Working behind the scenes on the television show “30 Rock” and the film “The Amazing Spider-Man” have been highlights for James Sylvia, but he wants his career to reach new heights – literally.

The former Mattapoisett resident founded West Tenth Media to produce professional videos and photographs using a state-of-the-art unmanned aerial vehicle or drone.

While the Orwellian-sounding term is often associated with military action, more recently they have been put to a variety of civil uses.

So far, Sylvia has filmed/photographed boats leaving New Bedford Harbor for Ocean Fleet Fisheries, the Charles W. Morgan, 4th of July fireworks, the Bay Club golf course, a municipal water tower in Mattapoisett and solar arrays across the South Coast.

While many of West Tenth Media’s clients want public relations material, the water tower inspection showed drones can do more than that, he said. The drone was used to inspect for rust and other signs of deterioration.

“We’re finding that this technology has a lot of potential for industry,” Sylvia said. “For the water tower job, it was safer to send up the drone instead of a person.”

Getting the high-flying shots is a two-person operation.

Last week, Sylvia and his assistant Kevin McDermott used the drone to photograph a solar arrays in Dartmouth and Freetown for Mass Solar.

The worksite was quiet, but that’s not always the case.

“We sometimes joke that we should hire a third person to answer all of the questions we get,” McDermott said. “That way we can get our work done.”

Without fail the same two questions pop up.

“We’re always asked, ‘How far can it fly?’ and, ‘Can you mount a gun on it?’” Sylvia said.

The drone Sylvia and McDermott use has a range of three quarters of a mile. Regarding firepower, the duo only shoots photographs and videos.

Sylvia feared that when he began filming for clients a few years ago there might be a backlash.

“That hasn’t really happened. People have been very positive and ask us so many questions,” Sylvia said. “It’s been amazing.”

Sylvia pilots the drone with a handheld controller. McDermott works the camera and monitors a video screen showing a live broadcast from the drone. Known as a “first-person view” set-up, the screen ensures that they see the video or photograph before the drone lands.

As drone technology improved, the cost of purchasing one dropped, prompting many people to send cameras skyward.

“It’s a hobby that’s really gotten big in recent years,” Sylvia said, adding that low-end drones may cost $1,000 or less for amateurs.

With plenty of experience behind him, Sylvia is a frequent flyer.

He first learned how to operate a drone with four rotors then moved up (and built) one with six. Today, he flies an “octocopter” model drone built by the company DJI. It has eight rotors, retractable landing gear, GPS for holding its position in the sky and automatically returning home if needed and a number of features designed to stabilize the camera, a Canon 5D Mark III.

In total, the equipment cost approximately $20,000.

Sylvia said that investment lets him film like the professional that he is. For 10 years, he’s worked as an union camera assistant in New York City, his current home, on many projects in the film industry.

When the drone technology for aerial photography became accessible, he was able to exploit a niche that doesn't quite exist yet in the film world.

Without the drone, photographing the Dartmouth solar array would have required a helicopter, pilot and photographer.

“That can cost tens of thousands of dollars,” he said. “We can do the same job for less and our method is less intrusive.”

Sylvia said safety is a top priority.

Right now, the Federal Aviation Administration regulates civilian use of drones under the organization’s model aircraft guidelines. According to the rules, drones can’t be flown higher than 400 feet or near airports. The drone must also be in sight of the operator at all times.

Sylvia and McDermott follow those rules and always keep the drone in their client's airspace.

Looking ahead, Sylvia said more projects are lined up for the South Coast.

Originally from New Bedford, he lived in Mattapoisett from the mid 1990s to the early 2000s.

For more information on West Tenth Media, visit www.westtenthmedia.com.