What is Drone Mapping
Drone mapping, also known as aerial mapping or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mapping, is the process of using drones equipped with cameras and other sensors to capture and process aerial imagery and data to create detailed maps, 3D models, and other visualizations.
How is drone mapping performed?
The drone flies over the area of interest and takes multiple overlapping images. These images are then processed using specialized software to create a detailed map or 3D model of the area.
Typically the process of drone mapping involves several steps: planning the flight, capturing the data, processing the data, and analyzing the data. Some of the key technologies used in drone mapping include photogrammetry (see our drone photogrammetry post to learn more), lidar, and thermal imaging. The outputs are usually in the form of Orthomosaic maps, 3D models, point clouds, and other forms of data that can be used for various purposes.
What can drone mapping be used for?
The maps and models created by drone mapping can be used for a wide range of applications, such as land surveying, construction planning and management, crop monitoring, and environmental conservation.
What are the advantages of drone mapping vs. traditional mapping methods?
Drone mapping can provide a cost-effective and efficient way to collect detailed data and imagery of large areas, including hard-to-reach places, and can provide a high level of detail not possible with traditional mapping methods. Read our Drone Mapping Advantages vs. Conventional Mapping methods blog post for more details (especially if you need to make a business case to use drones for mapping). See more details in our blog post Drone Mapping advantages vs. Conventional Mapping Methods.
How much does it cost to contract drone mapping services?
The cost of drone mapping can vary depending on a variety of factors, such as the size of the area being mapped, the level of detail required, and the equipment and software used. Typically V1DroneMedia charges for time on site, processing time, and software use, which varies on a project basis. This cost can range from a few hundred dollars for a small project to several thousand dollars for a large or complex project.
Who can use drone mapping services?
1. Agriculture: Drones can be used to create detailed maps of crops and fields, which can help farmers optimize crop yields and make better-informed decisions about planting, fertilizing, and harvesting.
2. Construction: Drones can be used to create detailed maps of construction sites, which can help contractors plan and execute projects more efficiently.
3. Real estate: Drones can be used to create detailed maps and 3D models of properties, which can help real estate agents market properties more effectively. Drones are also used to make informative listing videos and photos - you can read more about it in our Why Use Drone In Real Estate Photography and Video blog post
4. Surveying: Drones can be used to create detailed maps of land and structures, which can help surveyors and engineers plan and design projects more accurately.
5. Environmental monitoring: Drones can be used to create detailed maps of environmental features such as wetlands, forests, and wildlife habitats, which can help conservationists and scientists monitor and protect these areas.
6. Emergency response: Drones can be used to create detailed maps of disaster-stricken areas, which can help emergency responders plan and execute rescue and recovery operations more effectively.
7. Inspection: Drones can be used to create detailed maps of industrial plants, power lines, and other infrastructure, which can help organizations identify and address potential safety and maintenance issues.
These are just a few examples - drone mapping can be used for many other applications as well. V1DroneMedia provides drone mapping services and more AEC Drone Servies in Ohio and other Midwest states. Read about our founders who brought a combined 40 years of aviation and business experience to start V1DroneMedia.
Contact us if you are looking for a drone mapping project consultation or a quote. Don’t forget that in order to perform drone mapping one has to hold FAA Part 107 commercial drone certificate, and be aware of and comply with the FAA airspace regulations for the area where the drone mapping missions are flown.
DJI Mavic 3 Waypoints: definition and flight planning tutorials.
The drone community has been wondering for a long time: will Mavic 3 consumer drones have waypoints as an option? Finally, on December 9th (an early Christmas present to all of us drone pilots), DJI released a firmware update in the DJI Fly App, which included waypoints.
What are Waypoints
Waypoints are points (or stops) on a route or line of travel that can be used to program a drone where to fly. Waypoint missions for drones also allow for setting altitude, speed, and gimble tilt among many other things. Using waypoints to plan where/how a drone will (and what you would like the drone to do) fly is like having an autopilot for your drone.
Why is it important to have waypoints on a drone?
Creating (and saving) waypoint missions allows a drone to repeat the same flight path without having to try to recreate the flight manually every time. This allows for replicating a shot for video purposes or taking photos from the same point in space (lat/long and altitude), say, for a construction project.
Waypoints have uses in a variety of tasks, ranging from aerial video production to drone mapping. Here are a few ways we have used them when providing drone services to our clients:
1. Re-creating the same video shot. Very useful if you use your drone for video production where you must do several takes that need to look exactly the same (usually a must for any type of commercial video work such as shooting a commercial, or on a TV or Film production set)
2. Creating a hyper lapse video that allows showcasing changes in the environment quickly, but in reality, these shots are taken during different times (seasons) of the year along the same path of flight and are later stitched together to quickly show changes of the site over time making it look seamless.
3. Capture photos of subjects and objects from the same vantage point repeatedly.
4. Program the flight path to create a map of a site or create a video of a pre-determined path.
Previously we have programmed our other DJI drones to fly on an automated path (Phantom 4 Pro or Mavic 2 Pro) using the Litchi app. We have created hyper lapses for our company's social media content and for construction progress monitoring videos and photos for our clients, as well as programmed automated flight paths for commercial video production shoots.
The fact that DJI released the waypoints with the firmware update for Mavic 3 makes this drone a lot more useful (previously you couldn’t even use Litchi to program the waypoints with the Mavic 3 because DJI has not yet released an SDK (Software Development Kit) allowing it to be used with third-party applications.
Which DJI Mavic 3 drones support waypoints?
All DJI Mavic 3 Drones now support waypoints through the DJI FLY app (DJI Mavic 3 Classic, Mavic 3, and Mavic 3 Cine).
How to use DJI Mavic 3 Waypoints: 2 ways with step-by-step tutorials
In order to use the new waypoints feature with the DJI Mavic 3 you must be on the latest firmware (aircraft, remote, and DJI Fly app) that was released on December 9, 2022.
There are a couple of methods that can be used in order to create a waypoint mission:
1) Create the waypoint mission as you fly your drone to where you want the waypoints to be – this requires the drone to be powered on and in flight.
2) Pre-planning a waypoint mission with the DJI Fly App – this can be done without even powering on the drone and before you even arrive at the site you intend to fly!
We have created a video detailing a step-by-step process for both workflows. Our waypoint video tutorial also includes an overview of waypoint settings and customizations and shows some examples of missions we have set up, and the drone flying them. We also cover how you can save your waypoint missions in order to use them again at a later date/time.
Watch this video to learn a couple of different ways to program your DJI Mavic 3 Drone waypoints, download the firmware update, and start practicing creating waypoint missions! Happy flying, and please subscribe to our channel if you find this useful and would like to get updated when new tutorials and other informative content coming out!
We hope you found this video tutorial useful. Browse more content on our YouTube channel and Blog, and subscribe to those resources, and check out more of our channels to see more useful content in the future.
V1DroneMedia is a drone services provider in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. We provide aerial photography, videography, photogrammetry (drone mapping, 3D modeling), and full video production services. V1DroneMedia Chief Drone Pilot, Jason Damman, is also an airline pilot with 20+ years of aviation experience and is a drone flight instructor at several educational institutions, besides running his own drone classes with groups and individuals. We service Ohio, and other Midwest states, and can travel to other areas as needed.
Contact V1DroneMedia for your drone services, drone training, or video production needs!
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.
Cleveland Photography Gifts
The holiday season is upon us! And in Cleveland, that means that the Public Square is getting ready to kick it off for us with Downtown Cleveland’s annual WinterLand (formerly Winterfest) celebration on Saturday, November 26th, when the tree lights up and the holiday programming goes into full gear downtown Cleveland. If you want to get into the holiday spirit, watch this video of Cleveland Public Square all dressed up for Christmas - we captured this footage during the 2018 holidays.
We love getting out to the city to enjoy the nighttime downtown Cleveland views, sports events, and visit new dining spots in town, and in general, get away from our daily routine. Since our kids are out of their toddler years, we now get to enjoy going out to an event at one of the sports or theater venues, a dinner at new hip spots on West 25th, East 4th, or in Cleveland’s theater district.
East 4th Street in downtown Cleveland
Cleveland’s Playhouse Square at nighttime
Since we own a commercial drone services and aerial photography and videography business, V1DroneMedia, we also often take our drones out for a spin to get a few spectacular aerial shots of downtown Cleveland (all of course done with proper airspace authorizations filed with the FAA). And since we don’t get out to the city as much as we’d like, we often make our photography into wall art as canvas and prints, and other items (puzzles, coasters, and calendars) so we can enjoy amazing Cleveland views at home or give them as gifts to friends and family (see a few examples of our products below, and visit our shop to see the full assortment).
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season!We leave you with this Christmas tree drone light painting that we did a few years back. Happy Holidays, and as usual, Contact Us if you have any drone services or drone training needs!
Drone light painting - Christmas Tree
What is DJI Fly Safe? Is unlocking a Geo Zone in DJI Fly Safe the same as getting an FAA Authorization?
I am a commercial drone pilot, drone services provider, and drone educator based in Cleveland, Ohio, and I get a lot of questions concerning drone operations from drone hobbyists, drone training students, and those that read and watch my drone education content. Recently I noticed that there is some confusion concerning DJI Fly Safe Geo Zone Unlocks to remove flying restrictions that prevent the aircraft to fly vs. getting an FAA Authorization to fly in controlled airspace.
I am a commercial drone pilot, drone services provider, and drone educator based in Cleveland, Ohio, and I get a lot of questions concerning drone operations from drone hobbyists, drone training students, and those that read and watch my drone education content. Recently I noticed that there is some confusion concerning DJI Fly Safe Geo Zone Unlocks to remove flying restrictions that prevent the aircraft to fly vs. getting an FAA Authorization to fly in controlled airspace.
In this blog post I explain the following:
· What DJI Fly Safe is
· How unlocking DJI Fly Safe Geo Zones differs from getting FAA Authorization to fly in a certain airspace
· Clear up the confusion between unlocking DJI Fly Safe Geo Zones vs. getting an FAA authorization
· How to unlock DJI Geo Zones through the DJI Fly Safe website
You can also watch my Vlog/Video Tutorial on this topic below if you prefer getting your information audiovisually.
What is DJI Fly Safe?
DJI Fly Safe is a drone flight geofence system implemented by DJI for the drones they manufacture. It uses GPS coordinates to create flight restrictions (Authorization or Restricted Zones) in certain areas to keep everyone safe and compliant with existing FAA flight restrictions for drones. This system will restrict your DJI-manufactured drone from taking off, flying, and landing in such an area.
Is unlocking a DJI geo zone the same as getting FAA Authorization to fly a drone?
No, they are 2 different things and are both necessary to obtain in order to legally fly your DJI-made drone within controlled airspace.
Can I get an FAA Authorization through DJI Flysafe?
No, you can only obtain FAA Authorization to fly in controlled airspace through LAANC or the FAA Drone Zone. Even if you self-unlock your DJI Drone to fly in an area that requires FAA Authorization, you shouldn’t do so until you also receive FAA Authorization to fly there.
How do I know which area requires an FAA Authorization?
There are several ways to check what type of airspace you are intending to fly in. The easiest way is with an app that was developed in conjunction with the FAA, called B4UFLY.
Commercial drone pilots are required to learn all about these airspace restrictions for their planning and decision-making in everyday operations, and such education is included in most Part 107 Test Training for those who want to take the Part 107 Exam, as well as some basic knowledge is included into the FAA TRUST test for recreational drone pilots (hobbyists), see my VLOG on the TRUST Test for more information on this.
There are also many other apps developed by 3rd parties to help plan drone flight missions, and some with the ability to request FAA airspace authorizations (LAANC) through the app (such as Airmap, UASidekick, and Aloft, to name a few).
How to unlock a Geo Zone in DJI Flysafe?
I have step-by-step instructions on how to do this in my Video Tutorial at the beginning of this post. Check out the timestamps in the description below the video (in the YouTube view) to get to the tutorial you are looking for.
Does unlocking a Geo Zone in DJI Flysafe transfer to my drone automatically?
The unlocking license should transfer to the DJI app once you are connected to the internet/wifi with the phone/tablet that you intend to fly with. You may then have to add the license to your aircraft using the DJI App. I show how to do this in my Video Tutorial as well.
How do I apply for an FAA Authorization to fly drones in controlled airspace?
A few years ago, I recorded a video tutorial about how to get FAA flight authorization for controlled airspace through the LAANC and DroneZone. Check it out for step-by-step instructions!
I hope I was able to clear up some confusion and equip you with the knowledge on ‘how-to’ get permissions to fly your DJI-manufactured drone from both FAA and DJI.
As usual, I encourage you to go out and practice flying if you are an aspiring drone pilot, and only to do so safely.
If don’t’ have your Trust certificate yet, please get one before you fly your drone (even if you only intend to fly for recreational purposes). If you want to take the FAA Part 107 Certificate Exam to earn your commercial drone pilot license, or to get more hands-on flight experience, check out drone training classes I teach in the Cleveland area, including Part 107 Prep Class and Drone Operations Class.
Feel free to Contact me if you have any questions or suggestions for more content like this!
Drone Use in Construction Marketing
The use of drones in construction is growing rapidly, with companies in this industry using drones for various tasks throughout the construction process. We count several construction companies as our clients, and here we are breaking down the uses of drones and other tools for construction services marketing.
The most common use of drones in construction is for marketing, because aerial photography and video showcase project site progress, action on the site, and the finished project better from the bird's eye view than from the ground. You can see more from the aerial view and show off the scale of the project, and the best way to get this type of content is to have ongoing construction progress documentation using drones.
How do construction companies use drone photography and video for construction marketing?
Social Media Content
Construction aerial photography and video generate great content to showcase the progress on the construction site to stakeholders and the public. They can also be used as early-stage marketing for the brokers if the building needs to be leased by tenants. Below are some examples: before/during photo and video clip that was posted on social media by our clients.
Before/During drone photo of a construction site on West 25th Street in Cleveland
2. Project Portfolio Showcase on Construction Company Website or YouTube Channel
Every construction company should have a section on their website to showcase the projects that they have been involved in. What better way to showcase them than with photos or videos of finished projects, maybe even an impressive hyper-lapse or timelapse video of the building going up during the construction?
3. Customer Proposals, Presentations, Business Development
While not all scopes of work require to have visual updates of the construction site, having this type of deliverable throughout the construction process may enhance your proposal, and even take it over the top all things being equal among the other bidders. Especially if the construction client is not local, which is often the case.
We have a construction client whose building owner is overseas, and having consistent visual updates is very valuable to them. It gives transparency and increases their confidence and trust in the builder.
4. Video Web Banners on Construction Company's Homepage
Have you heard that the website homepage, which is most often the landing page, is the most important page to optimize the content on because it gets the most traffic, and that's where the visitors decide if they want to browse further? A video banner of prominent projects that the construction company has built will impress many viewers and increase their confidence and motivation to take the next step: browse more or contact the builder. Here is an example.
Video is becoming a very important part of marketing strategy for many industries, including construction marketing strategy. If you'd like to know more about the reasons why read our blog post Why Is Video Important For Your Marketing?
What is the Return on Investment (ROI) of construction site progress monitoring and documentation?
Many construction companies leverage drones and other visual technology tools for more than just marketing, such as for enhancing customer communications, internal project updates, construction site security, and re-creating the built environments in BIM (Building Information Modeling) and creating digital twins.
In addition to drones, these tools are time-lapse cameras and 360 virtual tours. The visual output of these tools over the lifecycle of the project can be used and reused for various purposes, which can make the acquisition cost of construction site imagery very efficient, and its Return on Investment (ROI) increases with every use.
These tools are within the digitization trend in construction, facilities management, and other industries. This imagery can be used to re-create the built environment in 3D in BIM (used for construction and design) or as digital twins (usually used for facility maintenance and operations) to give companies a complete 3D visual model of the build. It is a digital documentation record that can be accessed at any time to send information about the building, reflect changes with its physical counterpart, and allow for materials ordering and scheduling (in the design/construction stage or for maintenance and expansions if the building is operational). These types of digital models can replace final building drawings and operations manuals.
We outline more drone uses on construction site on our blog post Top 4 Drone Uses in Construction Site Management.
If you'd like a quote for construction progress monitoring job or consultation on what equipment is best to use on your construction site for a specific purpose or a variety of uses, contact us!
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 license (aka FAA Part 107)?
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!
Ohio Drone Laws
As a commercial drone services provider located in Cleveland, Ohio, we know a thing or two about flying in this state. One of the questions we get asked often is whether you can fly at a specific location in Cleveland. See our blog post Where to Fly Drones in Cleveland for that information.
Drone flights in Ohio are subject to FAA regulations for operating in the national airspace. Some municipalities are enacting their own ordinances for drone use, but these should only apply to launching and landing locations, as local municipalities don't control airspace. We recommend checking your city/county for any such drone restrictions.
FAA Part 107 Regulations
Under FAA regulations you must have either a TRUST Test Certificate (for hobbyists) or a Part 107 Drone License Certificate (for commercial drone pilots) to fly drones in Ohio. We offer Part 107 Prep classes locally as a 2-day in-person class that prepares anyone to take and pass the test. See our event schedule for the next available class and read our student testimonials (over 95% of students pass the Part 107 Test after taking our classes!).
Are There Drone Flight Restrictions in Ohio?
It all depends on what type of airspace you intend to fly in (Class B, C, D, E). You may have to apply for FAA authorization to fly your drone in a certain area, see our blog post Where Can I Fly My Drone for more detailed information and tutorial on how to do this through LAANC.
In addition, you cannot fly over moving traffic, over people, or during any sporting event where there is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place. A TFR is typically active for all open-air stadium NFL and MLB games from one hour prior to the game start to one hour after the game ends. These rules do get enforced, see this article about drone pilots pleading guilty to illegal Ohio stadium flights in 2023.
Can You Fly a Drone in Ohio State Parks and Cleveland Metroparks?
As a rule of thumb, national parks do not allow drone use on their properties. Some Metroparks have enacted the same ordinance, so you should check with the specific Metropark system. There are several designated areas where you can fly your drone in the Cleveland Metroparks, see details in their Drone Policy.
Municipal parks don't have the same restrictions usually but check with the specific park and municipality before flying your drone.
Drone Registration
If you want to fly your drone in Ohio (and anywhere else in the United States), you are required to register your drone if it is 0.55 lbs or larger if you fly as a hobbyist, and all drones (regardless of weight) if you operate commercially (under Part 107). You can register your drone on the FAA DroneZone website. The cost for registration is $5 and is valid for three years.
So, if you have checked off all necessary registrations, FAA Airspace Authorizations, and hold an appropriate FAA certificate, you are ready to fly. Now to the fun part, where can you fly your drone in Ohio? We've compiled some of our favorite locations in Cleveland where we frequently fly, see them in the Where to Fly Your Drone in Cleveland blog post.
Where To Fly Drones in Cleveland
Cleveland aerial views are some of the best available in the state of Ohio! OK, we may be a little biased since we are based in the Cleveland area. We are lucky to have an extensive lakefront with Lake Erie spanning much of the Northeast Ohio border, downtown Cleveland, and its suburbs.
Drone photo of downtown Cleveland skyline and historic Cleveland Coast Guard Station
1. Downtown Cleveland has many scenic locations: Cleveland sports stadiums, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Public Square, Playhouse Square, etc. You can't beat the Cleveland skyline aerial view with Lake Erie in the background!
But be aware, if you intend to fly your drone downtown Cleveland, that Burke Lakefront Airport is located there just next to the Voinovich Bicentennial Park. Burke Lakefront Airport is in controlled (class D) airspace, requiring you to obtain FAA authorization to fly your drone within 5 miles of its location (you can read our blog post Where Can I Fly My Drone for detailed information and tutorial on FAA authorizations).
Aerial photo of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Burke Lakefront Airport and Lake Erie in the background
In addition, during any major league baseball (MLB) or national football league (NFL) open-air stadium games there is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) that is in effect, which applies to the MLB and NFL games at the stadiums located downtown Cleveland. TFRs can also go into effect for other reasons, such as VIP movement, which prohibits all drone flights in the area.
2. Lakefront locations in Cleveland that offer some scenic lakefront drone photography: Lakewood Park with the Solstice Steps and Cleveland downtown skyline, Lorain Lighthouse in Lorain, and Fairport Harbor Breakwater Lighthouse in Mentor. Make sure you check municipality ordinances when you are choosing where to launch and land your drone.
Aerial view of the Edgewater Park with downtown Cleveland Skyline
3. University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland offers plenty of scenic architectural and natural sites with Wade Oval, Cleveland Museum of Art and its lagoon, Museum of Natural History, Case Western Reserve University campus, and Little Italy nearby. Some of this area is within 5 miles of the Burke Lakefront Airport, so you may need FAA authorization to fly your drone there.
Aerial photo of Cleveland Museum of Art in Fall
4. Unfortunately, you cannot launch and land your drone in most Cleveland Metroparks, including their lakefront locations: Edgewater Park, Wendy Park, Whiskey Island, E 55th Street Marina, East 72nd fishing area, North Gordon Park Boat Ramp, Euclid Beach Park, and Huntington Reservation Beach in Bay Village. There are several designated areas where you CAN fly your drone in the Cleveland Metroparks, see the details in their Drone Policy.
If you have any questions about flying in Cleveland and surrounding areas, need a drone project quote, or are looking for drone training classes that we provide, Contact us!
Event Documentation For Marketing
Whether your business is event management, your company is staging or participating in an event to promote itself and engage existing and prospective customers, or you are in the sports and entertainment industry where events are an everyday business, documenting your event should be a part of your marketing strategy and can help you accomplish several goals:
1. Create event longevity
Once you have documented your event (with video, photos, or even a Livestream feed that you recorded) and published it on your website and social media (including YouTube channels), it will live on the internet forever! That allows showing off the work your company has performed and helps past, current, and prospective clients evaluate your products and services for future consideration.
2. Enhance your credibility
Seeing is believing, and visual content (especially video) engages more people! Showcasing participation and booth space at annual industry events and exhibiting your products/services in the event space, along with seeing the customer interactions will impress beyond any words and enhance your businesses' credibility. If your business is event management, documenting your work is a must to give you credibility and entice prospective clients!
3. Maximize your content production value for marketing
Content marketing is king nowadays, and documenting an event is a perfect opportunity to make more content without thinking hard about what type of content to produce! If you are not familiar with content marketing, Google it! And if you don't know how to approach content creation, here is an article and a PowerPoint deck by Gary Vaynerchuk How To Make 64 Pieces of Content In A Day (with step-by-step instructions).
4. Increase your marketing reach
If you read Gary Vee's article, you know that posting content on multiple platforms (websites, social media, etc.) makes your marketing reach go further. Every media channel and social platform has its niche, and your business is active only on a few that matter to you. If you document your event with visuals (photos, videos), this will cover your basics for multiple media platforms, and you can add and change the copy as needed for various digital asset creation (photos, short-form, and long-form videos).
5. Showcase your work
This is self-explanatory: if you stage events, impress prospective clients with the past events you've put on! If you participate in an event (or are even a talent that is hired to entertain), bring your products, services, or event you are participating in into the spotlight!
6. Promotional content
If your company participates in the event or stages it, chances are you don't do this just once. Documenting your event is a great way to promote your services (especially if you are in the event management industry) or advertise your past and upcoming participation in the relevant industry events, for external (clients, financial markets) and internal (employee) communications!
7. Publicity tool
And finally, documenting events is great for publicity! Generate publicity using this content with available tools in your marketing mix, or piggyback on the existing publicity of the event to get more media mentions and exposure.
V1DroneMedia is an aerial (drone) services company that delivers full traditional and aerial event documentation and video production, including aerial livestreaming. Our work ranges from covering small business events such as Sunnyside Chevrolet Annual Classic Car Show, Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing, Cleveland Haunt Club Halloween in July, to documentation of college graduations, charity events and sports events, including aerial livestreaming of US Sailing Championship on Lake Erie, and aerial coverage for 2016 Cavaliers Parade for local Cleveland news, among others. Contact us today for a quote!
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.
How to get started with Digital Marketing for any Business
If you are a small to medium business owner or marketing manager (oftentimes it is the same person), your marketing resources (budget and employees) are limited. Your challenge is to have that marketing budget work for you as hard as possible. You most likely already know that the best way to spend your budget to reach more people is through digital marketing (the exception to this rule exists, of course, if your target audience is not digitally savvy, which is increasingly hard to find nowadays).
Why Digital Media over Traditional Media?
It simply costs a lot less than traditional (Print, TV, Radio) media, it can be better targeted, and there is a lot of 'free' media exposure to be gained through search engines and social media, through what is called "earned media" in the communications world.
When I was in corporate marketing managing million-dollar budgets, the mantra always was to spend your budget most efficiently, and in many ways that meant reaching the most people possible for the cost of the media buy. Usually, this is measured in CPM (or Cost per Thousand) of individual visual impressions. So, even if you have large budgets nowadays, a large portion of it should go to digital marketing, since it helps you reach more people at a lower CPM.
Relevant Digital Content Increases Your Reach
Digital media revolutionized marketing in many ways. One of them is the ability of any business to be discoverable on the internet through the use of relevant content on the website that helps with Search Engine Optimization (or SEO), the other is putting out consistent content on a website and social media that is shareable and helps to build and keep your brand top of mind. The type, quality, and relevancy of this content will play a role in its distribution, sharing, and ranking in the Search Engine results.
A website with SEO-Optimized Content– Step # 1
If you don't have a website yet and have never heard of the term SEO (Search Engine Optimization) before, then you should stop reading this immediately and set up a website, and get educated on SEO as soon as possible! Because SEO is the #1 free marketing tool that is available to you. Through continuous SEO-optimized website copy, you can make your business more discoverable through Search Engines (such as Google, Bing, etc.), bringing your website up in the search results when a prospective customer is searching with a term specific to your business. This should always be the starting point to establish your digital presence: building a website that has SEO-optimized copy and content that will help your website to be discovered.
How to get started with SEO? Since you or your employees are most likely subject matter experts in the service or product you provide, and you have access to clients who you serve and who share their needs (pain points) with you, you are perfectly capable of developing some basic content (copy, photos) for your website. You should also have a plan to keep current on relevant keywords of how customers/consumers look for the services/products you offer, perform a routine (quarterly) audit of yours and competitive website keyword ranking, and update the copy and content accordingly.
There is a wealth of online information and tools on SEO and of course plenty of SEO professionals who can help you to manage this if you are not inclined to do so yourself.
Establish Social Media Presence – Step #2
If you have a website, you need to have a social media presence as well to help you get exposure to prospective clients via content you put out. You can also join and participate in relevant to your business groups on those social platforms, commenting and posting your content there.
The choice of which social media platform you should join depends on your target audience, and where it will be most receptive to your message. If you are a consumer-centric business (Business to Consumer, or B2C - think e-commerce or local services and products), you will most likely get more exposure on Facebook and Instagram. If you are a Business to Business (B2B) provider, then you should probably look into LinkedIn and Facebook more closely. There are other social media platforms (YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, etc.) that could be useful, but, of course, their usefulness to you will be dictated by the type of product or service you offer, and the type of customers you are targeting.
Whatever social media platform you choose, you should have a consistent posting strategy (a few times a week on certain days, for example), and experiment with the type of posts to learn how you can engage prospective clients (and only your imagination is the limit of what you can try out). This is also something you can outsource if you have the budget to do so.
Video as Digital Marketing Content – Step #3
If you have a good grasp of SEO and have established your social media presence, you should seriously consider developing video content as the next step in making your website content easier to digest and more engaging.
It is not easy to keep your website visitors linger on the website and contact you for business, and video is one of those things that can help you to get there! Good video content on your social media channels will also help to break through the feed and 'earn' free media exposure through catching prospective customers' eye that may cause them to engage with it on a social network, making the reach of your content go further. Video is becoming one of the most effective ways to break through the social feed clutter, and you can read more about the reasons behind it in our Why Video for Your Marketing Content blog post.
But whatever industry your business is in, and whether you have an established marketing strategy or not, get started with a few powerful videos that help a prospective client understand what you do, how you do it, and whether you are trustworthy. You will need this type of basic information for your website anyway, and if you publish it in the video format, it will help to increase time spent with your content on your website (this helps with improving search engine ranking, as mentioned above), and you can reuse the footage you got by posting it on social media platforms to get that coveted 'word of mouth' through social sharing.
Video Production Investment
Video production requires an investment of considerable resources. Over the years the cost of video production has come down significantly with the democratization of video production when skilled video-makers with affordable high-quality gear are establishing video production companies, but it remains an expense, nonetheless. In the marketing communications field this is what's referred to as "non-working dollars', and what this means is it is dollars spent on creating content, i.e. creative development, video production, and agency fees. 'Working dollars" is the budget spent on actually 'showing' the content to prospective customers (i.e. dollars you spend on buying media in form of TV, Radio, Print, Billboard and Social Media).
The rule of thumb in the organizations that spend millions out of their budgets on marketing communications is that the 'non-working dollars' to 'working dollars' ratio should be no higher than 20/80. However, this isn't always realistic and depends on what type of content you are developing. If this content will be reused a lot (also sometimes called 'evergreen' content), and that will permanently on your website and other digital channels (i.e. one that will work for you longer than for 1 year, such as About US video, Product or Service showcase video, project documentation, customer testimonials, as examples), it is certainly worth investing more into producing professionally. If you don't spend any budget on advertising, then you should only think about developing 'evergreen' video professionally for the time being.
What kind of budget should you plan on for video production?
The cost of video production depends on the # and types of videos you want to make, and the number of resources needed to produce them (read # of the crew, equipment, days of shooting, and editing time). If you want to educate yourself more on what it takes to produce a video and learn about the stages of video production, refer to our Video Production 101 blog post.
If you are working with a small agile video production company, you can establish starting budget for your project at $2500 for a simple production with minimal editing and crew, and the budget will go up from there if you require specialized equipment, additional crew, and extensive editing in post-production. If you need creative support from a video production company, such as scriptwriting and ideation in the pre-production stage, then you should plan extra funds for that as well.
If your video requires hired talent (actors), extensive scriptwriting, built sets - this will require a much bigger budget and can run into tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars easily for a couple of days shoot.
Are there ways to reduce the cost of video production?
Yes, there are several ways to control the cost, and many of these levers are within your control. You can limit the cost with careful planning in the pre-production stage, which should dictate exactly the amount of resources (crew members, equipment, production, and editing time) you need to produce the video and give you an idea of what you want to do is within your budget. It will be most helpful to establish the expectations of the production process details between you (the client) and the video production company you hire and formalize them through a written contract.
So, if you are a small to medium-sized business with limited marketing resources, there is enough information here for you to jump-start your digital marketing efforts. If you are ready to get started with video marketing (and our specialty, aerial video), check out our video portfolio and contact us to evaluate and quote your video project.
Get your drone license training for free in Ohio with TechCred!
Technology is constantly changing the nature of work, and nowadays even more so in non-technology-focused industries. Drone technology is one of those technologies, as it is disrupting established industries like surveying, construction, real estate, land development, asset management, telecommunications, and is being used as a new tool in disaster response, police, firefighting, agriculture, forestry, wildlife management, insurance, media, and many others. You can read about the current state of the Drone Industry and its development in this 2021 Drone Market Report Snapshot.
Why are these industries using drones?
Drones made aerial videography and photography more affordable to use in TV, Film, marketing, and advertising.
Drone technology enables more efficient operations through cost-cutting, project transparency, and site visualization for improved communication.
Drones improve the safety aspect of operations: for example, not having to have people climb facades of the buildings, cranes, or cell phone towers as much, and assess the crime or a disaster scene for response planning without putting first responders in danger – this can be achieved with a drone!
Drones can also uncover new value for businesses when they find a way to use a drone in innovative ways: for example, in forestry, it is a new way to assess the health of a forest/vegetation area – you can even count the trees when the collected visual data is processed through photogrammetry software! In package delivery, drones may solve last-mile delivery challenges and can access remote or dangerous locations. And there are many more use cases to come as the drone industry is experimenting and implementing them in their workflows!
So, is your business ready to embrace this new technology to stay competitive and realize potential benefits? Is your workforce ready to use these new tools?
Investing capital and people resources into learning and implementing new technology at a workplace can be costly, however, not investing can cost a business more (or even put them out of business) if it doesn't embrace a technology that is being rapidly implemented in their industry.
The good news is that in Ohio the state government is committed to helping local workers and employers to get the new technical skills they need in order to stay competitive in this technology-driven reality. The state of Ohio has established the TechCred program that helps Ohioans learn new skills and help employers build a stronger workforce with the skills in a tech-infused economy by reimbursing them for the training.
TechCred is a program for Ohio employers that have identified new technology skills needed for employees, and if that technical skill is on the approved TechCred ‘credential’ list, they can nominate employees to go through the training to learn this skill. Once the employee is enrolled in a listed technology ‘credential’ short-term course with a credential provider they can either earn a technology certificate through taking the course or pass a standardized test with a certification after completing the course. After the employee has ‘earned’ the credential, the employer will get reimbursed for the cost of the employee training in the course.
And yes, drone skills are on that 'credential' list as FAA Drone Technology UAS! So, if you think your employer can benefit from you learning drone skills and getting trained to become a certified drone pilot by taking and passing the FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot License Test (you can read more about this license in our Drone Pilot License blog post), you should bring this program to their attention and encourage them to apply on your behalf!
How much does it cost to earn the Drone Pilot License? Through TechCred you would have to take a course that would run $499-$1000 (the cost of this course can get reimbursed to the employer by the TechCred program), plus the cost of the test itself, which is currently $175 (you have to pay it every time you take it, so it is worth to take a course and study to ensure passing the test).
Once you earn your commercial drone pilot license your value to the employer may increase and you can even use this credential to help with finding employment in the future.
Or, if you are an employer (manager) in an industry that is rapidly embracing drone technology (watch our Drones for Business Information Webinar - video below - to learn more about drone uses in various industries), you can identify employees who would be a good fit to earn their drone pilot license and enroll them in an appropriate course that gets them ready to fly drones and pass the FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot License Test.
Drone Applications For Businesses - Pre-recorded Informational Webinar
V1DroneMedia’s Chief Pilot Jason Damman (you can read his bio on the About page) has been teaching first responders to fly drones in the Cleveland area for the last 4 years and recently started teaching the same course at the Lorain County Community College, which is on the credential list as the FAA Drone Technology UAS credential provider through TechCred. Check out our Drone Training and Events page for the upcoming training to enroll yourself or your employees, sign-up for e-mail notifications about classes, and check out our TechCred page to learn what courses we provide through the Ohio TechCred program to get acquainted with how it works and to get started with your application to get reimbursed!
Where you can get trained to fly drones in Cleveland, Ohio
V1DroneMedia gets frequent questions and inquiries about getting certified to fly drones or learning how to fly them proficiently. We’ve also met quite a few people who fly drones illegally around Cleveland (aka without FAA Part 107 Drone License), or not flying them in compliance with the FAA Drone Regulations.
We know that demand for consumer and commercial drones is soaring, as is the drone use in many industries, but few people know where to turn for credible information and training. So, we’ve put together this guide on available Drone Training in Cleveland, Ohio.
There are several options in the Cleveland area for drone training, both in-person and hands-on drone flight training, available for those interested to learn to fly drones proficiently, getting their drone FAA Part 107 certification that enables them to fly commercially, and learning about innovative drone technology applications in various industries.
Accredited degree programs in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones) in Cleveland, Ohio
If you are looking for a traditional undergraduate program, Kent State University is known for its aviation programs, and it offers an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics with the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Operations concentration. Kent State also offers an Unmanned Aircraft Systems Minor for those enrolled in its undergraduate program.
However, you don’t need to get a degree in drones to fly drones (especially if you already have a degree and are just looking to get your drone license). Flying drones is a skill that can be learned if you invest some time into learning to fly while studying the FAA rules and regulations so you are doing it safely and responsibly, and then schedule and pass the Part 107 Drone License Test (see our blog post Drone Pilot License for more details on that). There are several drone training options in the Cleveland area as well if you are looking for an in-person class where you can acquire drone skills.
Non-degree Drone Training Courses in Cleveland, Ohio
There are several in-person training options for the Part 107 drone license in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.
Kent State has a UAV Training and Part 107 Testing course that does just that. It is scheduled throughout the year and doesn’t appear to always be available, so you must keep an eye out when it opens up.
Cuyahoga County Community College (Tri-C) offers FAA Part 107 drone training for law enforcement and other first responders at its Drone Academy, also offered throughout the year, where our Chief Pilot Jason Damman is the lead instructor on the FAA Part 107 Rules and Regulations and National Airspace.
V1DroneMedia also offers a variety of Drone Training Courses in the Cleveland area, with in-person courses offered through a partnership with Lorain County Community College, and custom-scheduled courses for organizations and individuals. V1DroneMedia also offers educational content through video resources on our Resources page and YouTube channel Drone Education playlist. Our Chief Pilot and Drone Instructor, Jason Damman, is a Certified Flight Instructor with an extensive commercial airline, flight, and drone training, and drone flying background (see About to learn more).
For starters, if you are curious about what you can do with a drone, watch our Free Drone Business Information Webinar outlining major drone use cases, industries that use them, and opportunities for growth in this field.
If you are ready to learn more about what it takes to get started in this field, schedule with us an Introduction to Drones Class geared toward drone hobbyists or aspiring commercial drone pilots. Or, if you are more serious and ready to try out a career in the field, take the Part 107 Drone Certificate Prep Course preparing anyone to take the Part 107 Test to earn a commercial drone pilot license.
V1DroneMedia Drone License Prep Class is a 2-day in-person class that takes place in a classroom. It covers everything one needs to learn to pass the FAA Part 107 test, including practice tests, access to class materials and additional resources, in-person connection with the instructor, and a private Facebook group community to stay in touch with the class participants and the instructor. The Part 107 Prep Class costs $499 (the fee does not include the test fee payable to one of the FAA-authorized testing centers where you schedule to take your test).
The benefit of taking the in-person class is that the instructor has simplified the complex and lengthy aviation lingo-heavy Part 107 study guide into easy-to-understand digestible content. This class has been taught before to many Cleveland-area students who successfully passed the Part 107 Test.
V1DroneMedia is also available to teach its custom FAA Part 107 Drone License training courses based on the curriculum we developed, can conduct group or 1:1 Flight Training sessions, and provide consultations on all drone-related matters, including setting up an internal Drone Operations Program for a business that is looking to build one.
We recently also started offering individual and small group Drone Operations Classes and Hands-On Drone Flight Training sessions geared toward those who want to get started flying their drones with professional guidance or learn advanced flight skills.
If you are thinking about getting trained, but are not sure when you will be able to do it, Sign Up for an e-mail notification list to stay informed about V1DRoneMedia classes as they get scheduled
Online Drone Training
If you are good at following a self-paced YouTube, or another online course tool, there are many options out there. Google them, and you will find many, but it may take some time for you to make a decision on the one that’s right for you.
However, if you decide to go in this direction, you will still have to study the materials and take the test. The upside here can be lower cost (although not always), but the downside is that more often than none there isn’t any person to ask any questions for more information and clarification, and many of those programs can be very dense and full of aviation lingo (that we strip out in our courses, which give you only the essentials you need to know to fly and pass the test). We have had students in our in-person classes who have taken online courses and ended up coming to our class because the online course they took was very confusing. Of course, you are free to choose which learning mode best suits your needs.
You can also access official FAA Study materials on the FAA website (very comprehensive, but hard to digest if you are a non-aviator).
What about the FAA Trust Test?
FAA recently released a mandatory Trust Test (The Recreational UAS Safety Test) for recreational drone pilots (hobbyists). It is much more basic than the FAA Part 107 Drone License Test, and most of the information is laid out by the online accredited testing centers (you can learn more about Trust Test in our Trust Test blog post and YouTube video on this topic).
So if you are ready to embark on your drone hobby or a career, check out the Drone Classes we offer, Sign up for class notifications, and Contact Us if you are interested in a consultation or a custom class.
FAA Trust Test for Drone Pilots Explained
There has been no requirement for recreational (or hobbyists, who solely fly for fun) to take any type of knowledge test to fly in the national airspace. Up until now, that is, with the FAA releasing a mandatory TRUST test for recreational drone flyers.
According to the FAA's website, there are roughly 871,000 drones now registered in the United States with over half of them being registered for recreational use, with many of those folks not investing any time in learning about FAA rules and regulations about safe drone flying.
So, we've put together a quick guideline on the newly released Aeronautical Knowledge and Safety Test for recreational drone flyers, known as the FAA Trust Test (The Recreational UAS Safety Test). If you are better at learning through videos, you can also watch our YouTube video on this topic!
What is FAA Trust Test for Drone Flyers?
With all these drones now sharing the same airspace as manned aircraft, the FAA has released a mandatory knowledge test every recreational pilot legally needs to complete – The TRUST knowledge test (The Recreational UAS Safety Test), which provides essential information for anyone operating a drone so that they know how to safely and legally fly within the national airspace. As a side note – this also applies to model aircraft pilots, in general – NOT JUST DRONE PILOTS!
Who should take the FAA TRUST Test?
The FAA says that "anyone who operates their drone for fun or personal enjoyment purposes only." So, even if you already have a Part 107 certificate, you should still take the TRUST test if you plan to operate your drone recreationally or 'for fun.'
How hard is the Trust Test? Is it similar to the FAA Part 107 Drone License Test?
The TRUST test is very basic in comparison to what Part 107 drone pilots must know, and some of the items that recreational pilots will learn about and be tested on include: preflight inspections, aircraft registration, airspace classifications, TFR's (temporary flight restrictions), how to get airspace authorizations to fly in controlled airspace, among others.
How do I study for the Trust Test?
You can read through all the information you are tested on prior to taking the test through one of the FAA's approved test administrators.
Where do I take the Trust Test?
The TRUST test can be taken online through one of the FAA's approved test administrators which are listed on the FAA's website. You can use this FAA website link for access to all of the available Trust Test administrators available. There is NO CHARGE to take the test and, depending on your level of knowledge, could take anywhere from 15-45 minutes to complete.
Do I have to take the drone Trust test in the future to stay current?
Unlike Part 107 pilots, who must take recurrent training every two years to maintain the currency, the TRUST test need only be taken and passed ONCE – there is no need to take the test again once completed.
The caveat to that is, you must retain the certificate that you receive upon completion of the test. This certificate is the only documentation that you will receive showing that you have completed the TRUST test. Neither the test administrator nor the FAA will maintain personally identifiable information about the recreational flyer so it is not possible to re-print or re-issue your original certificate.
Why is it important to take and pass the drone Trust test?
The FAA and/or law enforcement can now ask recreational pilots to provide documentation showing that they have completed the TRUST test. The certificate received after completion of the test is the ONLY documentation that you have to prove that you have taken the test and are legal to fly as a recreational pilot.
How soon does the Trust test go into effect?
It is already in effect and has been since June 2021!
So, if you are a recreational pilot and have not yet completed the TRUST test you should do so before your next flight in order to be legal, as flying without the TRUST certificate of completion could get you into trouble.
I am sure a lot of people may think: what is the likelihood of that? Or, who is going to catch me – no one will know where I am flying, etc. One thing to think about is if an accident would occur with your drone or if you are caught flying in an area that you shouldn't be – especially if specifically mentioned in the TRUST test, there could be greater consequences for your actions when it is found that you haven't completed the required testing for recreational pilots. I know the chances of that may be slim, but when you consider how easy the FAA has made it to complete the (now mandatory) testing, there really shouldn't be any excuses to not take it.
Can I fly drones commercially after passing the Trust test?
Just so there is no confusion, as mentioned earlier, passing the TRUST test DOES NOT allow you to fly for commercial purposes – it is strictly for pilots wishing to fly their drone solely for recreational purposes, or 'for fun.' If you would like to become a commercial operator you will need to pass the FAA Part 107 knowledge test, which covers the topics included in the TRUST test along with many others much more in-depth – similar to what a private pilot knowledge exam would look like! You can learn more details in our Drone Pilot License blog post.
If you are a recreational drone pilot, you are now equipped with the knowledge of what you need to do. Good luck and happy flying!