About Us
Our Story
JayByrd Films was founded by Jay Christensen, whose breakthrough one-take drone flight through a Minneapolis bowling alley captivated the world and redefined what cinematic FPV could be. That viral sensation launched a creative journey that led to partnerships with global brands and became a viral benchmark in FPV filmmaking.
Today, JayByrd Films is a full-scale creative studio working across entertainment, sports, live events, and branded content. Our team combines elite piloting, cinematic direction, and high-end post-production to produce immersive visual stories from the air—films that don’t just fly, but stay with you.
Team
Jay Christensen
Jay followed his passion for cinematography, specifically aerial cinematography and inspired the creation of JayByrd Films. After creating the globally recognized "Right Up Our Alley", drone goes bowling one-take fly through, Jay rose to fame. Widely known as a pioneer of FPV cinematography and innovator within the drone industry, Jay has logged thousands of hours and is our chief FPV and heavy lifter pilot.
Erik Nelson
Erik is a producer and director of marketing at JayByrd Films. Erik has over 10 years of experience working as an Executive Producer for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx and over 20 years of marketing experience for other large corporations. Erik is passionate about storytelling, branding, and maximizing content, and providing the best experience for our clients.
Owen Hofman
Owen has over 7 years of experience as an AC. He has a wealth of knowledge across all major drones and camera systems. Owen spends his time focusing on sharpening his airborne knowledge as an AC, visual observer and everyone's go-to-guy.
Patrick Conroy
Patrick has over 10 years experience filming and flying drones. Specializing in FPV, Patrick loves filming extreme sports, racing and anything outdoors. In his spare time you can find him enjoying all the great things Montana has to offer.
Gian Lorenzo Ferretti
Gian is a drone pilot and timelapse photographer living in Florida. Gian was born and raised in Italy and moved to the US in 2014 after receiving a scholarship to compete for the University of Minnesota track & field team. Gian has specialized in the niche art of time-lapse and hyper-lapse photography for the past 7 years and has been lucky to travel the globe on many assignments.
Andrew Achter
Andrew is a video editor and filmmaker with over 10 years of industry experience. He launched his own video production business while still in college and has since built a diverse portfolio that includes tourism campaigns, broadcast commercials, and drone productions. His work has contributed to projects for major international brands such as Red Bull, Nationwide, and Yellowstone National Park. Now based in Colorado, Andrew spends his free time hiking, biking and snowboarding.
Noah Ferche
Noah is the Producer and Lead Creative for JayByrd’s Behind the Scenes series, ‘Taking Flight’. With over 15 years of experience in sports media, including 11 years with the Minnesota Timberwolves video team, Noah shapes brand narratives through compelling visually storytelling and high-end, emotionally engaging content that connects JayByrd clients with their audiences.
Cody Anderson
Cody got his start in the FPV world in 2019 as a drone racing pilot. By 2021, he had earned the title of Minnesota State Champion and won both the individual and team titles at the YDSC National Championship. Along the way, he learned how to build, fine-tune, and repair drones himself — skills that have become a major asset to the JayByrd team. In recent years, Cody has shifted his focus from racing to cinematic flying, blending precision and creativity to capture dynamic shots on some of our biggest productions.