Business is open

Wake up Drone industry “Business is open!”

After listening to Lisa Ellman the FAA Attorney working with Stampede Global and the Unmanned Vehicle University explaining that the 333 Exemption are being issued for every application where there has been a pervious exemption issued. Then she went onto say that the license requirement has been reduced to a “Light Sport” pilot’s license here there are no medical exam and 20 hours instead of 30 hours of instructor supervised stick time. Most flight schools will still try and get you to sign up for the full “Private pilot’s License”, getting wrapped around the minutia involved with someone who actually want to be airplane pilots, instead of just punching the ticket requiring a “Light Sport Pilot’s License” so they can make a living flying UAS/drones. Understand that the proposed rules before congress no requirement for any form of licensing. Congress might adopt the creation of a Commercial UAV/Drone license but that could take a couple of years. However, with a pilot’s license of any kind, it is legal RIGHT NOW!

Maximizing the opportunity                                             

In the vent that you do not own a Phantom, I would work on whatever you need to do to get your “Light Sport Pilot’s License” first. If you re someone in the business of providing equipment or services for UAS/Drone pilots, I would put out my shingle. Start your marketing campaign. I had a meeting with Paul Linnel of MTSI while we were both in San Diego Friday and he talked about “It is probably going to be easier to find a land surveyor who will learn how to use a drone and Pix4D than it will be to find a UAS/Drone pilot who is willing and able to plot points and dig up monuments and they all are going to need someone to do the CAD overlays, plot the points and take the data and create a usable product.”

Cellular is where it’s at

Both Paul Linnel and David Copenhaver from NexGen Now talked about how the cell phones no have the capabilities of used to called “Super Computers” 20 years ago. As soon as they mentioned this I thought of Michael Creamer of FAVNET and his talk at the drone pavilion at NAB and the suitcase packed data-connectivity technology. Bringing your data with you. If cellular is going to be the method of collecting data and imagery, you’re going to need access.

Where is the financial sweet spot?

I received a text from T.J. Diaz while he was at the AV show in New York saying “TV and cinema is where it is at, these guys have the budget and they know that this technology is where it’s at!” That is great for him that is his business. When it comes to me working with the so called “Smart people” in the survey industry, agriculture, energy and geospatial applications, I am bogged down in the process of teaching a bunch people who think they are smarter than me that this the direction they need to go. Well I found some who see the vision, now I just have to help them over a little hurdle in getting a “Light Sports pilot’s License” then they are out in front of the field. The best pricing I could find for the “Light Sports Pilot’s License” is $30 to $40 per hour for instructor airtime and $450 for a check ride and $150 for the written test. That is $1,200 to $1,400. How many surveys would it take to make up this expense? If you could go to your civil engineering with your 333 exemption in your hand, how fast do you think they would start giving you their business?

A pilot’s license is a license to print money

George Sigler the proprietor of Sky Warrior Inc. was at the Sun and Fun airshow in Lakeland Florida last week and he was looking at buying a specific “Light Sports” Aircraft that is limited in use for pilots but just enough for UAS/Drone pilot’s is quickly and inexpensively get their license and qualify for a 333 exemption but he said to me “Reuben, I can buy this aircraft and even a Phantom but unless you can show me how people are going to make money with this technology, who is going to want to pay for the training?” I have working in this industry for three and a half years and I have talked with the highest levels on the surveying industry, State DOT in California, Texas, Michigan and Florida, Ocean Spray Cranberry, the leading seismic surveying company in North America told me that they were ready to use this technology as soon as the FAA authorizes it. Well, it is authorized now!