Frequently Asked Questions
Are you licensed?
Yes, We are certified as 14 CFR Part 107 operators of unmanned aircraft by the FAA.
Are you insured?
Yes. For residential jobs we use on-demand liability insurance with up to $1,000,000 in coverage from Verifly. On Commercial jobs I have Aircraft & Commercial General Aviation Liability insurance with Global Aerospace, for $1,000,000 property damage and Bodily injury per occurrence with $1,000,000 Aggregate.
How does weather affect your shooting schedule?
We can fly with wind gusts in excess of 20+ mph. We do not fly in inclement weather or rain, and always suggest rescheduling if rain is forecasted.
What is the quality of your aerial images and video?
We can capture 20MP images and 4k/60fps video. Example -- 3:2 aspect ratio is 5472 x 3648; 4:3 aspect ratio is 4864 × 3648
Is the quality of your mapping images better than Google Maps or Google Earth?
Absolutely Yes, low altitude mapping missions performed by a drone can provide orthomosaic imagery at approx. 3cm/pixel, or even better when combined with GCPs (Ground Control Points). That is an increase in resolution of 10 times better than Google's satellite imagery applications which provide a maximum resolution of 20-30 cm/pixel (usually dependent upon whether viewing rural or suburban areas and how close to point of interest).
Can I get in trouble for hiring a non-certified commercial drone pilot?
Yes. Anyone who hires an unlicensed drone pilot can be fined $11,000 and up to $32,666 per incident by the FAA. The drone pilot can be fined $1,100 per instance. The FAA may also impose criminal sanctions, which include a fine of up to $250,000 and/or a prison sentence of up to three years upon conviction. https://lidarnews.com/articles/penalties-flying-drone-without-license/
How many acres can you map in one day?
There are many factors that affect the workflow of a drone mapping mission; available daylight hours, wind, terrain, tree canopy coverage, cloud cover, temperature, and more. A conservative estimate would be 40 acres per hour of available daylight. Under optimum conditions in every category, this amount could increase to 60 acres per hour of available daylight.
Can you fly over people?
No. The only people that a drone can legally fly over are the RPIC (Remote Pilot In Command) and a VO (Visual Observer). To expand on this a bit; 'flying over people' also pertains to avoiding a flight path where the momentum of a drone, in the event of catastrophic failure, doesn't continue to fly uncontrolled (or fall) into anyone, including any outstretched portions of their body.
How high can a drone fly?
We are restricted by the FAA to a flight elevation limit of 400' AGL (Above Ground Level). Fortunately, this also applies to allowing flights up to 400' above a tall city building or radio antennae, etc.
Do you do monthly construction progression photos and video?
Yes. We can offer weekly, bi-weekly and monthly construction progression pricing as needed. Contact us for pricing.
How far would you travel for a job?
We are based in Newnan, GA and we don't charge any travel fees locally however, outside of a 20 mi radius we charge a standard 57.5 cents/mi. . Occasionally, projects take us out of state and clients are responsible for reimbursing a daily stipend (usually just a hotel stay and a meal) for the duration of a project. All fees are disclosed and discussed up front. If we are the right fit for your project, no distance is too far.
Can you fly at night?
Normally, you cannot fly at night as flying is limited to daylight hours up to 30 minutes after official sunset and including the 30 minutes prior to official sunrise (better known as 'civil twilight') however, the FAA provides a waiver which allows drones to fly during nighttime but only with appropriate additional lighting, precautions and knowledge proficiency.
Do you shoot Interior and/or Architectural photography?
Yes. Many of our real estate clients appreciate that we also provide interior photography along with our Real Estate Packages. Architectural photography projects often require additional special lighting so a customized quote relative to the project will have to be generated .
Do you offer any discounts or specials?
Yes, new customers receive a 10% discount on STANDARD Real Estate packages. If we are performing routine shoots together, we will continue to offer this discount throughout our working relationship.
How do I book your aerial imaging services?
Thank you for considering us for your next aerial imaging project! Please fill out the information on the Booking Form and you can Book Your Shoot with the Booking/scheduling Link.
Can you fly indoors?
Yes, If the room is large enough, but we have found over time that many interior shots can be more safely acquired via other stabilized handheld equipment.
How do you supply files?
It depends on the client. For real estate projects we use Pixieset as a delivery platform. If requested we can use an online file sharing service such as Google Drive or Google Pictures. For Commercial clients we use a secure log-in delivery platform which is customized for that specific customer. We can send them to you on a USB stick, or even upload videos to YouTube embedding on your sites if requested however, If files are supplied on a physical device, according to GA law we will have to add sales tax to the project transaction.