What to Consider When Hiring a Drone Service Provider
The drone industry has grown exponentially over the years and is projected to grow even larger, with more and more businesses looking to drones as a tool to minimize risks and maximize profits. While there are many companies that have their own in-house drone program, this can take time, money, and resources to start and maintain, hence why many of the drone jobs are outsourced. This in turn leaves the door wide open for many drone companies and independent contractors to compete for jobs and make profits. While this may seem like a win-win situation, the drone industry has been plagued with bad practices and many lawsuits. There are many things to be considered when hiring a drone service provider to avoid malpractice and ensure compliance with the applicable laws.
Law
The governing body of US airspace is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA regulations have and will continue to be the most limiting factor for the drone industry as a whole. Any drone pilot operating for commercial purposes must hold a Part 107 license and have their drone registered with the FAA. Hiring a drone operator that disregards legal and safety procedures could put you, your staff, and equipment at risk. The regulations, while limiting, are for everyone’s safety and should not be broken.
Training
Hiring a drone operator that has undergone professional training is highly advisable since they will not only be able to conduct missions in a safe, professional and competent manner but also will be better prepared to take on a wider variety of them. Professionally trained drone operators are aware of the airspace/flight restrictions and requirements and know how to get waivers and authorizations to fly in different classes of airspace.
Safety
It is crucial for all parties to understand that drones are aircraft and there are many factors to consider when flying them, especially in densely populated, urbanized areas. The drone service provider should ensure their equipment is in a safe operating condition, take the time to research the airspace they are operating in along with any restrictions in place, and any other legal issues that may come up. It is incumbent upon the drone service provider to take the necessary safety precautions to minimize risks, while it is incumbent upon the company to hire a drone operator that follows safe procedures. Both parties should talk in detail about the best safety practices and acceptable risks prior to a drone mission. A professional drone service provider always makes safety a priority.
Liability Insurance
While generally safe when operated by a professional drone pilot, sudden unforeseen circumstances, such as faulty equipment and weather, can cause a drone to fail and crash. This can potentially lead to serious damage to people and/or property on the ground. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the drone service provider contracted for the job has insurance with enough coverage in case of any accidents.
Experience
With so many people getting into the drone industry and working as freelancers/starting up their drone business, it can be difficult to know whether you are dealing with the drone operator that has experience and knowledge about aviation and drones. Before hiring a drone operator, consider what your company project consists of as well as its needs and goals. Hiring a drone operator that has experience in that specific area will ensure a good fit and a smooth process. Having said that though, we all have to start somewhere and not all drone operators will have (much) experience. It does not mean, however, they are not worth a shot. Have a look at their website, portfolio, reviews from customers (can be companies from different industries to yours), it is relatively easy to distinguish a professional drone operator (even with little experience) from an amateur.
Third-Party Contracting
There are many third-party contracting companies that give drone pilots jobs based on their specific skills. While this may seem like a great model (and can be a cheaper option than hiring a drone pilot directly), it is rarely beneficial for the drone pilot or the customer in the long run. Third-party contracting companies tend to pay their pilots sub-par wages for the time and work required. As a result many drone pilots use the job as a paid practice which means the skill and professionalism of the pilot can vary greatly. Most skilled pilots with more sophisticated equipment will require higher pay for their services. Furthermore, there are third-party contracting companies that often disregard legal and safety measures in order to increase profit, while leaving all the liability to the pilot.
Price
Price is one of the biggest factors that is considered when hiring a drone operator. Drones have the capability of capturing an incredible amount of data for customers using an array of payloads that require extensive training and skill to operate. While someone can hire just about anybody to capture aerial footage of their roof that needs to be inspected. This, however, does not mean that the job will get done safely or legally. Some of the many aspects of pricing to consider are but not limited to the type of job required, the equipment needed, the FAA regulations and safety precautions, the insurance (some sites require millions in liability insurance), time required to perform the task, the amount and type of data being gathered along with the software used, the processing time (if any), and the skill of the pilot. The more specialized the mission and data are, the higher the cost will be.
As you can see, there are many things to consider when hiring a drone service provider. Whether you decide to hire Raven Drone Solutions, or any other provider, we want to ensure that you know what to look for and that you make the right decision.
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