FAA-compliant aerial surveillance for events, estates, corporate facilities, construction sites, and property monitoring. Licensed Part 107 pilots, high-resolution day and thermal cameras, and real-time video feeds integrated into your security operation.
Cameras see fixed angles. Guards see what is in front of them. Drones see everything, in motion, from above. A well-flown drone gives your security operation real-time awareness of approach routes, crowd dynamics, perimeter activity, rooftops, and blind spots that no ground-based asset can match.
Head of Security operates a professional drone program for aerial surveillance across Illinois, Wisconsin, and beyond. All flights are conducted by FAA Part 107 certified remote pilots, flown within regulation and airspace authorizations, and integrated into the broader security operation rather than deployed as a standalone novelty.
Our drone program is built for security work, not real estate photography. Every deployment brings the following capabilities to the operation.
Aerial surveillance is deployed wherever scale, perimeter, or overhead awareness creates value a ground-based team alone cannot provide.
A drone flight is not just launching a quadcopter. A professional flight operation involves planning, airspace compliance, and integration with the security operation. Here is how we run it.
Commercial drone operations in the United States are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration under 14 CFR Part 107. We fly everything within that framework, which means we sometimes say no when the location, altitude, or operation cannot be done lawfully. That is a feature, not a limitation.
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification. All flights are conducted by pilots holding current Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificates. Where flights require operation over people, at night, or beyond visual line of sight, we obtain the applicable waiver or decline the operation.
Controlled airspace and LAANC. Flights in controlled airspace require authorization through the FAA LAANC system or manual waiver. Chicago in particular has significant controlled airspace around ORD and MDW that limits or prohibits drone flight in many areas. We plan around this before the engagement.
Privacy and property. Our flights are focused on surveillance of client property, client events, and spaces the client has authority over. We do not conduct flights that violate applicable privacy laws or observe neighboring private property without authorization.
Head of Security is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice on airspace or privacy regulation. Flight operations are planned to comply with applicable FAA regulations. We recommend clients consult with their own counsel for any matter involving privacy law, property rights, or evidentiary standards.
A lot of vendors fly drones. Very few of them understand security operations. The difference shows in how the drone is used during an event, what the pilot pays attention to, and how the footage connects to the rest of your security posture.
Our pilots understand what matters from a protection standpoint. They know what to look at, when to hold position, and when to redirect attention.
Drone feeds go into the command post. The pilot is directable by the event commander, not operating in a silo next to the operation.
Part 107 certification, LAANC authorizations, required waivers, and honest assessments when a flight cannot be done lawfully.
We deploy drones where they genuinely add value, not as a sales prop. For events and estates where aerial makes sense, it is a meaningful capability.
Not anywhere, but most places. Large parts of the Chicago area fall within controlled airspace around O'Hare, Midway, and smaller airfields. Controlled airspace flights require FAA LAANC authorization, which we handle. Some areas directly around airports, over large crowds without waiver, or in designated restricted airspace cannot be flown. During the scoping call we check airspace and tell you upfront whether the flight is feasible.
Yes. FAA Part 107 now allows routine night operations for pilots who have completed the required training, with proper anti-collision lighting on the aircraft. Night flights are particularly valuable when paired with thermal imaging for estate perimeter sweeps and overnight facility security. We handle the regulatory requirements as part of the flight plan.
Flights directly over non-participating people require a specific FAA waiver and aircraft that meet category 1 through 4 operational requirements, or operations must be conducted at altitudes and positions that keep the drone out of direct overhead flight over individuals. For most event deployments we position the drone for perimeter and oblique angle coverage that gets excellent situational awareness without flying directly over guests. We discuss the options during scoping.
Individual flight time per battery is typically 30 to 45 minutes depending on the aircraft and conditions. For continuous coverage we rotate batteries with pre-planned landing and swap cycles, which allows sustained aerial presence across multi-hour events. Some engagements use two aircraft alternating so there is never a gap in coverage.
Yes. For events and command-post-equipped operations we provide a live video feed to the command location. The event commander or designated client point of contact can view what the drone sees in real time and can direct pilot attention to specific areas, vehicles, people, or developing situations. This is one of the most operationally valuable features of the service.
Yes, and in most engagements that is exactly the model. Drone coverage is commonly deployed as part of event security, estate protection, executive protection advance work, K9 sweeps, and layered corporate security operations. Having everything coordinated through Head of Security means one plan, one command structure, and aerial coverage that integrates with the rest of the operation rather than running in parallel.
Every engagement begins with a consultation and an airspace check. We confirm what is possible before we confirm what it costs.
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