So you have got a brand new drone and now you want to use this drone to earn some side cash, how do you go about getting your first drone job? Let’s dive into what you need to get started and how you can turn it into a full-time profession.
Regulations
First things first, you have to make sure you follow all the regulations. Different countries have different regulations when it comes to flying drones for commercial purposes. Depending on the regulations in your country, you might have to register your drone, register yourself as a pilot, undergo training or give a test to get a certification or license. For example, in the USA, pilots have to register their drones and get Part 107 license to be able to fly their drones commercially. Do a thorough research about the regulations in your country to make sure you don’t run foul of the law on your first drone job.
Training
Irrespective of what are the minimum required standards for flight training in your country, you want to be sure you have the necessary skill-set to carry out the task at hand, take good care of your equipment and maintain safety of operations. If you are new to flying drones, you should find out Flight Training Schools near your area and enroll to get some basic training. Along with the basics of flight training, some schools also provide courses on how to capture data required for preparing different deliverables such as Digital Elevation Models, Digital Terrain Models etc. See if these courses could be useful for you as well.
Marketing
Nobody is going to give you a job if they don’t know that your services are for hire. So start marketing yourself, prepare business cards, setup a website, visit local potential customers and chambers of commerce. Get out there and let everyone know that you are available for hire.This will also give you a reality-check of where you stand in the market and how you can improve your services. There are multiple drone pilots-for-hire service providers nowadays, so you can try making your profile there. When just starting out, it is possible you will have to do some jobs with lower pay because people will be unsure of your credentials. But as you gain experience and build a portfolio you can start charging more premium rates.
Growing Your Business
It is important to understand that at the end, the drone is just a tool. What matters is how you are able to use it to deliver what your clients need. In order to grow your business and succeed as a professional, you have to be acutely aware of what your clients demand and how you can provide services which stand out in the market. This will need you to up skill yourself, upgrade your equipment and build out a professional network.If you are willing to go the extra mile and give your clients an experience they remember, you are bound to succeed!
Bonus – Managing Your Operations
Managing a drone operation can be a complex and challenging task where you will be required to keep track of multiple things at once. Flykit can help you remain on top of stuff so that you can focus on getting that deliverable. You can create a free account here.
