Ask Drone U

Branding and Marketing Strategies to Grow a Drone Business Today's show is about business strategy and branding. Our caller for today, Bob is building out a website for his drone business. And while he primarily focuses on the construction industry, Bob is wondering if he should target other verticals as well. Is it better to go broad? Or is it better to niche down and focus just on your core skill? On today's show, we discuss the pros (and cons) of going broad and offering a range of services. Paul and Rob draw from their extensive experience and share some excellent branding tips to help Bob out. This is a show you do not want to miss. Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:30]Our sponsor for today is our upcoming 3D interactive modeling class [02:13]Today's question is about business strategy and branding [03:46]Is there any risk to being a jack of all trades? [07:06]Branding strategies and building a conversion-focused website [09:35]Figuring out your niche and building your core expertise [12:34]Your unique selling proposition and why you should never compete on the basis of price [13:05]Don't forget to check out our upcoming sales class

Today's question is about drone remote-id. How can you make your drone "remote-id compatible"? Is this something that you should be even worrying about right now? Our caller for today, Jack has a question about drone remote-id. Back in December 2020, drone remote-id rules were finalized by the FAA. Once these restrictive rules kick in, it will become mandatory to broadcast your drone's location via remote-id. So, is your drone already compatible? And if not, are there any modules that you can attach to your drone to ensure compliance? Do you need to worry about this if you are an FPV drone pilot? Additionally, we also discuss the need to cultivate greater awareness, the definition of the navigable airspace, and whether (or not) this new rule will succeed in higher compliance. Thanks for the great question, Jack. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:00]Should you be worried about remote id right now? [02:03]This show is brought to you by our in-person training events [03:11]Our plans for the 2021 Fly-In [04:43]Today's question is about drone remote id [07:42]With remote id still 2 years away, do the patented solutions mean anything at all? [08:02]Are the current crop of DJI drones already compliant? [08:17]Flying in FRIA's once remote id kicks in [10:00]Will your drone be more safe or less safe once you attach a remote id module? [10:26]How does the FAA define navigable airspace? [11:00]How this restrictive rule will negatively impact STEM education [12:03]Cultivating awareness and ensuring compliance among new drone pilots [12:40]Is FAA's new training system for recreational pilots a step in the right direction? [18:18]Can we expect new remote id modules to hit the market? [19:40]How can FPV drones be made remote id compliant?

Today's show is about using software for mapping the interiors of a building. Our caller for today, Gary is a long-time ADU listener. He just happened to tune in to one of our older shows where we talked about using the Insta 360 for mapping the interiors of a building. So, Gary went ahead and purchased the Insta 360 for his next drone job where he is doing construction progress monitoring for an interior buildout. However, recent updates to a mapping software makes it far easier to use your drone to capture this interior data. Tune in to receive some of the latest and most exciting updates! Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:30] Today's show is brought to you by our 3D modeling class [02:00] Today's show is about interior 3D modeling [05:28] Now, we have a drone mapping software that allows us to map building interiors [06:34] Why do we at Drone U use Matterport for mapping interiors of a building? [08:00] Taking 360-degree images of a construction site using DroneDeploy

Today's show is about flying drones in National Parks. Back in January, US Filmmaker Gordon Price sued U.S. Attorney General William Barr. The contentious issue was the fees that Gordon had to pay to shoot in a National Park. The outcome of this case left many in the drone industry confused, and wondering if they can or cannot fly in National Parks with the right permits. On today's show, we break down the outcome of this civil court case to reveal what it means for the drone industry. You will learn whether or not this court ruling has reversed the June 2014 memo which prohibited drones from flying in National Parks. In addition to drone photography and videography, we also reveal the impact of this case outcome on still photography and videography. Some of the other questions that we answer on this show: Does this new court ruling affect both Part 107 and recreational pilots? Can drone pilots fly in the wilderness area? What is "low-impact" filming? Is low-impact filming permissible in National Parks? Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [03:35]Can you film in national parks with a photography permit? [05:10]Join us for our 3D interactive modeling class [08:25]Today's question is about flying drones in national parks [09:29]Price vs. Barr - Filmmaker sues the government over "unconstitutional" permit fees [10:10]As per the guidance released by the NPS on Feb 22, filming activities are allowed if you have a permit [12:27]How does this court ruling impact drone pilots and ground photographers? [14:30]Do drones fall under the low-impact filming category? What impact does this ruling have on drone pilots? [16:43]Does this new ruling reverse the June 2014 memo which prohibited drone pilots from flying in National Parks? [19:20]Understanding the "low impact filming" category and all related exceptions; do drones fall in the "low-impact" category? [24:40]What about tethered drones? Can you fly tethered drones over National Parks? [27:55]Can drone pilots legally fly in the wilderness areas? [30:30]Does this new ruling permit videographers to fly in National Parks while prohibiting still photographers/ [32:00]Can you fly your drone over National Parks as long as you take off and land from non-NPS land?

Today's question is about flying the same shot on multiple days and seasons. Our caller for today, Ryan from Indiana is a landscape photographer who has come up with a great question about flying the same shot on multiple days or seasons. Is it possible to get your drone to fly the same path and shoot at the same angles again and again? On today's show, you will learn how to do exactly that using the Litchi app. Additionally, you will also learn how to eliminate variables so that you can get consistent data again and again. Thanks for the great question, Ryan. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:14]Today's question is about flying the same shot on multiple days/seasons [02:38]Flying the same point multiple times using the Litchi App [03:15]Eliminating variables when flying the same shot multiple times [05:07]How to get your drone to flying the same camera path again and again [09:00]Importance of continuous learning

Today's show is about flying drones in areas of heavy interference like NYC. Our caller for today, Guy from NYC has come up with an interesting question. As you may be aware, an old avigation law makes it illegal to fly drones in NYC. However, we might see this archaic law being scrapped shortly. So, Guy is wondering if he can use drones to conduct visual facade inspections of tall buildings. On today's show, you will learn the best and safest drones to fly in areas of heavy interference such as NYC. If you found this show interesting, you might want to check out our detailed blog post, Flying Drones in NYC - Drone Laws Explained Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:32]Today's question is about flying a drone in areas of heavy interference [03:00]Avoiding over-reliance on technology and learning to fly in manual mode [05:00]Newer crop of drones with powerful range-finders [05:33]Why the Skydio 2 is NOT a safe drone to fly [08:02]Drone U Recommended drones for facade inspections in interference heavy environments [09:25]Would it be a good use of DJI's new FPV drone for visual inspections? [10:00]Flying the Phantom with prop guards [10:20]Is it legal to fly a drone in NYC? ?????

Today's show is about marketing a new drone business. Our caller for today, Ian is all of 16, and he just got his Part 107 license. Like most drone pilots, Ian wishes to start off with real estate before moving on to more complicated (and lucrative) jobs. But, he is finding himself discouraged by the intense competition. How can Ian make a dent in a marketplace dotted with older, far more experienced pilots? And how can he come up with a great and irresistible offer? Drawing from their considerable experience, Rob and Paul share some nuanced tips to help Ian out. Among other things, you will learn how to leverage autonomous systems to massively scale up your business. You will also get some branding tips so that you can showcase your skills in the right way. Thanks for the great question, Ian. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [02:04]Our sponsor for today is our new sales class [05:37]Today's question is about starting young and marketing a new drone business [07:02]How can you get people to trust you when you are young? [08:20]Coming up with your own unique mechanism to stand out in a crowded market space [11:03]How have some drone pilots drastically scaled up their business in the wake of covid? [12:05]How can you provide more value and greater convenience to your customers? [13:26]Two growth areas that you should be exploring right now [14:40]Marketing yourself the right way [16:40]Can you get more drone jobs if you fly FPV? [17:35]With the massive stimulus, is the construction industry set for a boom? [17:47]Creating autonomous systems for attaining massive scale [19:27]Check out our comprehensive Business Class for some detailed insights [21:08]Do you have a good website that showcases your skills? ??????

Today's show is about drone mapping software and acquisition strategies. Our caller for today, Bob has come up with a great follow-up question today. Bob listened to our previous show, "Which Pix4D Version Should I Use for Mapping a Roof?" And he has some in-depth questions about mapping software and acquisition strategies. Specifically, how can you prevent jagged lines in drone models? Can the use of manual tie-points help you create better-looking models? On today's show, you will learn that your acquisition strategy is program-dependent. We discuss different mapping software like Drone Deploy, Pix4D Mapper, and Pix4D React. And reveal our preferred acquisition strategy for each software. If you are a professional mapper looking to up your game, today's show will be particularly interesting to you. Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [02:02]Today's show is brought to you by PROPS and our Mapping Bootcamp [04:26]Today's question is about creating lifelike and beautiful drone models [07:11]Is your acquisition method program-dependent? [07:47]What is the recommended acquisition strategy for Pix4D React? [09:42]Choosing the right processing template and how it impacts your map quality [12:10]Using MTP's for combining data sets of two separate projects [14:20]Why aligning rather than merging datasets is preferable [15:15]Why consistent white balance is important for creating MTP's [16:40]Are there any processing engines that do not require MTP's? [18:40]Can you create an accurate 3D model using cloud-based software like DroneDeploy? ?????

Today's question is about free drone mapping software. Our caller, Ken from NJ wants to get into drone mapping. And while he wants to improve his mapping skills, understandably, he does not want to spend hundreds of dollars after mapping software right now. So, are there any free mapping software that Ken can use as a practice tool? On today's show, we discuss different options like Open Drone Map, Capture Reality, and even Pix4D and Drone Deploy. This show will be particularly useful for those who are contemplating getting into the lucrative mapping industry. Enjoy!   Resources: Drone Mapping Guide - https://learning.thedroneu.com/what-is-drone-mapping-software/?v=1 Free Drone Map - https://www.opendronemap.org/ Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [02:10]Today's show is brought to you by Drone U's Mapping Bootcamp [03:22]Today's question is about free mapping software [04:37]Drone U Recommended free mapping software to help you get started [05:47]What are the capabilities of Capture Reality's free software? [06:34]Hone your mapping skills by getting a free two week trial with Pix4D Mapper or Drone Deploy [12:35]Watch out for our next show where we shall be talking about DJI's FPV Drone   ?????

Today's show is about the DJI Mavic Air 2. Can you build a long-term, profitable business with this entry-level DJI drone? Our caller for today, John is a new drone pilot who has recently invested in the DJI Mavic Mini 2. John is facing buyer's remorse as he feels that he should have gone for a more powerful, sophisticated drone instead. While he was looking for a commercially viable option, he is worried that he has wasted his money after a "toy". Has John made a wrong purchase? Can he carve out a place in the marketplace when there are other pilots flying more powerful drones like the Mavic 2 Pro, Phantom, and Inspire?  Tune in to find out. Thanks for the great question, John. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community. Follow Us Site – https://thedroneu.com/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/droneu Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedroneu/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/thedroneu YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/droneu Timestamps [01:24]Toy or tool - how do you treat your drone? [03:00]Is the DJI Mavic Mini 2 a good option for Part 107 pilots? [04:13]Today's show is made to you by our newest drone program, PROPS [06:15]Today's question is about the DJI Mavic Air 2? [08:35]Can you build a profitable drone business with great skills but an inferior drone? [09:09]Is the DJI Mavic Air 2 a good drone for shooting real estate videos? [10:06]Mavic 2 Pro vs. Mavic 2 Air - how do they compare? [10:52]What are some of the disadvantages of owning entry-level DJI drones like the Mavic Air 2 or Mavic Mini 2? [11:50]Can you shoot smooth cinematic shots with an entry-level drone? [12:41]So, is the DJI Mavic Air 2 a commercially viable drone? [14:10]Why Paul still swears by the Phantom 4 Pro [16:07]Can you build your business with just an iPhone and Osmo? ????