DroneBase experience

[brian bwin]

If your trying to make any money off of this I say good luck.

I'm happy to pay off the drone (done), fly for fun (yup!), and get a handful of jobs a year as icing on the top. We do complete productions so if a client wants/needs drone work that's just one extra service I can keep in-house.

99% sure that infrastructure work will be dominated by large contracting companies that don't offer benefits or salary. People who are thinking they're going to get in on pipeline inspections, cell towers, mapping, big agriculture, and the like without already working in those industries may be a tad delusional. Real estate, video production/creative work, maybe even construction, I think you could find your niche but the market just isn't there to make this a full time job, especially with so many (as you mentioned, everyone and their dog is trying to sell aerial services!) doing commercial work for so cheap.

 

[brian bwin]

Good point BB. I wonder if you could copyright the work before you upload to them?

Doubt it. I'm thinking more along the lines of "hey potential client, here are some sample photos of properties I've done in the past." They just don't want you taking the photos and selling them on the side, or putting them out there where a real estate agent could use them without paying up.

If you were really concerned about it you could always take two sets of photos, hahaha. Or just say screw the $19 and don't upload them since they're worth more to you for advertising/promotion purposes.

 

[DroneDriver]

Here is another option... POND5 where you post your stock 4K footage to a broader audience for a price, your price! Of course they get a cut. If it sells, it sells. Sell Your Stock Footage, Photos, Music, Sound FX & More | Pond5

 

[Wolfie X]

I got an email from DroneBase saying that they are going to be offering some insurance missions in my area and they pay $70 per mission, up to 10 missions a day. I got a bit excited about it UNTIL I read the requirements: "Our client requires that your drone MUST be DJI brand ONLY (Phantom 3 and up)." It looks like DroneBase might actually be offering some work that would be worthwhile but why should they (or their client) care what kind of drone is used?

 

[yrless]

I got an email from DroneBase saying that they are going to be offering some insurance missions in my area and they pay $70 per mission, up to 10 missions a day. I got a bit excited about it UNTIL I read the requirements: "Our client requires that your drone MUST be DJI brand ONLY (Phantom 3 and up)." It looks like DroneBase might actually be offering some work that would be worthwhile but why should they (or their client) care what kind of drone is used?

They're partly funded by DJI.

 

[Wolfie X]

Ha. It looks like DroneBase has now done away with "Pano" missions altogether. They have something they're calling "Client Missions" where it seems like they guarantee you'll get paid. Trouble is, there are none available any where near where I live.

 

[yrless]

I started taking the Dronebase roof inspection course but it turns out most of the photography consists of ground shots...no thanks!

 

[Crusader]

Not so much a bump on this thread, but more just curious if anyone had contracted with DroneBase. After reading their pilot T&C's, not a chance... This is why no one wants to do any real business in the US anymore. This is a get rich quick scheme, as in the execs get rich quick while the skilled labor gets boned... The drive out and back to a site and there goes the pilot profits.

As others have said, these turds are devaluing the services and hurting a budding industry. I didn't know they were funded in part by DJI. As an Autel Aficionado, I'd say it's time for some competition that values the skills (and time) of the pilots. Break the grip on the market.

Still, I'm thinking the best thing at this time will be work for yourselves, BUILD YOUR HOURS, and when Amazon, UPS, FedEx, etc... gets approval for BVLOS ops nationwide, our skills will be in high demand. Especially those with high hours. (Hope you all have been keeping track@!!)

One last thing, if anyone has any experience with Unionization of Craft employees, now might be the time to get on the ball with organizing. If we're spending all this time building hours with expensive equipment now, only to forfeit collective bargaining potential with these mega corps in the future, we're all missing the mark. The FAA reported 155k 107 Certs recently. To put that in perspective, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says there are 342,410 mailmen and
877,670 Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers in the US. I know for a fact that the USPS is unionized by craft. We ought to really consider doing the same. Can't say I know if UPS or FedEx employees are similarly organized. One thing I do know is that UPS and FedEx are Air Carriers but are organized by different business models which puts them under different federal regulations. I believe that UPS is regulated by the US Railway Labor Act, whereas FedEx isn't. Who know about Amazon? I seem to recall that pilots for FedEx are in a better bargaining position than the pilots for UPS and the Major Air Carriers like Delta and United...
I could definitely see some good jobs coming in the future with additional FARs.

If this is of any interest any of you, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

-Crusader

 

[Crusader]

Now it's a bump on the thread. Curious to hear everyone's thoughts on craft (all 107s) unionizing and what you folks consider a generally fair wage for your UAS work. Per hour? Type of work? Working for Amazon, FedEx, UPS, etc... Should this be a separate thread?