Ask Drone U

Today's show is about flying your drone in cold weather. Our caller for today, Shawn from Canada who flies a Mavic 2 Pro. Flying in Canada is particularly challenging because of the cold weather and high altitudes. So, what can Shawn do to get some extra flight time? And, how can he make flying in such difficult conditions a more comfortable experience? On today's show, we share some nuanced drone...

Today, we recommend the optimum workflow for drone search and rescue. Our caller for today, Karl conducted a drone search and rescue to locate a missing dog. However, unfortunately, it seems that his mission was not really successful. So, on today's show, we reveal the best and most efficient workflow for a moving target. You will learn the four acquisition methods that you can possibly use in dro...

Today's show is about flying your drone in an interference heavy environment. Our caller for today, Greg is unable to fly his Mavic 2 Pro in autonomous flight mode since there is a radio tower in the vicinity. Can Greg still conclude his mapping mission if he is flying in such an interference heavy environment? On today's show, you will learn how to navigate the complexities of flying in such an e...

Mavic Air 2 vs. Mavic 2 Pro - Which is The Best Option for You? Today's question is about the Mavic Air 2 vs. Mavic Air Pro. Is it worth paying extra for the Mavic 2 Pro if you are planning to shoot real estate? Our caller for today, Dominic is keen to start a new drone business and he is willing to make an initial capital investment of $2,000. The drones that he is considering are the Mavic Air 2...

Once You Get Your Part 107 License, Can You Legally Sell Drone Footage That You Shot As a Hobby Pilot?  Today's show is about selling your drone footage after getting your Part 107 license. Our caller for today, Keith recently got his Part 107 license. Congratulations, Keith! Keith has been a hobby pilot for the past five years and has a ton of footage that he can now sell commercially. But, is he...

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 skil...

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 vi...

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...

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...

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...

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 t...

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 experien...

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 us...

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...

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...

Today we compare different drone mapping software and reveal the most accurate option so that you can avoid any legal liabilities. Our caller for Trav is from Australia and has a question about drone mapping. And specifically, drone mapping software. Trav wants to know which processing software can produce the most accurate drone maps so that he avoid any legal liabilities. Great question, Trav. T...

Today's show is about flying at night without a waiver. Our caller for today, Bob has called in with an extremely relevant question today. Bob's question is about flying at night without a waiver. With daylight waiver to fly at night all set to become history, is there any benefit to applying for a Wide Area Authorization? Additionally, he is also wondering about the procedure to fly in controlled...

Today's question is about the upcoming changes to the Part 107 test. Will it be harder for you to clear the new and updated test? Our caller for today, Bob has come up with a particularly relevant question today. The Part 107 test is all set for a revamp in March. And rather than being one of the first people to attempt the new and updated test, you are certainly better off giving the test right n...

Today's show is about mapping entire towns with drones. Is this a cost-feasible and legally permissible option? Our caller for today, Ryan from Utah wishes to survey an entire town with a drone. Legally speaking, is this even a possibility? Can Ryan get the necessary permissions to fly over people and BVLOS if required? On today's show, we share how Ryan can legally map large swathes of land witho...

Today's show is about running an LLC alongside flying a drone for your W-2 employer. Our caller for today, Adam flies drones as a part of his W-2 job profile. Additionally, he recently started his LLC. Adam is using his personal drone to fly jobs for his LLC and his employer. For accounting and insurance purposes, it is a must that Adam keep the flight data for his business separate. But, given th...

Today's show is about drone mapping software. Which is the best and most capable software to map a roof? Our caller for today, Garrett from Ohio is confused with the myriad of mapping software out there. He plans on taking up a roof mapping job and is considering using Pix4D. But, should Garrett opt for Pix4DMapper or Pix4D Cloud? Apart from Pix4D, we also discuss other options like DroneDeploy, E...

On today's show, we have Colorado wedding photographer, Kara Cavalca who shares with us her wisdom on how to successfully manage and scale a photography business. Wedding photography is a tough and competitive business. But Kara has managed to grow and scale her one-woman show to the next level. You will learn how she is using an all-in-one software, Sproutstudio to manage all her business needs r...

Today's question is about launching/landing a drone autonomously from a flatbed truck. Our caller for today, Renn is from Australia and has called in with an interesting question that has not been asked on Ask Drone U before. Renn's question is about launching/landing a drone autonomously from a flatbed truck. On today's show, we present two solutions to help Renn out. First, you will learn about...

Today's question is about the new Part 107 rules for drone pilots. Our caller for today, DJ has come up with a great question about the new Part 107 drone rules. DJ is confused by these new rules and wishes to know how they impact him as a Part 107 pilot. The FAA recently announced some significant changes to Part 107 rules which might change the way you fly. On today's show, you will learn how th...

On today's show, we have Andrew Dennison, Director of Enterprise Services at DroneDeploy who shares with us the latest and most exciting trends from the drone mapping world. We start this show with Andrew sharing the workflow used by a majority of DroneDeploy pilots. You will learn how drones are being increasingly used as an image sharing tool in construction. We also discuss the big push towards...