Waldorf Astoria Miami
Downtown Miami, FL · 12,000 cu yd
The Capform edit of the same placement, specifically cut around the formwork scope.
- Formwork edit
- Night pour
Miami · South Florida · FAA Part 107 Licensed & Insured
Foundation Pour Documentation in Miami and South Florida
Foundation pour documentation is aerial and ground coverage of a continuous concrete mat placement. In other words, it is the only record of an event that cannot be reshot. Because of that, it has to be planned before the first truck arrives. Drone Permission has documented more than a dozen major South Florida pours, from 1,000 to 20,000 cubic yards, across placements that ran 24 to 36 hours without stopping.
13+Major pours documented
20,000Largest pour, cubic yards
1 crewAir, ground, FPV, time lapse, editing
Part 107Licensed & insured, LAANC ready
Above: the floodlit Cipriani Residences foundation pour at the center of the Brickell skyline, Miami. In fact, most major South Florida pours start after dark.
A foundation pour happens once. There is no second take, and no way to stage it again next week. The concrete goes down over 24 to 36 continuous hours, then the mat disappears under the structure forever. As a result, whatever was captured that night is the only record that will ever exist. That is why foundation pour documentation has to be planned before the first truck arrives, rather than arranged on the morning of. From Aston Martin Residences to the Waldorf Astoria Miami, developers, general contractors and concrete suppliers call us because we know which moments matter, and because we know how to work an active jobsite while it is happening.
The Short Version
Foundation Pour Coverage at a Glance
To begin with, here is the whole service in one screen. We cover continuous concrete mat placements across Miami and South Florida with one crew, that is air, ground, FPV, time lapse and editing. Since most pours run overnight, night coverage is standard rather than an extra. Above all, we plan around your pour sequence instead of arriving once and hoping.
What it covers
A continuous mat pour from the first truck to the finishing crews, including the overnight hours when the placement is at its peak.
How long we stay
Coverage windows mapped across the full 24 to 36 hour placement, so that no critical phase is missed while the concrete keeps arriving.
What you receive
An edited recap film, together with a full set of high resolution aerial and ground photographs. In addition, we can cut a separate version for every company on the job.
Where we work
Miami, Brickell, Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Sunny Isles Beach and Hallandale Beach, as well as the rest of Miami-Dade and Broward. We also travel elsewhere in Florida when the pour justifies it.
Lead time
As soon as the date is set. Because LAANC airspace authorization cannot be rushed, early notice is the part that matters most.
Credentials
FAA Part 107 licensed and insured pilots who wear PPE, sign in at the trailer, and coordinate with your superintendent before takeoff.
The Work
Watch Foundation Pours We Have Documented
In short, these recap videos show what complete foundation pour coverage produces. For example, you will see aerial views of pump booms working in sync, FPV passes over the mat, ground footage of finishing crews, and time lapse of the full placement. Our Aston Martin Residences film has drawn roughly 10,000 views over more than six years, and it still brings us new clients.
Aston Martin Residences
Downtown Miami, FL · 13,000 cu yd. This is the mat placement under a 66 story tower, in other words the first night of a building that now defines the skyline. Even so, the video that still introduces new clients to our work is over six years old.
1428 Brickell Residences
Brickell, Miami, FL · 12,500 cu yd. A full documentary cut of the placement, beginning with the first truck backing in and ending with the finishing crews the next day.
Waldorf Astoria Miami
Downtown Miami, FL · 12,000 cu yd. This is the Heidelberg Materials and Supermix Concrete edit, that is the supplier's own version. In addition, we cut a separate version of the same pour for Capform.
What Is a Foundation Concrete Pour?
A foundation concrete pour, also called a mat pour or mat slab pour, is the continuous placement of thousands of cubic yards of concrete that forms the structural base of a high rise. It runs without interruption, often 24 to 36 hours straight, because stopping mid placement would create cold joints that weaken the foundation.
For example, a single mat pour on a major Miami tower can involve well over a thousand truck deliveries. Meanwhile, multiple pump trucks run at the same time and hundreds of workers rotate in shifts. After all, everything the building will ever be rests on this one event. Therefore developers treat it as the first great milestone of a project, the moment a rendering starts becoming a building.
It is also a one time event. As soon as the concrete is placed and finished, the mat disappears under the structure forever. In other words, if the pour is not documented properly, that piece of the building's history is simply gone.
Baccarat Residences, Brickell, Miami. Meanwhile, two workers watch the placement move across the rebar mat. In short, this is what a mat pour looks like from inside it: a grid of steel disappearing under concrete, hour by hour.
The Return on Coverage
Why Should You Document a Foundation Pour?
In practice, foundation pour documentation gives developers, general contractors and concrete suppliers a permanent record of a one time event. As a result, the footage powers press releases and sales marketing, keeps investors informed, proves the scale your concrete and pumping teams can execute, and becomes the opening chapter of the building's construction story.
Marketing and press
Certainly, major South Florida pours make the news. Because a 10,000 plus cubic yard overnight placement is a spectacle, professional aerial footage announces that construction is truly underway.
Investors and lenders
Besides, cinematic proof of progress keeps capital partners confident without a single site visit. Above all, it lands at the exact moment the project stops being a rendering.
Contractor portfolios
Likewise, concrete suppliers and formwork contractors prove the scale they can execute. For instance, Heidelberg Materials and Capform each commissioned their own edit of a pour we documented.
Project records
Similarly, time stamped documentation shows site logistics, truck staging and placement sequence. In practice, that record stays useful long after the mat is buried.
From Active Pours
Inside a South Florida Mat Pour
To begin with, every frame below comes from a real placement in Miami or Brickell. For example, you will see the wide view of a full mat, the boom pumps working in formation, the truck rotation feeding them, and the crews on the deck at three in the morning. Every image below is shown uncropped, so click any of them to enlarge.
![Wide aerial of a full foundation mat placement against the skyline at [WOODLAND PROJECT NAME], [CITY], documented by Drone Permission](https://www.dronepermission.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/23-Woodland_Small-2026-03-04--scaled.webp)
What Does Foundation Pour Documentation Include?
Complete foundation pour documentation combines aerial photography and video, ground level cameras, FPV drone flights, time lapse across the entire placement, and professional editing with sound design. Because Drone Permission delivers all of it with one coordinated crew, you get a cinematic recap plus a full photo set without juggling multiple vendors.
| Coverage method | What it captures | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Aerial photo and video | Full site scale, together with pump boom choreography, truck staging and skyline context | Press releases, as well as marketing and investor updates |
| FPV drone flights | Dynamic fly throughs between booms, crews and rebar, so the viewer feels the scale | Social media, as well as cinematic recap videos |
| Ground photo and video | Crews at work and finishing details, together with leadership interviews and the safety story | Recruiting and culture, as well as full length edits |
| Time lapse | The entire 24 to 36 hour pour, in other words the whole night in seconds | Showing, in short, the scale of a continuous placement |
| Editing and sound design | A polished recap, specifically cut for each audience | Developer, GC and supplier versions, that is one edit per company |
Safety, airspace and paperwork
Furthermore, every service is performed by FAA Part 107 licensed and insured pilots. Before the date, we handle LAANC authorization for Miami's controlled airspace, so airspace is never a surprise on pour day. On site, our crew wears PPE, signs in at the trailer, and coordinates with your superintendent so that coverage never interferes with the placement itself.
If you need the wider service context, see aerial photography services, video production in Florida and drone services for construction. For volumes and quantity tracking rather than film, see Miami drone mapping.
How Do You Document a Continuous 24 to 36 Hour Pour?
By planning coverage windows instead of showing up once. A continuous placement has phases that matter: the first trucks at night, peak activity with every pump running, then the finishing work the next morning. Therefore we map those windows to your pour sequence with the superintendent, secure LAANC authorization in advance, and rotate crew so no critical phase is missed.
Plan the coverage windows
First, we map shooting windows to your pour sequence with the superintendent, before the first truck rolls.
Clear the airspace
Next, LAANC authorization for Miami's controlled airspace is secured in advance. As a result, there are no surprises on pour day.
Cover night to sunrise
Since most large pours start overnight, floodlit sites against the Miami skyline often produce the most dramatic images of the whole project.
Work like a sub
PPE on, signed in, out of the pour's way. Your superintendent does not need to babysit us, because we work construction sites week in and week out.
Waldorf Astoria Miami, mat pour. Crews working inside the rebar cage while the placement moves through. In short, this is why we bring more than a drone.
From your call to your finished film
1. Planning
To begin with, we review the site, the crane situation and the airspace, then file the LAANC request. You get a coverage plan rather than a maybe.
2. The pour
Next, a Part 107 pilot works the planned windows. Meanwhile, ground and FPV cameras cover what the aircraft cannot reach.
3. Post production
Afterwards, the footage becomes an edited recap with sound design, together with a culled and corrected photo set.
4. Delivery
Finally, you receive the film and the photographs, plus any additional versions the other companies on the job have asked for.
Cipriani Residences, Miami. Project branding on site. Every company working a pour has its own story to tell, as well as its own logo that needs to be in the frame.
One Pour, Every Company's Version
In practice, a single documented pour can serve every company on the job. For example, we produced two separate edits of the Waldorf Astoria Miami placement from the same night, one for Heidelberg Materials and Supermix Concrete and one for Capform. As a result, the developer, the general contractor and the suppliers each got a version built around their own part of the work.
This matters commercially. The cost of covering a pour does not multiply when three companies want footage of it. At the same time, each of those companies has a marketing team that needs proof of scale for its own pipeline. So far we have cut supplier specific versions for Heidelberg Materials, Capform, GT McDonald and CEMEX at Shell Bay Tower 200, Ozinga at 2000 Ocean, and Florida Concrete Unlimited at Park Grove.
If you are the GC or the supplier rather than the developer, this is usually the fastest route to approval. After all, the pour is being documented anyway, so your edit becomes an addition rather than a new line item.
The Portfolio
Foundation Pours We Have Documented in South Florida
We have documented more than a dozen major foundation concrete pours across Miami, Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Sunny Isles Beach and Hallandale Beach. On camera these range from 1,000 to 12,500 cubic yards, together with additional placements up to 20,000. The list below is ordered by concrete volume, so the scale is visible at a glance.
Ten more pour films. Either way, swipe or use the arrows, since every video plays in place.
The Mansions at Acqualina
Sunny Isles Beach, FL · 9,860 cu yd
Oceanfront mat placement, in fact one of the largest residential foundations in the county.
- Oceanfront
- Time lapse
The Estates at Acqualina
Sunny Isles Beach, FL · 8,000 cu yd
The second Acqualina tower, likewise documented from the same oceanfront site.
- Oceanfront
- Ground crew
Flow Miami River
Miami River, Miami, FL · 7,000 cu yd
A riverfront mat pour, so staging was restricted and the footprint stayed tight.
- Riverfront
- FPV
Park Grove
Coconut Grove, Miami, FL · 3,500 cu yd
A 90 second aerial cut of the transfer slab placement, specifically produced for Florida Concrete Unlimited.
- Supplier edit
- Transfer slab
One River Lofty
Brickell, Miami, FL · 3,000 cu yd
Riverfront tower mat pour, later cut as a milestone film for the project team.
- Riverfront
- Milestone
Natiivo Miami
Downtown Miami, FL · 3,000 cu yd
Foundation placement for the downtown homesharing tower, so this is the oldest film here.
- Downtown
- Archive
2000 Ocean
Hallandale Beach, FL · 2,500 cu yd
Oceanfront foundation placement, specifically cut as a supplier version for Ozinga.
- Supplier edit
- Oceanfront
Nexus Riverside
Brickell, Miami, FL · 1,700 cu yd
Riverside foundation placement, though the urban site was heavily constrained.
- Riverfront
- Tight site
Shell Bay Tower 200
Hallandale Beach, FL · 1,000 cu yd
Our most recent pour film, produced together with GT McDonald and CEMEX.
- Recent
- Supplier edit
Every pour we have on camera, by volume
| Project | Location | Concrete volume | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley Residences | Sunny Isles Beach, FL | 20,000 cu yd | Largest residential foundation pour in Florida history |
| Aston Martin Residences | Downtown Miami, FL | 13,000 cu yd | Air and ground, as well as a recap film |
| 1428 Brickell Residences | Brickell, Miami, FL | 12,500 cu yd | Air and ground, together with a construction documentary |
| Waldorf Astoria Miami | Downtown Miami, FL | 12,000 cu yd | Two edits, that is Heidelberg Materials and Supermix, as well as Capform |
| The Mansions at Acqualina | Sunny Isles Beach, FL | 9,860 cu yd | Air, together with time lapse |
| Mercedes-Benz Places Miami | Miami, FL | 8,500 cu yd | Foundation pour coverage |
| The Estates at Acqualina | Sunny Isles Beach, FL | 8,000 cu yd | Air and ground |
| Flow Miami River | Miami River, Miami, FL | 7,000 cu yd | Air, together with FPV |
| Five Park Miami Beach | Miami Beach, FL | 6,000 cu yd | Foundation pour coverage |
| Park Grove | Coconut Grove, Miami, FL | 3,500 cu yd | Transfer slab, specifically a supplier edit for Florida Concrete Unlimited |
| One River Lofty | Brickell, Miami, FL | 3,000 cu yd | Aerial milestone film |
| Natiivo Miami | Downtown Miami, FL | 3,000 cu yd | Aerial coverage |
| 2000 Ocean | Hallandale Beach, FL | 2,500 cu yd | Supplier edit for Ozinga |
| Nexus Riverside | Brickell, Miami, FL | 1,700 cu yd | Aerial coverage |
| Shell Bay Tower 200 | Hallandale Beach, FL | 1,000 cu yd | Air and ground, together with GT McDonald and CEMEX |
We have also recently documented the pours at Cipriani Residences Miami, The Standard Residences Brickell and Baccarat Residences Brickell. Those films are being finalized, so they will be added here shortly. In the meantime, you can see our wider South Florida work on the Miami drone services page, or statewide coverage on drone services in Florida.
The Foundation Pour Is Just the Beginning
In general, most of our foundation pour clients keep us on for the life of the project. Because the same team that filmed the first truck captures every milestone after it, the building's story stays complete from day one. In practice that means consistent angles and consistent quality through vertical construction, topping out and delivery.
Furthermore, monthly or milestone based documentation gives your marketing team a steady stream of content. At the same time, it keeps lenders and investors updated without site visits, and it builds the archive for the final start to finish film when the project delivers. Since we already know your site, your safety requirements and your team, adding progress documentation after the pour is straightforward.
Finally, see how we cover the other end of the structure on our topping out ceremony documentation page. Alternatively, read about ongoing construction progress documentation, or check rates and booking on hire us.
Aston Martin Residences today, Downtown Miami. We filmed the 13,000 cubic yard mat under this tower years before it looked like this. In short, the archive only exists because somebody was there on night one.
Foundation Pour Documentation FAQ
About the pour itself
How long does a foundation concrete pour take?
In general, major mat pours in South Florida run 24 to 36 continuous hours. The pour cannot stop once it starts, because interruptions create cold joints in the concrete. By comparison, smaller placements can finish in a single day. However, the largest, such as the 20,000 cubic yard Bentley Residences pour, run about 36 hours.
How many concrete trucks does a major mat pour require?
A 10,000 cubic yard pour typically requires well over 1,000 truckloads arriving in a continuous rotation, while multiple pump trucks place at the same time. That logistics operation is exactly why aerial documentation works so well, since only a drone can show the whole choreography at once.
Do you film overnight pours?
Yes. Because most large South Florida pours start in the evening or overnight, night coverage is standard for us rather than an extra. In fact, floodlit sites with pump booms working against the Miami skyline often produce the most striking footage of the entire project.
Booking, airspace and scheduling
Can drones legally fly over a construction site in Miami?
Yes, provided that the operator is FAA Part 107 certified and has airspace authorization. Since much of Miami sits in controlled airspace, flights require LAANC approval. Drone Permission is Part 107 licensed and insured, and we secure LAANC authorizations before pour day so airspace never delays coverage.
How far in advance should we book?
As soon as your pour date is scheduled. Above all, advance notice lets us plan coverage windows around your sequence, secure LAANC airspace authorization, and coordinate access with your superintendent. Last minute pours are still possible. Even so, the airspace request is the part that cannot be rushed.
What happens if the pour date moves?
Pour dates move constantly, because weather, concrete supply and inspection sign offs all shift them. Tell us as soon as you know. Since we plan coverage windows around your sequence rather than a single arrival time, a shifted date is usually a scheduling conversation rather than a lost booking.
Deliverables, cost and what comes next
What deliverables do we receive after the pour?
You receive a professionally edited recap video together with a set of high resolution aerial and ground photographs. In addition, we can cut multiple versions of the same pour for different companies on the job, as we did for Heidelberg Materials and Capform at the Waldorf Astoria Miami.
Can you cut separate versions for the developer, the GC and the concrete supplier?
Yes, and in fact it is one of the most common things we do. From one night of coverage, for example, we have produced contractor and supplier specific edits for Heidelberg Materials and Supermix Concrete, Capform, GT McDonald and CEMEX at Shell Bay Tower 200, Ozinga at 2000 Ocean, and Florida Concrete Unlimited at Park Grove. Each version is cut around that company's scope, together with their branding.
How much does it cost to document a foundation pour?
It depends on four things: how long the placement runs, how many coverage windows you want across it, whether you need ground and FPV as well as aerial, and how many edited versions the job requires. In other words, a single aerial recap of a short pour and full coverage of a 36 hour placement are very different scopes. So send us your pour date and we will quote it.
Do you also document construction progress after the foundation pour?
Yes. Foundation pours are usually the start of a long term relationship, rather than a one off job. Most of our pour clients continue with monthly or milestone based progress documentation through topping out and delivery, using the same crew and the same angles so that the footage stays consistent across years.
Your Foundation Pours Once. Be Ready For It.
First, tell us your pour date and the scope. Then we plan the coverage windows with your superintendent, clear LAANC airspace in advance, and put one crew on site for air, ground, FPV and time lapse across the full placement.
Afterwards you receive a finished recap film and a full photo set, together with separate edits for every company on the job that wants one.
CHECK AVAILABILITY FOR YOUR POUR DATEOr call 305-878-9689
Background: sunrise over an active South Florida jobsite at Grand Hyatt, Miami Beach.