

While Drone Department specializes in efficient solo operations, specific shots sometimes require more. For complex movements where the flight path and camera framing must operate independently of each other, we offer a specialized dual-operator setup:

1. The pilot concentrates fully on the flight path, speed, altitude, and avoiding obstacles.
2. The camera operator independently controls the framing, focus, gimbal tilt, and pan. He or she monitors via a live 4K DCI monitor and communicates directly with the director.

This dual-operator option makes flight movements possible that are simply not achievable solo. Think of a tracking shot that transitions into an upward tilt while the drone simultaneously makes a turn. Or an FPV fly-through through a building where the camera smoothly looks from one room to another.

When do you choose dual-operator?

Not every job requires two operators. Here is a handy overview:

• Solo operator is sufficient for: simple orbits, top-down shots, establishing shots, timelapse.
• Dual-operator is needed for: tracking shots with camera movement, FPV fly-throughs, live broadcast, action and sports registration, complex gimbal shots with RED or ARRI.

Want to know which drone service best suits your production? Feel free to contact us. We are happy to think along with you.

Worldwide drone pilot network: always local knowledge

Not every production takes place in the Netherlands. And even if it does, you might need drone operators at multiple locations simultaneously for a series or film. That is why Drone Department has built an extensive international network of certified drone operators over the years.

What does our network offer you?

• Local regulatory knowledge: each operator knows the specific airspace rules and permit procedures of his or her country.
• Fast availability: for last-minute shoots, we have pilots in all major European cities.
• Consistent quality: all operators in our network work to the same Drone Department quality standards and are at least EU Specific certified.
• Multilingual communication: our operators speak the local language, which facilitates cooperation with crew and authorities.

Productions outside Europe

Our network is not limited to the EU. We have successfully filmed productions in, among others, Saudi Arabia, Montenegro, and Asian destinations. For non-European shoots, we work with local fixers who know the aviation authorities, customs procedures for drone equipment, and local regulations. Check our projects page for concrete examples.

On the shooting day, we standardly work as a solo operator for maximum flexibility and speed. For projects that require extreme precision or complex cinematography, we deploy a dual-operator setup (pilot and camera operator). This flexible approach ensures that we always provide the most efficient solution for your specific production.

Drone Department operates under an EASA EU Specific drone company license (registration number NLDoyhg6yl91zgtj). This is the second-highest certification level in Europe and gives us permission to fly in scenarios that are prohibited for most operators:

1. Within 25 meters of uninvolved persons on a secured film set.
2. In CTR airspace (think of the direct vicinity of Schiphol, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, or small airfields).
3. EVLOS and FPV operations where the drone operates beyond the direct line of sight of the pilot.
4. Night flights for film and event productions.
5. Above events and at locations with increased crowds.

What does this mean for you as a client?

When you hire Drone Department, you benefit from several concrete advantages over non-certified operators:

• Your production is fully legally covered: we work with an approved safety management system.
• You don't have to worry about permits: we arrange CTR applications, coordination with LVNL, and local exemptions.
• Our license is valid in all EU member states, so you don't need a separate drone company per country for an international production.
• Our drone fleet is fully insured for commercial operations.

Want to know more about EASA regulations and what they concretely entail? Read our extensive page on drone regulations.

In Short

Choosing the right drone operator is crucial. At Drone Department, we combine 18 years of hands-on film set experience with full EU Specific certification, efficient solo workflows, and an optional international dual-operator network that can be deployed at any location in the world.

Whether you are looking for smooth cinema shots with a DJI Inspire 3, lightning-fast FPV images for a motorsport event, or an immersive indoor fly-through: Drone Department is ready to take your production to the next level.

Want to know which services best suit your production? Check out our projects or contact us directly for a personal consultation.