First Post - Intro

[Wing]

Hey Everyone -

Breaking the ice.
Part 107 certified recently, and about to dive into starting the business.
The next question is though.. what niche or direction. Mapping most likely, although I have little knowledge in Construction... for now. But willing to branch out as business dictates.
Then its what deals I can find for Black Friday. Unless someone has a good online spot that sells used? I'll be looking that up. Also have a drone repair shop about 45 minutes away.
Interesting time to be starting a business with drones with this potential DJI ban lingering, trust me my brain let's me know that.
But here is where I am. Glad I'm here
W

 

[GFields]

Greetings from Birmingham Alabama USA, welcome to the forum! We look forward to hearing from you!

I have a Mavic 2 Zoom and an Air 2s for sale.

 

[adm_geomatics]

Greetings from Birmingham Alabama USA, welcome to the forum! We look forward to hearing from you!

I have a Mavic 2 Zoom and an Air 2s for sale.

@Wing Welcome to the life! The Air 2S is a good starter bird. Pair that with an Emlid RS2/2+/3 for ground control and you can get some pretty good results whether you are mapping small properties or just modeling. If your area has a free RTK network this is a no-brainer. If you are ready to spend some money and get something like the Mavic 3 Enterprise and go RTK/PPK I would recommend getting the 3T (thermal). It has the same camera as the Enterprise but having thermal is a good market to get into before it gets too saturated. Either way you are still going to want to look into a GNSS receiver for control. Don't worry about construction experience for right now. Learn as much as you can about control datums and Surveying practices. Otherwise just go take pictures of houses and properties and build from there.

 

[Wing]

@GFields Thanks! I will keep those 2 on my mind, leaning towards the Air 2s
@adm_geomatics Thanks friend. Sounds like exactly what I'll be doing in the meantime. I had to google a couple of the things you mentioned (GNSS, RTK True Network, Emlid).. thanks for the information. I love the route of Thermal - Part of me wants to risk it and go for it, but seems a bit reach for now. For Control datums and surveying.. any online stuff you'd recommend? About to Youtube it

 

[adm_geomatics]

@GFields Thanks! I will keep those 2 on my mind, leaning towards the Air 2s
@adm_geomatics Thanks friend. Sounds like exactly what I'll be doing in the meantime. I had to google a couple of the things you mentioned (GNSS, RTK True Network, Emlid).. thanks for the information. I love the route of Thermal - Part of me wants to risk it and go for it, but seems a bit reach for now. For Control datums and surveying.. any online stuff you'd recommend? About to Youtube it

Here's a decent overview of terminologies and how maps are positioned that's not too painful.

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[jaja6009]

You need to write out a full business plan. I don't have the time to explain it all but a good resource is:

Write your business plan | U.S. Small Business Administration

www.sba.gov

You really need to know what works in your area as far as pricing, competition, if there is even a market for your services and for mapping your state laws on surveying.
Otherwise you could overlook important aspects of your business.

 

[adm_geomatics]

You need to write out a full business plan. I don't have the time to explain it all but a good resource is:

Write your business plan | U.S. Small Business Administration

www.sba.gov

You really need to know what works in your area as far as pricing, competition, if there is even a market for your services and for mapping your state laws on surveying.
Otherwise you could overlook important aspects of your business.

It's probably pretty difficult to draft a business plan when you don't even know what all the tool does and little to nothing about the industries you're serving. That's where 75% of operators are.

 

[Dave Pitman]

I would recommend getting the 3T (thermal). It has the same camera as the Enterprise

Not true, Michael.

DJI Mavic 3E: 4/3 CMOS, Effective pixels: 20 MP
DJI Mavic 3T: 1/2-inch CMOS

I think you could certainly map with the M3T, but it would be like using a Phantom 3 Pro technology wise.

Specs - DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise - DJI Enterprise

The Mavic 3 Enterprise Series redefines industry standards for small commercial drones. With a mechanical shutter, a 56× zoom camera, and an RTK module for centimeter-level precision, the Mavic 3E brings mapping and mission efficiency to new heights. A thermal version is available for...

enterprise.dji.com

 

[jaja6009]

Not true, Michael.

DJI Mavic 3E: 4/3 CMOS, Effective pixels: 20 MP
DJI Mavic 3T: 1/2-inch CMOS

I think you could certainly map with the M3T, but it would be like using a Phantom 3 Pro technology wise.

Specs - DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise - DJI Enterprise

The Mavic 3 Enterprise Series redefines industry standards for small commercial drones. With a mechanical shutter, a 56× zoom camera, and an RTK module for centimeter-level precision, the Mavic 3E brings mapping and mission efficiency to new heights. A thermal version is available for...

enterprise.dji.com

Yeah camera wise, the Mavic 3 E is a great aircraft.
Zoom for inspections, a large sensor for photography, videography and of course mapping with its mechanical shutter also.

I ran some tests my work M3E against my personal P4RTK.

Accuracy wise they were very similar when receiving corrections.

The output of the maps were hands down in favor of the M3E.
The camera is an incremental step up, but its outputs were more detailed and had better coloring.
Both drones were flown to get the same GSD.

 

[adm_geomatics]

Not true, Michael.

DJI Mavic 3E: 4/3 CMOS, Effective pixels: 20 MP
DJI Mavic 3T: 1/2-inch CMOS

I think you could certainly map with the M3T, but it would be like using a Phantom 3 Pro technology wise.

Specs - DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise - DJI Enterprise

The Mavic 3 Enterprise Series redefines industry standards for small commercial drones. With a mechanical shutter, a 56× zoom camera, and an RTK module for centimeter-level precision, the Mavic 3E brings mapping and mission efficiency to new heights. A thermal version is available for...

enterprise.dji.com

You're right. I was thinking of the multispectral.

 

[Wing]

@jaja6009 : I did a Business Plan a couple of days ago and it got pretty volatile pretty quick: there is still a lot of unknowns. State laws I agree are important being researched.

@adm_geomatics : That video was awesome - I'm in the right spot, thank you. I'm right with you there - For me it's Buy Drone -> Get good with Piloting and Software(s) -> Go find people that need Service. (With A Niche in Mind) Analogy: There is no standard road to drive on, as drone business owners we are in our off-road vehicle, mowing down foliage and carving our own path. Sometimes you see tracks from others before you, sometimes you don't.

 

[adm_geomatics]

There is no standard road to drive on, as drone business owners we are in our off-road vehicle

Love it. Drones are like a Swiss Army Knife and just a tool with many applications. Find the strongest niche in your area and get good at it while you research the others.

 

[John Githens]

Not true, Michael.

DJI Mavic 3E: 4/3 CMOS, Effective pixels: 20 MP
DJI Mavic 3T: 1/2-inch CMOS

I think you could certainly map with the M3T, but it would be like using a Phantom 3 Pro technology wise.

Specs - DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise - DJI Enterprise

The Mavic 3 Enterprise Series redefines industry standards for small commercial drones. With a mechanical shutter, a 56× zoom camera, and an RTK module for centimeter-level precision, the Mavic 3E brings mapping and mission efficiency to new heights. A thermal version is available for...

enterprise.dji.com

Worth noting if considering adding an RTK Module to an M3T: "The M3T is not suitable for surveying even with the additional RTK module."

 

[jaja6009]

Worth noting if considering adding an RTK Module to an M3T: "The M3T is not suitable for surveying even with the additional RTK module."

This is the consensus. But, Heliguy's website claims in is in the 10's of cm accuracy. Do you know of or have any data supporting this? People will site Heliguy but no one has proof as in a data site check with check marks.

I ran a test on my Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced with RTK attached and receiving corrections.
I was surpised when the images metadata listed the normal coordinates but also the associated accuracies.
When I did process against check marks though, the map was still inaccurate horizontally by the normal 5 to 15 feet. But vertically in two different tests its was sub foot and 2 feet. I want to run more tests though.