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26 December 2022
So, you want to become a drone pilot?&nbsp;
Welcome to one of the fastest growing and exciting industries in the world. The industry is absolutely exploding. In the words of Carl Berndtson who organizes The Commercial UAV Expo held in Las Vegas at the beginning of September every year, the drone industry can best be described as &ldquo;Coiled."
When I started The Droning Company in 2020 there were 150,000 drone pilots that had their FAA Part 107 certificates. Two years later, there are over 300,000. According to Research and Markets the demand for drone pilots is expected to grow by 51.1 percent over the next five years.
Being an independent drone operator is a great way to earn a living and there are quite a few hoops you&rsquo;ll have to jump through to get there, but I can promise you the journey will be an exciting one. The first task is to decide what drone to purchase to get you started on your path. There are two lines of thought on this subject. Whether to buy a high-quality drone that you&rsquo;ll be able to use to complete the jobs you&rsquo;ll get or to buy a cheap throw away drone and learn to fly it first. Let me take a few minutes of your time to relay my experience to help you make this choice.
<h5>Deciding Which Drone to Buy</h5>
Once I&rsquo;d made my decision to become a drone operator and I&rsquo;d talked to other pilots in the know, I opted to jump right in and purchase the hot, new, (at the time), top of the line consumer drone which was the DJI Mavic Pro 2. The day it arrived I watched a couple of videos on YouTube on how to calibrate it and then after excitedly unboxing my new drone, I powered it up to try it out in my back garden. On my first attempt I almost dunked it in the swimming pool, reversed it into one of my pygmy palm trees, and then proceeded to plow it straight into my back door. Luckily, all I suffered were a couple of broken propellers, but my lesson had been learned. I needed to know what the hell I was doing before I decided to fly this thing again. The next day I took it to a local park and very carefully, in tripod mode, (the slowest setting) learned to take it off, land it and get a feel for the controls.&nbsp;
This was not to be the last time I had a mishap with the drone. Once I&rsquo;d got reasonably proficient with flying it, and being over confident, I decided to turn off the radar avoidance feature to be able to fly between some trees and subsequently crashed it again. This time the damage was more serious, but luckily, I&rsquo;d purchased DJI Care Refresh, so the drone was replaced. Back then, there were not a lot of options, but nowadays drone technology has come a long way, and you can purchase a drone for a few hundred dollars so you can really get to master flying it before you upgrade to a more professional model. I would advise going with this route because without fail you are going to have a few accidents in the beginning.
<h5>Rules and Regulations</h5>
So now you&rsquo;re the proud owner of a professional grade drone and want to get started on your journey of making a living doing what you love.
Not so fast!&nbsp;
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/nXm4GWQUxWGA0dotqdetItLWbJcHCN8LzI7ebhDx.jpg" alt="" width="283" height="212" />
Firstly, if your drone is 0.55 pounds or more you have to register it with the FAA. This costs $5.00 and you can register it here: <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://faadronezone-access.faa.gov/#/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://faadronezone-access.faa.gov/#/</a>
Even if you want to fly your drone just for recreational use as a hobby and not for capital gain, the FAA requires you to pass The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST). This is free of charge, but you will have to do some studying first. You can find more info here:&nbsp; <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers/knowledge_test_updates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers/knowledge_test_updates</a>
If you are planning to go out a professional drone pilot and charge for your services, you must, without fail, obtain your FAA Part 107 Commercial Drone Pilots License. If you get caught flying for profit without this certification the fines can range from $10,000 upwards. As more and more drones become available on the market, and they become more readily available, it is only common sense to know what you are doing. Flying where you are not meant to be can have severe if not fatal consequences.
To pass this test is going to take at least 20 hours of serious study and The Droning Company highly recommends that you take an online course with such institutions as <a href="https://www.warren.edu/drones/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Warren County Community College</a>, <a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/blog/embry-riddle-helps-drone-pilots-meet-the-needs-of-a-changing-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Embry Riddle</a>, or <a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/blog/droneversity-teaches-drone-skills-and-expands-career-options-for-all" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Droneversity</a>.
Some of the requirements to obtain a Part 107 are:
You must be at least 16 years old.
Be able to read, speak and write English.
Be in a physical and mental condition to safely fly a drone.
<h5>Watch for More FAA Info</h5>
<iframe style="width: 674px; height: 379px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lw5LqRIIoiQ" width="674" height="379" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Once you have completed the necessary study you need to make an appointment with an FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center, <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://faa.psiexams.com/faa/login" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://faa.psiexams.com/faa/login</a> and turn up with a government issued ID. The test costs a flat fee of $175.
Once you have passed your test you will be issued a temporary certificate till you receive your permanent one in the mail. Every two years, you will need to take a Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent Test, <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/CourseLanding.aspx?cID=677" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/CourseLanding.aspx?cID=677</a>, which is free of charge and you must also notify any change of address to the FAA within 30 days of moving.
<h5>Let&rsquo;s Limit Liability</h5>
As you can probably imagine, flying a drone comes with a litany of risks as sometimes flights take place in areas with many obstacles. It&rsquo;s a responsible drone pilot&rsquo;s job to mitigate these risks through a variety of methods available to them. Getting drone insurance is essential. Although it is not mandatory by law most clients that hire our pilots insist on them having insurance in case of an accident and again this is just common sense. The last thing you want is to become entangled in a lawsuit because your drone has damaged some property or seriously injured someone. The Droning Company recommends <a href="https://www.moreton.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morton &amp; Company </a>for their fast and affordable service. Drone insurance can be purchased by the day for around $25, or around $500 for the year for a small drone.
<h5>Ready To Rock</h5>
Now you have your Part 107 and are ready to start your new career. At this point you need to decide on what aspect of the drone industry you want to be a part of. There are so many avenues available it&rsquo;s mind boggling. There are myriad ways for drone pilots to make income such as real estate, roofing and solar panel inspections, cell tower inspections, movie and commercial making, FPV drones, search &amp; rescue, the oil and gas industry, 3D mapping, LIDAR, thermal, advertising, construction, security, teaching, Part 107 lessons, event filming, agriculture, selling drone footage, powerline, and golf course and insurance inspections, as well as countless others.
With the exception of FPV drones most of these jobs can be accomplished by most of the commercial drones on the market today. As with any business, it is always worthwhile to have a plan to grow your fledgling drone enterprise. Doing jobs for real estate agents and roofing contractors can bring you around $2,000 a week, but having a plan to take some courses in LIDAR, 3D Mapping, or Thermal&mdash;and with the purchase of some of the necessary equipment&mdash;you could end up getting jobs that would bring you $2,000 per day.
<h5>FPV Drones</h5>
I excluded FPV, (First Person View), drones because these are a completely different animal. I&rsquo;m sure you&rsquo;ve all seen the wild footage on Instagram and YouTube of these pilots wearing racing goggles flying their drones at insane speeds through abandoned factories or screaming down the side of a mountain. These are FPV drones, and FPV pilots are considered to be the rock-star mavericks of the drone industry. Unlike a standard commercial drone which will just hover until you tell it to do something else, an FPV drone needs to be constantly joggled just to keep it in the air. They take hours of training on a simulator to learn how to control, but the final footage obtained can be spectacular.
Originally FPV drones were started by drone-racing hobbyists, more often than not, being built from the ground up by the pilots themselves. But with the advent of the movie Red Notice starring The Rock, where an FPV pilot was hired to film the crazed footage of the chase scenes, FPV drone skills are in high demand. They are used to film sporting events, car commercials, movies, and even real estate.&nbsp; This is another avenue to consider in deciding what sort of drone pilot you want to become.
<h5>Final Thoughts</h5>
The UAV industry is one of the fastest-growing in the world&mdash;no less the United States. If you are considering becoming a drone pilot, whether it be for recreation or a career path, then you should be prepared for a very fluid industry, jam-packed with plenty of opportunity and change.
You should also consider signing up to become a member of The Droning Company. Gain access to drone jobs via our online job board and build a pilot profile that you can use as a resume and portfolio for jobs you want not listed on our website.
Good luck and happy flying!
<h5>Learn More</h5>
How to Find Drone Jobs:&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/blog/how-to-find-drone-jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thedroningcompany.com/blog/how-to-find-drone-jobs</a>

How to Become a Drone Pilot Now

19 December 2022
By Stuart Smith, CEO, The Droning Company
If you have decided to explore the option to become a drone pilot you&rsquo;ve made a great decision. The industry is absolutely exploding. In the words of Carl Berndtson&mdash;who organizes The Commercial UAV Expo held in Las Vegas at the beginning of September every year&mdash;the drone industry can best be described as &ldquo;Coiled."
When I started The Droning Company in 2020, there were 150,000 drone pilots that had their FAA Part 107 certificates. Two years later, there are more than 300,000. According to Research and Markets, the demand for drone pilots is expected to grow by 51.1 percent over the next five years.
Before I explain how to find the high-paying drone jobs out there, let me talk a bit about the many avenues this industry offers and how to get started on this exciting path. Drones are literally taking over nearly every industry there is.&nbsp;
The number-one hirer of commercial drone pilots in the country is roofing contractors. Before drones came along, they had to send a couple of people up onto the roof to photograph it, and laboriously take dimensions&mdash;one person holding the end of a tape measure while the other precariously reeled it out and wrote down the measurements.
This was not only time consuming but dangerous.&nbsp;
Nowadays, they hire a drone pilot who flies it over the roof for 15 minutes. The craft not only takes high-quality video and photographs, but also collects all the measurements accurate to within half a millimeter. Roofing inspections by drone generally cost between $200 to up to $650, when you get into thermal inspections.
Secondly, there are real-estate agents who hire pilots to fly around the neighborhood, then spiral into a house. The pilots will sometimes use the drone with its steady-cam gimbal to photograph the interior, or actually fly an FPV drone through the house to get a very unique view of the property. Drone shoots for realtors cost from $150 for basic filming, and up to $1,000, if you also have to edit and produce a finished video. Photoshop and video-editing skills are a must for any drone pilot. Again, these are general figures. Your final quote will be based on the location, the type of real estate, and the logistics involved.
New trends taking off&mdash;much to the benefit of drone pilots&mdash;are scattering ashes and baby-reveal parties. With the purchase of a distribution system such as <a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/blog/stork-plate-revolutionizes-drone-delivery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Stork Plate</a>&mdash;which was originally designed to drop a fishing lure further than the angler could cast&mdash;you can get into this very lucrative market. This inexpensive piece of equipment is basically a box that sits below the drone that is filled with the departed loved-one&rsquo;s ashes. On a cue from the pilot, the box will open and release the ashes over the desired location.
The other fashionable trend is that people hire a drone pilot to fly over a baby gender-reveal party and drop pink or blue confetti from the drone to show whether it&rsquo;s a boy or a girl. Be advised though that the FAA frowns upon dropping anything from a drone, so even though you may be only releasing confetti, it might be a good idea to mark off an area that people are not allowed in. Ashes scattering and baby-reveal parties generally pay about $500.
As I stated earlier, drones are becoming more and more involved with nearly every industry there is. As opposed to hiring a helicopter and pilot for $35,000 a day, movie and television commercial makers are employing independent drone pilots for $2,000 a day to do the same job. Also, when filming wildlife for nature documentaries, a drone can get much closer without scaring the animals. If you&rsquo;re familiar with how a drone flies, you can see the evidence of this in nearly every aerial shot on Netflix.
Apart from the previous opportunities stated, there are myriad other ways for drone pilots to make income, such as cell tower inspections, search and rescue, the oil and gas industry, 3D mapping, LIDAR, advertising, construction, security, teaching, Part 107 lessons, event filming, agriculture, and selling drone footage, as well as powerline, golf course, and insurance inspections. You just have to find your niche and get your name out there.
A few more points that I&rsquo;d like to put in your mind before I get into the subject of finding drone jobs are as follows:
While attending <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/blog/fravel-s-footnote-commercial-uav-expo-day-one-" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Commercial UAV Expo</a>&nbsp;in Las Vegas this year, Chris Fravel&mdash;our resident drone expert&mdash;was interviewing Brett Kanda, the VP of sales and marketing for <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-vovcjE2KM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brinc Drones</a>. When he was asked what advice he would give fledgling drone pilots wanting to get into the commercial drone market, his answer was very interesting. He said to focus far less on the piloting aspect, because the way drone technology is advancing more and more operations are becoming autonomous. Instead, he advised pilots to take courses and become experts in LIDAR, 3D mapping, thermal, remote sensing, and GIS. If you&rsquo;re come to the table saying you just want to fly drones&mdash;well, that has a shelf life. If any of you reading this decide to take this route, we highly recommend <a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/blog/best-online-drone-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Warren County Community College</a>&nbsp;for their online courses.
Another thing to bear in mind is expansion of your drone business. When a pilot sets up a profile on The Droning Company, I generally give them a call to ask how they found out about us, and advise them how they can improve their profile to get more work. I also like to chat about the industry in general. I find the smart drone pilots&mdash;and, let&rsquo;s face it, most of them are, as they have to pass their FAA Part 107 in the first place&mdash;are not simply planning to do roofing and real estate jobs for the rest of their lives. They are saving their money or contacting drone-friendly finance companies such as <a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/blog/best-drone-funding-company" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amerifund</a> and purchasing the more advanced enterprise drones with LIDAR sensors or 3D cameras and moving into markets whereby they can earn anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 a day.
<h5>How To Find Drone Jobs!</h5>
Back in 2020, after the release of the fifth album by my band Heaven &amp; Earth, our planned world tour was cancelled due to COVID. Having a young daughter to support, I thought I couldn&rsquo;t sit around for a year-and-a-half doing nothing. As I&rsquo;d been flying drones for a couple of years&mdash;basically just for my own enjoyment&mdash;I decided to go out as a pilot myself. After talking to other pilots and looking at some of the online job agencies out there, I was shocked by the amount of commission they were taking. They were paying drone pilots $70 to do a job for which they were getting paid $300 or more. Admittedly, it was the fault of the younger pilots who were bidding lower and lower to get the job, but I thought it was a grossly unfair practice, and, in my opinion, devaluing the industry in general. This is when I came up with the idea for The Droning Company.
At The Droning Company we charge drone pilots $10 a month to create a profile on our page, which is searchable by potential clients. There's a $20 discount if you pay for the entire year in advance. When one of these clients finds the pilot that suits their needs, they click &ldquo;Contact,&rdquo; and, after confirming their email address, they are able to contact the pilot directly, thereby letting the pilot make his own deal. This way, if we only manage to get you one job in the entire year, it more than pays for your entire subscription.
<h5>How To Set Up a Profile.</h5>
We have made this as easy as possible for you. Just follow these simple steps.
&bull; Go to our main page and click on &ldquo;Join the Team.&rdquo;
&bull; Click on &ldquo;Sign up as a pilot.&rdquo;
&bull; Agree to the terms and conditions.
&bull; Enter your email address.
&bull; Confirm your email address.
&bull; Enter your first and last name, email and phone number and create a password.
&bull; Let us know where you heard about us.
&bull; Decide whether you&rsquo;d like to pay the $10 a month, or sign up for a year, and then enter your credit card info.
&bull; This will take you to the dashboard where you enter all your info, (We advise doing this on a laptop as opposed to a phone.)
&bull; Upload a headshot. People like to see who they&rsquo;re doing business with.
&bull; Select your specialties. Some clients will search our database by &ldquo;Specialty,&rdquo; so if you haven&rsquo;t done a real-estate job but feel ready to do so, then add that as one of yours. Obviously, don&rsquo;t add something like 3D Mapping if you don&rsquo;t have the equipment or the experience.
&bull; Write a bit about yourself, your experience, flight time, etc. Don&rsquo;t just put &ldquo;Pilot Part 107." This could make the difference between them hiring you, or the pilot five miles up the road.
&bull; Upload a JPEG of your Part 107 certificate. This will not be visible to the public.
&bull; Add photos of your equipment. Hint: Rather than take your own photos of your equipment just go to Amazon and take a screenshot and add those.
&bull; Add your locations. This is very important, as we work off Google maps, so put your hometown in first. Then, if you&rsquo;re willing to travel 100 miles for a job, add locations within a 100-mile radius of your home town.
<h5>Check Out this Video to See How to Add Locations</h5>
<iframe style="width: 665px; height: 374px;" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UmXHsTJ7kPI" width="665" height="374" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&bull; Add links to two or three of your best video work. Please make them at least a minute and a half, as we feature one of our pilot's video reels on our home page every week.
&bull; Upload a few of your best landscape style photographs. They have to be 2MB or less, so you may need to resize them.
A good pilot profile is essential to getting work, so take your time and make sure you have filled in all the relevant information before you upload it.
Here are a couple of what we consider to be good pilot profiles, so you may want to copy their formats.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/huzgLytPkTkCTlcpVupw9i5zlhUUAzIWw8aIsFTk.jpg" alt="" width="231" height="130" />
<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/pilot/jeffrey-z-carney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thedroningcompany.com/pilot/jeffrey-z-carney</a>
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/07VSo6ntEsfLWWMymeibVEXb9KL338FYgqslkkAW.jpg" alt="" width="234" height="234" />
<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/pilot/andrew-mcgibbon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thedroningcompany.com/pilot/andrew-mcgibbon</a>
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/Z6uLzb6dD0LuV392NjPcEFe6KXeBQ3N7arJSxrz8.jpg" alt="" width="233" height="414" />
<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/pilot/timothy-brazzel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.thedroningcompany.com/pilot/timothy-brazzel</a>
Once you have your profile completed, don&rsquo;t stop there. Network with other drone pilots in your area by searching for them on our site and contacting them. You may find they pass on a job to you they can&rsquo;t fulfill because they&rsquo;re double booked, or recommend you to clients.&nbsp;
Also, join up with drone networking platforms such as <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="http://www.droneconnects.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.droneconnects.com</a> which is free to join and introduce yourself.&nbsp; Post a link to your profile on The Droning Company on it.&nbsp; You&rsquo;ll find there are members on there who will reach out to other pilots to pick up jobs they can&rsquo;t do.
We wish you luck in your chosen profession, and if you have any questions, or if there&rsquo;s anything we can do to help, please feel free to send us an email at <a href="mailto:info@thedroningcompany.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">info@thedroningcompany.com</a>.
&nbsp;

How To Find Drone Jobs

Founders Column

Interviews

CEO and Founder of The Droning Company | Stuart Smith

I have spent most my life playing guitar around the world with numerous bands&mdash;for the last decade and a half with my own group, Heaven &amp; Earth. I was bitten by the drone bug about three years ago, and I bought myself a Mavic Pro 2&mdash;mainly just for the fun of it. But then COVID hit, our world tour was cancelled, and I was supporting a teenage daughter, so I needed to create a secondary source of income. I decided to produce a website called The Droning Company (a play on Elon Musk&rsquo;s The Boring Company) to showcase my own amateur drone footage. However, after seeing the amazing work that way more qualified pilots than I could ever hope to be, were doing, I decided to change direction and do something I actually knew about.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/cdn/JGo7Xmw4mqHIKk65livlAVyLF4yKSbjlRlj1uCP8.jpg" alt="" width="360" height="480" />
With my daughter Sophia Stormy
Seeing that there was a gap in the market, I decided to start a job agency to find work for all of the amazing pilots out there. After much thought and discussion amongst other drone pilots, I decided to not only make The Droning Company a job agency, but to also incorporate a high-end online magazine dedicated to the rapid changes happening within the droning industry.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/cdn/gDzkMVjLk1ez1TELaF63rexSkUQoipP1pxoP9nS1.jpg" alt="" width="278" height="480" />
Stuart and Steven Tyler
Now, for those of you who know what you&rsquo;re doing in this arena, you may want to leave this column right now, as what I have to say is strictly for the uninitiated.
After excitedly unboxing my Mavic Pro 2, I powered it up to try it out in my back garden. I almost dunked it in the swimming pool, reversed it into one of my pygmy palm trees, and plowed it straight into my back door. Luckily, all I suffered were a couple of broken propellers, but my lesson had been learned. I needed to know what the hell I was doing before I decided to fly this thing again.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/cdn/wEXdWDZXJhBx3OdmX1urTgtUJilQW9VdUYTWEHRh.png" alt="" width="373" height="480" />
This is where I learned what an incredible community the drone world really is. First, I went on You Tube and watched a few videos on how to properly set up my drone before attempting to fly it. Little did I know that you have to calibrate the damn thing before you even take to the air, along with myriad other things. After gleaning all the information I could from these helpful videos, I came across the DJI Drone Forum, and it was there I discovered how close knit the droning community really was.
Point in fact, a close friend of mine is eight-time Grammy winner David Paich from the band Toto who wrote &ldquo;Africa&rdquo; and &ldquo;Rosanna.&rdquo; One night, we were lamenting the state of the rock-music business. David told me the reason rap artists were kicking our collective asses was because they all support each other by either appearing on each other&rsquo;s albums or by giving shout-outs to other artists they deemed worthy. That being said, we decided to form a rock cartel whereby we would call upon all our friends in the business to do the same things. It fell upon deaf ears.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/cdn/aP0dH4L3nmnsnaHEIFGTwpNCXrOn9BtNcZYZrr6G.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" />
Stuart with David Paich
Not so in the droning community. On the DJI Forum, I saw many beginners asking what I viewed as really simple questions that could have been answered by checking out YouTube, or by reading their manuals. Yet, there were plenty of experienced pilots that were only too happy to share their knowledge with them. The more I got involved with flying my drone, I met many other pilots, and I found they had the same sort of helpful attitudes. They had no problem answering my questions and showing me their drones and equipment.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/cdn/49wBhHSxNDR86e4J0r1bhCc7wal2KdUMaf4LNFKI.jpg" alt="" width="708" height="480" />
The first photo I took with my DJI Mavic 2 Pro
I will outline here are what I consider the necessary steps to take when beginning to fly a drone for either a hobby, or to someday become a professional.
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [1] Rather than do what I did and buy a reasonably expensive drone right off the bat, get yourself one of the many drones out there in the $200 to $300 range. Learn to fly that model first, because chances are you&rsquo;re going to have a few crashes before you get the hang of it. It&rsquo;s best to take it to a field&mdash;or somewhere with plenty of open space&mdash;so that you can become familiar with taking off, landing, and flying. When you do upgrade to a more professional drone, it will be worth your while to practice with an online simulator. You can find a simulator that will be relevant to your drone by searching on Google.
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [2] Register your drone with the FAA. If you are flying a drone less than .55 pounds (250 grams) as a hobby, you do not need to register it. Any drone above that weight needs to be registered. It costs just $5, and you can register it here: <a href="https://faadronezone.faa.gov/#/">https://faadronezone.faa.gov/#/</a>
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [3] If you are unsure about where you can fly your drone&mdash;ask. You can always find a wealth of information on the DJI Drone Forum, or you can post a question there that will be quickly answered.
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [4] Always keep your drone within visual line of sight (VLOS).
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [5] Learn drone terminology and abbreviations. You can find a comprehensive list here: <a href="https://www.nwcg.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pms515-uas-terms-and-abbreviations.pdf">https://www.nwcg.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pms515-uas-terms-and-abbreviations.pdf</a>
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [6] When you feel you&rsquo;re ready to go out and start making money, the very first thing you must do is study for and pass the FAA Part 107 Commercial Drone Pilots License test. The reasons for doing this are many. First, most reputable clients won&rsquo;t hire you if you don&rsquo;t have your FAA Part 107. Second, if you get caught flying commercially without it, you&rsquo;re looking at up to a $10,000 fine.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; There are many ways to study for your Part 107, as there as numerous companies offering online courses, as well as lessons on YouTube and books. You will also find pilots that give lessons on how to pass the test. These cost $173 at an FAA-authorized testing facility to get your certificate. A commercial drone license is a lifelong certification, unless revoked by the FAA. The privilege to fly remains valid for 24 months, after which you'll need to pass a recurrent knowledge test that grants you the right to fly for another 24 months. I do not recommend attempting to pass the FAA Part 107 test without taking lessons or engaging in some serious study.
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [7] Get insured. If you&rsquo;re going to be flying commercially, you&rsquo;re going to need drone insurance&mdash;not only to cover your drone from any unforeseen accidents, but also to cover yourself in case you&rsquo;re flying on a movie set, lose control of the drone, and it crashes into someone. Again, you will probably have to prove to clients that you are suitably covered. Drone insurance is available for either the one-off job or year-round coverage. Prices vary, so shop around.
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [8] Recreational and commercial&nbsp;drone&nbsp;pilots must request authorization through LAANC or FAA DroneZone before&nbsp;flying within&nbsp;five&nbsp;miles of an airport&nbsp;or in controlled airspace. As the rules regarding flying near airports seem to be constantly changing, it&rsquo;s probably best to check with the FAA here: <a href="https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/uas_facility_maps/">https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/uas_facility_maps/</a>
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [9] As well as the more interesting jobs which drone pilots are hired for&mdash;such as commercials and video shoots&mdash;there are many what I&rsquo;d describe as 9-to-5 permanent jobs. These jobs include inspecting power poles and cables, working for large real estate firms, being a civilian contractor for law enforcement, and doing aerial inspections for the oil and gas industries. Although these jobs are not as glamourous as some of the more exotic ones, they do pay extremely well, and they are ideal if you are looking for a bit more job security. We will have companies posting these jobs in the &ldquo;Drone Jobs&rdquo; section, which is available to all members of The Droning Company.
&nbsp;
Well, that&rsquo;s about it from me for now. If you have any ideas you would like to see featured, or if you would like to write an article for The Droning Company, please drop us a line at <a href="mailto:info@thedroningcompany.com">info@thedroningcompany.com</a>.
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Stuart Smith
Founder, The Droning Company

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