A Guide to Becoming an FPV Drone Pilot

If you're looking for an exciting and unique hobby that combines technology, creativity, and adrenaline, then becoming an FPV drone pilot might just be the perfect fit for you. FPV, or first-person view, drone piloting involves using a remote-controlled drone equipped with a camera and goggles that allow you to see the drone's perspective in real-time. It's like being a bird in flight, soaring through the skies and experiencing the world from a whole new perspective.

FPV drones came into popular culture in a big way a few years ago with a viral video of an FPV drone flying through a bowling alley, and since then FPV drones have soared in popularity. V1DroneMedia also produces videos using FPV drones to bring a new aerial perspective distinctly different from a traditional drone shot. Check out a few of our videos below.

DJI FPV Drone Video with GoPro

Ohio Wheat Harvest Drone Video using DJI Inspire 2, DJI FPV, and DJI Mavic 2

But before you can take to the skies as an FPV drone pilot, there are a few things you need to know. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of getting started, mastering the basics, building your skills, and joining the community of FPV pilots.

Getting Started: Familiarize yourself with the FAA rules and get your TRUST Certificate

While this may seem mundane, you don’t want to get in hot water with the FAA just as you start to fly your drone, so learning the rules for operating unmanned aerial vehicles in the national airspace is important. If you are just starting out with drones flying them for fun (as a hobby), you should study for and pass the FAA TRUST Test (The Recreational UAS Safety Test) to get your free TRUST certificate, required to have on hand for any person operating drones as a hobbyist. You can read and watch our blog/vlog post-FAA TRUST Test for Drone Pilots Explained to learn more.

Onto the fun part: Choosing Your First Drone

If you are motivated and handy (you don’t have to be an electrical engineer), you can build your own drone. Check out an FPV drone building guide from a local Cleveland FPV drone pilot, Elliot Spaudie.

There are also a wide variety of FPV drones available to buy, ranging from simple toy models to high-end racing drones. For beginners, I recommend starting with a basic model that is easy to fly and affordable. A couple of options for beginners, depending on your budget, would be the Emax Tinyhawk II Freestyle RTF Kit, the BetaFPV Cetus Pro, DJI Avata, or DJI FPV.

Learning to Fly: Mastering the Basics

Once your drone is set up and ready to go, it's time to start practicing your flying skills. There are a few fundamental skills you'll need to master before you can start doing more advanced maneuvers. These include:

• Throttle control: Learning how to control the speed and altitude of your drone.

• Pitch and roll: These controls allow you to move your drone forward, backward, left, and right.

• Yaw: This control allows you to rotate your drone left or right.

To practice these skills, find an open and safe location to fly your drone. Often you can do this at a local park, but check the airspace you are in, and then municipal and park regulations to make sure they don’t restrict drone flying there.

Building Your Skills: Advanced Techniques and Maneuvers

Once you've mastered the basics of flying your drone, it's time to start pushing yourself and trying out more advanced maneuvers. Here are a few to get you started:

• Flips and rolls: These are basic aerobatic maneuvers that involve flipping your drone forward, backward, or sideways while maintaining altitude.

• Power loops: This is a more advanced maneuver that involves flipping your drone upside-down while maintaining forward momentum, then completing a loop before righting the drone.

• Racing: If you're interested in competing against other FPV pilots, racing is a great way to test your skills and see how you stack up against the competition.

It's important to remember that these maneuvers can be dangerous if not done correctly, so be sure to practice in a safe and legal manner. If you're not confident in your abilities, consider practicing in a simulator before attempting them in real life.

Joining the Community: Networking and Job Opportunities

One of the great things about becoming an FPV drone pilot is the sense of community that comes along with it. There are a variety of local and online communities of FPV pilots (check out Cleveland FPV Drone Racing Facebook Group), where you can share tips, tricks, and experiences with other enthusiasts. Joining these communities can also open networking and job opportunities.

If you are still a student, one great option for you to meet like-minded people of similar age may be to attend a Drone Racing camp, such as Spire Academy Drone Racing Camp in a Cleveland suburb of Geneva, Ohio.

One growing area where FPV pilots are in demand is in the field of specialized aerial videography. While drone videography has been around for a while, FPV drone cinematography has really caught on in the last couple of years thanks to its stunning aerobatic aerial footage that puts the viewer in the middle of the action (check out the use of FPV drone cinematography in the 2022 movie Ambulance). FPV drones are becoming an increasingly popular tool for filmmakers, ad producers, and content creators. If you have a knack for capturing breathtaking footage and solid FPV drone flying skills, this could be a great career path to explore.

Note that if you are planning to fly your FPV drone for commercial purposes (i.e. get paid to fly your FPV drone), you will need to get your FAA Part 107 Drone Certificate to be compliant with the FAA rules for commercial drone pilots. Learn more about it in our blog post Drone Pilot License, and check out V1DroneMedia’s Cleveland-based drone training classes which include Part 107 License Prep.

Another area where FPV pilots are in demand is in the field of drone racing. As the popularity of drone racing continues to grow, there are more and more opportunities for pilots to compete in local and national races. In addition to the thrill of competing, many drone racers also earn money through sponsorships and endorsements.

Finally, there are opportunities for FPV pilots in the field of drone education and training. As more and more people become interested in drone technology, there is a growing demand for experienced pilots who can teach others how to fly safely and responsibly. Whether through online tutorials, in-person classes, or private lessons, there are a variety of ways that FPV pilots can share their skills and knowledge with others.

Being an FPV drone pilot can be a thrilling and rewarding hobby and a career. Whether you're interested in racing, videography, or just flying for fun, there are a variety of opportunities to explore So what are you waiting for? Grab your drone, don your goggles, and take to the skies – the adventure awaits!

V1DroneMedia is a Cleveland-based drone services provider, including producing aerial cinematography and drone fly-through videos (we also fly FPV drones!) for a variety of industries, and providing drone training for groups and individuals. Contact us if you are need a consultation!

Drone Mapping Advantages vs. Conventional Mapping Methods

Drone mapping is becoming a popular use case for drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles. There are several reasons why it is getting so much traction with various industries:

1.    Cost-effectiveness: Drones can cover large areas quickly and at a lower cost than traditional survey methods, such as using manned aircraft or ground surveys.

2.    High-resolution imagery: Drones can capture high-resolution images and data that can be used for detailed mapping and analysis.

3.    Safety: Drones can access areas that are difficult or dangerous for humans to reach, such as steep terrain, hazardous sites, or structures.

4.    Speed: Drones can cover large areas quickly, reducing the time required to complete a mapping project.

5.    Flexibility: Drones can be easily deployed and controlled, allowing for mapping in a wide range of conditions and environments.

6.    Data collection: Drones can be equipped with a variety of sensors, such as cameras, LiDAR, and thermal imaging, to collect a wide range of data for various mapping applications.

7.    3D mapping: Drones can generate 3D models of landscapes and structures, providing more accurate and detailed information than traditional 2D maps.

8.    Regular updates: Drones can be used for regular monitoring and updating of maps at a fraction of the time and cost vs. traditional methods, which enables tracking changes over time possible for organizations that couldn’t afford it before.

9.    Accuracy: Drone mapping can provide just as accurate maps as traditional methods, as it can use GPS and other technologies (such as including ground control points) to ensure precise GIS information.

Most of the drone mapping can be performed using drone photogrammetry, but other technologies such as lidar can also be used with the drone technology for certain use cases.

If you want to learn more about drone mapping, its uses, how much it costs, and how it is performed, read more details in our What is Drone Mapping blog post, and view V1DroneMedia drone services for AEC industries.

V1DroneMedia is a drone services provider in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. We service midwestern states, and our drone services include drone mapping, drone videography (including FPV drones), drone photography, full video production, virtual tours, drone construction services, and drone training.

V1Dronemedia’s Chief Drone Pilot has 20+ years of experience in commercial airlines, and 30+ years in remote control aviation. If you are interested in contracting drone mapping services and are looking for a quote, contact us!

Façade Inspections in Cleveland by Drone

Why Building Façade Inspection is Needed

A municipal ordinance was passed in 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio, to require façade inspections for buildings of certain age and height to be completed every 5 years – see the detailed ordinance here. Since this ordinance was passed in Cleveland, 2 other major Ohio cities, Columbus, and Cincinnati followed with passing similar ordinances the same year.

As with most ordinances, Cleveland's ordinance passing was a direct consequence of an accident: a parapet wall of an 1890s-era building in downtown Cleveland crumbled, releasing several bricks onto the sidewalk and the road, thankfully without human casualties this time (a parked minivan without passengers was damaged).

The ordinance that was passed requires buildings that are at least 5 stories or 75 feet in height above grade and are of a certain age (between 30-50 years old), to be initially inspected and re-inspected every 5 years.

How was the building façade inspections performed in the past

In the past, this type of inspection was done by inspectors needing to get close to the walls to visually inspect them and document the conditions, which meant erecting and installing the scaffolding, or elevating them by another method, which gets the person close to the source of inspection, but it is not very efficient:

1.   It takes time for them to move within the scaffolding, or be elevated by a crane platform to every spot that needs to be inspected and documented

2.   It is not the safest for the person involved (a falling accident is a possibility)

3.   It can be expensive with the time and equipment involved, plus the addition of insurance costs when performing this work at dangerous elevations.

These types of inspections can be costly to complete when using traditional methods. Facade inspections can run into $10K-$20K, depending on the size of the building. The cost is usually made up by using large equipment or erecting scaffolding structures, inspectors' time that is necessary to visually inspect and document the conditions of the asset, and the report write-up within the guidelines of such inspection.

As one can see, a large proportion of the cost of such inspection is driven up by the resource and time used to visually inspect and document current conditions effectively. The use of autonomous inspection tools that don't require the investment of such resources can cut costs drastically. Drones do just that for such use cases as facade inspections.

Why Use Drone For Building Façade Inspection

A drone allows for the faster and safer acquisition of the visual inspection and documentation data of the current conditions of the façades. Equipment and personnel need is reduced to a drone capable of shooting hi-res photography, and a drone pilot who is qualified to fly safely and legally and can produce such photography.

This photographic output generated by a drone can then be viewed by a qualified design professional on their computer (engineer or architect), certified in the inspection of the specific elements that make up the façade of the structure, and licensed by the State of Ohio, or an inspection agency that is qualified under the Ohio Building Code for Special Inspectors (as per the ordinance).

In addition to basic aerial photography, drone imagery can be set up to be acquired with certain parameters (automated flight path and special photography settings) with an intent of being processed through software to generate point clouds and 3D models, that help capture the building condition overall. Such models allow the inspector to zoom in at any point for a closer look during the inspection, and even produce measurements between points for needed calculations. These models can be stored digitally and updated with a new model at any point in time.

Looking to hire a drone company for a façade inspection in Cleveland?

If a company considers hiring a drone pilot to perform a façade inspection data capture (whether the building facilities management, an inspector or agency), it will need to do its due diligence - see our article Hiring a Drone Pilot for details on how to do that, or contact us to provide you with the quote to perform façade inspection data capture by one of our skilled drone pilots.

If you want to train someone within your organization to fly drones to capture such data, check out our drone training page for drone training classes offered in Cleveland, and contact us to schedule, or sign up for our drone class notification list.

V1DroneMedia Drone Classes

V1DroneMedia offers a set of drone classes that V1DroneMedia’s Chief Drone Pilot (Jason Damman) developed and teaches regularly through local Cleveland community colleges and on-demand for individuals or organizations. Each class is geared toward a specific type of ‘drone’ knowledge need the students or organization is looking for, and we can develop custom classes by request.

Curious about the drone industry?

If you have heard of drones but are not sure how you can take advantage of this innovative technology, would like to learn about it, what it takes to work with drones legally, and what careers are available in the industries that are using drones, our 3-hour Introduction to Drones Class is for you!

What you will learn may spark an interest in a new career, or hobby, or inspire you to use the drone as a tool in your current job and will help you understand what to do if you want to get started. Since this is an in-person class with a drone industry professional, you will also have the ability to ask questions.

Want to learn to fly a drone with expert guidance?

Whether you are a drone hobbyist or an aspiring commercial drone pilot, the essential part of your drone training should be learning to fly the drone. That means being comfortable with operating the drone apps (such as DJI, Litchi, etc.), performing takeoffs and landings, learning to maintain and calibrate the drone, performing routine flight maneuvers, operate the camera to take pictures and video.

We have designed the Drone Operations Class to address this need for anyone who’s never touched a drone, and for those who know their way around a little, but don’t have the full confidence in operating it and want to advance their knowledge and skills.

This class consists of a 3-hour in-class portion that will introduce you to drone apps, how to calibrate, and maintain a drone, design a pre-and post-flight checklist, and introduce you to intelligent flight modes. The outdoor 3-hour portion will allow you to practice this knowledge with the guided expertise of a seasoned drone pilot.

We also have private 2-hour Hands-on Drone Flying Lessons that include only outside flying with hands-on practice, if you just want to practice flying.

While this class will equip you with the ‘know-how’ to operate a drone, it will be up to you to practice and hone your flight skills. That takes time and dedication, but it can pay off. Drone pilots are in demand in a variety of industries (as you can learn from us by taking our Intro to Drones class or watching the Drones for Business Webinar recording), and that demand is growing. A Drone pilot’s hourly pay rate can range from $50 - $250 or even more, depending on their skill set, experience, and the type of work they are doing.

Decided to get your commercial drone pilot (aka FAA Part 107) license?

You will need to get FAA Part 107 license if you intend to use drones for commercial purposes. That means even if you take aerial photographs to market your friend’s real estate listing, or if you want to do a flyover of a building for a roof or home inspection, regardless of the size and weight of the drone. Read my Drone Pilot License blog post for more details on this topic.

If you have decided to take the Part 107 Test, you will need to study FAA Part 107 Knowledge Test Materials and take the Part 107 Test which is similar to a private pilot test in the amount of knowledge covered. It costs $175 to take the test, so having proper preparation is important. You don’t want to have to spend that money again.

Our 2-day in-person FAA Part 107 License Prep Class breaks down the FAA prep materials (they are quite dense and full of aviation lingo) into easy-to-digest concepts for anyone. We cover only the information that is needed to pass the test and operate your unmanned aircraft safely. You will also receive additional resources such as materials to study and access to practice tests.

After that it will be up to you to study, take practice tests, and, when you feel confident enough, schedule and take the Part 107 test in a testing center.

Drone Classes Sign-up

If you’d like to stay up to date on our drone class dates and times, Sign Up to be notified when they get scheduled, and check out our Events page to register for upcoming drone classes.

Custom Drone Training for Organizations

If your organization wants to train its employees, we can design courses that suit your needs. Contact us for a consultation!

Why hands-on drone flight training is important for drone pilots

As a new year begins, many of us are making New Year resolutions. V1DroneMedia's resolution is to bring the most up-to-date and simple-to-understand drone knowledge to you: information about drone regulations, drone industry, equipment capabilities, flight skills, and other drone information to those interested in learning more about drone technology and getting started in flying drones safely and legally.

A lot of drone pilot schools are focused on education and compliance with the FAA drone laws and regulations and getting the Part 107 Remote Pilot License. And this IS where you should start your drone journey if you are thinking about getting a drone or just purchased one because you want to be aware of where and how to operate your drone safely and legally, avoid any negative law enforcement or 'well-wisher' attention, and can intelligently answer any questions about how and where you can legally fly.  We have covered all these subjects in our blog post A Beginner's Guide To Drones and have regularly scheduled Drone Training Courses that you can attend to learn this information and get ready for the FAA Part 107 Drone Certification Test.

V1DroneMedia’s Chief Pilot teaching Traffic Patterns during an FAA Part 107 Drone License Prep Course

However, learning safe drone operations or procuring your Part 107 Drone Pilot Certificate is only a starting point (one should walk before they run). The essential part of your drone training should be getting hands-on time flying the drone. That means being comfortable with operating the drone apps (such as DJI, Litchi, etc.), performing takeoffs and landings, learning to maintain and calibrate the drone, performing routine flight maneuvers, operate the camera to take pictures and video. These skills cannot be taught in a classroom, and you need them to fly the drone proficiently if you are serious about becoming a drone pilot. You must get out there and learn to fly your drone, just like manned aviation pilots spend hours flying in a simulator or with an instructor before flying on their own (I spent hours and days in simulator sessions during my training as a commercial pilot, and had to do recurrent training every year in a simulator as well).

While flying a drone doesn't come with the liability of flying an aircraft worth millions of dollars with people on board, it is still very important to understand the systems that make a drone work and be proficient with your equipment to ensure safe operation.

A drone is usually needed to shoot an aerial photo or video of a certain subject matter or an object on the ground or even high up in the air, and you need to have skills to fly the drone to focus on a subject, position the camera of the drone to shoot video or photo from different angles while flying around the subject, maybe even track the subject and shoot continuous video or photographs.

V1DroneMedia’s Chief Pilot with students during a drone flight session

Many of these flight maneuvers are built into intelligent flight modes in the apps nowadays, but you would still need to know how the different intelligent flight modes work and become proficient at setting them up and incorporating them into your workflow (if needed). Learning to fly in a manual mode is also very important and can be beneficial in many situations – especially if you would have to manually take control of the aircraft for any reason.

To help fill the gap in hands-on drone flight experience for aspiring drone pilots V1DroneMedia is now offering Drone Operations classes with both classroom and outdoor time for learning the drone apps, flying procedures and hands-on time, and Hands-on Flying Sessions for individuals and groups tailored to individuals' skill levels and goals. If one of your resolutions this year is to explore a drone as a hobby, learn to fly a drone proficiently, or learn advanced drone flying skills to further your drone industry career goals, Contact Us to schedule your session today! And get on an e-mail list to stay informed about our group class schedules.