01FPV pilot for venues & brands
Bars, restaurants, hotels and showrooms filmed in one continuous FPV flight, like our supercar showroom film at Leeds East Airport.
Drone Pilot Leeds
Matt Barker is a CAA-licensed, fully insured commercial drone pilot based in Leeds. Aerial photography, 4K video and FPV flythroughs, planned and flown by an experienced local pilot.
Temple Newsam and the Leeds skyline · Shot by SkyHi
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(Meet your pilot)
Matt Barker, your drone pilot in Leeds
When you hire a drone pilot in Leeds, you want someone who knows the rules, knows the city and knows how to get the shot.
Matt founded SkyHi after more than 25 years in the creative industry, and he has been flying drones commercially for over 4 years. He's based in Leeds, so he knows the city's landmarks, venues and airspace, from the restriction zone around Leeds Bradford Airport to the busy streets of the city centre. Matt flies every job himself, so you deal directly with the pilot, from the first call to the final files. Looking for the finished imagery rather than a pilot? See our drone photography in Leeds.
(Hire Matt for)
What you can hire a Leeds drone pilot for
One licensed pilot, every kind of aerial job in Leeds. See all services
01
02Drone pilot for TV & film crews
Need a licensed pilot on your shoot? Matt joins your crew in Leeds to fly aerial and FPV sequences, with the airspace checks and risk assessment done before you arrive.
03Property & commercial aerials
Homes, apartments, offices and developments across Leeds, shown in their setting with the views, transport links and green space around them.
04Weddings & events
Weddings, festivals and corporate events in and around Leeds, flown safely around guests and timed with your photographer.
05Construction & site progress
Repeatable flights over Leeds building sites, so every progress photo lines up with the last, from groundworks to handover.
06Aerial landscapes & prints
Roundhay, Eccup Reservoir, Temple Newsam and the city skyline, captured as wall art or imagery for your brand.
Leeds.
From the pilot's seat.
RSPB St Aidan's · Leeds
(How it works)
How hiring a drone pilot in Leeds works
Five simple steps from your first message to finished files.
- 01
Tell us the brief. Send the location, your dates and what you want to capture, and you'll hear back from Matt.
- 02
Airspace & permissions. Matt checks the airspace, any restriction zones and who owns the land, and arranges permission where it's needed.
- 03
Flight plan & risk assessment. Every job gets a site assessment, a flight plan and a written risk assessment before the drone leaves the case.
- 04
Flight day. Matt flies the shoot, with the forecast watched closely. If wind or rain make it unsafe, we agree a new date together.
- 05
Delivery. High-resolution photos and 4K video, ready for your website, social media, listings or print.
(Licensed & insured)
Licensed, insured & airspace-aware in Leeds
Hiring a drone pilot isn't just about the footage. It's about knowing the shoot is legal, insured and safe.
CAA-registered & fully insured
SkyHi is a CAA-registered drone operator, Matt holds the CAA's A2 Certificate of Competency (A2 CofC), and every flight is covered by commercial insurance.
Leeds airspace checked
Parts of north-west Leeds sit inside the flight restriction zone around Leeds Bradford Airport. Matt checks every location and requests airport permission when a flight needs it.
Planned around people
City-centre shoots are planned for quieter times, with safe distances from people, roads and buildings and the landowner's permission to take off.
(Guide prices)
Drone pilot prices in Leeds
Clear starting prices for a licensed pilot, kit and insurance, with every job confirmed in a free quote once we know the location and what you need.
Half day
from£550
Up to 4 hours on site. Ideal for property, venues and single-location shoots.
Full day
from£950
Up to 8 hours on site. For events, productions and multi-location shoots.
Multi-day & productions
Custom quote
FPV productions, TV & media crews and multi-day shoots, priced around your brief.
Prices include the pilot, drones and insurance. Video editing and shoots that need special airspace permission are quoted separately. No travel charge within Leeds or anywhere in Yorkshire. Get a free quote
(Where Matt flies)
A local pilot for all of Leeds
Matt is based in Leeds and flies right across the city and its suburbs, and throughout West Yorkshire.
Across Leeds
- City centre
- Leeds Dock
- Headingley
- Roundhay
- Temple Newsam
- Kirkstall
- Horsforth
- Rothwell
- Garforth
- Morley
- Pudsey
- Wetherby
Nearby
- Bradford
- Wakefield
- Harrogate
- Otley
- Ilkley
- York
- All of Yorkshire
(Questions)
Hiring a drone pilot in Leeds: FAQs
Can't see your question? Ask Matt directly and he'll get back to you.
Last updated
How much does it cost to hire a drone pilot in Leeds?
Hiring a drone pilot in Leeds with SkyHi starts from £550 for a half day (up to 4 hours) and £950 for a full day (up to 8 hours), including the pilot, drones and insurance. There's no travel charge within Leeds. Video editing and shoots that need special airspace permission are quoted separately, and every job is confirmed in a free quote.
Who is the drone pilot at SkyHi?
SkyHi's pilot is Matt Barker, the company's founder. Matt is a CAA-licensed commercial drone pilot based in Leeds with more than 4 years of commercial flying experience and over 25 years in the creative industry, and holds the CAA's A2 CofC. He flies every SkyHi job himself, bringing safe, legal flying and a designer's eye to every shoot.
Does a drone pilot need a licence in the UK?
Yes, for commercial work. A UK drone pilot must be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority (an Operator ID for the business and a Flyer ID for the pilot), have commercial insurance and follow UK drone rules. Depending on the drone and how close it flies to people, extra qualifications such as the A2 CofC or GVC can also be needed. Matt holds the A2 CofC and is fully insured for commercial drone work.
Can you fly a drone in Leeds city centre?
Yes, with careful planning. Leeds city centre is busy with people, traffic and tall buildings, so we plan flights for quieter times, keep safe distances, take off from land where we have permission and check the airspace for every location.
Does Leeds Bradford Airport affect drone flights in Leeds?
Only in some areas. Leeds Bradford Airport has a flight restriction zone that covers parts of north-west Leeds, such as Yeadon and Rawdon. Flights inside it need permission from the airport, which Matt requests as part of planning. Leeds city centre and most of the city are outside the zone.
Can you fly FPV drones indoors in Leeds?
Yes. FPV drones are built for indoor flying, so Matt can fly through bars, restaurants, hotels, showrooms and warehouses in one continuous shot. Indoor flights are planned and risk-assessed just like outdoor ones, and are usually filmed before opening or at a quiet time.
Can I book a drone pilot in Leeds at short notice?
Often, yes. Because SkyHi is based in Leeds, short-notice jobs in the city are usually possible as long as the airspace allows it and the weather is safe to fly. Locations that need airport or landowner permission can take longer to arrange.
What's the difference between a drone pilot and a drone photographer?
A licensed drone pilot can fly legally and safely; a drone photographer also knows how to compose and deliver great images. Matt is both: an A2 CofC-qualified pilot with 25+ years in design and the creative industry, so you get compliant flying and photos and video that are ready to use.
How do I book a drone pilot in Leeds?
Send your location, preferred dates and what you want to capture through our contact form. Matt will check the airspace and any permissions, suggest the best approach, whether that's a camera drone, FPV or both, and send you a quote.
(Let's work together)
Need a drone pilot
in Leeds?
Tell Matt where and when, and what you'd like to capture. You'll get ideas, an airspace check and a free quote.