WORKFLOWS / KNOWLEDGE & DESIGN
Aerial Filming & Video Production | From raw footage to a finished piece
Agree on the client's intended use, the structure, the rights, the framing and the scope of revisions first. Picture the end of the job before you shoot.
Read this page in order
The brief comes before "shoot it in 4K"
Advertising, facility tours, tourism, documentation. Each has a different audience and a different action you want them to take. Agree up front on the purpose, the running time, the aspect ratio, where it will be published, the shots you need, how music and people will be handled, and the delivery format. What follows is a design proposal for the production process; it does not stand in for the terms of any specific contract.
| What to decide | Example questions |
|---|---|
| Purpose | What should viewers do after watching? |
| Structure | What is conveyed, and in what order? |
| Publishing terms | On which channels, and for how long? |
| Scope of material | Only the finished video, or the raw footage too? |
| Scope of revisions | How many rounds, and at which stages is it reviewed? |
Stages and checkpoints
- Concept: get the purpose and structure approved.
- Scouting and planning: confirm the airspace, the location, the subjects and the time of day.
- Shooting: log the required shots and the alternatives.
- Organizing footage: make it searchable by shot, location, time and usage terms.
- Editing: keep the first cut, revisions and the final version separate.
- Delivery: confirm the format, the intended use and how the footage will be handled, then close the job.
Decide in advance how to reschedule when weather prevents shooting, and how to handle extra shooting when the structure changes. That keeps both the crew and the editor from second-guessing. For checking flight conditions, hand off to the dedicated procedure.
Source: MLIT (Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) | Flight rules for unmanned aircraftRecords Airffic should keep
Link the shot list, the footage and the edited versions to the project. Rather than just labeling footage, track which shot in which structure each clip satisfies, and the gaps in your footage become visible.
| Record | Fields |
|---|---|
| Shot | Purpose, location, framing, required or substitutable |
| Asset | Original file, capture details, record of usage clearance |
| EditVersion | Version, comments, changes, review status |
| Delivery | Files, intended use, receipt, remaining work |
Measuring completion
Confirm that the delivered files open, that they match the specified format, and that they are the approved version. If view counts or inquiries are to count as outcomes, that needs separate measurement on the publishing platform and a separate agreement. There is no need to add an unverified promise that "views will grow."
DEFINITION OF DONE
When you build this, check these points.
- You can see whether footage exists for every required shot.
- Every comment is tied to a specific edited version.
- The delivery scope and the terms for additional revisions can be confirmed.
Design checklist items for spec reviews and functional testing.
Check the sources
Explanations of rules and definitions draw on the material below. The screens, data and definition of done are our own design proposals.
- MLIT | Flight rules for unmanned aircraftJapan's flight rules and the relevant official contacts
Sources checked on: September 30, 2026. For your specific case, please confirm with the latest official information.