I originally trained as a surveyor/property developer, but I’ve had a passion for photography since childhood.
Specialising in remote areas, my stock photographs for Getty have sold to many prestigious clients over the last 30 years. I qualified as a commercial drone pilot in 2014 and set up Richard Elliott Aerial Filming.
In the course of my 8 years as a drone pilot, I’ve added to my qualifications to enable me to fulfil any Creative, Infrastructure or Architectural brief which comes my way.
I’m a First Option approved contractor for film & TV (with £10m public liability insurance), and an ARRI certified cinematographer. I have BOSIET & MIST certification for worldwide offshore work, & I’m a Professionally Qualified Person CSCS card holder. I’m an SQA qualified first-aider, I hold a full EU drone pilot licence, & I’m FAA ‘Part 107’ qualified for commercial drone work in the USA.
In early 2022 I received Operating Safety Case approval from the CAA, which enables me to fly drones outside the confines of a Standard Permission – one of the few drone pilots in the UK to achieve this.
In my early career, after studying at Aberdeen University and qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor, I moved into property development in London. My final property development was the construction of “The Grey House” in Highgate Cemetery, which won major architectural awards for the design team.
During my ownership of the house I established it as a filming and event location; this continues, with large parts of the 2019 series of ‘Luther’ filmed in the house – view additional images here.
CAA approved for aerial work, PFCO company number 532, FAA number 4242184
