Today I got my Airman Certificate for the FAA Part 107 Certified Drone Pilot. I am now able to charge for my services. I cannot wait till springtime.

“Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.”

~ Lewis Grizzard

Why is this important for my clients?

“If you think hiring a professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur!”

Realtors are told, “The pilot would face a fine of $1,100 per violation…while the person [The Realtor] who causes the operation could be liable for a fine of $11,000….”

A $182,000 fine was issued to a drone pilot in Philadelphia in December 2020.

Here are some guidelines for drones

• Request digital authorization for commercial operations in LAANC-enabled U.S. controlled airspaces
• Can I fly here? Get real-time feedback on airspace rules and conditions regarding your flight specifications with national rulesets. To charge for drone aerial photographs, you MUST be an FAA Part 107 Certified Drone Pilot
• Non-Certified Drone Pilots can and will be fined – $1,414 per violation
• Do not fly higher than 400 feet
• Try not to fly over any moving vehicles or people when possible
• Keep your drone within eyesight at all times
• Remain a safe distance away from others’ property and unprotected people
• Notify any airports ahead of time if flying within 5 miles of an airport
• Do not fly in adverse weather conditions or under the influence of substances
• Don’t fly near sensitive areas (power plants, water treatment plants, prisons, major highways, etc.)
• Don’t invade others’ privacy with photos or videos for 20 countries, including Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• Connect to any supported DJI drone to fly and toggle camera settings directly from the AirMap app
• Plan a flight path to a specific duration, altitude, and airspace requirements

The reason you hire a licensed drone pilot is as much to do with flying by the Federal Aviation Administration rules as just how good their photos and videos are for you.

Give me a call, and let’s plan to make the most of this coming springtime.

John Kevin Cash served the community as a firefighter for the Roswell Fire Department and the McDonough Fire Department. [NIKON D5, 14.0-24.0 mm f/2.8, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 200, 1/125, ƒ/8, (35mm = 14)]

Here is one of the best tips I can give you about your camera and lens choice. The relationship of the camera’s distance to the subject is how it feels to the audience.

My favorite lens to transport the audience to be right in the subject scene is the Nikon 14-24mm ƒ/2.8.

I love getting down low and close to let the terrain pull you into the shot.

I enjoy doing the “Hail Mary” shot from above to show someone in a context like this group taking a selfie with the Chick-fil-A Cow.

I do try and keep people a little more centered than with other lenses to keep their heads not looking a little weird.

A great example of showing students learning up close with the teacher in the background.

You learn quickly in aerial photography that you want to be closer to the earth to see the details than too high up. The 14-24mm let me do this hear and show Kennesaw Mountain in the distance of Blessed Trinity High School in Roswell, GA.

Chick-fil-A gave away free ice coffee during the Kickoff in the Fan Zone. See how you see the product but in context?

The “First Bite” shot at all Chick-fil-A Grand Openings. This is the College Football Hall Of Fame location.

Dan Cathy always plays his Trumpet at the Grand Openings he attends with Reveille.

You are taken behind the counter of the fresh tray of sandwiches ready to be given away.

I love getting on children’s eye level and getting close.

You couldn’t get this shot without a super-wide angle of 14mm.

Here is S. Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A, doing the coin toss at the Chick-fil-A Bowl in 2012.

Dan Cathy, my daughter, and her friend are shaking the sand-filled eggs.

This is about as close as you can get to a missed touchdown pass.

Worm’s Eye View is just as interesting as a Bird’s Eye View.

The best intimate aerial photography is when you are close to the earth like we are in this balloon shot.