Drone Filming in Malibu for Commercials, Film and Music Videos

Malibu is roughly 21 miles of coastline with Pacific Coast Highway running the length of it. Bluffs, coves, beach houses and canyon roads that climb straight into the Santa Monica Mountains. It's one of the most requested drone locations in Los Angeles, and one of the most layered to permit, because the city, the state and the federal government all own pieces of it. Lithium Aerials is a Los Angeles drone company that flies aerial cinematography for commercials, features, television and music videos. Here's what a Malibu aerial shoot involves.

Who Owns the Location Decides the Permit

In Malibu, the first question isn't where to put the camera. It's whose land you're launching from.

• City of Malibu. Commercial filming inside city limits needs a Malibu film permit. Drone use needs a separate City Drone Application with all attachments, submitted at least seven days before the shoot. The 2026 fee schedule lists a drone application fee of $814, on top of the regular permit fees. Malibu doesn't allow filming on Sundays under any circumstances.
• State beaches and parks. Point Dume, Leo Carrillo, El Matador and other state beaches go through the California Film Commission and State Parks, jointly. State Parks reviews drone requests case by case, a drone makes the shoot a complex production with a state monitor, and the application goes in at least four business days ahead. Approval isn't guaranteed.
• County beaches. Some beaches, including Westward Beach next to Point Dume, are Los Angeles County property. Those go through FilmLA, and a City of Malibu permit is required on top.
• National Park Service land. Much of the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu is part of a national recreation area. Launching, landing or operating a drone on NPS land there is prohibited, including for commercial filming.
• Pacific Coast Highway. PCH is a state highway. Shots that involve the road itself, picture cars or traffic control go through the state's Caltrans permitting process.

A single Malibu shoot can touch three of those. We work out the map with your locations team early, so the drone isn't the thing that holds up the permit. For how these agencies fit together across the city, see our Los Angeles drone permits guide.

Airspace on the Coast

Malibu is far enough from LAX, Santa Monica and Van Nuys that much of it is easier airspace than the basin. That varies along the coast, so we check each location against the FAA's maps and request authorization through LAANC where it's needed. The local factors that matter more are low-flying helicopters and small planes tracing the shoreline, marine layer that can hang on the coast well into the day, and onshore wind that builds in the afternoon. We plan around all three and keep a visual observer on the sky.

Flying Over Water and Wildlife

Ocean work is a big part of why productions come here. Surf, boats, a car on PCH with the water behind it. Flying over water means planning recovery and battery margins more conservatively, and we brief the crew on where the aircraft can land if something goes wrong. The coast is also home to seabirds and marine mammals, and state and federal agencies take disturbance seriously. We keep our distance from wildlife and follow whatever the permit specifies.

What We Shoot in Malibu

Car commercials on PCH and the canyons

Pacific Coast Highway and the canyon roads above it are some of the most filmed roads in the world. With the right road permits and a controlled set, we fly tracking shots alongside picture cars, reveals over the bluffs and long-lens work that holds the car against the ocean. When the aerials have to match the A-camera, our heavy-lift Freefly Alta X carries the production's cinema package. For vertical-format automotive work we fly the Freefly Alta 6. See drones for car commercials.

Music videos

Beaches, cliffs and sunsets are a natural fit for music videos, and Malibu's no-Sunday rule and seven-day drone lead time are the two things that catch music video schedules most often. See drones for music videos.

Homes and architecture as locations

Malibu's houses show up constantly in features, series and commercials. Your locations team clears the property and the neighbors, and we plan the aerial around what they've secured.

Coastal establishing shots

For most coastal work the DJI Inspire 3 is our go-to: small footprint, economical and an excellent full-frame image that holds up at golden hour and, with dual native ISO, after sunset.

We don't fly over people unless we're using a compliant lighter drone or have a waiver, which matters on a public beach.

Who We Work With

Lithium Aerials has provided aerial support on feature films, network and streaming series, and national commercials. See our work. Every shoot is flown by FAA Part 107-certified pilots, and we're IATSE Local 600. We carry $5 million in aviation liability coverage.

Book a Malibu Drone Crew

Send the locations, dates and shot list and we'll tell you which agencies are involved and how much lead time you need. Contact us or call 323-505-7104.

Malibu Drone FAQ

Do I need a separate permit to fly a drone in Malibu?

Yes, inside city limits. Malibu requires a City Drone Application with all attachments at least seven days before the shoot, in addition to the regular film permit.

Can you film in Malibu on a Sunday?

No. The City of Malibu doesn't allow filming on Sundays under any circumstances.

Can you fly a drone at Point Dume or Leo Carrillo?

Sometimes. State beaches go through the California Film Commission and State Parks, which review drone requests case by case. Plan on at least four business days and a state monitor.

Can you fly a drone in the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu?

Not from National Park Service land. Drones are prohibited on NPS land in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Private property and other jurisdictions can work with the right permissions.

Can you film car commercials on PCH?

Yes, with the right permits. PCH is a state highway, so shots involving the road or traffic control go through Caltrans permitting, and the drone has to be on the Malibu permit as well.