Helicopter for Film Shooting in India

A helicopter shoot is planned backwards from the shots you need, not forwards from the aircraft. The usual sequence is:

• Brief. You send the location, the dates and what the production needs from the air: establishing shots, a chase, a reveal of a landscape or a building.
• Recce and shot list. The location is looked at with the shot list in hand, so the flying can be planned around each shot rather than improvised on the day.
• Aircraft and camera mounting. From the shot list the operator proposes the aircraft and how the camera is carried, typically a door-off side mount or an external gyro-stabilised camera system, and confirms the flying hours needed.
• Permissions. DGCA permission for aerial photography, consent from the local administration and, near airports or restricted zones, air traffic and security approvals.
• Written quote and confirmation. You see the full cost in writing before anything is confirmed.
• Shoot day. The pilot flies the agreed plan with your camera team on board. Helicopters fly in daylight and fair weather only, and the pilot has the final say on height, distance from crowds and weather limits.

An enquiry that can be quoted quickly includes:

• The shoot location, with a map pin if you have one, and the nearest helipad or open ground you think the aircraft could use as a base.
• The shoot dates, with a spare day if the schedule allows, and a time window for the aerial work. Flying is in daylight only, so dawn and dusk shots need careful timing.
• The shot list or storyboard for the aerial sequences.
• The camera system you plan to use, so the operator can propose the right mounting.
• How many crew need to fly on each sortie.
• Whether the shoot is near an airport, a town, a crowd or a restricted area, because that changes the permissions.

There is no fixed rate, because no two locations are the same distance from where the aircraft is based. The written quote is built from:

• Flying hours, including positioning: the flight from the operator's base to your location and back, not only the minutes spent filming.
• Waiting time while the aircraft stands by between sorties, for example while a scene is reset on the ground.
• The number of sorties and shoot days.
• A night halt, if the aircraft and crew have to stay near the location for an early start or a second day.
• The camera mounting the shot list calls for.
• Permissions and landing arrangements at the location.

The same factors apply to any private helicopter charter. For shoots in the hills, our page on helicopter service in Uttarakhand explains what flies there, and the joy ride pages describe the routes and views around Dehradun, Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Nainital and Auli.

• The operator's name. Ask which permit-holding operator will fly and which aircraft is planned.
• Who arranges each permission, and how long each is expected to take for your location.
• A written, all-inclusive quote covering positioning, waiting, every sortie, any night halt, the camera mounting, taxes and permission charges.
• A weather plan. Low cloud, poor visibility or strong wind will stop a flight, and the pilot decides on the day; a spare day protects the schedule.
• Cancellation and refund terms. Booked through us, a 5% administrative fee applies to any cancellation. Up to 30 days before the date 30% of the booking amount is charged, up to 20 days before 50%, and within 14 days or for a no-show there is no refund; a credit note is issued. Rescheduling up to 15 days before the date costs 20% of the booking (terms).

Campaign and brand productions may also want aerial advertising, where aerial filming of the campaign can be planned alongside. Send your location and dates through the enquiry form below, or call +91-9634801801.