Drone Activity

A complete drone application must be submitted together with a Standard Application. Please submit all state film permits and documents in PDF format to : [email protected]

Drone Documents + Instructions

A complete drone application must be submitted together with a Standard Application. Please submit a single PDF with the below items in the following order:

**Drones are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and require a minimum 14 business day turn around on submitted applications (UAS Application attached). Please see following link for airspace classification.

FAA Visualize it website

You can find more information on which jurisdictions will permit for drone use here.

Drone Application Information

  • The film permit application will need to indicate the drone work and the drone activity.
  • Production will need to have insurance that covers the drone. See below for more details
  • HFO UAS Questionnaire completed and submitted with all required documents
  • Maps for the drone work should include, at a minimum, the flight path (strictly FYI purposes) and take‐off and landing areas
  • If your production company is hiring a freelance drone operator, then please submit a brief letter addressed to our office on your production company’s letterhead letting our office know that your prod co will hire [Insert Name and Company, if applicable] to fly a drone. The letter should include the name of the project and the anticipated flight dates.

Drone Insurance (COI)

  • Evidence of coverage for the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) provided by the UAS operators.
  • Each UAS operating entity must submit proof of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) insurance for owned and/or non‐owned aircraft with a limit of at least $2,000,000 per occurrence which names the State of Hawaii as an additional insured
  • This can be submitted in one of two ways:
    1. If UAS coverage is being added to a general liability policy, there must be a separate endorsement showing proof of UAS coverage or the UAS coverage needs to be evidenced on the certificate
    2. If the coverage is coming from an aviation‐specific insurance carrier (such as Global Aerospace), a separate policy endorsement is not necessary, as the entire policy represents the UAS coverage.
  • If a separate endorsement is needed, it must name the State of Hawaii as Additional Insured on the policy using our required wording:

“The State of Hawaii, including all of its departments and attached agencies, their officers, employees and agents are named as additional insured with respect to the named insured’s filming activities.”

  • If a separate endorsement is not needed, then our required wording may be shown In the “Description of Operations/Locations/Vehicles/Special Items” section:

The State of Hawaii, including all of its departments and attached agencies, their officers, employees and agents are named as additional insured with respect to the named insured’s filming activities.”

  • In the “Certificate Holder” section:

State of Hawaii

c/o Hawaii Film Office

Dept. of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

P.O. Box 2359

Honolulu, Hawaii 96804‐235