Chris Bates
BAFTA-winning drone specialist, flying since 2013
I am a BAFTA-winning drone pilot and camera operator, and I've been in the drone filming game since 2013, making me a bit of an old hand in this young industry. I thrive on the challenges of working in difficult locations that require technical flying and slick camerawork.
My work has taken me to all corners of the UK, plus from the jungles of Panama to the frozen lakes of Lapland, the mountains of Switzerland and volcanoes of Lanzarote.
After 5 years working in the camera...
- Bristol
- Skyhook Media Ltd.
Feature Credits
The Great Mountain Sheep Gather
- Genres:
- Documentaries
- Broadcaster:
- BBC Four
- Production company:
- Windfall Films
In 2019, I had the privilege of joining forces with a seasoned drone op Mike Foyle, a long-time collaborator, for...Read more
Speed with Guy Martin: Formula 1 Special
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Channel 4
- Production company:
- Ian Bayliss
We were brought on board by North One TV for his special episode, which had extra budget for tracking vehicles,...Read more
Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard
- Genres:
- Documentaries
- Broadcaster:
- BBC
- Production company:
- Windfall Films
What a privilege it was to be brought on by repeat clients Windfall Films to do the drone filming on...Read more
Rémy Martin Cognac ‘Harvest’, France
- Genres:
- TVC
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Brooklyn Brothers, Pacific 7
One of our greatest jobs in terms of food & hospitality – touring several vineyards in the Cognac region over...Read more
Ford ‘Backbone of Britain’
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- CRXSS
Series of short glossy commercials featuring Ford commercial vehicles in working scenarios. Used both on web and as indents on...Read more
Kenzo fashion film, Lanzarote
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- Creative Blood
Fashion film showcasing the season's designs from Japanese fashion house KENZO. The scenes involve a couple walking across various other-worldly...Read more
Jaguar XE 300 Sport: ‘2 cars, 1 DNA’
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Jaguar / Youtube
- Production company:
- Foxtrot Papa
2-day shoot on Pendine Sands beach, Wales, involving precision driving and 2 cars manoeuvring to create a Helix in the...Read more
EDF Energy ‘Electric Adventures’ 5 part series
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Be The Fox
We provided the drone shots for this whole series which took us from far-West Cornwall, to Brighton coast, the Welsh...Read more
Legoland: Ice Cream Cone Drone Delivery
- Genres:
- Branded Content
- Broadcaster:
- Legoland / Youtube
- Production company:
- Stripe Communications
I was commissioned by Strip Communications to deliver for a short film marketing film suggesting that Legoland is testing an...Read more
Land Rover Discovery Sport: Train Pull Stunt
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Foxtrot Papa
The Land Rover Discovery Sport demonstrates its towing capability in Northern Switzerland as it towed a 100 tonne train across...Read more
Dream Horse
- Genres:
- Features
- Broadcaster:
- Theatrical release
- Production company:
- Film4
I was freelance drone gimbal operator on this feature film, working for Flying Camera Company. Working with Movi Pro and...Read more
Jaguar XE SV Project 8: The Spirit of Extreme Performance
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- 76 Films
Launch film for the Jaguar 'Project 8', the latest in an edition of 'Special Projects' from Jaguar. This car, based...Read more
Chelsea Barracks Living
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- Imaginateur
High-end narrative film for the new developments at Chelsea Barracks, an iconic location in central London. It’s considered to be...Read more
Glen Grant Highland Whisky
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- Parable Works
We provided 360º drone camerawork for a bespoke film to give the sensation of being on a tour of the...Read more
Ford ‘Go Faster’
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Production company:
- Carnage / Imagination Europe
Working on this trailer was seriously intense, with the main goal being to get that high-octane car chase flavour. With...Read more
Chelsea Barracks: The Garrison Chapel
- Genres:
- Branded Content
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Imaginateur
Short film showcasing the faithfully refurbished Garrison Chapel, one of the 'gifts' to the architects of the Chelsea Barracks development,...Read more
Renault Kadjar idents for Discovery
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Discovery
- Production company:
- Publicis
Series of short idents for Discovery Channel, played in between programme content and commercial breaks.These scenes were filmed in various...Read more
The Great Mountain Sheep Gather
- Genres:
- Documentaries
- Broadcaster:
- BBC Four
- Production company:
- Windfall Films
In 2019, I had the privilege of joining forces with a seasoned drone op Mike Foyle, a long-time collaborator, for...Read moreSpeed with Guy Martin: Formula 1 Special
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Channel 4
- Production company:
- Ian Bayliss
We were brought on board by North One TV for his special episode, which had extra budget for tracking vehicles,...Read moreAttenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard
- Genres:
- Documentaries
- Broadcaster:
- BBC
- Production company:
- Windfall Films
What a privilege it was to be brought on by repeat clients Windfall Films to do the drone filming on...Read moreRémy Martin Cognac ‘Harvest’, France
- Genres:
- TVC
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Brooklyn Brothers, Pacific 7
One of our greatest jobs in terms of food & hospitality – touring several vineyards in the Cognac region over...Read moreFord ‘Backbone of Britain’
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- CRXSS
Series of short glossy commercials featuring Ford commercial vehicles in working scenarios. Used both on web and as indents on...Read moreKenzo fashion film, Lanzarote
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- Creative Blood
Fashion film showcasing the season's designs from Japanese fashion house KENZO. The scenes involve a couple walking across various other-worldly...Read moreJaguar XE 300 Sport: ‘2 cars, 1 DNA’
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Jaguar / Youtube
- Production company:
- Foxtrot Papa
2-day shoot on Pendine Sands beach, Wales, involving precision driving and 2 cars manoeuvring to create a Helix in the...Read moreEDF Energy ‘Electric Adventures’ 5 part series
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Be The Fox
We provided the drone shots for this whole series which took us from far-West Cornwall, to Brighton coast, the Welsh...Read moreLegoland: Ice Cream Cone Drone Delivery
- Genres:
- Branded Content
- Broadcaster:
- Legoland / Youtube
- Production company:
- Stripe Communications
I was commissioned by Strip Communications to deliver for a short film marketing film suggesting that Legoland is testing an...Read moreLand Rover Discovery Sport: Train Pull Stunt
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Foxtrot Papa
The Land Rover Discovery Sport demonstrates its towing capability in Northern Switzerland as it towed a 100 tonne train across...Read moreDream Horse
- Genres:
- Features
- Broadcaster:
- Theatrical release
- Production company:
- Film4
I was freelance drone gimbal operator on this feature film, working for Flying Camera Company. Working with Movi Pro and...Read moreJaguar XE SV Project 8: The Spirit of Extreme Performance
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- 76 Films
Launch film for the Jaguar 'Project 8', the latest in an edition of 'Special Projects' from Jaguar. This car, based...Read moreChelsea Barracks Living
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- Imaginateur
High-end narrative film for the new developments at Chelsea Barracks, an iconic location in central London. It’s considered to be...Read moreGlen Grant Highland Whisky
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- Parable Works
We provided 360º drone camerawork for a bespoke film to give the sensation of being on a tour of the...Read moreFord ‘Go Faster’
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Production company:
- Carnage / Imagination Europe
Working on this trailer was seriously intense, with the main goal being to get that high-octane car chase flavour. With...Read moreChelsea Barracks: The Garrison Chapel
- Genres:
- Branded Content
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Imaginateur
Short film showcasing the faithfully refurbished Garrison Chapel, one of the 'gifts' to the architects of the Chelsea Barracks development,...Read moreRenault Kadjar idents for Discovery
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Discovery
- Production company:
- Publicis
Series of short idents for Discovery Channel, played in between programme content and commercial breaks.These scenes were filmed in various...Read moreThe Great Mountain Sheep Gather
- Genres:
- Documentaries
- Broadcaster:
- BBC Four
- Production company:
- Windfall Films
In 2019, I had the privilege of joining forces with a seasoned drone op Mike Foyle, a long-time collaborator, for...Read moreSpeed with Guy Martin: Formula 1 Special
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Channel 4
- Production company:
- Ian Bayliss
We were brought on board by North One TV for his special episode, which had extra budget for tracking vehicles,...Read moreAttenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard
- Genres:
- Documentaries
- Broadcaster:
- BBC
- Production company:
- Windfall Films
What a privilege it was to be brought on by repeat clients Windfall Films to do the drone filming on...Read moreRémy Martin Cognac ‘Harvest’, France
- Genres:
- TVC
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Brooklyn Brothers, Pacific 7
One of our greatest jobs in terms of food & hospitality – touring several vineyards in the Cognac region over...Read moreFord ‘Backbone of Britain’
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- CRXSS
Series of short glossy commercials featuring Ford commercial vehicles in working scenarios. Used both on web and as indents on...Read moreKenzo fashion film, Lanzarote
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- Creative Blood
Fashion film showcasing the season's designs from Japanese fashion house KENZO. The scenes involve a couple walking across various other-worldly...Read moreJaguar XE 300 Sport: ‘2 cars, 1 DNA’
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Jaguar / Youtube
- Production company:
- Foxtrot Papa
2-day shoot on Pendine Sands beach, Wales, involving precision driving and 2 cars manoeuvring to create a Helix in the...Read moreEDF Energy ‘Electric Adventures’ 5 part series
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Be The Fox
We provided the drone shots for this whole series which took us from far-West Cornwall, to Brighton coast, the Welsh...Read moreLegoland: Ice Cream Cone Drone Delivery
- Genres:
- Branded Content
- Broadcaster:
- Legoland / Youtube
- Production company:
- Stripe Communications
I was commissioned by Strip Communications to deliver for a short film marketing film suggesting that Legoland is testing an...Read moreLand Rover Discovery Sport: Train Pull Stunt
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Foxtrot Papa
The Land Rover Discovery Sport demonstrates its towing capability in Northern Switzerland as it towed a 100 tonne train across...Read moreDream Horse
- Genres:
- Features
- Broadcaster:
- Theatrical release
- Production company:
- Film4
I was freelance drone gimbal operator on this feature film, working for Flying Camera Company. Working with Movi Pro and...Read moreJaguar XE SV Project 8: The Spirit of Extreme Performance
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- 76 Films
Launch film for the Jaguar 'Project 8', the latest in an edition of 'Special Projects' from Jaguar. This car, based...Read moreChelsea Barracks Living
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- Imaginateur
High-end narrative film for the new developments at Chelsea Barracks, an iconic location in central London. It’s considered to be...Read moreGlen Grant Highland Whisky
- Genres:
- TVC
- Production company:
- Parable Works
We provided 360º drone camerawork for a bespoke film to give the sensation of being on a tour of the...Read moreFord ‘Go Faster’
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Production company:
- Carnage / Imagination Europe
Working on this trailer was seriously intense, with the main goal being to get that high-octane car chase flavour. With...Read moreChelsea Barracks: The Garrison Chapel
- Genres:
- Branded Content
- Broadcaster:
- Online
- Production company:
- Imaginateur
Short film showcasing the faithfully refurbished Garrison Chapel, one of the 'gifts' to the architects of the Chelsea Barracks development,...Read moreRenault Kadjar idents for Discovery
- Genres:
- Motoring
- Broadcaster:
- Discovery
- Production company:
- Publicis
Series of short idents for Discovery Channel, played in between programme content and commercial breaks.These scenes were filmed in various...Read more
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Credits
Documentaries
Plus: Ob Doc, Wildlife, Factual, Historical, Science, Sport, Motoring, Specialist FactualEntertainment
Plus: Adventure, Reality, Lifestyle, ChildrensCommercials
Plus: TVC, Branded Content, Online Branded, You Tube, FacebookDrama
Plus: Features, TV Drama, ShortsMiscellaneous
Plus: Title Sequences, Photographic, Training / Education, Consultancy , InterstitialsCorporate
Live Events Ob
Plus: ENG, LivestreamCurrent Affairs
Services, Skills and Equipment
Awards
- Photography: Factual
'The Great Mountain Sheep Gather' - BAFTA
- Award of Excellence
Guild of Television Cameramen - GTC