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Aerial Filming by Helicopter in Bali: Photo and Video by the Hour

Charter a private helicopter in Bali for aerial photo, video and film work: $2,300 per hour for up to 4 crew, $3,300 for up to 6. You get a seat for the camera operator, a flight timed for the best light and a shot list planned with the pilot beforehand. Windows stay shut in flight unless the operator and the aircraft approvals allow an open-door flight, which we never promise in advance. Send your shot list and dates on WhatsApp.

Hourly from$2,300
Seatsup to 4 crew · 6 in the larger class
Best light07:00–10:00 and the last hour before sunset
Door-off flyingonly if operator and aircraft approvals allow

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Rates

Aerial Filming Flights and What They Cost

Prices are for the whole helicopter with pilot and fuel. Every person in the cabin, camera operator included, takes a seat, and cameras, lenses and tripods add to the weight.

Flight	Best for	Time	Guide price
Short window-shot flight	Stills and clips of one landmark group, such as the Bukit cliffs, through the side window	12 min	$450
Extended window-shot flight	A coast stretch plus a second location, with room for repeat passes	30 min	$1,150
Golden-hour shoot	Low sun on cliffs and sea, timed to end at sunset	30 min	$1,250
Hourly charter, 4-seat class	Several locations, a director and a camera operator, many passes	1 hour	$2,300
Hourly charter, 6-seat class	A bigger crew and more kit	1 hour	$3,300
Drone filming from the ground	Arrival and landing shots; never launched from the helicopter	add-on	$300
Photographer on the ground	Behind-the-scenes and pad shots	add-on	$250

How part-hours are counted is written in your quote. The price page shows every guide price in one place.

Send My Shot List

What is allowed

What You Can and Cannot Film From a Bali Helicopter

Through the window

On a standard passenger flight the doors and windows stay closed, so you shoot through the glass. Reflections are the main problem. Wear dark, matt clothes, hold a rubber lens hood close to the glass without touching the frame, and use a fast shutter speed, 1/500 s or quicker, to freeze vibration.

Open-door or door-off flying

Some shoots need a clear view with no glass. Door-off flying is possible only when the operator, the aircraft's approvals and the pilot all agree, and it normally needs harnesses and tethered kit. We never promise it up front. Say in your first message that you need it, and we ask the operator before you pay anything.

The camera operator's seat

The camera operator takes a passenger seat. The pilot sets the seating at the briefing because weight and balance come first, so the best view is not always the seat you hoped for.

Mounts, gimbals and loose kit

External camera mounts on the airframe need separate approval and are not part of a standard flight. A handheld gimbal can be used in the cabin when the pilot agrees, tethered to you. Lens caps, cloths and phones that are not in your hand stay in a bag, because loose items are dangerous in a cabin.

Shot lists

Four Shot Lists That Work in Bali

Each is a sequence the pilot can fly in order. Pick one, or combine two on an hourly charter.

Cliffs and surf on the Bukit

White limestone cliffs, Padang Padang, the Pandawa cliffs, GWK and Uluwatu Temple on its sea cliff about 70 m high. The last hour before sunset turns the stone orange. The GWK and Bukit tour and the Uluwatu tour show the order of the sights.

Terraces and rivers in central Bali

The Tegalalang and Jatiluwih terraces, the Ayung river gorge and the Campuhan ridge. Flat, early light gives the terraces their texture, so plan to fly between 07:00 and 10:00.

Volcano and lake at Batur

The caldera, the lake and, on a clear day, Agung's 3,031 m cone in the distance. Cloud builds on the mountains from late morning, so first light is the safe booking. See the Mount Batur tour.

Nusa Penida's cliffs

Kelingking's T-Rex cliff, Broken Beach and Crystal Bay, about 14–20 min from the Bukit over open water. The Nusa Penida tour page explains the route.

The flight

How a Shoot Flight Runs

Times are counted from lift-off. Plan your shot list in priority order, because weather or fuel can cut the flight short.

Day beforeShot list and light checkWe share the list with the operator, check the forecast and sunrise or sunset time, and fix the order of shots.
60 min beforeCrew at the padWeights are taken and every piece of kit is checked and tied down or stowed.
20 min beforeBriefingSeating, headsets, hand signals and what the pilot can and cannot do on angles and passes. Questions are best asked here, not in the air.
Lift-offFirst pass on the priority shotThe pilot flies the opening line while the light is best and the aircraft is lightest.
About 15 min inRepeat passes and movesOrbits, slow passes and repositioning, within what air traffic control, terrain and safety rules permit.
LandingLand, check, back upReview the clips on the pad. Copy the cards before you leave.

Helicopter or drone

Helicopter or Drone for Aerial Shots in Bali

They solve different problems. Here is a plain side-by-side.

	Helicopter	Drone
Reach	Several locations in one hour at a cruise of about 205–250 km/h	Short range, usually in line of sight; moving between sites is by road
Camera position	Wide establishing shots and fast tracking along a coast or valley	Low, slow and close to a subject, with a hover
Wind	Often flies in conditions that ground a small drone; the pilot still decides	Limited in a strong breeze
Rules	Flown under the air operator's licence, with air traffic control and daylight rules	Drone use in Indonesia is regulated, with restricted zones such as near airports; rules can change, so check first
Noise	Loud on the ground and not for quiet sets	Quieter
Cost	$2,300 per hour for the aircraft	Ground drone filming as an add-on at $300

Drones are never launched from our helicopters. Many productions use both: the helicopter for wide and travelling shots, a ground drone for arrivals and close detail.

Permits

Permits for Filming in Indonesia: What to Check

Filming in Indonesia can need permission beyond the flight itself. Commercial and film productions, and often foreign crews, are usually asked to obtain a filming permit and to work with a local production partner. The rules and the agencies involved change, and what applies to a holiday video differs from what applies to an advert or a feature.

We are not a permit agency, so we cannot issue or guarantee permits. Tell us at the start how the footage will be used and whether the crew is foreign, and we ask the operator what it needs. Confirm the permit side with the operator and a local production company before you pay for a shoot.

On the aviation side the operator handles flight plans and airspace clearances, and the route is agreed in advance. Airport zones, protected areas and some restricted sites limit where a helicopter can fly or land, and we do not land in temple grounds or national parks. For shoots with a landing see landing at a villa or hotel.

Ask early

Permits and open-door approvals are the two items that can take days. Raise both in your first message, not the night before the flight.

Booking

How to Book an Aerial Filming Flight

Send the brief

Date, crew size, locations or a shot list, stills or video, kit weight and whether the footage is for commercial use.

We check the aircraft and the approvals

The operator confirms the aircraft, the seating and whether any open-door request can be met.

You receive the quote

Aircraft class, pad, hourly rate, waiting terms and the shoot window, with the operator's name and licence number on request.

A deposit holds the slot

We send payment details with the quote, and the website never takes a payment.

The pilot decides on the day

If wind, cloud or a volcano advisory spoils the shot, we move the flight or refund the part not flown.

Before you fly

Prepare Your Kit and Your Crew

Dress dark and matt. Bright clothes show up as reflections in the cabin glass.
Charge everything and clear the cards. A flight is short, and the best light does not wait for a battery swap.
Tether and strap. Camera straps on your body, a wrist strap on the phone, nothing loose on a seat.
Send weights. Add the kit to the people when you tell us the load. Weight decides the aircraft class.
Plan for motion. A helicopter vibrates, so shoot with a fast shutter speed or a stabilised lens, and keep your elbows off the frame.

Routes and Services to Pair With a Shoot

Sunset Helicopter FlightA golden-hour flight over the Bukit cliffs that lands at sunset. 18 or 30 minutes, whole helicopter, up to 4 guests.VIP and Corporate HelicopterHourly charter for executives, investors and delegations: multi-stop days, site visits and villa-to-venue shuttles, with invoices on request.Photographing From a Helicopter in BaliShut windows, reflections, shutter speed, seat choice, light by hour and video stabilisation: tips that work in a real cabin.Ubud Helicopter Tour12 minutes over the Tegalalang rice terraces, the Ayung river gorge and the Campuhan ridge, flown in the soft light of the morning.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can the doors be removed for filming?

Only if the operator, the aircraft's approvals and the pilot all agree, and we never promise it before asking them. Tell us in the first message. Without it you shoot through the window glass, which stays shut in flight.

How much does an aerial filming flight cost in Bali?

Hourly charter starts at $2,300 for up to 4 crew and $3,300 for up to 6. A short window-shot flight can be as little as $450 for 12 minutes. Prices are for the whole helicopter.

Can I launch a drone from the helicopter?

No. Drones are not launched from our aircraft. Ground drone filming of your arrival or landing is an add-on at $300, and drone rules in Indonesia should be checked before you fly one.

How many people can fly with the camera gear?

Up to 4 in the standard class and up to 6 in the larger class, camera operator included. Total weight, kit included, is the real limit, so send weights with the brief.

Do I need a permit to film from a helicopter in Bali?

It depends on how the footage is used and who is filming. Commercial and film work, and foreign crews, often need a filming permit. Confirm with the operator and a local production company; we cannot issue permits.

What time of day is best for aerial photos?

Between 07:00 and 10:00 the air is clear and the mountains are free of cloud. The last hour before sunset suits the coast. See our photo tips for settings.

Can you film a villa, hotel or property?

Yes, as a pass or an orbit where airspace, terrain and safety rules allow. Send a map pin and the date. How low and close the pilot can fly is the pilot's call, and some sites have restrictions.

Aerial Footage in Bali: Send Your Shot List and Date

Tell us the locations, the crew size, the kit weight and whether the footage is commercial. We answer today with the aircraft, the approvals to check and an hourly price.

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