ADU 0923: How Do I Stand out and Differentiate My Drone Business in a Crowded Market Place?

December 21, 2018 by narinder

In today’s show, we reveal how drone pilots can carve out a niche in a crowded market place. With competition constantly rising, what steps can drone pilots take to stay relevant and even expand their drone business?

Our caller has come up with an interesting question today. Our caller is struggling to deal with the intense competition. We discuss how focusing on different aspects of your drone business can help you not only retain your existing clients, but add new ones.

Tune in to learn the importance of client deliverables, relationship building and constantly improving your skill-set. Thanks to the caller for the great question. Fly Safe!

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Timestamps

[03:20] Watch out for our upcoming mapping classes
[05:44] Today’s question is about standing out in a competitive drone marketplace
[06:16] How the right client deliverables can help you retain existing clients and add new ones
[08:09] Improving your skill set is a must for continued success in the drone business
[09:35] How to offering an all-in-one solution can help you provide increased value to your clients
[10:27] Regular flying and continuous practice is critical for success in the drone business
[12:00] How to cultivate long last relationships with clients in the drone business
[13:57] Drone U classes that can help you improve your flying technique immensely
[14:30] Perseverance is key to overcoming the challenges of a saturated market
[16:40] How to deal with competitors who are prone to low-balling
[18:03] Discussing the importance of under-promising and over-delivering

Tags: drone, drone business, FAA, marketing, multirotor, quadcopter, Safety, uav

ADU 0922: Do I Need to Get My Part 107 License and Insurance If I Am Offering Free Drone Services?

December 19, 2018 by narinder

Today’s question is about the steps that you need to take BEFORE venturing into the drone industry. Is it advisable to get your Part 107 certification and drone insurance before accepting your first job?

Our caller, Lauren, is planning on taking up her first drone gig. And she is not going to get paid for it. So, she is wondering if she should get her Part 107 license and insurance before doing so. Also, is it advisable to form a LLC from the get-go? We discuss the recommended steps for kick-starting a new drone business. Tune in now!

Join us for our first intensive weekend of mapping instruction in the New Year from January 18-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC.

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Get your copy of “Livin’ the Drone Life” – //amzn.to/2nalUDH
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Timestamps

[00:56] Learn about our forthcoming courses
[01:32] Do not miss out on the last chance to become a Drone U member for $1
[01:58] Today’s question is about getting your Part 107 license
[03:23] Should you form a LLC as soon as you venture into the drone business?
[03:51] Can you claim damages from an insurance company if you do not have a Part 107?
[05:11] When does a drone pilot need a Part 107 license?
[05:48] How does FAA define the term, “furtherance of business”?
[06:31] Is DJI’s Aeroscope a good thing? Is there a need for greater enforcement in the drone industry?
[07:50] Do you need a Part 107 if you are flying for a non profit?

Tags: drone, drone business, drone insurance, FAA, llc, multirotor, part 107, quadcopter, Safety, uav

ADU 0921: Drones for Agriculture | Is the Agriculture Drone Business Viable?

December 18, 2018 by narinder

Can I Build a Profitable Agriculture Drone Business?

Today’s show is about drones for agriculture. Can agriculture drone business prove to be a lucrative industry for you?

Our caller, Ken from NJ has come up with a detailed and thoughtful question today. With industries like real estate getting intensely competitive, what are some other lucrative opportunities for drone pilots? We discuss if the agriculture drone business can be a viable business proposition.

How can a mapping application like Pix4Dfields help farmers save on resources? Do you need a multi-spectral camera for NDVI mapping? And, what should be your pricing strategy. We also share an advisory circular which describes the certification process for agricultural aircraft operators. This show is loaded with some great information that will certainly help you and your business. Tune in now!

Also, the folks over at Go Professional Cases are offering a special discount for Drone U members. GPC designs the highest quality professional cases for your drone and GoPro. And they will even custom design a case for you. Use the promo code DRONEU15 to avail a killer deal.

Join us for our first intensive weekend of mapping instruction in the New Year from January 18-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC

Make sure to get yourself the all new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

Become a Drone U Member.

Get your copy of “Livin’ the Drone Life” – //amzn.to/2nalUDH
Get your copy of our Part 107 Study Guide – //amzn.to/2omQatT

Timestamps

[00:57] Check out Paul and Angad’s show on agricultural mapping
[01:13] Paul shares some interesting details about our forthcoming class on agricultural mapping
[02:01] Learn about our cool sponsor, GPC cases
[02:40] Today’s question is about drones for agriculture
[04:37] How can drone pilots make the best use of this winter period?
[06:17] Little known drone applications that you may not be aware of
[07:09] Can real estate still prove to be a lucrative market for drone pilots?
[08:09] Should farmers use drones for spraying their fields?
[09:00] How can a mapping application like Pix4Dfields help farmers save on resources?
[10:15] Check out this Advisory Circular which describes the certification process for agricultural aircraft operators
[14:23] Paul suggests a viable agriculture drone business model for Ken
[15:01] How can drone pilots find buy in with farmers?
[15:26] Do you need a multi-spectral analysis for NDVI mapping?
[15:52] Pricing model for drone pilots offering services to agriculture industry
[17:06] Is an inability to get BVLOS waivers hampering the usage of drones for agriculture?

Tags: agriculture drone business, drone, drone mapping, drones for agriculture, FAA, multirotor, ndvi mapping, quadcopter, Safety, uav, UAV mapping

BONUS: Are Surveyors Using the Phantom 4 Pro RTK?

December 17, 2018 by narinder

Today we have Jason Daniello from NexGen Surveying to discuss the Phantom 4 Pro RTK accuracy and workflow.

Are they replacing the existing surveying workflow system with the P4 RTK? Does the P4 RTK actually write RTK data to images? Do you really need the base station and internet dongle? All these questions and more answered on today’s episode.

Join us for our first intensive weekend of mapping instruction in the New Year from January 18-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC

Make sure to get yourself the all new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

Become a Drone U Member.

Get your copy of “Livin’ the Drone Life” – //amzn.to/2nalUDH
Get your copy of our Part 107 Study Guide – //amzn.to/2omQatT

Timestamps

[00:25] Paul introduces Jason from NexGen Surveying
[01:00] How are drones incorporated into the workflow at NexGen
[02:23] Jason shares the accuracy he managed to achieve on using the Phantom 4 Pro RTK without GCP’s
[03:12] Is there a huge learning curve when you transition to the Phantom 4 Pro RTK?
[04:11] The Phantom 4 Pro RTK comes with interchangeable batteries
[04:46] Jason shares how you can handle multiple drones with a single remote; Do you need a waiver to operate multiple drones with a single remote?
[05:36] Do you need to use a base station in order to get real time RTK corrections?
[06:52] Factors which affect your ability to get RTK corrections
[07:49] Can you get PPK corrections if you are unable to connect to the RTK network?
[08:31] Do you need a third party software to acquire and and process PPK data?
[08:55] Do you need a dongle to connect to the N trip network? Or, will a WiFi hotspot suffice?
[10:02] Are there any free network sources that you can connect to?
[12:06] Is it advisable to have a paid network subscription when using the Phantom 4 RTK?
[13:12] Given the high accuracy, should you use the Phantom 4 Pro RTK without GCP’s?
[14:21] Legally speaking, is data acquired by Phantom 4 Pro RTK acceptable?
[15:38] When is RTK data being recorded to the EXIF data of the imagery?
[19:11] Is the image acquisition workflow for the Phantom 4 Pro RTK different from a Phantom 4 Pro?
[19:59] Is Jason replacing his Phantom 4’s with the Phantom 4 RTK?
[20:09] Will the Phantom 4 Pro RTK result in considerable time savings?
[20:51] Can you get better accuracy? Is it easier to achieve same accuracy
[21:19] Is it easier to scale your operations with the Phantom 4 Pro RTK?
[22:04] Can you fly orbits with the Phantom 4 RTK?
[23:07] Does the Phantom 4 RTK come with adjustable aperture control?
[23:44] Is Phantom 4 RTK the ultimate surveying tool?

Tags: DJI, drone, FAA, multirotor, p4p, phantom 4 pro, phantom 4 rtk, quadcopter, Safety, surveying, uav

BONUS: Drone News This Week – Mavic Thermal, BVLOS Waiver, Loc8 Search and Rescue Software, Xiaomi’s Fimi X8 SE with Drone DJ

December 14, 2018 by narinder

Paul and Haye are back with some more interesting drone news for this week.

We kickstart this show by sharing an important DJI update. Will DJI come out with a thermal camera for the Mavic 2E on December 17th? We speculate on this important development. Our next story is about Drones for Public Safety. We share how police departments across the nation are setting up drones teams to beef up their public safety efforts.

Will the ability to fly BVLOS finally allow drone deliveries to take flight? Does DJI finally have some worthy competition to contend with? Do new drone offerings from Skydio make it easier to fly over water? This show is loaded with some of the most interesting and exciting drone news from last week. Tune in now!

Join us for our first intensive weekend of mapping instruction in the New Year from January 18-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC

Make sure to get yourself the all new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

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Get your copy of “Livin’ the Drone Life” – //amzn.to/2nalUDH
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Timestamps

[00:23] Paul welcomes Haye to the show
[00:58] Will we see a new DJI product launch next week?
[03:13] Will we be able to use two accessories at the same time on the Mavic 2 Enterprise?
[04:33] Police departments across the nation start resorting to drones for public safety
[06:18] How to utilize “Locate” software for image analysis and object recognition in Search and Rescue
[08:06] Paul explains the image processing workflow in Search and Rescue
[09:36] How can you can access the “Loc8” software?
[11:39] Haye shares some important Osmo Pocket updates
[14:01] Watch this space for some important updates from DOT
[14:56] Will it become easier to get BVLOS waivers?
[17:03] A new, bird-inspired drone launched by RMIT
[19:38] Skydio’s refines its R1 drone
[20:45] Tips and Tricks for safely flying your drone over water
[21:41] Wil Xiaomi’s Fimi X8 SE prove to be worthy competitor to the Mavic Air?

Tags: DJI, drone, drone deliveries, FAA, multirotor, osmo pocket, quadcopter, Safety, skydio, uav, xiaomi

ADU 0920: Can You Harm a Drone Battery If Your Car Turns off While Charging?

December 13, 2018 by narinder

Today’s question is about charging your drone batteries. Is it a problem if your car shuts down while you are charging your drone batteries?

Our caller, Phil has come up with an interesting and highly relevant question today. Should you be worried if your car shuts down as you are charging your drone batteries? We clarify whether you will lose your battery charge, and whether this will shorten your drone battery life. This is a show you do not want to miss. Tune in now!

Join us for our first intensive weekend of mapping instruction in the New Year from January 18-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC

Make sure to get yourself the all new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

Become a Drone U Member.

Get your copy of “Livin’ the Drone Life” – //amzn.to/2nalUDH
Get your copy of our Part 107 Study Guide – //amzn.to/2omQatT

Timestamps

[00:55] Check out the new Drone U landing pads
[02:17] Today’s question is about charging your drone batteries
[03:38] Does your drone battery continue charging if your car shuts down?
[04:12] Will you lose your battery charge if your car shuts down?
[06:10] Is your drone battery life shortened if your car turns off multiple times while charging?
[07:37] Paul shares some information about our forthcoming Drone U courses

Tags: drone, drone battery, FAA, multirotor, quadcopter, Safety, uav

ADU 0919: How to Vet and Correctly Assess the Skill Level of a Drone Pilot

December 12, 2018 by narinder

In today’s show, we share various ways you can correctly assess the skill level of a drone pilot. Is it wise to simply rely on flying hours? If not, which are the other important parameters that you should consider?

Our caller is wondering if flying hours is an accurate indication of flying skills. Rather than the total quantum of flying hours, should you place more importance to the job type? Can monitoring drone flight via apps help you vet a drone pilot?

This show is loaded with some great information that will help organizations and businesses build up drone teams that cater specifically to their requirements. Thanks for the great question. Fly Safe!

Join us for our first intensive weekend of mapping instruction in the New Year from January 18-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC

Make sure to get yourself the all new Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

Become a Drone U Member.

Get your copy of “Livin’ the Drone Life” – //amzn.to/2nalUDH
Get your copy of our Part 107 Study Guide – //amzn.to/2omQatT
Check our in person mapping classes – https://www.thedroneu.com/droneu-events/

Timestamps

[02:00] Does theoretical knowledge translate into good flying skill? Discussing if AUVSI’s TOPS program does a good job of assessing a pilot’s skills
[03:36] Are the rumors about Part 141 drone school regulations true?
[06:14] Today’s show is brought to you by the new Drone U landing pads
[07:55] Today’s question is about vetting a drone pilot
[09:00] Are organizations taking the wrong approach while vetting a drone pilot?
[09:36] What are some ways via which organizations can correctly assess a pilot’s skills?
[09:45] Should organizations monitor if a pilot is flying “high and slow” rather than “low and fast”?
[11:15] Should you give more importance to context and job type rather than flying hours?
[12:10] How can KittyHawk help you assess the skill level of a drone pilot
[16:40] Are all your flight hours logged in the DJI Go App?
[18:27] Paul reads out a review for the recently concluded Accident Reconstruction Training at the NTSB center
[19:15] Is it important for a drone pilot to have and follow a checklist?
[20:44] Does knowing the flight mode and third party application help you assess the skill level of a drone pilot?
[22:11] Should you give more prominence to a pilot’s ability to fly difficult and high pressure jobs?
[23:52] Discussing how the quality of the final deliverable rather than flying hours is the correct metric for vetting a drone pilot
[28:00] Does any pilot deserve 6 grand for flying a battery and a half?
[28:42] A BIG Thank You to everyone who everyone who made the NTSB training such a fun experience

Tags: DJI, drone, drone skills, FAA, flying technique, kittyhawk, multirotor, quadcopter, Safety, uav

ADU 0918: LAANC | How to Get Speedy Airspace Approval

December 5, 2018 by narinder

How Can I Get Speedy Airspace Approval Using LAANC?

In today’s show we answer your LAANC questions. What factors should you watch out for while getting your LAANC approval? Is there any way to shorten the approval process?

Paul and Josh team up yet again to answer some commonly asked questions pertaining to LAANC. Which is the best app to get your LAANC approval? How long will it take you? We also share how you can speed up the approval process for non-LAANC airports.

While wrapping up this informative show, we discuss if the introduction of DJI’s GEO V 2.0 will lead to greater restrictions for drone pilots. Tune in now, and Fly Safe!

Join us for our first intensive weekend of mapping instruction in the New Year from January 18-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC

Make sure to get yourself a Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

Become a Drone U Member.

Get your copy of “Livin’ the Drone Life” – //amzn.to/2nalUDH
Get your copy of our Part 107 Study Guide – //amzn.to/2omQatT

Timestamps

[01:41] Today’s question is about getting airspace approval using LAANC
[02:51] Which is the best app to get your LAANC approval?
[03:25] What information does the KittyHawk app collate?
[05:02] Are there a lot of airports which are not available on the LAANC system?
[06:26] How can Drone U help you to learn about airspace?
[07:41] How long does it take to get authorization via LAANC?
[07:50] How long will it take you to avail authorization for non-LAANC aiports? Will going through the DroneZone portal speed up the entire process?
[09:15] How to unlock red zone on your drone
[09:44] DJI launches its new geofencing system, GEO V 2.0

Tags: airspace approval, DJI, drone, FAA, geofencing, laanc, multirotor, quadcopter, Safety, uav

ADU 0917: How to Implement Comprehensive Drone Mapping Workflow by Learning the Smallest Nuances of RTK and PPK GPS

December 4, 2018 by narinder

In today’s show, Paul and Josh team up to discuss comprehensive drone mapping workflow. You will learn about the minutest nuances of RTK and PPK GPS which will help you implement the correct workflow for acquiring survey grade data.

Drone pilots often come to us with questions pertaining to RTK and PPK GPS. Does a RTK drone mean that you will end up using RTK GPS? Do you need to connect to a network in order to remove ellipsoid error? We discuss if the newly launched Phantom 4 RTK will indeed shorten your mapping workflow.

Can you really do away with GCPs when using Phantom 4 RTK? Paul and Josh dive down the rabbit hole and share the smallest nuances. You will also learn how to correctly use Propeller Aeropoints for setting GCPs in drone mapping. This short episode is loaded with value guaranteed to give you the competitive advantage. Tune in now! Fly Safe!

Join us for our first intensive weekend of mapping instruction in the New Year from January 18-20, 2019 in Charleston, SC

Make sure to get yourself a Drone U landing pad!

Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/.

Get your copy of “Livin’ the Drone Life” – //amzn.to/2nalUDH
Get your copy of our Part 107 Study Guide – //amzn.to/2omQatT

Become a Drone U Member.

Timestamps

[00:54] In today’s show we learn about PPK and RTK GPS in order to implement correct drone mapping workflow
[02:03] Does a RTK drone mean that you will be able to use RTK GPS?
[02:51] "]What is terrestrial RTK GPS?
[03:31] Do you need internet connectivity when using RTK GPS in order to remove ellipsoid error?
[04:31] What is a geiod error?
[04:51] What is PPK GPS, and what is the workflow for using PPK GPS?
[06:02] Will you be able to connect to a network and provide corrections when using a RTK drone?
[06:58] Learn why elevation error or Z axis error is the most difficult to correct
[07:23] Should you use Propellor Aeropoints for setting GCP’s in drone mapping?
[08:34] Can you conduct drone mapping without GCP’s when using Phantom 4 RTK?
[09:43] Do you need checkpoints in drone mapping?
[11:07] Can you shorten your workflow with the Phantom 4 RTK?
[12:06] Does the Phantom 4 RTK provide excellent value for money?
[13:20] Paul sums up today’s episode