Next up in our “Ask Drone Girl” sequence is about discovering licensed drone pilots. If you might have a query for Drone Girl, contact her right here.
Dear Drone Girl,
I was questioning for those who knew of any sources by way of discovering licensed UAV pilots? I am seeking to hire many all through Orange County and wished to start out gathering sources.
Yes, there are! It actually is determined by the scope of what you’re searching for and attempting to hire.
Washington D.C.-based startup Measure flies drones as a service for different companies that want drones to conduct operations equivalent to inspections, mapping, or taking pictures movies. The firm lately raised $15 million in a Series B funding spherical. (Measure’s pilots flew greater than 1,100 flights all through 2016 — that’s about three flights a day.)
Then, there are attention-grabbing firms like Skytango, which is a kind of “Uber for Drones.” The firm was initially based by 9-time Emmy Award-winning manufacturing workforce Steven Flynn and Susan Talbot, who lived within the U.S. however now reside in Ireland. In 2014, they constructed an aerial inventory library to service purchasers that wanted a single aerial clip. The firm has since grown into a bigger drone pilot market place for reserving particular aerial pictures and videography jobs with pilots worldwide.
Other related websites embrace Air-Vid, Droners.io, and DroneBase. I actually can’t say the variations between these or suggest one vs. the opposite just because I haven’t used them. (But, when you’ve got, go away that within the feedback beneath!)
Of course, for those who do hire a drone pilot, there are some issues you must know. Ask to see their Part 107 license. Ask about what gear they’ve and whether or not that may accomplish what you want with a drone. If it’s a mapping venture, are they competent with one thing like Drone Deploy or Pix 4D? Do they should have a thermal digicam to do your venture? Consider whether or not or not your pilot has or wants insurance coverage.
Also understand how a lot their companies are value. If you simply want a easy shot of a home for a actual property photograph, a DJI Phantom might be ok. Don’t let somebody let you know that it’s worthwhile to pay a big payment to cowl the price of their $10,000 drone. On the opposite hand, for those who want a 360 VR video from a drone and the particular person says which have a Parrot Bebop, you most likely need to discover a new drone pilot to do the job.
Then, be certain you’ll be able to fly in that space. An enormous chunk of Orange County is in Class B and C airspace, in line with AirMap, which implies you’ll must get permission to fly there.
My remaining piece of recommendation is to search for native meetup teams. You could find yourself discovering the neatest, most certified pilots that manner. In reality, when I lived in Orange County I was a member of the LA/OC Drone User Group, however extra teams have sprung up within the space since then. Message them and see if they’ve any pilots searching for work.
Hope that helps! Happy flying!