NL
Drone footage is only as good as the people holding the sticks. An impressive flying platform is useless without an experienced pilot who understands how a film set works, grasps what a director is looking for, and maintains absolute focus when it truly matters. At Drone Department, we have been working on professional film sets across Europe for some 18 years, from feature films and national commercial campaigns to international sports broadcasting and live festival productions.
In this article, we show who is behind the controllers, how we optimize solo operations for peak results, when we deploy our dual-operator system, and what certifications and EU licenses we carry to ensure your production flies safely and 100% legally.
Our drone pilots: experience, certifications, and specializations
Drone Department is spearheaded by Matthijs van der Velden from the Netherlands. For productions that require specialized expertise, he collaborates with a select network of seasoned top-tier freelancers. Below is an overview of his background and specializations.
Matthijs van der Velden - Senior Drone Pilot, Safety Manager & Instructor
Matthijs is the founder of Drone Department and a drone pilot to the core. As early as 2006, he began engineering custom drones and has since amassed thousands of flight hours on professional cinema and commercial sets. He holds a full EU Specific drone pilot license and an official EASA drone flight instructor rating.
On set, Matthijs acts as lead pilot as well as Safety Manager. Beyond piloting, he is responsible for flight safety, continuous coordination with Air Traffic Control (ATC), and full compliance with all EU drone regulations. As a certified EASA drone instructor, he possesses the highest qualifications to execute complex, high-risk operations. His composure and precision are exactly what productions require when operating heavy cinema drone platforms close to talent. In his spare time, Matthijs is an active FPV drone racer, giving him unmatched intuition for high-speed dynamic tracking.
When to choose a dual-operator drone setup?
While Drone Department excels at rapid and agile solo operations, certain shots and complex productions greatly benefit from a dual-operator setup. In this configuration, one specialist pilots the aircraft while a dedicated camera operator focuses entirely on gimbal framing, pan, tilt, focus, and composition.
Advantages of solo-operator:
- Speed and agility: Instant deployment, ideal for fast-moving documentary crews and dynamic schedules
- Cost efficiency: One multi-skilled aerial specialist on set instead of two
- Natural tracking flow: Perfect for linear chase shots, expansive landscapes, and dynamic action scenes where drone direction and camera view align
When to choose dual-operator:
- Complex decoupled camera moves: Shots where the camera pans or tilts independently of the flight trajectory (e.g. 360-degree orbital reveals during high-speed forward flight)
- Cinema camera packages: High-end film productions utilizing RED or ARRI cameras where real-time wireless focus pulling and aperture control are mandatory
- Precision close-proximity work with actors: Flights inches away from talent where the pilot must remain 100% focused on spatial safety while the DP frames the shot
- Live broadcast television: Scenarios requiring live switched feeds with constant direct communication with the OB broadcast van
Our fleet & certifications
To serve every production seamlessly, our drone pilots operate a versatile fleet of state-of-the-art drones, ranging from agile micro FPV cinewhoops for indoor fly-throughs to heavy-lift cinema platforms for full-frame cinema rigs. Explore our complete drone fleet for detailed specifications.
Key certifications and credentials of Drone Department:
- EASA Specific Category: Official operational authorization for commercial flights in the Specific category, including controlled airspace (CTR), port areas, and congested urban zones
- A1/A3 & A2 Open Category: Complete EU remote pilot licenses across all standard categories
- EASA Certified Drone Flight Instructor: Certified to train and examine professional remote pilots
- RT (Aeronautical Radiotelephony): Licensed for direct two-way VHF radio communication with Air Traffic Control (ATC) towers
Why choose Drone Department?
With nearly two decades of on-set experience across Europe, we understand what high-end productions demand: absolute reliability, visual brilliance, and uncompromising safety. Our pilots collaborate closely with Directors and DoPs, work swiftly, and ensure all permits, NOTAMs, and airspace clearances are fully secured in advance.
- Over 18 years of continuous experience on European film and television sets
- Proven mastery in both solo and dual-operator cinematography
- Fully certified for high-risk operations: night flights, CTR zones, and flights in congested urban centers
- Direct operational clearance channels with civil aviation authorities and Air Traffic Control
- EU-wide license validity—no need to hire separate drone teams per European country
- Comprehensive third-party commercial aviation liability insurance on all aircraft
Want to know more about EASA regulations and what they concretely entail? Read our extensive page on drone regulations.