Drone Pilot, What to Look for When Hiring One

Hiring a Drone Pilot

Really anyone can fly a drone. But not everyone can fly a drone well. Even fewer can be called professional. What should you look for when hiring a drone pilot?

Drone Pilot Background

First you want to look at the background of the drone pilot. What experience do they have flying drones? How many hours do they have flying drones? What types of drones have they flown? Are they just a drone pilot or do they have other piloting experience as well? What is their understanding of airspace and federal regulations? What training does the drone pilot have in precision and performance? Are they licensed? Are they insured? Are they just a hobbyist that thinks they know everything there is about drones because they got one for Christmas this year? If your drone pilot cannot answer any of these questions then you may want to look elsewhere. Don’t be afraid to ask for proof of your drone pilots experience and credentials. Hiring an amateur drone pilot might not just give you poor results it could also get you in trouble with the law.

Hardware Usage and Performance

hobby drone pilotThe next thing to ask your drone pilot is what hardware they use. Did they purchase their drone from the toy and hobby store? What is their drone made out of? What is the capability of the camera? Does the camera have a gimbal? How many axis of rotation does the camera have? Does the landing gear appear in the video and photos? How does the drone prevent fish eye distortion? What is the carrying capacity of the drone? How long does the battery last? If you are not asking your drone pilot these questions you are setting yourself up for disaster. Yes, anyone can buy a drone and slap a camera on it. But professional grade equipment does not come from a hobby store. Professional quality work comes from professional grade equipment piloted by a professional grade team.

Conclusion when Hiring a Drone Pilot

In conclusion, when hiring a drone pilot know that you are going to get what you pay for. If you hire a hobby flier with their first drone, expect beginner quality. Yes, it will be cheap, but so will the quality of your video. If you need cinema production, you need to hire a cinema photographer. The best option here is to hire a professional drone pilot that contracts with a professional photographer. This will be cheaper than hiring a helicopter but expect the final bill to still be in the tens of thousands. professional drone pilotFor the average joe looking for professional quality at a reasonable price, hire a professional drone pilot. A professional drone pilot will have the flight experience necessary for precision flight and quality work. But ensure they have professional quality equipment to capture the highest definition shot. This is the most common drone pilot for hire services working with real estate, event photography, and making promotional videos. This work is also within the working man budget only costing a few hundred dollars at most. Yet it still provides professional quality service to sale a product, build recognition, capture a memory, or develop your brand.

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