Chapter 1

Finding Your Place in the Sky

IN THIS CHAPTER

Exploring drone piloting

Looking at how drones work

Shopping for a drone

Considering warranties and insurance

As someone who loves nature photography, my purchase of a drone provided a natural extension of seeing the world around me. I remember nervously taking off for the first time, rising into the sky, and seeing the world from a completely different point of view. “I’m flying!” I thought. And that was it; I was hooked!

That first drone flight led to more drone flights, shooting photos and video in many different locations (of course I take my drone on vacation!). Those flights led to a new drone, and then Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification, and then another drone, and then people starting to ask, “Could you take some photos of our house that’s under construction?” and so forth.

Most people sort of fall into a drone piloting career. You start out with a hobby, and the more your hobby grows, the more you may start to think, “Maybe drone piloting could be a career for me.” Whether you’re a committed hobbyist or considering expanding your horizons, this book covers all the essential aspects of drone piloting. From choosing a drone, learning to fly it, studying for the FAA certification exam, and understanding flight rules and safety to pursuing a drone piloting career, you can explore everything you need to know to find your place in the sky.

In this first chapter, you get an overview of drone piloting as both a hobby and a profession. You also delve into how drones work and what you need to know about shopping for and buying a new drone.

Exploring Drone Piloting

As is true of most popular technology, drones, or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), have changed a lot in recent years. Frankly, drones are really good these days. They fly well, have a lot of built-in technology rich with safety features, and their cameras are fantastic. All kinds of drones are designed for different industries and with different purposes in mind. You can buy a drone that will actually fly and take photos and video for under $50. Or, you can spend tens of thousands of dollars for a wide variety of sophisticated drone equipment. The sky is truly the limit, and the drone industry is vast and complex.

Piloting as a hobby

Years ago, my wife said, “You like photography; why not get a drone?” Honestly, I didn’t think much of it at the time. It seemed that every extra dollar always went to some kind of camera or lens for photography at ground level. In fact, I even had a water camera to get some great snorkeling shots. I just didn’t think that much about drones.

But as time went on, I discovered that many drones have very good cameras, and the angles I could capture could give me an entirely new look at the world. So I bought an inexpensive drone and played around. And it was fun. Something about the experience of flying is thrilling. Later, I purchased a prosumer-level drone (a cross between a professional- and consumer-level drone) and started getting serious about capturing great photos and videos. I even took this drone on vacation and shot the details of a coastline cliff. I remember saying to myself, “You would have never captured this footage without the drone.”

My point is that I started out at the hobby level for fun. The odds are good that you started in the same place or are about to start there. For many people, though, this hobby tends to lead to professional considerations.

Piloting as a profession

For me, the turn from hobbyist to professional work began with a simple conversation with a friend who is a building contractor. He said, “You know, it would be great to have some aerial footage of some of my building projects. I could really use those on my website and social media.” That conversation moved me in the direction of taking a hobby to a more professional level. Today, I shoot content for real estate agents, contractors, landscape designers, and a host of individuals who need aerial footage of personal property or events. I enjoy photography, so I stay in that realm with my drone.

However, your story may be different. You may be interested in piloting a drone in a completely different career path. Or you may already work in an industry that uses drones, so it’s natural to think, “If I could pilot in my existing industry, I could advance my career!” That’s not a bad thought.

In fact, drones are used by many different industries (see Figure 1-1), and many drones are even designed for specific industries as well. Here are just a few examples of industries utilizing drone technology today:

• Construction: All kinds of construction projects use drones to get aerial views — from homes, commercial buildings, roads, bridges, and much more.
• Real estate and marketing: Drones are commonly used to shoot aerial content for real estate and related marketing needs.
• Delivery: There is a growing trend and many new trial programs for using drones in package delivery and fulfilling e-commerce orders.
• Law enforcement and public safety: Drones are becoming commonplace in law enforcement, traffic safety, and search and rescue.
• Agriculture: Specific types of drones can be used for all phases of agricultural management.
• Security: Security and surveillance operations often use drones.
• Film: The commercial film industry uses drones and employs them in almost all movies filmed today. Social media influencers also use them frequently in content development.

Note: In case you’re curious, the industry that uses drones the most is real estate. Customers basically expect aerial views of houses, neighborhoods, and properties, so drone pilots are frequently employed for real estate shoots.

If you want to know more details about some specific kinds of drones that are used in specific industries, check out Chapter 19 for some examples.

Should you become a remote pilot?

If you’re a drone hobbyist, you may reach that point where you wonder, “Should I become a professional remote pilot?” Of course, only you can answer that question, but before you ever begin the process of moving toward professional piloting, here are a few things to consider:

• Do you see opportunities? As you think about professional drone piloting, do you see opportunities near you? Do you already know some people who would hire you for some projects? Do you work in an industry that uses drones and do you see a possibility of career advancement?
• Do you like working with people? Here’s a reality: You may enjoy flying your drone for fun and personal enjoyment, but flying professionally means you’ll fly missions for someone else. That in turn means that you’ll need to make other people happy with your work and fly missions that adhere to a set of goals defined by your customer. Does working under these conditions sound enjoyable to you?
• Are you willing to study? In a nutshell, you must have an FAA Part 107 license to do virtually anything at all commercially. Are you willing to study and learn all the rules and regulations that the FAA expects you to know?

Along with the preceding questions, it’s also important to take a hard look at yourself. Effective and safe drone pilots share some common characteristics. Do these sound like you?

• Drone pilots are lifelong learners. Effective drone pilots are always learning something new. The drone industry is about technology, and technology is always changing. Do you enjoy learning and reading about new drone technology, features, and related issues? Do you enjoy applying that new knowledge and putting it to work?
• Drone pilots are methodical. Safe drone pilots always think about safety and use checklists, employ effective methods of organization, and keep their drones in tip-top shape. Are you methodical in your thinking and your actions?
• Drone pilots like to plan. Good drone pilots carefully think through their missions, make notes, and execute plans. Do you like making plans, or are you more impulsive?
• Drone pilots remain calm. As a professional drone pilot, you may have to work with a frustrating client, deal with a frustrating mission, or grapple with things that go wrong during a mission. Good drone pilots remain calm because they know emotions can impact the safety of any mission.
• Drone pilots have good communication skills. Drone pilots may have to communicate with a wide variety of people, even during missions. Are you a clear and concise communicator?
• Drone pilots pay attention to detail. A common aviation term for drone piloting is situational awareness. This means that as a pilot, you’re paying attention not only to your drone but also to the mission parameters and everything else that’s happening in the area you are flying.
• Drone pilots are technically proficient. Safe and effective drone pilots are very good at maneuvering the aircraft and using the remote control...