We all have to start somewhere…
Working as a freelance camera operator in Los Angeles for various unscripted TV shows, I knew of a few other shooters who owned a drone. I was intrigued, but hesitant. Here it was 2015 and I felt I was already too late to the party. But a buddy and I attended a free Intro to Drones class at a local shop since we wanted to learn more. There were only 5 people in attendance and at the end we were all entered into a raffle for 20% off a Phantom 3 drone. Well, neither my friend nor I won but we convinced the winner to give us his ticket. With the discount and the decision to go in as joint owners, my buddy and I decided to give this whole drone thing a try.
Fast forward a year and I’m taking the Part 107 exam on the first day it’s offered. Suddenly I’m able to get paid for my services, setting myself apart from the colleagues that were drone owners way before me. I then started to get clients: first from my TV contacts and then from friends who worked in a variety of other industries.
A few years later, I’m living in Vancouver, British Columbia where a basic drone license is required before you can even fly. I dove into my studying and after scoring well on my Basic Exam, I kept up the pace until my Advanced Exam and Flight Review were in the rear view. I had a head start with my Part 107 and recurrent test knowledge but also had extensive checklists and detailed notes I had created while living in the States. With Canada’s different laws, I adapted my lists to reflect the regulations for flying north of the border.
With my experience over the years (multiple failures included) I avoid future blunders by learning from my mistakes and researching better ways to do things. With that knowledge channeled into these drone resources, hopefully they’ll not only shorten your learning curve but keep you flying as safely as possible.
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Mark Kneyse
www.directdronecamera.com