Justin Moore, owner/chief pilot, Airborne Aerial Photography in Texas, gets ready for an assignment. [Courtesy: Jason Moore]
Key Takeaways:
Drones have evolved from perceived toys into indispensable commercial tools, significantly impacting industries such as real estate, environmental restoration, public safety, and media.
Their primary value lies in providing unique aerial perspectives, accessing difficult or dangerous terrains, enhancing safety, and improving efficiency for diverse tasks like mapping, surveillance, and visual storytelling.
Despite widespread adoption and utility, commercial drone operators frequently encounter challenges including navigating complex regulations, managing public misconceptions, and the critical need for continuous skill development beyond just owning a drone.
In 2016, ground schools started popping up for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), commonly referred to as “drones.”
Most of the learners would show up to these because they planned to use drones for their businesses, and it was understood that soon the FAA would be requiring a pilot certificate beyond the Section 333 Authorization for commercial operations.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
