View Full Version : Civvy drone operators course as a resettlement idea?
I am a ground trade with no hands on flying experience and I am looking to leave next year after 31 years. Browsing the resettlement magazines very little stands out, but then I read about drone operator---- your commercial type as opposed to the Creech variety !!!!
Obvoiusly the market potential is huge, does anybody have any suggestions or tips hey can lend to a potential new career?
Cheers.
INT_QRU
2nd May 2016, 16:52
Check your PM
tegwin
2nd May 2016, 17:41
There are plenty of companies offering all the training and paperwork etc with the promise of lots of work once you qualify and all the blonde virgins you want.... Reality might be a little different. Having a permit and insurance along with a drone doesn't make you ready to go make money. Flying and filming at the same time is a challenge that requires practice. Next challenge is finding people who want your services. There's a lot of people with a phantom/other generic small drone who are running around selling them selves as pro film makers. Some are very skilled but a lot are not! I fly suav's for a living. Probably 50% of my time is sat in the office sorting paperwork/planning flights/invoicing etc. 30% of my time is spent driving... The remaining 20% of the time I get to film cool stuff :)
My tip would be to find a niche where you think you can actually get sustained business. Cost out what equipment and instance etc is going to cost and work out if the work you have identified will cover the cost in a reasonable time.... It all adds up... I have £5k worth of batteries before we even start talking about cameras, drones, Chargers, monitors etc
Toadstool
2nd May 2016, 20:33
Lamin
one of the guys on my Sqn has left and is now involved in such a career. Send me a PM if you like and I will try to get you contact details.
Regards
Many thanks mate, looks interesting.
Lamin
airpolice
3rd May 2016, 17:00
Tegwin is spot on. We only make money from using our RPAS to do ops for existing clients of our other business.
Every man and his dog are out there touting for work that's not there. Lots of people want pictures but they don't want to pay. There seems to be an impression that a "drone" is only 900 quid so they will just buy one rather than pay to have it done properly.
Buying it is the thin end of the wedge.
Airpolice,
Can you give me any other steers as I am definitely looking in to it as resettlement. Totally hear what you are saying about the market etc. However I am moving to Canada and the space and market does seem a little bit different.
Many thanks.
Lamin
Lamin; its not that much different here with respect to the information that tegwin and air police are giving you. Good luck nevertheless and you won't regret coming to Canada - eh!
RAFEngO74to09
4th May 2016, 16:01
Lamin,
In the USA, an area of growth is increased use of small drones by power companies - for instance for quicker / easier inspection of wind farm props.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8yWygGUAx0
Automated Turbine Inspection - Wind Systems Magazine (http://www.windsystemsmag.com/article/detail/297/automated-turbine-inspection)
Wind turbine and blade inspections - ROVDRONE (http://rovdrone.eu/drone-en/industrial-inspections/inspekcje-farm-wiatrowych/)
Drone inspections (http://www.ventuswind.com/)
There is also likely to be a growth in use by public safety / law enforcement.
Law enforcement - non-lethal armed.
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/police-are-now-using-drones-to-apprehend-suspects-and-administer-non-lethal-force-a-police-chief/
Lifeguards:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJLg6HgHM_E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8m7bF8y6jM
Thanks for the PM; check yours!