Any Stories... Spouse as team partner in Drone work?

[dougcjohn]

We‘re busy with sUAV activity, exploring higher Video Editing & Photography skills, 2D Photogrammetry, 3D modeling and the associated apps and programs. Has anyone had their significant “Other” join forces... maybe better at video editing, more creative mindset with the end production tools, or just wants to get involved.

As I approach retirement (5-7yrs) in ”other” job... the income & budget side of family contributions... and get more project oriented with potential alternate income source. My Wife is slowly developing and interest... maybe seeing this as a way to work together or possibly a team to substain the budget... or increase.

She’s now played with the thought of trying the flying side too. Introduces the POC maybe not always being the active Pilot too. She doesn’t have the interest to pursue PT107 certification, just wants a hand in things (at least currently).

This sounds intriguing... might have a positive outcome or might be like our tandem bike adventures... you either love it or hate it... there are no middle roads in tandem biking!

Anyone else cross this path yet?
Any stories?

 

[MeHardy]

We are both retired since January 2016. Last year my wife got into photography and it turns out she has a talent for framing great shots......but does not care for the technical side of photography. We started a business this year featuring her photography and my drone services. She is happy to travel with me for the drone work and likes being the observer. She enjoys back seat driving also!

 

[TreeLineView]

Not a chance, but my college age daughter has been VO for day and night ops for the past 6 months. Ever since Covid forced her home.

 

[BigAl07]

We built our company when VO's were required (Section 333 Exemption). So we started with me being Pilot and her being VO, Safety Engineer, PIO, Video Editor, Creative Consultant, and Gopher. I'm an excellent pilot and she's a very creative spirit so it works out very well for us. It's worked well for us now for several years.

 

[dougcjohn]

We built our company when VO's were required (Section 333 Exemption). So we started with me being Pilot and her being VO, Safety Engineer, PIO, Video Editor, Creative Consultant, and Gopher. I'm an excellent pilot and she's a very creative spirit so it works out very well for us. It's worked well for us now for several years.

Great to hear! That's a strong vote to the team!

My Wife definitely has a different artistic, creative eye than my mine! It may be a source that becomes very welcome.

I don't see a negative in tapping that resource, assistance and companionship if happily working in all other life's endeavors.

Any humor sharing the chair of "authority or final decision? The She/He attitudes normally seldom fall to the "he" mentality in normal relationship activities if relationship is the priority. Has her female intuitions help prevent any risky or sour project?

Legal business side; Are you a sole proprietary with Wife assisting or indicated as a partner or employee? Or is Wife listed as Owner?

As mentioned on similar thread on Inspire forum, the comparison to a tandem... it also mandates a cooperation... do you find that a challenge at times due to personal side?

I'm not sure I could have done a similar partnership business over the 30 yrs in other professions performed, it required attitudes or positions she may not have found conducive.

This endeavor I think appears more conducive to join forces with a daily enjoyment and satisfaction.

 

[BigAl07]

Great to hear! That's a strong vote to the team!

My Wife definitely has a different artistic, creative eye than my mine! It may be a source that becomes very welcome.

I don't see a negative in tapping that resource, assistance and companionship if happily working in all other life's endeavors.

Any humor sharing the chair of "authority or final decision? The She/He attitudes normally seldom fall to the "he" mentality in normal relationship activities if relationship is the priority. Has her female intuitions help prevent any risky or sour project?

Legal business side; Are you a sole proprietary with Wife assisting or indicated as a partner or employee? Or is Wife listed as Owner?

As mentioned on similar thread on Inspire forum, the comparison to a tandem... it also mandates a cooperation... do you find that a challenge at times due to personal side?

I'm not sure I could have done a similar partnership business over the 30 yrs in other professions performed, it required attitudes or positions she may not have found conducive.

This endeavor I think appears more conducive to join forces with a daily enjoyment and satisfaction.

Her "eye" and creativity really do help a lot. We see the "shot" from different perspectives and usually try to capture some of both. Sometimes my perspective looks better and many times it's hers. When we are creating videos for our clients I let her have 100% Creative Control so that the "story" is smooth and consistent. She tells me what she wants to see on screen and I make it happen (usually). If she can describe the shot I can almost always figure out how to make it a reality.

Actually her intuition has indeed been very helpful several times. The final decision defaults to me but I take her opinion into consideration.

Unfortunately when we set this company up I didn't think about Govt contracts/bidding or I would have put it in HER name because we would get "priority" for being a woman owned business with the state. We have tooled around with changing it a few times but we get busy and never move forward. It's a Sole Proprietorship and she's an employee.

We don't usually have any conflict in our "working environment" except when it comes to picture editing. Her "style" is different than mine and I was the dedicated image editor for a few years. Then we go busy and she started taking over some of those tasks. He edits are a bit more "over the top" where-as I like more natural and "realistic" edits. Low and behold my CLIENTS started bragging on her edits and guess which way we both edit now LOL.

 

[MeHardy]

Great to hear! That's a strong vote to the team!

My Wife definitely has a different artistic, creative eye than my mine! It may be a source that becomes very welcome.

I don't see a negative in tapping that resource, assistance and companionship if happily working in all other life's endeavors.

Any humor sharing the chair of "authority or final decision? The She/He attitudes normally seldom fall to the "he" mentality in normal relationship activities if relationship is the priority. Has her female intuitions help prevent any risky or sour project?

Legal business side; Are you a sole proprietary with Wife assisting or indicated as a partner or employee? Or is Wife listed as Owner?

As mentioned on similar thread on Inspire forum, the comparison to a tandem... it also mandates a cooperation... do you find that a challenge at times due to personal side?

I'm not sure I could have done a similar partnership business over the 30 yrs in other professions performed, it required attitudes or positions she may not have found conducive.

This endeavor I think appears more conducive to join forces with a daily enjoyment and satisfaction.

We have a LLC partnership. She is the President and I am the CTO (Chief Technical Officer). We respect each other enough to listen to each other then make decisions. We usually defer to the subject matter expert for the final decision. NOTE: our officially formed business is 3 months old.

 

[R.Perry]

My wife and I are a team, I make the money, she spends it.

 

[WVDronePilot]

My wife had to be my VO on a big job for Proctor and Gamble. Couldn’t find anyone else willing to drive 3 hrs one way every week. She got her OSHA 10 and Fluor safety certification too. Yeah it was hot in the summer and frigid in the winter. Did it for over a year. But we always went to a great Mexican restaurant when we finished. I considered it a date.

Always a pleasure to work with your best friend!

 

[dougcjohn]

My wife had to be my VO on a big job for Proctor and Gamble. Couldn’t find anyone else willing to drive 3 hrs one way every week. She got her OSHA 10 and Fluor safety certification too. Yeah it was hot in the summer and frigid in the winter. Did it for over a year. But we always went to a great Mexican restaurant when we finished. I considered it a date.

Always a pleasure to work with your best friend!

Now that's a time you'd prefer Wife over Buddy. 1 year project, 6 hr drives... and a dinner date too!

Has she continued working with ya, ongoing projects?

 

[WVDronePilot]

My wife had to be my VO on a big job for Proctor and Gamble. Couldn’t find anyone else willing to drive 3 hrs one way every week. She got her OSHA 10 and Fluor safety certification too. Yeah it was hot in the summer and frigid in the winter. Did it for over a year. But we always went to a great Mexican restaurant when we finished. I considered it a date.

Always a pleasure to work with your best friend!

Now that's a time you'd prefer Wife over Buddy. 1 year project, 6 hr drives... and a dinner date too!

Has she continued working with ya, ongoing projects?

We’ve done a few together. A tornado damage assessment and some oil and gas jobs. Been doing mainly located stuff with no VO requirements now.
She is willing to help when I need it.