Technology

The drone pilot

Up in the sky. Taking shots of a world that few can see. This is the life of the drone, and its operator.

07 August 2020

You’d be forgiven for thinking that becoming a drone pilot is as simple as grabbing a drone deal off a website, launching it into the air and praying that it doesn’t run out of juice before you land it again. But one does not simply own a drone; the reality is very, very different. Drone pilots are highly trained, require specialised certification, have to abide by strict regulations, and need to follow stringent safety protocols – all this before they even get the drone into the air. Fortunately, the kind of work that a drone pilot can do more than makes up for the red tape and complexity that comes with the role.

“You can do anything from wildlife game counting to crop spraying to mining and quarry surveys to construction video and photography,” says Dave Estment, co-owner of OV&P. “You can also do commercial video work, like events and documentary footage to provide amazing perspectives that weren’t possible previously.”

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