Our Team

An early adopter of drone technology, Kat has a rare knowledge base and depth of technical expertise which, along with her passion for detail and problem solving, drives the daily success of the company and our thirst for innovation. 

She was the first female in the world to build and fly heavy lift drones and is now focussed on ways to increase diversity in our technical field.

Having grown up attending film sets watching her father, Kat graduated from Harvard University's film programme and became an award winning theatre director before moving into film making where she produced and directed many television documentaries and series including her own commissions.

Leading the team, Emma is hands on with client relations to ensure 24/7 smooth running of our Operations. Her vast knowledge and experience with drone safety, and well established relationships with key stakeholders secured the company its excellent reputation early on as a go to aerial film provider. 

Former Television Series Producer, Emma has created over 50hrs of prime time arts, science and docs television for the BBC and C4. 

Sharleen brings over 15 years’ experience in finance leadership across founder-led businesses and multinationals such as MTV. She was CFO for two leading UK VFX and post-production companies, supporting award-winning work for the BBC, Netflix, Apple TV+ and Disney.

She now works as a fractional CFO for a range of purpose-driven creative founder-led companies, advising on strategy, planning and aiding sustainable growth. Sharleen has contributed to industry discussions on financial reform, including government lobbying on the UK furlough scheme and film and TV tax incentives, and regularly supports clients in accessing R&D tax relief.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharleen-kelly-86053b13/

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13511773/

Pete is the most experienced film pilot in the UK with a background in elite acrobatic flying. He is highly respected among his peers for his skill and confidence handling the aircraft and his understanding of the shot. He started out working on Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ready Player One and has worked with many of cinema's greats. Pete is Chief Pilot at The Helicopter Girls.

Aaron has been with the company since 2020 and already has a strong list of credits. He is an exceptionally talented pilot, known for his smooth and skilled handling of the aircraft. Two times Junior World Champion aerobatics elite pilot, sponsored by Align, he is currently placed 6th in the world. 

Former World Drone Prix Dubai Champion, Breitling Ambassador, Luke brings another level of skill and technical expertise to cinematic FPV. Widely acknowledged as one of the top 3 cinematic FPV pilots in the world, his methodology and precision timing enable him to get shots like no other. 

Luke's credits include Meg 2, Fast X, Back in Action, Gran Turismo, Road House and The Gentlemen. 

Will has operated on major features including Fast X, Back In Action and Wicked. The aerial unit is his natural home, bringing together his detailed technical knowledge and experience with stabilised remote heads, camera and lens equipment along side his love of innovation and visual storytelling. 

An office in the sky seems like a natural fit for someone with a career in film and penchant for the more extreme side of sports, such as wingsuiting and skydiving. With a background as a specialist camera technician and lighting cameraman in commercials, Phil now specialises as the Aerial Director of Photography at The Aerial Film Company, marrying his love of film and aviation. Over the last ten years, Phil has explored the creative possibilities of a huge variety of aerial camera platforms on projects with some of the most renown directors and DOP’s, helping bring concepts and ideas to life in the air. 

Will started his helicopter flying career in the Royal Navy where he flew the Westland Lynx. Following his departure from the Navy he went on to fly commercial airliners. It turned out that flying passengers back and forth to Ibiza was not that exciting and so Will started his own helicopter company, GB Helicopters. In only ten years Will grew this from one helicopter to ten helicopters all operating on AOC. With so many helicopters in the fleet, it was inevitable that GB would get the call up to work on films at some stage. Throughout the last decade, aerial filming has become a more prominent side of business. With the desire to do more, the decision was made to combine expertise from GB Helicopters to form The Aerial Film Company. 

Abi has a keen interest in all things aviation and is Operations Manager on the helicopters side. With a keen eye for detail she is responsible for ongoing audits, risk assessments and is instrumental in the safety of operations and obtaining ISO9001, 14001 and 18001. Abi is skilled in obtaining permissions from National Civil Aviation Authorities, ensuring our aircraft have the legal ability to fly the exact shot required without compromise.

Francesca Zerenghi is an Entertainment Publicist specialising in representing cinematographers and creative companies across the screen industry. With a strong focus on authenticity and long-term career development, her work is rooted in an inclusive mindset and a creative approach to building talent visibility, reputation, and professional reach.

Her expertise spans Talent Publicity, Networking & Engagement, Panels & Masterclasses and mentoring. Francesca is also the Founder and former Editor-in-Chief of Cinegirl, a publication dedicated to spotlighting diverse talent across the screen industries.

She has moderated panels and industry conversations at high-profile events such as Camerimage, Euro Cine Expo, and the BFI, and regularly delivers masterclasses and talks on industry access, career strategy, and inclusion. Francesca also contributes to best practices in higher education and professional development across the screen industries, with a particular emphasis on equity, inclusion, and creative empowerment.

As well as being a talented aerial camera operator, Andres is Head of Operations for HG South America. Based in Bogota, Colombia, he has extensive regional knowledge and relationships ensuring each job runs smoothly, safely and on budget. Andres is fluent in English and Spanish.

Nando began his career in the camera department, operating on projects in Mexico and Colombia. He started flying drones 13 years ago and went on to set up Eagle Films in Colombia with Andres Sotomayor in 2017. Nando manages the HG drone fleet in South America and all aspects of drone safety. His dedication and ability is well acknowledge and he is the only super heavy lift pilot in the region with extensive knowledge of the Freefly Alta X.

Brayant began his career as an FPV racer in 2017, participating in local and international competitions. He trained as an aeronautical engineer and his passion is building and flying drones. He maintains HG South America's FPV fleet and loves combining his knowledge and experience to creatively push the boundaries of aerial shooting for TV and cinematic productions.

Mike has been flying for The Helicopter Girls since 2016. He flies FPV, hybrid and heavy lift and is a self confessed camera nerd. Projects including Meg 2: The Trench, Downton Abbey and Maleficent 2. 

Leo started out as an FPV racing pilot and has developed his craft as an exceptionally talented film pilot, flying our heavy lift FPV rigs on projects including The Sandman, The Lord of the Rings and Paddington in Peru. He loves adventure and when he isn't flying drones he'll be found taking to the skies with his paraglider. 

Romilly's 20+ years experience includes working in London’s top creative agencies, for major label at Sony Music and social impact at the Nike Foundation. She is a true collaborator and creative enabler, driven by ethical and social responsibility.