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moosearedeer@lemmy.world

Passed my US FAA part 107 test today! (lemmy.world)

submitted 3 months ago by limelight79@lemmy.world to c/drones@lemmy.world

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I'm new to drone ownership, unless you count the cheap Holy Stone drone I bought years ago for under $100. (I was very disappointed in the photo quality, plus it was hard to fly, so I never did much with it.) I recently bought a DJI Air 3s, to use with my new job as a real estate photographer.

Today I took the part 107 exam and I passed with a 95% score! There were questions about flying at night, which I had missed while studying - I knew it twilight drone use, but not night time. I think I missed the question about what foreign drones can be registered in the US, but.... How does that help me fly safely? Some of those questions are there "just because", not because they actually help ensure the pilot is flying safely.

I've only flown the drone twice, just haven't had much time to do much, but I need to practice so I can get certified with the real estate company and add that service to my offerings. But it's easy to fly, I've found. Just have to get over my fear of wrecking it.

Anyone else doing pro work? I'm interested to hear what people are doing with them.

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[–] alk@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I also just passed! Doing my first flight with my "work" drone tomorrow morning, wind allowing. I have a "new" dji air 3s that I promised myself I wouldn't fly until I passed, as motivation haha. Have you found work other than real estate or are you using it exclusively with that?

I don't have a solid game plan for work, but I plan on doing all sorts of things like mapping, scanning, real estate and independent photo/video. I have a full time job so my first order of business is to build up a portfolio of each of those types of work myself with no clients, just to prove I can. Then I'll find clients on my days off.

[–] limelight79@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Congratulations on passing! I just got my official license yesterday in the mail, to give you an idea of roughly how long that might take.

I haven't had any pro jobs with it yet, the company I contract with wanted sample video and pictures, and with the weather we've had, plus needing to practice, it took me a while to even submit them.

But I have now, and I think I'm approved. The real estate market is really slow over the holidays, so it was a good time to learn new skills and improve my offerings. Now I just need the jobs!

[–] alk@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's exciting! I hope you find success with that! It's nice that you already had a starting point with how you're going to use it. My job is entirely unrelated to drone work so I'm just throwing myself out there and hoping to find gigs haha.

[–] limelight79@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Thanks, and I hope it works for you, too.

I've been kicking around the idea of becoming a "hired gun" for wedding photographers. I have no interest in being a primary wedding photographer, or doing three weddings every weekend during the summer, but helping out occasionally? Sure; I have a pro level camera and decent lenses. And/or, need drone services, but don't want to invest in the drone and getting the license yourself? Call me, and I'll show up at the time you specify, fly my drone and take pictures and video, and be gone, sending the pictures/video to the photographer.

Gotta build up a reputation...what I need to do is start networking with other pro photographers in the area. I can do these things, but few of them are going to trust some random unknown to it, understandably so.