How to choose a company for aerial photography in Jacksonville, FL
Whether you are a real estate agent looking to elevate a listing with drone video or a contractor looking for regular photos of progress on job sites, there are no shortage of drone photography and video services in the Jacksonville Area. When looking for aerial photography in Jacksonville, you can choose a local business, a family friend (or more realistically, their kid), or a drone provider database like Droners.io.
There are reasons to choose each of the above. Knowing what to look for in when making a decision is the hardest part for our customers. With our vast experience in industries we are here to take the difficulty out of your search. The following tips should help you in your search for a drone service provider. Some of the tips are even specific to the Jacksonville Area. The best part? These tips are applicable no matter your industry.
1. Having a license is the basic requirement
Rule breakers get ahead in a number of industries. In aviation rules exist to protect lives and property. It is not only responsible to hire a licensed pilot, but you are more likely to have a licensed pilot take your project seriously and provide quality results.
The license that applies to drone pilots and drone companies is called a Part 107 license. This was named after the section of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) that applies to unmanned aerial systems. It is important to note that while having a license may indicate that a pilot will take your job more seriously than an unlicensed pilot, it certainly does not mean the pilot has integrity or skill. It simply means the individual is capable of getting a 70% on the 107 exam. This exam is written and does not require a flight test.
2. Drone insurance can say a lot about the pilot
Accidents with drones don’t happen very much, however drones definitely have a propensity to crash. Requiring a pilot to show proof of insurance can ensure that you are protected from liability is the worst happens. In addition to protecting your liability, insurance is yet another indicator of how serious a drone pilot is about their job and career. A serious drone photography company will have insurance.
Do you want to really dive in and go above and beyond with due diligence? Check into the company providing insurance. Serious drone companies will have an annual policy from an aviation insurance company. An example of a well respected company is Transport Risk Management. Many pilots use pay per use policies that have strong indemnity clauses that preclude many operations. Per use policies also signal a pilots lack of commitment to their job as they do not fly regularly enough to justify an annual policy. You don’t want someone who isn’t committed working on your job, you want someone that cares!
3. Aerial Photography of Jacksonville in their portfolio.
Want an effective method for vetting pilots? Asking for samples of previous drone work. At Professional Drone Solutions, our client base spans all of Florida. We serve hundreds of clients. Yet, our projects all have a familiar look.
We strive to make it easy for our clients to understand what they are going to get. We have been operating in the Jacksonville area since 2018. Due to photography’s creative nature, it can be difficult to know your drone service provider will get you what you want. Seeing a company’s previous work helps communicate what they are capable of and what you are looking for. This will also ensure that your pilot will deliver on your expectations.
4. Life happens Flexibility is key to good Drone Photography
From the bipolar nature of Florida weather to one of the most complex airspace zones in Florida, aerial photography in Jacksonville can be challenging. We have cutting edge, aviation grade weather software. Our high standard of safety allows operations in complex airspace. Not only do we have the tools to deal with the expected, our pilots are trained to turn lemons into lemonade. We roll with the punches and deliver results, even in difficult scenarios. This is an important characteristic to look for when hiring drone pilots.
In Florida, weather can change in a snap. With drones, GPS signal can be iffy when getting tight shots. Nevertheless a quality drone pilot will still perform and deliver excellent results.
5. A good relationship with the aviation community
Drone photography in Jacksonville requires the drone to be in close proximity to as many as 9 airports. A good pilot will understand the general aviation community. At the very least, a pilot should respect it. Our pilots are required to spend time in the GA community, building personal relationships with pilots, passengers, and airport workers.
We do this to ensure our pilots to have a very real connection to the rules that establish safety protocol. Jacksonville’s many airports serve traffic from small general aviation aircraft at Deep Forest private airport to military jets at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. These pilots rely on drone pilots being responsible.
A responsible pilot will pay attention to their senses (like listening for helicopters) and tools at their disposal (like an ADS-B receiver or app that streams air traffic). This is definitely something we recommend people value when choosing an aerial photography company in the Jacksonville, FL area.
Wrapping it up
If you follow these tips, you should be successful with hiring a quality drone pilot. If you are looking for drone services in Jacksonville, we have all the necessary experience and equipment to ensure you get quality drone photo and video. If you need any services whether you are looking for drone photography, aerial video, construction progression photos, marketing, or your jobs is real estate related, feel free to contact us or check out our company’s drone based services.
