Using a drone to elevate your occasion is a lot of fun.  While drones may look like toys, commercial drones are actually serious business and regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  Here are a few things to ‘know before you go’ :

1.   Plan ahead!  Believe it or not, drone operators must observe and obey FAA rules similar to commercial airlines.  
2.   The drone company you choose must be registered with the FAA and commercially certified.  Only certified drone operators can request authorizations from the FAA.  
3.    In many cases FAA approvals can be fast.   But some can take up to 90 days.
4.    Not all services require the most advanced drone.  Employing the wrong solution for your project could be costly.
5.   Safety is always the first priority.  Weather does impact the ability to use a drone.  If the day of services is very windy, too cold, raining or snowing, it is likely that the drone service will not be able to operate. 
6.    Ask about insurance.  Make sure your drone service is properly insured for the services provided.

Depending on the location of your event, it may be necessary to obtain authorization from the FAA to use a drone for photographic or other services.  Close proximity to airports, hospitals, schools and specialty areas with flight restrictions are common landmarks requiring an authorization or approvals from the proper authority.   The key thing to know is whether or not your service location is within an unrestricted, restricted or a completely No-Fly zone.  It is the responsibility of the drone company to identify any restrictions, inform you of the restrictions in advance and, to obtain the required approvals.  Only a professional drone operator (Part 107 or exempted) can obtain commercial waivers and approvals.

Part 107 refers to the license process and exam under the FAA’s Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) required to legally operate a drone/drone services for professional (commercial) purposes.  It is illegal to operate commercially without proper FAA qualifications – and violators are subject to fines and loss of operator’s license.  

No – it could be your problem too!  And this is important to understand ahead of time – Both the drone company and the person/s or company employing drone services CAN be subjected to fines of several thousands of dollars each by the FAA and other penalties.  Know before you go!

We shoot HD quality digital images up to 20 megapixels.  Video quality is also HD in 1080 or 4K resolution.