Production
An aerial shot is the cheapest way to make a brand film look expensive, and the easiest line item to get wrong. In the Philippines a drone on a paid shoot is not a camera accessory — it is an aircraft, flown under civil aviation rules, and a commercial shoot triggers every one of them. Here is what the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines requires before the propellers turn, and what it costs when nobody checks.
A brand shoot is a commercial operation
CAAP splits drone flying in two. Commercial covers “activities that require the use of Drone/s for revenue purposes”; non-commercial covers “activities where Drones are used for sports and recreational purposes”. A shoot you are billing a client for is the first one, whatever the drone weighs and however short the flight.
That distinction decides the paperwork. On the commercial side the certificates are required outright. On the recreational side they are not, unless the aircraft weighs 7kg or more.
| What CAAP asks for | Commercial shoot | Recreational flying |
| Drone registration | Required | Only at 7kg and above |
| RPA controller certificate | Required | Only at 7kg and above |
| RPAS operator certificate | Required | Only at 7kg and above |
| Special flight permit | Only for the conditions below | Only for the conditions below |
The permit most city shoots actually need
This is the line that catches brand productions, and it is worth reading twice. A special flight permit is needed, in CAAP’s own words, “for the purpose of flying at night, BVLOS, operating within 10km of ARP, flying over populated areas, and operating above 400ft AGL”.
→ Flying over populated areas. Almost any urban shoot. A rooftop in Makati, a street activation, a launch with a crowd in frame — all populated.
→ Within 10km of an airport reference point. Much of Metro Manila sits inside that radius. Check the venue against it before you promise the client an aerial.
→ Above 400 feet. The wide establishing shot that opens the film is usually the one that breaks this.
→ At night, or beyond visual line of sight. BVLOS means the pilot can no longer see the aircraft directly. Night shoots and long-lens chase shots both land here.
Five conditions
Night · beyond visual line of sight · within 10km of an airport reference point · over populated areas · above 400ft. Any one of them needs a special flight permit, and most brand shoots hit at least one.
What it costs, and how long it takes
→ Registering the aircraft. A letter of request for a registration marking, then approval, then an order of payment, then documents, then a physical inspection of the drone. The prescribed fee is Php 1,500 plus 12% VAT, and CAAP inspects the marking itself — whether it is waterproof and made of weather-resistant ink, paint or permanent stickers.
→ Certifying the pilot. A knowledge test and a skill test, then a Php 3,360 application fee, and the certificate is claimed after five working days at the Licensing and Certification Department.
None of that happens in the week before a shoot. If the production company does not already hold these, the aerial is not a creative decision any more — it is a schedule decision.
Ask one question at the pitch
“Who on your team holds a current RPA controller certificate, and is the aircraft registered?” If the answer needs checking, the aerial belongs in the nice-to-have column until it comes back.
The city still has a say
CAAP governs the airspace. It does not give you permission to be on the ground. Makati’s Citizen’s Charter lists a separate special permit covering drone use, alongside its permits for shows, selling and fireworks, and other cities run their own versions. Venue management, the barangay and building administration each have a view as well. Special event permits in the Philippines covers what the LGU asks for and who issues what.
What it costs when nobody checks
CAAP publishes the number. Any violation of a drone rule or regulation “shall be punished by a fine ranging from Twenty thousand pesos (Php20,000.00) to One hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00) for each violation”. Per violation, not per shoot.
General information, not legal advice. Requirements change and are enforced locally — confirm the current position with CAAP and the city before you fly.
Put it in the brief
→ Name the aerial shots at brief stage. Not in the shot list two days out. Permits have lead times and the brief is where lead times get costed. What a video production brief should contain covers the rest of it.
→ Ask who holds what. Registration, controller certificate, operator certificate — by name, on paper.
→ Check the location before you promise the shot. Airport proximity, height, crowds. All three are knowable at the recce.
→ Agree who carries the permit. Client or production company. Write it down, the same way you would for an event permit.
→ Have a ground plan. If the permit does not land, what replaces the aerial? A jib, a high floor, or a generated establishing shot.
Where PUNX fits
PUNX runs AI video production from Makati: 50-plus people, founded 2023, producing for Procter & Gamble, San Miguel, Petron and JTI. Send us the board with the aerial on it and we will tell you what it needs, what it costs in time, and where a generated shot does the same job without an aircraft.
FAQ
Do you need a permit to fly a drone in the Philippines?
For a commercial shoot, yes. CAAP treats any flying for revenue as a commercial operation, which requires drone registration, an RPA controller certificate and an RPAS operator certificate regardless of the aircraft’s weight. A separate special flight permit is needed for night flying, flying beyond visual line of sight, operating within 10km of an airport reference point, flying over populated areas, or operating above 400ft above ground level.
What counts as commercial drone use?
CAAP defines commercial as activities that require the use of drones for revenue purposes, and non-commercial as drones used for sports and recreational purposes. A paid brand shoot is commercial even if the flight lasts a minute.
How much does drone registration cost in the Philippines?
CAAP’s published fee for registering a remotely piloted aircraft is Php 1,500 plus 12% VAT, and the process includes a letter of request for the registration marking, an order of payment, a document check and a physical inspection of the aircraft. The RPA controller certificate carries a separate Php 3,360 application fee.
What is the penalty for flying a drone without a permit?
CAAP states that any violation of a drone rule or regulation is punished by a fine ranging from Php20,000.00 to Php100,000.00 for each violation.
Related
AI video production — the service, from brief to delivery
Video production brief — what to settle before anyone shoots
Special event permits — what the LGU will ask for
Aerial on the board?
Send us the location and the date. We will tell you whether the shot is a permit, a schedule change, or a generated frame.
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