Your Drone Questions. Answered.

After more than three years and 140+ episodes, Your Drone Questions. Answered is coming to a close—but this isn’t the end. It’s the beginning of something more focused and forward-looking. In this final episode, we reflect on the journey of the podcast, key moments, and the incredible range of topics and guests that shaped it. We also introduce a brand new podcast that will dive deeper into one of...

How do drones help veterans build new careers, regain community, and make a real impact after service? In this episode, we sit down with Chris Lewis from Vets to Drones to explore how this fast-growing organization is connecting veterans to opportunities in the drone industry—while also supporting mental health, disaster response, STEM education, and more.  From flying missions in Afghanistan to l...

What if you could clean buildings faster, safer, and cheaper—without ever climbing a ladder? In this episode of Your Drone Questions Answered , we dive into the world of drone pressure washing and why it’s quickly becoming a game-changer in the industry.  We’re joined by the team behind Drone Wash Solutions (Max and Phillip Orzi), who share how they built a business around this innovative technolo...

What does it really take to scale a drone program across an entire country—and what lessons come from doing it the hard way? In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , we sit down with Seth Gulich to break down his experience managing a national drone program at a major geospatial firm. From hiring and training pilots to navigating real-world challenges in the field, Seth shares what actu...

Drone delivery has been talked about for years—but where does the industry actually stand today? In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , host Chris Breedlove sits down with aviation Paul Rossi of 910 Drones to break down the real story behind drone delivery in the United States—how it started, what slowed it down, and why things are finally starting to move forward. In this episode we...

What does early 2026 mean for the American drone industry? In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , we sit down with WISPR Systems to talk about their journey from a Mississippi startup to a nationally recognized U.S. drone manufacturer — and how recent regulatory changes are impacting the entire UAS landscape. John McArthur shares how WISPR Systems evolved from building drones for prof...

Are UAS test ranges and FAA test sites the same thing… or totally different? In this episode of Your Drone Questions Answered , we sit down with Jesse Steele, Range Manager at the Pendleton UAS Range , to break down the real difference between FAA-designated UAS test sites and the ranges that operate under them.  You’ll learn: The difference between a UAS test site and a test range How COAs (Certi...

Surveying fundamentals can quietly make or break a drone mapping project—and grid vs. ground coordinates are one of those topics that trip people up more often than they expect. In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered the conversation zooms in on the essentials every drone pilot working with mapping, surveying, or lidar data needs to understand. The discussion is joined by Mark White fro...

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered by Drone Launch Academy, host Chris Breedlove welcomes Eric Richard from Drone Sports Inc. back to the show to unpack the latest FCC developments affecting the drone industry. Following the FCC’s announcements on December 22 and the follow-up clarification released on January 7, there’s been a lot of confusion, speculation, and concern across the i...

Is getting your FAA Part 107 certificate all you need to be competitive in today’s drone industry—or is that just the starting line? In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , host Chris Breedlove digs into what actually makes drone pilots employable and future-proof in a fast-changing tech landscape. Chris is joined by Eric Richard, President of Drone Sports Inc. , who brings a deep K–12...

In the first episode of 2026, Chris Breedlove is joined by returning guest and legal expert Will Dawson for a deep dive into the FCC’s December 22 public notice and the follow-up amendments that have caused widespread confusion across the drone industry. This episode breaks down what the FCC actually did, how the Covered List and Blue List work, why DJI and other international manufacturers weren’...

Can drone pilots legally fly over people under Part 107 without a waiver and what does Category 3 approval actually change? In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , host Chris Breedlove welcomes back Benton Szejk from Wingtra to break down the current state of operations over people in 2025. They cover what’s allowed under Part 107 today, how Category 3 works, and why Wingtra’s fully in...

In this week’s episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , host Chris Breedlove sits down with Stefan Hrabar of Emesent to unpack one of the most important emerging technologies in the drone world: SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). What exactly is SLAM? How does SLAM LiDAR differ from traditional LiDAR systems? Can SLAM work without GPS? And—most importantly— how can drone pilots, mapp...

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , we’re diving into one of the most in-demand (and misunderstood) drone inspection niches out there: cell tower inspections . Today’s question is this: 👉 What are the real keys to success for drone pilots who want to work in the telecom inspection world? To tackle this topic, we are joined by Hunter Ardrey , a drone industry veteran who has spent...

In this week’s episode of Your Drone Questions Answered , brought to you by Drone Launch Academy , host Chris Breedlove sits down with Kayla McCoy of Wilkes County Soil & Water Conservation District in North Carolina to explore unexpected and innovative ways thermal drones are transforming conservation work. From monitoring rotational grazing systems and improving soil health policies to detec...

Welcome to Your Drone Questions. Answered from Drone Launch Academy. Host Chris Breedlove sits down with Tom Searing (Seiler GeoDrones) to tackle a hot late-2025 question: Can U.S. operators finally run a truly American-made, NDAA-friendly, end-to-end LiDAR stack—from airframe to sensor to workflow? What you’ll learn: What “end-to-end” LiDAR actually looks like for U.S. teams (airframe → payload →...

In this episode of Your Drone Questions Answered , Drone Launch Academy founder David Young steps in to explore how drones are reshaping high school education across the U.S. David breaks down what Career and Technical Education (CTE) means, how industry-recognized credentials work, and why more states are adding the Part 107 drone license to their official CTE credential lists. You’ll learn: Whic...

In this week’s episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , host Chris Breedlove sits down with Will Dawson , attorney and founder of the Agricultural Drone Initiative (ADI) , to explore how new federal policies could shape the future of agricultural drone use in the U.S. Will shares his journey from growing up on a seven-generation farm in Virginia to leading national advocacy for smarter drone re...

Welcome back to Your Drone Questions. Answered , brought to you by Drone Launch Academy!  This week, we’re diving into a listener-suggested topic: GNSS post-processing services. If you’re flying mapping missions and need to establish accurate base station coordinates for your PPK (post-processed kinematic) workflow, services like OPUS and Trimble CenterPoint RTX can be game-changers. In this episo...

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , host Chris Breedlove sits down with Brandon Beal from Elevation Aerial Application to explore how UAV spraying drones are changing the future of agriculture. 🌱 Brandon shares his journey from aviation into agriculture, explains how drones like the DJI T40 opened up scalable opportunities for farm spraying, and discusses the real-world impact dro...

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , host Chris Breedlove sits down with drone repair and FPV expert Wade Holbrook to explore the world of DIY repairs and custom builds. We cover: The easiest, most common drone repairs pilots can do themselves Must-have tools and parts to keep in your go bag for fieldwork How learning to solder can save you time (and money) on the job The pros and c...

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered , Chris breaks down one of the most common sources of confusion for new drone operators: When do you really need a Remote Pilot Certificate under FAA rules? Chris walks through: FAA registration requirements and how they compare to Transport Canada The role of intent in determining whether an operation is recreational or non-recreational Remote ID...

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, Chris sits down with David Arnold from Bearing Insurance to break it all down from an agent’s perspective. David shares stories (including a drone nearly being shot out of the sky!), explains common exclusions in homeowners and commercial policies, and gives practical advice on how to protect yourself, your equipment, and your business. Whether yo...

In this week’s episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, host Chris Breedlove sits down with Benton Szejk from Wingtra to talk about where the drone industry is headed. With all the uncertainty around regulations, supply chains, tariffs, and evolving executive orders, many drone pilots and professionals are wondering: what’s next? Benton shares insights from the manufacturer’s perspective on: -Th...

In this episode of Your Drone Questions Answered, Chris dives into the current state of play with DJI drones in the U.S. — from the impact of the 2025 NDAA to the inconsistent enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Drawing on years of experience in drone distribution, Chris shares behind-the-scenes insights on customs delays, shipment inconsistencies, and what this could mean for d...