It’s not hard to grab a drone today. For as little as $170 one can buy a drone that shoots 4K video. When thinking about using drone footage for your business, this opportunity seems like a great option. After all, flying drones is so fun! However, as fun as they are, drone flying comes with its own set of rules and safety concerns that make hiring a licensed pilot the smart way to go.
First, the FAA has made a regulation that any commercial drone pilot must have a Part 107 license. That is, if you plan on making money off your footage, you need to have this license.
What is the Part 107?
The FAA made a great effort to work with the drone industry and create a set of regulations that keeps the airspace safe and still allows for drone activity. While some people may feel the restrictions are annoying, they are actually very open and welcoming to drone pilots. They ensure a set of easy to follow rules that keep pilots confident and people safe.
To get a license drone pilots must know these clear regulations on drone operation, understand airspace (such as airports, military and other restricted areas), weather patterns, communication channels and information networks.
Practice
While you don’t need to be a licensed professional to get practice in, licensed pilots are typically practiced in emergency procedures for such events as weather, aircraft becoming disconnected from controller and what to look for in terms of flight paths and possible on site dangers. Not to mention all those really cool camera moves and framing that make your videos and photos stand out!
Flying in Restricted Airspace
Occasionally something video and photo worthy will be found in restricted airspace. While an unlicensed pilot will be unable to fly in these spaces, a licensed pilot will be able to communicate with the FAA to request permission to fly in restricted areas. Permission ensures that your production will go through without unnecessary interruption from authorities.
And finally, a licensed pilot should also come with insurance. A license doesn’t automatically mean an insured pilot, but this is something worth asking about when hiring a drone pilot for your project. Insurance adds extra protection to any aerial shoot involving people and property from unplanned events such as malfunctions, weather, and fly aways.
Curious about drone for your project please reach out!
For fun, here are a couple resources for further exploration into aerial video and photography:
http://thedronegirl.com/