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