Advice for a newbie, please

[hopeful]

Hi, dear Pros.

I would like to get your advice on becoming a professional drone pilot. It seems to be a promising field to start a career in. I am 22, in Canada. Never flown a drone. Have a bit of money to invest. Could you please give me some advice about:

- how to find if aptitude is there
- how to pick a flying school
- which drone to buy to learn with, and that cold then be used in the beginning for getting paid contracts. A not too expensive one would make sense for a newbie
- any helpful info would be appreciated.

My questions are likely not the best to ask in my situation. So please give me any info you think might be useful.

 

[skiptv]

I am in the USA so I can not recommend a fight school in Canada, But I am a college professor that teaches Drone Flight Studies in SoCal. I recommend for learning the DJI Mini 2. Its about $500 US, this drone has a 4K Camera and can be used for creating professional video and pictures for local sporting events, weddings, birthdays and residential real estate work. Its a great drone to learn on, and it uses the same app and controllers that the higher end DJI drones do. So once you learn how to use it, you can always move up and get a more robust DJI drone and flying it will be the same as the mini. How do I know the mini is so good, 50 students in my last semesters classes ended up buying them to start out their careers.

 

[Ajkm]

Depending on where you are, Fanshawe College (Norton Wolf School of Aviation and Aerospace Technology) has an excellent commercial RPAS course.

Online, for ground school, there is none better than Coastal Drones (contact Kate Klassen, the Head of Education there, who is also involved with the RPAS Taskforce).

Beware of anyone selling a drone piloting apps in Canada - in fact be wary of any non-Transport Canada app that claims to provide “all” the information you need. If it’s accompanied by a clause excluding liability, you can guarantee that their information may not be “official” or even accurate.

Look up your local MAAC organization and see if they have any quad flying or training, and if you can go along and try it. You can get away with a smaller drone for training, but will need to be up to the Mavic 2 Pro or above for serious work.

However be aware that the only way to get anything substantial by way of income out of drone flying is most probably going to be by being hired into an existing company. You need to study to get your Advanced Ops certificate, and then get over 100 hours of flight in your logbook (and make sure you keep one to provide evidence of your experience).

PM for more help if you need it.

 

[WildDoktor]

Have you ever flown *anything* before? Maybe you're a private pilot or something like that; in that case simply get yourself a tiny whoop and start practicing "drone flying" inside your own house.

If you've never flown anything before, then...you have a lot to learn! Buy a simulator for your computer. Watch free youtube videos on "how to fly a drone". Find friends who fly and get their wisdom.

You're not going to become a paid commercial drone pilot tomorrow if you have zero experience. Put in the time, get the experience. The opportunities will come.

 

[staakerdrones]

What is the long flight time for a drone? Nobody enjoys short battery times using their drones, and that is a fact. Technological improvements have given us the best flight time drone, which may last up to half an hour on a single charge. The demand for the most extended flight period is mainly seen in those that are interested in aerial photography, for instance.
Best Drones For Long Battery Life 2021