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Looks like Dronebase has STOPPED paying...
- Thread starter rmp5s
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Ya, its definitely not for everyone, but neither is Uber or AirBnB. We have had many pilots (esp who get high volume from our insurance / hail damage enterprise customers) love what we can provide. Real Estate is probably the most competitive market out there especially when your only paying customer is the realtor/agent. Typically when agents come to us, they already have bids from 2-3 other drone pilots that are either personal relationships or thumbtack/craigslist. We also work with huge data players (think mortgage, appraisal, etc) that want this data as well but less for artistic purposes and more for due diligence.
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Are you guys going to address the fact that many of your on-spec proposed flight sites, such as for commercial panos, are in completely illegal areas to fly? Even for a 107 pilot (assuming no COA/waiver)?
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Send me some locations so I can review. We keep them on the map in case pilots do have COAs/Waivers for the airspace. In our faq, we explicitly tell pilots to fly safely and follow all regulations + compliance. I'll tell our engineers to remove pins if they are in NFZs. Map is constantly updating and we've had pins pop up in DC when they shouldn't.
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I haven't looked in a while, to be honest, the payouts just can't justify my insurance and travel costs -- my mileage may vary, as I'm in the NYC metro area, however. Last time I talked to you folks you weren't as receptive to "removing pins" and being sensitive to airspace restrictions -- kudos to you guys for changing that.
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Appreciate this discussion. I have to go through my dev team to get those pins off, vs just removing them quickly. So its always a process. C'est la vie.
Understood about mileage. We try and make these opportunistic right now, as in, you go to grocery store, drive by a pano, pop up, fly, then go home.
I get it. You get to fly, take some video and if it goes well make a few dollars. Sounds like the perfect excuse to get out of the house for a while and fly!
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While I've got you "on the line", so to speak, Nick... I've been flying 360 camera systems that can go up, snap a single photo, and come right back down. When I talked to you guys last you all stated that you didn't support already-stitched 360 imagery. Any progress on that?
Nick (or anyone willing to share knowledge), how does one transition into the inspection/insurance/hail damage arena? Like many others, I've found out the obvious regarding real estate flying.
I have the gear and the ability, what I don't have is the knowledge base to transition into a stable area. I am quite willing to work for an established company, for me it is more about working into a solid income and improving my professional abilities rather than being solely focused on creating my own business. Thanks for any advice anyone.
I have the gear and the ability, what I don't have is the knowledge base to transition into a stable area. I am quite willing to work for an established company, for me it is more about working into a solid income and improving my professional abilities rather than being solely focused on creating my own business. Thanks for any advice anyone.
For me, personally, I don't see the intelligent choice being DroneBase. The numbers just aren't there. I can go out and hustle and make more in an afternoon than with DroneBase in 2-3 weeks. I do understand those who do not like outside sales, so for them it might make a few cents (and some sense, lol), but for myself as an entrepreneur, it's a non-issue. I haven't made a lot this month (so far about $1400) but I imagine it's a LOT better than the ROI on the same amount of time and effort with Dronebase. To each his own, but for me, I'll just work hard, keep my head down, and try not to lose my platform to software issues, lol. Headed out to look for some places to shoot more stock footage...
Stay Calm...and Drone On...
Stay Calm...and Drone On...
Nick,
While I don't claim to be a "guru", I really like helping others with ideas, etc, when I can...so here's a couple to consider. You can file 13 if you don't like them, lol.
I do some inspection services in TX. I offered to pay a brokers lunch if he would then let me demo my FLIR services to him. He actually took me up on it. Now I am his go to for elevated/roof inspections.
New to the market? When I started in RE Aerials I went around to the RE agents/brokerages and told them I was new to the area and wanted to "learn the needs and requirements" of RE Agents in the specific region. I offered one free shoot if they would use me afterward at a competitive price. It worked fairly well. I give this one a B- because of all the college guys willing to shoot for $5 per property or some such nonsense.
As for RE Aerials, I NEVER try and compete with the low end. I have been in media production for 14 years, and am reasonably good at post-processing. I set myself apart from them through quality shoots PLUS great post processing/editing/compositing.
Finally, I don't know about where you are, but in Texas, we have to have licensed RE Inspectors. These inspectors work with RE Brokerages on a daily basis. I met with (and had lunch with...notice a pattern here, lol?) two guys and offered my services as an "extension" of their licensed services. It was a great match! However, now, I want to become a licensed inspector myself because I can get more jobs that way.
Maybe these ideas will help, maybe not. I hope so!
Vic,
Thank you very much for your response. I just moved back to Houston from North Carolina. I am currently working on my Home Inspector certification and am highly interested in pursuing thermography, as well. My background is law enforcement so what I lack in home construction experience I make up for in investigative ability, report writing and interpersonal skills. I am about halfway done with the basic certification course work and am about to start looking for a company to work under for the apprentice licensing steps.
Have you gotten your Thermography 1 or have you found it necessary for what you are doing? That cert is another in the pile of does the benefit outweigh the cost at this point (by that I mean for me, now, without an actual job using IR full time)? Have you found enough work to justify the cost of the drone IR camera?
Thank you again for the response,
Jake
Jake,
Funny, I signed up tonight for the D/FW Home Inspection course. I'm using rets-llc.com for my training because they also include the 20 inspections (Arlington area) with a certified inspector that you need in order to get your Professional licensing and start your business immediately. I take my classroom hours in late Sept.
I, also, was in Law Enforcement here in Texas (T.C.L.E.O.S.E. back then...Frost, TX, Rosebud, TX, Temple, TX and Waco, TX...and 1 yr. Fed-HRT). Now that was LONG time ago (I got out of Law Enforcement. in 1994...yeah, I'm way old, lol). I was with Temple during the detective fiasco under Chief Thomas Vannoy, but I wasn't one of the guys they were investigating. I was strictly patrol. Well enough of memory lane, lol...
I have to say that Thermography isn't really a money maker for me in the consumer RE industry. However, It really helps when you cross into commercial inspections. I charge an extra $250 for a smaller commercial building Thermal TEQ Report and go up from there. I've only done consumer (home) Thermal Energy Quotient Reports twice, and that was for a large, custom home being built, and an older 3 story home meant for remodel.
I do see thermography being more widespread as insurance companies tighten their demands on commercial accounts. A TEQ Report also gives indicator markers of potential electrical problems, gas furnace leaks, HVAC duct issues, etc. If a commercial insurance company knows that the building is thermally "safe", they will consider a rate reduction. How much of one, I haven't seen for myself, but it seems to be worth it for some businesses, especially in the manufacturing industry where 240/480 is used regularly.
I drove down to Goldthwaite Texas today and helped a rancher locate feral hogs for about 2 hours. Made $400+ food and gas. Not bad for a nice country drive, lol.
Drones aren't going away, we just have to ride out the "popular" craze, and I think the industry will survive well!
You also might ask some others on the site here. There seems to be a lot of good guys that really are rising above the "do-it-for-$20" group (NOT being troll, just stating a fact, lol).
Good luck with your Home Inspection Training!
Sincerely,
Kevin
Funny, I signed up tonight for the D/FW Home Inspection course. I'm using rets-llc.com for my training because they also include the 20 inspections (Arlington area) with a certified inspector that you need in order to get your Professional licensing and start your business immediately. I take my classroom hours in late Sept.
I, also, was in Law Enforcement here in Texas (T.C.L.E.O.S.E. back then...Frost, TX, Rosebud, TX, Temple, TX and Waco, TX...and 1 yr. Fed-HRT). Now that was LONG time ago (I got out of Law Enforcement. in 1994...yeah, I'm way old, lol). I was with Temple during the detective fiasco under Chief Thomas Vannoy, but I wasn't one of the guys they were investigating. I was strictly patrol. Well enough of memory lane, lol...
I have to say that Thermography isn't really a money maker for me in the consumer RE industry. However, It really helps when you cross into commercial inspections. I charge an extra $250 for a smaller commercial building Thermal TEQ Report and go up from there. I've only done consumer (home) Thermal Energy Quotient Reports twice, and that was for a large, custom home being built, and an older 3 story home meant for remodel.
I do see thermography being more widespread as insurance companies tighten their demands on commercial accounts. A TEQ Report also gives indicator markers of potential electrical problems, gas furnace leaks, HVAC duct issues, etc. If a commercial insurance company knows that the building is thermally "safe", they will consider a rate reduction. How much of one, I haven't seen for myself, but it seems to be worth it for some businesses, especially in the manufacturing industry where 240/480 is used regularly.
I drove down to Goldthwaite Texas today and helped a rancher locate feral hogs for about 2 hours. Made $400+ food and gas. Not bad for a nice country drive, lol.
Drones aren't going away, we just have to ride out the "popular" craze, and I think the industry will survive well!
You also might ask some others on the site here. There seems to be a lot of good guys that really are rising above the "do-it-for-$20" group (NOT being troll, just stating a fact, lol).
Good luck with your Home Inspection Training!
Sincerely,
Kevin
Hi, i would like to know if there is a competitor service as Drone Base for Europe ?
Drone Base idea is great, but price very low for true profesionnal working.
I am not sure to be matching with their communication : pictures for 18years old pilots, only Phantom...
It is perfect strategy for them to get many and many pilots (Pro and NoPro), but not qualify for our invest, probably not for our market.
Even mp answer could me help. Very thanks
Drone Base idea is great, but price very low for true profesionnal working
.I am not sure to be matching with their communication : pictures for 18years old pilots, only Phantom...
It is perfect strategy for them to get many and many pilots (Pro and NoPro), but not qualify for our invest, probably not for our market.
Even mp answer could me help. Very thanks
Kevin,
Thanks for the reply and info. Have you looked at interNACHI for training? There are a TON of online courses. It costs 50 bucks a month but you can knock out the vast majority of your coursework and then only have to do a small bit with a training company for the field work, etc. You may want to check into it and potentially save some big bucks.
I saw on another thread you had referenced your FLIR setup. I don't want to derail the drone base thread but would you mind posting about your setup? I'm familiar with their cameras but how do you interface the VUE with the inspire? Was it a massive DIY refit? Can you stream your images to your feed or do you just have to hope it ends up on the SD card the way you want? I can't justify an XT camera right now but a VUE might be doable if the refit isn't insane. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jake
Jake,
My latest mount is a hybrid of a Z-Gimbal and the FLIR gimbal. It doesn't have the gimbal control interface, only the ring mount. The FLIR Pro R has a bluetooth signal that I have been using. It's a poor man's setup but it works for me.
I think what a person has to figure out is exactly what they are need ing out of an infrared setup. If that answer includes full gimbal control, etc, then there's really no other option than the ZenmuseXT. If, like myself, they don't need separate camera control (i.e. I can just fly the bird and "point" at my subject/target area, so to speak) then the FLIR setup is fine.
In my personal experience, most folks that aren't into thermography yet think they would use the FLIR like an RGB cam, meaning that they need to do "orbit shots" etc. In my experience, and with the way that I use FLIR, I go up around 300ft and then to a grid search for feral hogs. I don't need an exact angle like in RE photography. I just need to locate the area within 50-100 ft of the target.
The signal glitches some at 300ft, but it works well at 200 and thats usually enough elevation AGL. And again, I am not "taking the perfect shot", I am simply letting the thermal images show where the animal is. If I work a building for energy radiometry, then I am usually close enough to not have ANY glitch in the signal.
I just ordered a miniature wifi hotspot system (Luminier) that I hope to figure out how to attach to the cam/drone platform. Weight is ALWAYS a big consideration when adding equipment due to reduced flight times. If this unit works, I will definitely post somewhere on here.
One guy asked "who holds the second iPad Pro?". My answer...the client, if he is with us. Man, they LOVE watching those animals appear in IR, lol! It's something they tell their friends about, and well, that's free advertisement for me, lol!
Has this helped? I hope so...
Thanks! I'm not sure which route I want to go yet. Guess I'll just keep on plugging with the inspector stuff for a bit.
