Time for a career change!

[MikeSinOC]

You have a niche market, contacts and knowedge.
You are a specialist photographer in a niche.
It would make a good side line

Look at the real costs of getting commercially licensed. (I have no idea what it is where you are)
Then get a few jobs as a side line to see if it can break even. Or even just make it an almost free hobby

NOTE it might be worth doing one job for your current employer as a free one. (cue long arguments on this supporting for and against)
However I would do this on the understanding that they *rent* the gear from you. Ie your time, as you are employed by them. they have paid for but the kit they rent.
They should understand this.

This will mean that you have a paid job and an example on your portfolio. Over a few of these it could pay for the costs in the certification/registration etc of the costs in seting up the company (the one your current emplyer rents the gear from) You could then get other jobs for your self.

I was going to suggest that your employer might offer this as a service but they would then buy their own drone for you to operate.... so beware of that trap

Once you are off the ground so to speak you need to think like a business, You will need back up kit, all sorts of bits and pieces. I have seen a "Professional" Wedding Photographer with only one camera and flash gun..... disaster if it fails. Real Pro's have a reasonable amount of back up kit. This is a long term thing.

You do need a plan. A busines plan on where you want to go and how to get there, (not the sort of busines plan the bank wants)
You will get lots of suggestions on here.


BTW The Creative Cloud is irrelevant there are lots of similar tools. As is the actual name/model of thre camera or Drone, Clients generally don't care.

Excellent advice, again thank you so much for the help.

 

[julius13]

My biggest piece of advice is to not quit your day job until after your new career proofs out. Unless you can "Create" a niche for yourself and become an expert in it. Otherwise you'll be competing with every Tom, ****, & Harry out there for scraps.

I don't have any experience with those type of seminars but go into it knowing they have an agenda "to sell you" and take anything you learn from it with a grain of salt. Don't dip too deep into your wallet for a Feel Good seminar.

Good luck and SAFE Flights
Allen

I took it. It was informative but it's like all seminars. They want you to pay some big bucks to join their network where they will help promote your business, including building your website...with someone else's video and pics. That made my decision to punt. I agree, don't quit your job thinking this is going to keep you fed. This business is one where we are working our way to the bottom. I suspect it will even out when the rest of the world realizes that getting PArt 107 can be a hassle and they will move on to the next best thing. I just took my 107 recertification yesterday so I'm moving forward with securing future work.

 

[jagraphics]

Excellent advice, again thank you so much for the help.

invoice is in the post
but don't blame me if in 12 months you are broke, homeless, the wife has taken the kids to her mothers, and you are on the streets begging.... for some one to charge your drone batteries for one last flight

 

[MikeSinOC]

I took it. It was informative but it's like all seminars. They want you to pay some big bucks to join their network where they will help promote your business, including building your website...with someone else's video and pics. That made my decision to punt. I agree, don't quit your job thinking this is going to keep you fed. This business is one where we are working our way to the bottom. I suspect it will even out when the rest of the world realizes that getting PArt 107 can be a hassle and they will move on to the next best thing. I just took my 107 recertification yesterday so I'm moving forward with securing future work.

Julius, thanks for your input. I figured it'd be something like that and plan to work it out myself. I appreciate the help.

 

[MikeSinOC]

invoice is in the post
but don't blame me if in 12 months you are broke, homeless, the wife has taken the kids to her mothers, and you are on the streets begging.... for some one to charge your drone batteries for one last flight

I'm keeping a day job, for now, are will get a plan to start something on the side. If all else fails and the wife and kids leave, I've always wanted to visit the UK
Thanks again

 

[GadgetGuy]

I just took my 107 recertification yesterday so I'm moving forward with securing future work.

That's the real challenge! Good luck! Make sure you get paid, too!

 

[Reuter]

Thinking about changing my career and get into some sort of drone business for myself, I still need my Part 107.

I have an opportunity to attend this three day seminar for Drone Command Live. Has anyone taken this course or something similar to start a venture like this? Can you recommend different steps?

I attended one of these in Phoenix last year. They do provide some good info if you have never touched a drone or if you don't know anything at all about them. You will also, however, be exposed to their plan to get you to sign up for a multi-thousand support service which is a good 20% of the weekend. If you already know a lot about drones, how to fly them etc and you feel you need them to provide you with business cards and editing service etc. then you might want to go.

 

[MikeSinOC]

I attended one of these in Phoenix last year. They do provide some good info if you have never touched a drone or if you don't know anything at all about them. You will also, however, be exposed to their plan to get you to sign up for a multi-thousand support service which is a good 20% of the weekend. If you already know a lot about drones, how to fly them etc and you feel you need them to provide you with business cards and editing service etc. then you might want to go.

That doesn't really sound like the route I want to go. I want to love/enjoy what I do and not be a part of the "system" by someone else's design. Thanks for the input I'll work my own plan and study on my own.

 

[PWIdmayer]

If it helps, I made a little money with drone base but the jobs are hit and miss and you have to be quick. I am also on Droners.io (precision hawk) but like someone said earlier, these jobs are tough to bid on. Most seem like real estate people who will pay you for the stuff and then sell it to the realtor. I do like Drone Base. I am defiantly not going to get rich that way, but I do get paid to fly my drone. What more could you ask for? I am looking to get a thermal drone and thermography certification but that is expensive. Hopefully I can convince one of my agencies I work for to pay for the training. My WIX Site

 

[julius13]

That's the real challenge! Good luck! Make sure you get paid, too!

I've been at this for 3 years now and am getting paid for what I shoot. I'm not ready to go finance a condo in Bermuda but making enough to buy a new set of props every six months.

 

[GadgetGuy]

I've been at this for 3 years now and am getting paid for what I shoot. I'm not ready to go finance a condo in Bermuda but making enough to buy a new set of props every six months.

Just pointing out that there is nothing worse than closing the deal, doing the job, and then not getting paid. Collections can be a big problem, if you trust everyone to pay you when they say they will. A prepaid booking fee, and verified payment in full upon delivery will generally solve that problem. Suing for payment is also generally a waste of time, and bad PR, as 90% of Small Claims judgements are never collected upon.

 

[OnTheRopes]

All the posts above make very relevant points, why would somebody employ you to take aerial photo's. Big companies will mainly train their own people with relevant qualifications to fly a drone as an add on.
Real estate companies want to pay peanuts or do it themselves illegally.
Be realistic, what have you got to offer, what is your USP?

I got my commercial permission in the UK, but considering the costs of training, drones and accessories, insurance etc I will never re-coup that in my own business and I have let my permission expire.

On a positive note you are in construction, as am I. I now do pretty well with drone and ground photography/video working for them as a sideline. If you can persuade them to do this then it could be a good way forward, don't work for free, not even once or else you will be on the back foot when you want to start charging.
The way I work is I charge my regular hourly rate and a hire charge for the kit, make that a reasonable rate, check out the commercial hire rates for all the individual items you will use and demonstrate it is cheaper to hire from yourself than from a hire company. I charge a flat rate for video/photography whatever kit I use its just simpler that way.

You can slowly build a reputation with them and become the go-to guy.

While on site if they have clients then maybe you can pick up a bit of work for them too.

 

[jagraphics]

Just pointing out that there is nothing worse than closing the deal, doing the job, and then not getting paid. Collections can be a big problem, if you trust everyone to pay you when they say they will. A prepaid booking fee, and verified payment in full upon delivery will generally solve that problem. Suing for payment is also generally a waste of time, and bad PR, as 90% of Small Claims judgements are never collected upon.

It can help to know the names of some disreputable semi-legal debt collectors.
Simpley suggest to late/non paying client you are going to hand the debt over to these debt recovery people.....

 

[AnzacJack]

I tell all my students, “your probably not going to walk out of here and get a job as a drone pilot, but if you can take these skills and apply them in new and useful ways, your licence will be worth it”
Having said that, quite a few are now working as drone pilots in surveying, mines, police and for Boeing Defence. ;-)

 

[MikeSinOC]

All the posts above make very relevant points, why would somebody employ you to take aerial photo's. Big companies will mainly train their own people with relevant qualifications to fly a drone as an add on.
Real estate companies want to pay peanuts or do it themselves illegally.
Be realistic, what have you got to offer, what is your USP?

I got my commercial permission in the UK, but considering the costs of training, drones and accessories, insurance etc I will never re-coup that in my own business and I have let my permission expire.

On a positive note you are in construction, as am I. I now do pretty well with drone and ground photography/video working for them as a sideline. If you can persuade them to do this then it could be a good way forward, don't work for free, not even once or else you will be on the back foot when you want to start charging.
The way I work is I charge my regular hourly rate and a hire charge for the kit, make that a reasonable rate, check out the commercial hire rates for all the individual items you will use and demonstrate it is cheaper to hire from yourself than from a hire company. I charge a flat rate for video/photography whatever kit I use its just simpler that way.

You can slowly build a reputation with them and become the go-to guy.

While on site if they have clients then maybe you can pick up a bit of work for them too.

Very good points and when I get a plan together I will most likely start with my foot in the door.

 

[GadgetGuy]

It can help to know the names of some disreputable semi-legal debt collectors.
Simpley suggest to late/non paying client you are going to hand the debt over to these debt recovery people.....

Indeed. My point was to never to get into a situation where a client owes you money in the first place. Pay upfront or upon delivery. No invoicing. If they won't cooperate, they probably can't afford you in the first place. Don't waste your time doing the work, only to never get paid.

 

[jagraphics]

Indeed. My point was to never to get into a situation where a client owes you money in the first place. Pay upfront or upon delivery. No invoicing. If they won't cooperate, they probably can't afford you in the first place. Don't waste your time doing the work, only to never get paid.

Depending on industry
Most B2B is on 30 days net. IE they pay up to 30 days after Invoice.
BIG outfits often work on 60 days (one or two want 90 days) .

Cash up front is normally B2C Business to Consumer.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Depending on industry
Most B2B is on 30 days net. IE they pay up to 30 days after Invoice.
BIG outfits often work on 60 days (one or two want 90 days) .

Cash up front is normally B2C Business to Consumer.

I make it a personal business practice never to lend my money to any client, no matter how BIG they are! They are borrowing your money from you for free, and when they go under, no matter how BIG, their debt to you is completely unsecured. Cash upon delivery is the only way to protect yourself. Why should you have to go take out a loan to finance their payables? They do what they can get away with. They manage to pay their own employees every week or biweekly at worst. Why should you treated any differently! This isn't spec work!

 

[jagraphics]

I make it a personal business practice never to lend my money to any client, no matter how BIG they are! They are borrowing your money from you for free, and when they go under, no matter how BIG, their debt to you is completely unsecured. Cash upon delivery is the only way to protect yourself. Why should you have to go take out a loan to finance their payables? They do what they can get away with. They manage to pay their own employees every week or biweekly at worst. Why should you treated any differently! This isn't spec work!

Don't know what industry you are in but 30 days net is standard everywhere I know and most staff are on monthly pay not weekly.

Then again we also pay for things (other than retail) on 30 days as well.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Don't know what industry you are in but 30 days net is standard everywhere I know and most staff are on monthly pay not weekly.

Then again we also pay for things (other than retail) on 30 days as well.

Just because it is standard for them does not mean you have to accept it. Set your own standards that they must adhere to, if they want to do business with you! Attorneys charge a retainer upfront. Why do you think that is? Because it guarantees payment!