Ask Drone U

Land High-Volume Ag Drone Jobs: How Taranis Flies 50,000 Acres a Day In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul sits down with Phil Franklin from Taranis to explore how the company maps thousands of agricultural acres daily across the United States. Learn how Taranis partners with Drone Service Providers (DSPs) to deploy 1099 commercial pilots, provide enterprise flight hardware, and deliver high-resolu...

Online Knowledge Assessments vs. In-Field Operational Testing for Enterprise Drone Programs In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul and Rob address how enterprise programs and business owners can accurately evaluate a drone pilot's true skill and proficiency beyond basic certification. They break down the difference between online knowledge testing and in-field flight mastery, key environmental risk...

Simultaneous Quad-Charging, Battery Longevity, and Safety Secrets with Colorado Drone Chargers In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul is joined by Patrick from Colorado Drone Chargers to dive deep into drone battery management, fire safety, and operational ROI. Discover how simultaneous multi-quad charging allows enterprise operators to fly continuously with a fraction of the batteries, saving thous...

Winning Strategies for Landing Clients in a Competitive Market In this episode of Ask Drone U, hosts Paul and Rob answer a question from listener Reuben about how a new drone pilot can differentiate themselves from established competitors who have newer equipment and more experience. The hosts share practical advice on leveraging confidence, uncovering competitor weaknesses, building a weekly port...

Stop Tracking Vanity Metrics: How Schedule Adherence, Rework Reduction, and Rapid Communication Drive Real Business Value In this episode of Ask Drone U Enterprise, Paul and Rob dive into one of the most critical questions facing construction drone program managers: How do you accurately measure the success and ROI of a drone program in construction? Most organizations fall into the trap of relyin...

Moving Beyond Fluff Metrics to Operational Efficiency, Downtime Avoidance, and Field Adoption In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul and Rob break down how enterprise organizations and former Drone Service Providers (DSPs) can accurately measure the success of an internal drone program. Instead of relying on vanity metrics like total flight hours, pilot counts, or fleet size, learn how true program...

Are You Wasting Money on Drone Mapping? What Enterprises Know In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul and Rob examine a major shift occurring across large-scale enterprise drone programs: the decline of routine drone mapping. They discuss why utility companies and infrastructure organizations are stepping away from expensive 3D models and high-overhead photogrammetry software. Instead, enterprise ope...

Part 107 vs Part 108: Why Enterprise Drone Programs Still Need Certified Pilots In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul and Rob tackle a crucial question facing enterprise drone program managers: Should your organization still require pilots to hold a Part 107 certification when operating under upcoming Part 108 regulations? They explore why leading enterprise programs continue to enforce Part 107, f...

Navigating Legal Precedents, Ag Tech Beyond Spraying, and Budget Software Stacks In this rapid-fire community Q&A episode of Ask Drone U, Paul and Rob tackle pressing questions straight from commercial drone pilots. The hosts examine complex regulatory issues—including state-level land surveying laws and North Carolina court precedents—before breaking down high-stakes industry developments like DA...

Navigating Ground Control Points, Propeller Subscriptions, and Cost-Effective RTK Workflows In this episode of Ask Drone U, hosts Paul and Rob address a question from listener Rick G regarding steep Propeller platform fees for AeroPoints. Paul breaks down whether AeroPoints can be used independently without expensive subscription plans, explores budget-friendly RTK and PPK workflows using Starlink...

The Biggest Drone Tech Trends We Saw at Commercial UAV Expo 2026 What’s actually changing in the commercial drone industry—and which new technologies are worth paying attention to? In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul shares his firsthand takeaways from the 2026 Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas, covering the aircraft, sensors, software, autonomous systems, LiDAR technology, and industry trends tha...

Buying Drones in 2026: Is the NDAA Premium Worth It? In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul and Rob address a critical question from listener Ken : Would commercial drone operators actually switch to NDAA-compliant, Blue List American drones if performance matched DJI, even at 5x the cost? They break down the practical reality of looming foreign drone bans, why critical infrastructure industries are...

Why Drone Pilots Should Stop Selling Hours and Start Selling Outcomes Complex thermal deliverables are getting killed by simpler ones. If you inspect buildings with a drone, this episode shows why the smartest workflow may be a PDF, a screen-share video, and zero fancy modeling. Paul and Rob break down a real client question about Mavic 3 Thermal building inspection work in upstate New York, inclu...

Why Being the Best Drone Pilot Is No Longer Enough In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul and Rob answer a question from Gabe at Hawaii Pacific Drone Solutions regarding whether competitive advantage in the drone industry is shifting from piloting skill to solving client business problems. They discuss why flight ability is now simply a baseline, why communication and sales skills are critical for w...

Why Most Drone Pilots Fail at Sales - and What to Do Instead On today's episode, Paul and Rob tackle one of the toughest challenges for many drone business owners: sales. Our question for today is how a non-salesperson can actually start getting clients, and hold a conversation goes deeper than scripts or tactics. We break down the mindset, habits, and communication skills that make sales feel mor...

Why the FCC Drone Ban Could Ground More Than You Think The FCC may be laying the groundwork for a drone ban that goes far beyond DJI and if you fly drones for business, this could change your entire operating model. We break down what the proposal really says, why the definition of "military grade" is so broad, and what every drone pilot needs to do before the comment window closes. The headline s...

How American drones are transforming in drone industry As regulations tighten and supply chains strain, American-made drones are stepping into the spotlight, promising new levels of safety, reliability, and profitability. It is now more important than ever to position yourself to capitalize this change. In this episode, Paul and Rob unravel the truth behind the industry's rapid transformation over...

In this episode, Gabe Hanohano takes us on his inspiring journey of building a successful drone business in Hawaii. Starting with a deep-rooted passion for photography and technology, Gabe navigates the intricate world of drones, sharing the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial path. He underscores the critical role of networking in Hawaii's relationship-driven market and the importance of adapti...

In this episode of Elevating Drone Life, host Rob Burdick sits down with Teej Ragsdale, the visionary co-founder and CEO of RAAD, an innovative aerial intelligence network. Teej's journey from finance and crypto to renewable energy has uniquely positioned him to tackle the challenges in the drone services market. Together, we explore the significant frictions faced by drone pilots and how RAAD is...

Navigating the FCC ban on DJI: What it means to pilots In this episode of ADU, we delve into the intricate details of the recent FCC ban on DJI. This episode unpacks the multifaceted implications of the ban, which is part of a broader national security initiative aimed at addressing potential threats. We explore the underlying national security concerns that have driven this regulatory decision, e...

In this captivating episode of "Elevating Drone Life," we journey with Graeme Heinrich, a seasoned expert in the drone industry, as he shares his remarkable transition from traditional golf course management to the innovative world of drone technology. With over 23 years of experience in professional golf, Graeme offers a unique perspective on how drones have revolutionized mapping and data collec...

Drone Security: Opportunities and Challenges Don't miss out on our exclusive Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals at Drone U Black Friday Deals page! Whether you're flying for fun or profit, now's the time to elevate your skills with our top-notch courses. Our episode today is brought to you by Drone U Black Friday Deals - available great discounts on our monthly, annual and lifetime membership and...

How should pilots navigate the ever evolving drone industry? Don't miss out on our exclusive Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals at Drone U Black Friday Deals page! Whether you're flying for fun or profit, now's the time to elevate your skills with our top-notch courses. Our episode today is brought to you by Drone U Black Friday Deals - available great discounts on our monthly, annual and lifetim...

What opportunities and drone options should pilot explore before/after DJI Ban? In this episode of Ask Drone U, Paul and Rob tackle one of the most common questions surfacing around the proposed DJI ban: Which drone should you buy before the ban takes effect — the Mavic 4T or the 4E — especially if you’re entering telecom inspections? Our episode today is brought to you by Drone U Black Friday Dea...

How should pilots navigate the fast changing drone industry? In this episode of ADU, hosts Paul and Rob discuss the evolving landscape of drone programs, focusing on employment trends, measuring success, and the importance of quality inspections over quantity. They emphasize the need for effective training and development within drone programs to enhance efficiency and productivity, ultimately lea...