25 August 2025

By Adrian Sarraff

I'm a professional drone pilot and founder of Cybr Drones LLC, based in South Florida. My passion for photography began long before my drone career took flight—I’ve been capturing images since 2007, focusing much of my early work on street scenes and architectural photography. Photography for me has always been about storytelling and finding new perspectives. That passion eventually intersected with technology, and together they pushed me into a field I could never have imagined would become my career.

In 2013, I got my hands on the original DJI Phantom 1, a simple white quadcopter that required me to strap a GoPro action camera to its base. At the time, I didn’t realize how revolutionary that moment would be. Suddenly, I had the ability to capture the world from above—rooftops, skylines, and landscapes that were once impossible to photograph.

As a hobbyist living in Fort Lauderdale, I was drawn to the beauty of South Florida’s sunrises. Every morning, I wake up before dawn, head to the beach, and launch my drone just in time to watch the sun break over the Atlantic Ocean. Those golden skies and the glow over the east coast inspired me daily. For me, drone flying became much more than a hobby—it was an artistic outlet, a way to combine my technical interests with my creativity.

At the time, my professional career was in Information Technology. I worked as a system administrator for a manufacturing company in Miami, troubleshooting systems, maintaining networks, and ensuring up time for critical operations. Outside of work, I had another passion: competitive gaming. Traveling to large events, I competed against some of the best players in the country.

When I look back, it’s clear that my lifelong passion for technology, whether through IT, gaming, or gadgets—was always preparing me for drone piloting. You could say I’ve always been a “tech nerd.” Drones allowed me to merge these worlds: technical precision, visual storytelling, and the adrenaline of competition, all in one pursuit.

When the Covid 19 pandemic hit, life changed for everyone. My company, like many others, cut back on its workforce. My position was eliminated. Instead of letting it defeat me, I saw it as an opportunity. For the first time, I decided to chase my passion full-time rather than remain just another employee.

I began offering my skills as a real estate photographer. I worked with local Realtors, providing professional-quality photos of their listings. Real estate photography pushed me to improve not just my shooting but also my editing skills and business communication. Realtors needed fast turnaround times, so I mastered efficient post-production workflows to deliver polished images quickly.

Marketing myself was another challenge as I spent months visiting hundreds of real estate offices, handing out business cards and flyers. I often offered the first photoshoot free as a way to build relationships and prove my value. Over time, this effort paid off—I built a solid reputation in the South Florida real estate community.

But I quickly realized that in South Florida’s competitive real estate industry, standing out required more than just ground-level photography. Realtors needed something extra to make their listings pop. That “something” was aerial photography. I invested in a new drone—the DJI Mavic 2 Pro—which offers professional-grade aerial imaging.

From there, I knew I needed to go all-in. To fly commercially, I studied for and passed the FAA Part 107 exam, officially becoming a licensed drone pilot in March 2023. Shortly after, I upgraded to the DJI Mavic 3, which became my daily workhorse. With these tools, I was ready to expand my business beyond real estate.

One day, a friend working at a construction company asked me to capture images of a concrete pour on the 35th floor of a hotel in Miami. That single request opened my eyes to a new world of possibilities. I realized drones could do far more than showcase homes—they could document construction progress, capture marketing visuals for corporations, and provide data through aerial mapping.

In May 2023, I officially launched Cybr Drones LLC. The focus shifted from just real estate photography to comprehensive aerial services for multiple industries. Soon, I was no longer working only with Realtors—I was being contracted by major corporations and construction companies.

Some of the clients I’ve had the privilege to work with include:

• Florida Power & Light (FPL)
• Moss Construction
• KAST Construction
• Beauchamp Construction

These partnerships allowed me to scale up operations, managing multiple job sites across the state of Florida.

At Cybr Drones, I’ve grown beyond basic photography to provide a full suite of aerial solutions, including:

• Real Estate Photography & Videography – High-quality listing images, cinematic video tours, and aerial views to help properties stand out.
• Construction Progress Monitoring – Routine aerial updates for contractors, project managers, and investors to visualize milestones and track site development.
• Photogrammetry & Mapping – Accurate aerial mapping, 3D modeling, and volumetric analysis for construction and land development projects.
• FPV Flythroughs – Using agile drones like the DJI Avata 2, I create immersive first-person view videos for marketing, showcasing interiors, showrooms, or construction sites in dynamic ways.
• 360° Virtual Tours – Interactive walkthroughs of properties and job sites for marketing and documentation.
• Lifestyle & Boating Photography – Capturing the boating culture, wildlife, and waterfront lifestyle that makes South Florida unique.
• Social Media Content Creation – Short-form video reels, aerial storytelling, and action shots tailored for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

By expanding into these areas, Cybr Drones has become more than a photography service—it’s a creative aerial solutions provider.

To keep pace with client needs, I’ve invested in a diverse fleet of drones and technology. My arsenal includes the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, known for its powerful imaging capabilities, and the DJI Avata 2, perfect for FPV cinematic flythroughs. These tools allow me to approach each project with flexibility, whether it’s capturing real estate listing, surveying a job site, or producing cinematic videos.

What started as a hobby with a strapped-on GoPro has grown into a thriving business that continues to evolve. Today, Cybr Drones LLC stands as a testament to what passion, persistence, and innovation can achieve across all industries. From real estate agents to multi-million-dollar construction firms, clients trust me to deliver visuals that inspire, inform, and impress. Looking ahead, I plan to expand Cybr Drones’ footprint even further, offering specialized drone services across Florida and beyond, while continuing to innovate in visual storytelling, aerial data collection, and marketing solutions.

My journey has been anything but ordinary. From IT systems and competitive gaming to chasing sunrises over Fort Lauderdale, every step led me here. Drones gave me a way to merge creativity, technology, and business into one. What began as an escape became a calling—and now, through Cybr Drones, I get to share that passion with every client I serve.

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