Ask Drone U

Drone Mapping Software Recommendations - Pix4D vs. Maps Made Easy Today's show is about different drone mapping software alternatives.  Pix4D is widely considered the gold standard of drone mapping. But, are there any other options that are equally good yet more affordable? Our caller for today, Christian is wondering if there are any affordable alternatives to Pix4D. To help him out, we discuss another drone mapping software, Maps Made Easy.  You will learn about the features and capabilities of Maps Made Easy so that you can easily determine if this mapping software is right for you. If you are a drone mapper looking for affordable yet reliable drone mapping software, this show is for you. Do not miss! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to

Getting Started in Drone Mapping, Recommended Mapping Workflows, Pix4D vs. DroneDeploy vs. CaptureReality Today's show is about starting and scaling a drone mapping business even if you are a limited budget.  Our caller for today, Brandon wishes to move to drone mapping - an industry vertical which can be incredibly lucrative for drone pilots possessing the right skillsets. But, Brandon wishes to make this foray without making a large upfront capital investment.  From data acquisition to processing, we reveal the best drone mapping workflow to help Brandon out. We recommend how you can lower your costs WITHOUT compromising on the quality of your deliverables. Topics discussed today workflow for mapping software like DroneDeploy, Pix4D, and Capture Reality. Additionally, you will learn how to get the most out your computing system so that you can process mapping datasets in the most efficient manner.  Thanks for the great question, Brandon. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions

Drone Business Secrets REVEALED - Interview with Drone U Student, Glenn Labay Today's show is a special one as we interview Glenn Labay of Aerial Camera Services LLC who shares with us his distilled wisdom on growing and scaling a drone business. Glenn, a Drone U student owns a thriving aerial photography and videography business. He reflects back on his entrepreneurial journey and reveals some of the biggest things that have helped him find success.  You will learn how to develop advanced flying skills and carve out your own niche in a competitive market. Additionally, Glenn reveals some of his biggest business struggles and how he has managed to overcome them.   And towards the end,  Glenn shares some interesting details about the different jobs that he currently working on. This is a show you do not want to miss. Enjoy!  Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questi

How to Unlock Your DJI Drone, Get Necessary Flight Waivers (Without Hacking or LAANC) Today's show is about getting flight approvals without going through DJI's application system or LAANC. Our caller for today, Jared, would like to custom hack his DJI drone so that he does not have to deal with DJI red zones. On today's show, we reveal various alternatives to help Jared out. Specifically, you will learn how you can get your authorization through night-time waivers, and DJI certificates.  Tune in now! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. B

How to Buy the Best Enterprise-Level Drone for Mapping and Inspections Without Overshooting Your Budget Today's show is about purchasing the right drone for your business. Can you find a capable enterprise-level drone even if you are a tight budget? Our caller for today, Cody needs help purchasing a good drone for inspections, thermal imaging, and 3D mapping.  He wants to create exceptional deliverables for his client without exceeding his budget.  That's a tough ask, but certainly not an impossible one.  To help Cody out, we discuss the pros and cons of popular enterprise-level drones like the Inspire 2 and Matric 300. You will learn the various things that you need to watch out for when purchasing a new drone. Additionally, you will also learn how excellent skills and experience can successfully fly complex missions even if you don't have the latest, most up-to-date equipment. This is a show you do not want to miss. Thanks for the great question, Cody. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certif

How to License an Image - Inking Contractual Agreements, and How to Handle Violations Today's show is about licensing rights of videos and images and how owners can ensure rights are not violated. Our caller for today, Kent needs help with photography licensing. Specifically, he is wondering how he can enforce the license, and the steps to take in case of violations. On today's show, you will learn about the different kinds of photo licensing agreements, so that you can ink an agreement that suits your purpose to the T. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com

Important Pre-Flight Checks for Drone Batteries Today's show is about drone batteries and how pilots can check their drone batteries to ensure a safe flight. Our caller for today, Carcherri would like to know what are some of the most important pre-flight checks for batteries. To help him out, we share important battery configurations and reveal how you accurately assess flight time. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.

How to Fly Your Drone In The Rain | Little Known Drone Maintenance Tips to Help You Out Today's show is about flying your drone in the rain. You will also learn some drone maintenance tips to keep your drone safe and in top flying condition. Our caller for today, Rob has come up with a great question that has not been asked on Ask Drone U before.  Rob's question is about flying your drone in the rain. Specifically, what should you do if it starts raining mid-flight? Is it prudent to complete your mission?  Additionally, we also share some little-known drone maintenance tips so that you can prevent water damage. Do not miss this one. Enjoy!  Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While

Can You Run a Large Drone Business With a Beginner DJI Drone Like the Mavic Air 2? Today's show is about the Mavic Air 2. Can you run a large drone business using a beginner DJI drone like the Mavic Air 2? Our caller for today, Gary from NY flies a Mavic Air 2. But he is planning on upgrading to a larger, more expensive drone since he cannot take on many of the lucrative jobs out there. On today's show, you will learn how your drone can impact your ability to grow and scale your business to the next level. As an added bonus, Paul opens up his sales playbook, and reveals the importance of cultivating a stellar mindset to be successful as an entrepreneur. This is a show you do not want to miss. Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on

Drone Props - Everything You Need to Know Today's show is about drone props. What are some of the telltale signs which help you determine that it's time to change your propellers? Our caller for today, Kit has come up with a question that has not been asked on ADU before. Kit is wondering whether the newly-designed drone props are superior and have a longer life span compared to their predecessors.  You will learn how to determine the life of your props by listening to the sound generated by your drone. Additionally, we also compare Phantom and Mavic props in today's show. Tune in for some excellent drone maintenance tips. Fly Safe!  Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re

FAA Sued for Illegal Remote ID | Lawsuit Outcome to Impact UAS Policy, UTM, and UAS Integration Today's show is about RaceDayQuads, a hobby shop with a large financial stake in the sUAS do-it-yourself world, filing a lawsuit against FAA over Remote ID. They argue that Remote ID violates Constitutional guarantees. RaceDayQuads sued the FAA in April early 2021 and filed the above arguments on August 4, 2021. Next, the FAA will reply to the argument in writing, which is due September 3, 2021. Then, RaceDayQuads will reply to their reply, due September 23, 2021. After that, The Department of Justice (DOJ) and RaceDayQuads will argue in court in front of a judge, which will likely happen this winter. The ruling is expected in the Spring of 2022. The outcome of this lawsuit will impact UAS policy, UTM, and UAS integration into the NAS. Updates will come as the lawsuit continues What is the Lawsuit About? The argument alleges that tracking and recording GPS location violates the Fourth Amendment. The lawsuit cites

Listen To This Before Updating Your Drone Firmware Today's show is about drone firmware updates. Our caller for today, Sanford is an avid ADU listener and is aware of Paul's reluctance to update the firmware on his drone. Since we have not discussed this topic for quite some time now, Sanford is wondering whether or not Paul has changed his stance on this topic. We get straight to the point by sharing the different implications of a firmware update on today's show. You will surely learn a lot in a short while by listening to this one. Do not miss! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.app

The Future of Drone Technology and How Innovations Can Fuel Explosive Growth Today's show is about the future of drone technology and how innovations can fuel explosive growth. Our caller for today, Ahmad is pursuing his Masters in Innovation and is keen on being a part of the nascent drone industry by taking the start-up route.  Today's show is an engaging one as Rob and Paul bounce ideas and speculate about the next industry growth triggers. Topics discussed include the drone battery, propulsion, and safety improvements. We also talk about cutting-edge organizations like Neuralink and how their work could have a ripple, far-reaching impact on the drone industry. Do not miss this show! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can

Tackling Criticism, Building a Strong Mindset, Taking Failure in Your Stride and much, much more... Today's show is about tackling criticism as a drone business owner.  Entrepreneurship is lonely. And so, handling failure and criticism can be exponentially more difficult for drone service providers running small businesses. And our caller for today, Tom has come up with a very relevant question that has not been asked on the show before.  Drawing from their combined business experience of more than three decades, Paul and Rob share some engaging anecdotes and lessons to help Tom out. Topics discussed on today's show include the importance of being receptive to feedback, cultivating self-awareness, and developing a stellar mindset.  Do not miss this show! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1

AVUSI XPONENTIAL 2021, DragonFish - Autel's New Drone, DJI Geofencing Issues, Lemur S by BRINC, DJI News, Drone News In the seventh edition of Drone Life News, Paul and Miriam McNabb of DroneLife and JobforDrones discuss some of the latest and most exciting news from the world of drones. Our biggest story this week is about the AUVSI Xponential 2021 conference in Atlanta. This was Miriam's first attendance at a drone conference after the pandemic, and she has some interesting updates to share with us today. Our first story this week is about the FAA Director, Steve Dickson's comments on FAA regulations for the drone industry. And FAA's work on managing airspace regulation for manned and unmanned aircraft. Additionally, we also talk about BVLOS flights and upcoming changes to certification programs. You will also get a sneak peek at Autel's new drone, the DragonFish - which has been designed specifically for law enforcement. You will also learn about Lemus S by BRINC, a one-of-a-kind drone for SWAT teams.

Drone Insurance Recommendations - Listen Now to Mitigate Risk, and Protect Yourself Against Liabilities Today's show is about drone insurance.  Buying the right insurance is important for mitigating risk and protecting yourself against personal liabilities. On today's show, we have Nolan and Chris who need help with purchasing the right insurance for their drone business. Some of the topics that we cover on today's show: What is the advantage of buying whole insurance? Should you cover your drone under your homeowner's policy? Can you still claim damages if you hack your drone? And so much more... Do not miss this show. Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there,

Expert Tips for Flying Drone Over Water Today's show is all capturing videos while flying over water that casts a spell on your audience and the settings required to fly your drone safely over water. Our caller for today, Derek would love to know all about flying over water so that he can pursue wakeboard surfing videography. And with his years of experience in filming water sports, who better than Paul to answer this question. Topics discussed on today's show include the best drones for flying over water, recommended camera lenses, and different flight modes. Do not miss this one. Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inc

How to Plan out a Linear Drone Mapping Project Today's show is all linear drone mapping projects. What is the best and most efficient workflow for such complex projects? Our caller for today, Gabe is working on a linear drone mapping project that involves mapping a long stretch of 30 kilometers. Gabe would like to know how he can execute this project while complying with all regulatory requirements of LOS. Additionally, Gabe also has some interesting questions pertaining to data loss and choosing the right client deliverable. To help Gabe out, we reveal the exact workflow that he can follow to avoid data loss. This is particularly important for missions with a low probability of a secondary flight.  We also have an animated discussion on the pros and cons of different drone mapping software. This is a show you do not want to miss. Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! G

AIRT-Droneresponder 2021 Survey Results, DJIs Dominance in Public Safety, Infrastructure bills Support US-Made Drones, Amazon Drone Delivery In the sixth edition of Drone Life News, Paul and Miriam McNabb of DroneLife and JobforDrones discuss some of the latest and most exciting news from the world of drones. Our biggest story this week is about the 2021 AIRT-DroneResponder survey. AIRT, a leading 501(c)3 non-profit organization conducted this exhaustive survey which explores the use of unmanned systems for public safety and disaster response. And no surprises here - DJI is the undisputed leader in this segment followed by Autel. Next up, you will learn about the amendments made to the Infrastructure Bill to fund the purchase of US-made drones. This segment of the show is particularly interesting as we talk about the ambiguity in the Bill pertaining to the use of Chinese-made parts in US-made drones. Don't miss our last story which is about Remote ID and Amazon drone deliveries. And how the eCommerce giant

Best Practices for Drone Mapping and Using Pix4D Today's show is about drone mapping and Pix4D.  Our caller for today, Trav wants to know how he can overcome some of the challenges that he facing while using Pix4D. To help Trav out, we first re-explain the basics. You will learn how to choose the right acquisition strategy so that you can build more accurate 3D models.  Next, you will learn about point cloud editing and clean-up. Additionally, Paul also reveals when you need to re-do the steps while creating a 3D model so that you can process your mapping data, smoother and faster. This is a show you do not want to miss. Enjoy! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there,