Daniel shares his journey from building DIY drones in 2014 to becoming a professional Drone First Responder. With roughly 1,000 missions flown with Spexi for the LayerDrone network, Daniel discusses the competitive nature of drone work, the importance of staying calm under pressure, and how fly-to-earn opportunities reignited his passion for aviation.

00:38 Introduction to Daniel Whitfield, Drone First Responder
05:27 A DFR's Work Week
09:49 Special Segment: The Bryce is Wrong

Discussed:

Breaking into professional drone work through Spexi
Life as a Drone First Responder (DFR) supporting police and emergency services
Optimizing flight strategies for maximum efficiency on the Spexi app
Balancing emergency response work with mapping missions

Highlights

"Spexi motivated me to get my Part 107, which eventually elevated me to this job where I get to be on top of the world."
"You gotta have kind of a spirit of wonder. You wanna just push for what hasn't been done before."

Connect with Daniel

YouTube: Aerial Cinema
The rest of the internet: CloudyConnex

Hosted by Bryce Bladon (brycebladon.com) | Edited by AJ Fillari (ajfillari.online)
Sponsored by Spexi.com | LayerDrone.org

Becoming a Drone First Responder: From Hobby to Paid Pilot