Justin Moore, owner/chief pilot, Airborne Aerial Photography in Texas, gets ready for an assignment. [Courtesy: Jason Moore]
Key Takeaways:
Drones have transitioned from perceived "toys" to indispensable professional tools, offering unique aerial perspectives and access to challenging environments across various sectors.
Their diverse applications include enhancing marketing (e.g., real estate), supporting environmental conservation (e.g., wildfire reforestation, wildlife studies), improving public safety operations, and revolutionizing media production.
Successful commercial drone operation demands rigorous training, adherence to FAA regulations, skillful piloting, and navigating common challenges like technical issues, public misconceptions, and the need for proactive client acquisition.
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.
