Thank god I found this forum!! Researching drone information has been a nightmare for me it's either "You need to spend money and buy this drone course!" or 2-year-old information from old blog posts. I'm hoping to learn if there is any real or steady paid work on learning 2d/3d mapping and modeling for construction sites or if there are other areas I should try cold calling to try and find work by helping solve problems with my drone.
I just upgraded to a Mavic 2 Pro and purchased a course on Drone Launch Academy on Drone Mapping and Modeling Fundamentals. In the past, I have flown on construction sites (for photography practice) and the construction companies have told me they wanted to hire an in-house drone guy but couldn't for x, y, or z reasons. However, they couldn't think of what tasks they wanted the drone to do or what problems the drone would solve. So I don't know if 2d/3d mapping or modeling would benefit them or if they just don't know how helpful it can be. I have contacts with a blueprint drafting company, but I don't know if I can add value to them with 2d/3d modeling either.
So I'm wondering if any of you Awesome MavicPilots have any knowledge on if there is any paid work in this area or should I focus on something else? I am in California, so I am not allowed to do measurements with an RTK Phantom 4 pro, because I am not a licensed surveyor.
On the roofing side...
I kept hearing about drone roofing inspections, but the roofing companies I have called all do free estimates for their clients, so there is no money to pay me. Also, I think roofers use some kind of google earth software for roof measurements so there is no need for drone measurements. I bought a drone Roofing Course and now regret it, but at the same time, I wonder if I am doing something wrong here on the roofing side. Not afraid to make 100 calls if anyone has suggestions for me on where to aim for work with roofing companies. I was hoping to do solar work with my Mavic 2 Pro, but I think I need the more expensive thermal camera.
Business Plan..
I am practicing my first 2d/ 3d map this Sunday on one of my friend's construction sites. I plan to give the project owners and the construction company the 2d/ 3d maps for free and do weekly progress reports for a while. I'm hoping that it solves some problems for them and they'll want to hire me for future work. However, I don't know if this is another pipe dream (like the Roofing Course I spent time money and energy on only to find out no one wants it.)
I don't mind working for free to show how the drone service can help them out in some way. However, I can't afford to lose more time and money like I did on the Drone Roofing Course. DroneDeploy software is $300-$500 a month and I'd be locked in for a year. I know they have a $99 a month, but that doesn't include counting or measuring stockpile service which I think is important for construction sites, (again not sure if this is another pipe dream service. Pay more for the software service to offer the construction companies something they don't need and won't pay for).
My background is in film and tv (reach out if you want to pick my brain on anything in the industry). I tried getting into this line of work, but the permitting is very expensive even to build a city reel. Film permitting is a nightmare in California. It's $250 for just the film permit (depending on the city) and I can't pond 5 the footage unless it's been permitted. I can't even afford to build a drone reel resume with all the red tape of city film permits. I purchased one of Alex Harris's courses, which has a lot of great info, but his advice of "just build a town reel" is expensive in just getting permits. Otherwise, I would have hit up all of my old film contacts and started to find work in the industry.
If anyone has any first-hand knowledge, tips, suggestions, or experience I would love your take. Be as harsh as you need to be if I have been doing things wrong. I have a thick skin and will really appreciate your feedback and advice. I don't know anyone who flies a drone so information and knowledge have been very slow and now costly for me to obtain.
Thanks for hearing me out.
I just upgraded to a Mavic 2 Pro and purchased a course on Drone Launch Academy on Drone Mapping and Modeling Fundamentals. In the past, I have flown on construction sites (for photography practice) and the construction companies have told me they wanted to hire an in-house drone guy but couldn't for x, y, or z reasons. However, they couldn't think of what tasks they wanted the drone to do or what problems the drone would solve. So I don't know if 2d/3d mapping or modeling would benefit them or if they just don't know how helpful it can be. I have contacts with a blueprint drafting company, but I don't know if I can add value to them with 2d/3d modeling either.
So I'm wondering if any of you Awesome MavicPilots have any knowledge on if there is any paid work in this area or should I focus on something else? I am in California, so I am not allowed to do measurements with an RTK Phantom 4 pro, because I am not a licensed surveyor.
On the roofing side...
I kept hearing about drone roofing inspections, but the roofing companies I have called all do free estimates for their clients, so there is no money to pay me. Also, I think roofers use some kind of google earth software for roof measurements so there is no need for drone measurements. I bought a drone Roofing Course and now regret it, but at the same time, I wonder if I am doing something wrong here on the roofing side. Not afraid to make 100 calls if anyone has suggestions for me on where to aim for work with roofing companies. I was hoping to do solar work with my Mavic 2 Pro, but I think I need the more expensive thermal camera.
Business Plan..
I am practicing my first 2d/ 3d map this Sunday on one of my friend's construction sites. I plan to give the project owners and the construction company the 2d/ 3d maps for free and do weekly progress reports for a while. I'm hoping that it solves some problems for them and they'll want to hire me for future work. However, I don't know if this is another pipe dream (like the Roofing Course I spent time money and energy on only to find out no one wants it.)
I don't mind working for free to show how the drone service can help them out in some way. However, I can't afford to lose more time and money like I did on the Drone Roofing Course. DroneDeploy software is $300-$500 a month and I'd be locked in for a year. I know they have a $99 a month, but that doesn't include counting or measuring stockpile service which I think is important for construction sites, (again not sure if this is another pipe dream service. Pay more for the software service to offer the construction companies something they don't need and won't pay for).
My background is in film and tv (reach out if you want to pick my brain on anything in the industry). I tried getting into this line of work, but the permitting is very expensive even to build a city reel. Film permitting is a nightmare in California. It's $250 for just the film permit (depending on the city) and I can't pond 5 the footage unless it's been permitted. I can't even afford to build a drone reel resume with all the red tape of city film permits. I purchased one of Alex Harris's courses, which has a lot of great info, but his advice of "just build a town reel" is expensive in just getting permits. Otherwise, I would have hit up all of my old film contacts and started to find work in the industry.
If anyone has any first-hand knowledge, tips, suggestions, or experience I would love your take. Be as harsh as you need to be if I have been doing things wrong. I have a thick skin and will really appreciate your feedback and advice. I don't know anyone who flies a drone so information and knowledge have been very slow and now costly for me to obtain.
Thanks for hearing me out.
