Ask Drone U

Latest Episodes:

ADU 01223: Drone Rules and Regulations – How to Correctly Interpret Them Oct 14, 2021

Show notes

Drone Rules and Regulations - How to Interpret Them and Effectively Communicate with Law Enforcement Officers Today's show is about drone rules and regulations, and how to correctly interpret them. Our caller for today, Donald if in a fix. He wants to be a responsible, law-abiding drone pilot. But like many, he is confused by the airspace regulation language that is open to multiple interpretations. You will learn how to perform an intelligent risk/reward assessment so that you can determine when (and when not) to push the envelope. You will learn how to have meaningful and more effective conversations with law enforcement officers in today's show. If you are also finding yourself flummoxed by the airspace laws, going through our Drone Advocacy Kit will surely help you out. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:09] Today's question is about the drone rules and regulations, and how they are susceptible to multiple interpretations [04:58] How are local authorities enforcing drone laws? [06:30] Should you push the envelope when it comes to drone regulations? Learn how to conduct a risk/reward assessment [08:12] How can Drone U help you communicate more effectively with law enforcement authorities? Check out our Drone Pilot Advocacy Kit today! [11:22] Flying responsibly and doing your bit for safer skies

BONUS: From Weekend Flying to Flying Drones for Amazon – How I Did it with Kevin Lederer Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

How to Land Your Dream Contracts and Cash in MASSIVE profits from your Drone Business On today's show, we have Drone U student, Kevin Lederer who shares with us his exact success formula using which he landed his dream drone job with Amazon. Some years back, Kevin was sitting where you are right now - flying drones on the weekend, and doing a full-time job that he did not exactly love. He did not have the skills or any prior business background , or anything related to this current success. However, he did have the creativity, and the drive, and the will to make something happen. Kevin started taking small gigs while working his full-time job. He started off by flying drones for real estate, and over time, he moved to complex, more lucrative jobs. And eventually he landed his dream job with Amazon. On today's show, you will get some a roadmap to owning a successful drone business. Topics discussed include pricing and scaling strategies, the importance of building a network, and how to pitch your drone services to construction industries. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [02:00] Kevin's background information [08:49] From hobby flying to owning a commercial drone business - how did Kevin make the transition? [12:08] Flying drones for residential and commercial real estate [14:08] If you are an aspiring or inexperienced drone pilot, Kevin has some great information to help you out [16:35] Drones in construction - Using drones for prepping construction progression projects and ensuring site safety [17:27] Kevin's big WIN - learn how he landed the Amazon contract [24:36] Why building relationships is crucial to running a stable, successful drone business [33:36] How to manage a full-time job and scale your drone business on the side - Kevin shares his own experience [37:03] Building an in-house drone team vs. hiring DSP's - what is the best option for construction companies? [44:51] How to avoid underpricing your services, and get paid what you rightly deserve [54:45] How to build and leverage a remote workforce to grow and scale your drone business [59:23] Some parting wisdom from Kevin

ADU 01222: How to Recover Lost Pointcloud Data in Pix4D Oct 08, 2021

Show notes

How to Prevent Data Loss and Recover Lost Pointcloud Data in Pix4D Today's show is about processing your drone mapping data. Specifically, we talk about recovering pointcloud data in Pix4D. Our caller for today, Martin, is unable to recover pointcloud data in Pix4D, and would like to know the best way forward. We reveal the exact Pix4D workflow to help Martin out. If you are a drone mapper frustrated with data loss, today's show will particularly help you out. Tune in now! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [00:39] Today's show is about processing your drone mapping data, and recovering pointclouds in Pix4D [02:03] Question for today [03:00] The exact workflow for recovering lost pointclouds in Pix4D [03:13] What are some of the possible reasons for the loss of data? [03:51] Drone U recommended workflow for avoiding data loss

BONUS: How to Build a Lucrative Drone Mapping Business with Stable, Recurring Revenues with Tom Powers Oct 06, 2021

Show notes

Drone U Instructor, Tom Powers Opens Up His Business Playbook - Tune in to Learn How to Grow and Scale Your Drone Business by Executing Incredibly Lucrative Residential Mapping Projects Today’s show is a special one as we have Drone U Instructor, Tom Powers sharing with us his distilled wisdom on drone mapping, and growing and scaling a drone business. You will learn how demand for drone mapping has gone through the roof in recent times. Specifically, we talk about a specific drone use case within this niche – large residential projects in today’s show. Tom reveals the exact workflow that he uses to execute large and extremely lucrative drone mapping projects. From creating progression reports to marketing extremely profitable upsell opportunities to choosing the right drone equipment & applications for building a sustainable drone business with recurring revenues, you will learn a lot in a short time by listening to this show. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:53] Can you take up roof inspection and drone mapping jobs with the DJI Mavic 3? [02:57] The rising demand for drone services for large residential projects [05:55] What processes and milestones are involved in deliverables for residential projects [08:00] Applications and workflow for performing repetitive drone missions [09:18] How to upsell your other services and increase your drone business revenues and profits [10:38] Recommended drones for mapping residential projects [11:43] How long does it typically take to execute a local mapping job? [12:25] Tips that Tom offers pilots looking for grabbing luxury housing development mapping projects

ADU 01221: Drone Mapping Software Alternatives to Pix4D Oct 04, 2021

Show notes

Drone Mapping Software Recommendations - Pix4D vs. Maps Made Easy Today's show is about different drone mapping software alternatives. Pix4D is widely considered the gold standard of drone mapping. But, are there any other options that are equally good yet more affordable? Our caller for today, Christian is wondering if there are any affordable alternatives to Pix4D. To help him out, we discuss another drone mapping software, Maps Made Easy. You will learn about the features and capabilities of Maps Made Easy so that you can easily determine if this mapping software is right for you. If you are a drone mapper looking for affordable yet reliable drone mapping software, this show is for you. Do not miss! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [00:52] The Drone U Community just got even better! Learn all about the #1 drone community today! [02:21] Are you looking for comprehensive training that covers all the technical and commercial aspects of a drone business? Check out Drone U's 7-day training today! [07:02] Today's question is about different drone mapping software alternatives [08:51] About Maps Made Easy and some of its most important features [09:34] Is Maps Made Easy the right mapping software for you? [15:33] What are some alternative drone mapping software to Pix4D and MapsMadeEasy? [17:05] Important drone mapping applications [27:15] Can you encounter compliance issues if you are flying a Skydio 2? [28:52] All the latest developments in the drone mapping industry

ADU 01220: How to Start and Scale a Drone Mapping Business Even if You are on a Tight Budget Sep 29, 2021

Show notes

Getting Started in Drone Mapping, Recommended Mapping Workflows, Pix4D vs. DroneDeploy vs. CaptureReality Today's show is about starting and scaling a drone mapping business even if you are a limited budget. Our caller for today, Brandon wishes to move to drone mapping - an industry vertical which can be incredibly lucrative for drone pilots possessing the right skillsets. But, Brandon wishes to make this foray without making a large upfront capital investment. From data acquisition to processing, we reveal the best drone mapping workflow to help Brandon out. We recommend how you can lower your costs WITHOUT compromising on the quality of your deliverables. Topics discussed today workflow for mapping software like DroneDeploy, Pix4D, and Capture Reality. Additionally, you will learn how to get the most out your computing system so that you can process mapping datasets in the most efficient manner. Thanks for the great question, Brandon. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [00:46] Today's show is about building a successful drone mapping business even if you are on a tight budget [04:36] Drone U Recommended drone mapping workflow for Pix4D desktop [05:33] Processing data on the cloud? We have some great tips to help you out [08:38] How to manage your mapping datasets effectively in DroneDeploy [12:45] Expert tips for creating beautiful, lifelike models in CaptureReality [14:45] Wondering how you can grow and scale your business in a competitive marketplace? Learn how 3D interactive modelling can help you do exactly that [16:11] How to leverage the power of autonomous systems for your drone business

BONUS: How to Accelerate the Success of Your Drone Business with Glenn Labay Sep 25, 2021

Show notes

Drone Business Secrets REVEALED - Interview with Drone U Student, Glenn Labay Today's show is a special one as we interview Glenn Labay of Aerial Camera Services LLC who shares with us his distilled wisdom on growing and scaling a drone business. Glenn, a Drone U student owns a thriving aerial photography and videography business. He reflects back on his entrepreneurial journey and reveals some of the biggest things that have helped him find success. You will learn how to develop advanced flying skills and carve out your own niche in a competitive market. Additionally, Glenn reveals some of his biggest business struggles and how he has managed to overcome them. And towards the end, Glenn shares some interesting details about the different jobs that he currently working on. This is a show you do not want to miss. Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [00:26] Today's show is about growing and scaling a drone business [01:38] Glenn's background information [03:25] How can a drone pilot develop advanced flying skills? [06:00] How to best tackle geofencing issues [08:23] Do you need significant capital investment to create high-quality deliverables? [10:07] How long did it take Glenn to grow and scale his drone business? [11:18] How to get lucrative drone jobs that truly take your business forward [16:01] What is the ONE big challenge that drone pilots typically struggle to overcome? [] How learning the latest in drone technology can catapult you ahead of the competition [22:15] What are some of the jobs that Glenn is currently working on? [24:10] Leveraging experience, and learning from your past mistakes [26:50] Learning to fly like a pro [30:45] Our flight checklist can help you mitigate risk and fly safely [31:46] Is the FAA showing preferential treatment for manned pilots?

ADU 01219: How to Unlock Your DJI Drone, Procure Flight Waivers Sep 23, 2021

Show notes

How to Unlock Your DJI Drone, Get Necessary Flight Waivers (Without Hacking or LAANC) Today's show is about getting flight approvals without going through DJI's application system or LAANC. Our caller for today, Jared, would like to custom hack his DJI drone so that he does not have to deal with DJI red zones. On today's show, we reveal various alternatives to help Jared out. Specifically, you will learn how you can get your authorization through night-time waivers, and DJI certificates. Tune in now! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:10] What is the lawsuit against FAA all about? [10:13] Reasons for supporting Raceday Quads against FAA [12:39] Today's question is about unlocking your DJI drone (without using LAANC) [15:15] Getting wide area authorization through night time authorizations [17:44] Some alternate ways for applying for flight authorization [20:55] Using iTouch to validate DJI certificates

ADU 01218: Buy Enterprise Drone on a Budget Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

How to Buy the Best Enterprise-Level Drone for Mapping and Inspections Without Overshooting Your Budget Today's show is about purchasing the right drone for your business. Can you find a capable enterprise-level drone even if you are a tight budget? Our caller for today, Cody needs help purchasing a good drone for inspections, thermal imaging, and 3D mapping. He wants to create exceptional deliverables for his client without exceeding his budget. That's a tough ask, but certainly not an impossible one. To help Cody out, we discuss the pros and cons of popular enterprise-level drones like the Inspire 2 and Matric 300. You will learn the various things that you need to watch out for when purchasing a new drone. Additionally, you will also learn how excellent skills and experience can successfully fly complex missions even if you don't have the latest, most up-to-date equipment. This is a show you do not want to miss. Thanks for the great question, Cody. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:27] Today's question is about buying the best drone for mapping and inspections [03:38] Can you find a good mapping drone if you are on a tight budget? And, can your skills and experience make up for your lack of the latest equipment? [04:46] Will you incur significantly higher maintenance costs if you are using an enterprise-level drone? [05:12] Will your image resolution significantly differ if you fly farther away? [07:20] Tune in here if you are an Inspire 2 pilot [11:23] Drone U Recommended high configuration thermal camera for the M300 [12:20] How bettering your flying skills can help you grow and scale your drone business [14:11] Why you should never over-rely on your sensors. Never. [15:18] Experience vs. Drone Equipment - which is the single-most-important attribute for a successful drone business?

Show notes

How to License an Image - Inking Contractual Agreements, and How to Handle Violations Today's show is about licensing rights of videos and images and how owners can ensure rights are not violated. Our caller for today, Kent needs help with photography licensing. Specifically, he is wondering how he can enforce the license, and the steps to take in case of violations. On today's show, you will learn about the different kinds of photo licensing agreements, so that you can ink an agreement that suits your purpose to the T. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [00:41] Today's show is about how to license an image [02:05] Red flags to watch out for when prepping your commercial photography contract [03:22] Today's question [06:05] How to enforce your image licensing [07:26] Can one license for internal use only and cons of doing so [11:00] Should you give a perpetual license to a client? [13:55] How image licensing might evolve in the near future [15:14] Why you should always bound your client contractually [19:00] Need help growing and scaling your drone business? Check out our forthcoming courses now!

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