Hiring a Licensed Drone Pilot in Southern California (Temecula)

[DroneDeliveryGuy]

Hello,

I am a software developer working on a "Drone Delivery" product. We have a customer already and are looking to run some real-world scenarios in the field and discuss current regulations.

We need someone that is:

• Has own heavy duty drone
• Commercially licensed to fly in California
• Insured
• Lives within driving distance of Temecula, Ca.
• Has experience flying with a variety of payloads (and proof of it)
• Is available in the next few weeks for a couple half-day on-site jobs in which they will fly payloads to various locations, drop-off payload remotely, and fly back.

Please reply with:

1. Your location
2. The type of equipment you have
3. Proof of CA license
4. Proof of experience flying with payloads
5. Hourly rate

Thanks in advance.

 

[R.Perry]

What is the maximum distance of your deliveries? Just for your information, you need an waiver from the FAA to fly a drone beyond the line of sight.

Good luck

 

[DroneDeliveryGuy]

Thanks for that FAA input. I found FAA Reg Part 107 and that was helpful.

I would say max distance would be 1-2 miles and it would leave line of sight.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

Thanks for that FAA input. I found FAA Reg Part 107 and that was helpful.

I would say max distance would be 1-2 miles and it would leave line of sight.

You'll need FAA waivers and to do a lot more research.

 

[R.Perry]

Thanks for that FAA input. I found FAA Reg Part 107 and that was helpful.

I would say max distance would be 1-2 miles and it would leave line of sight.

The other issue would be altitude in large cities. You can legally fly 400 feet above a building. But here is the problem, if you have a 500 foot building you can not climb above that building and travel across town. Max legal altitude is 400 feet, so in cities like San Francisco, New York you would need another waiver to transit above those buildings.

 

[DroneDeliveryGuy]

Totally agree! Thanks for the input

 

[DroneDeliveryGuy]

The other issue would be altitude in large cities. You can legally fly 400 feet above a building. But here is the problem, if you have a 500 foot building you can not climb above that building and travel across town. Max legal altitude is 400 feet, so in cities like San Francisco, New York you would need another waiver to transit above those buildings.

Thanks for the feedback. I assume the big cities will be highly regulated and have very complex airspace. We are operating in sparsely-populated areas with no commercial buildings at an altitude between 200-400ft.

We are operating with a specific type of customer and use-case that should allow us to use a 107-waiver and get the business rolling. As regulations evolve, we hope to be a front runner in the US since we will have been in operation for a while. I know companies like ZipLine are doing major business in Africa and other countries will a lot less regulations already, so if we have a niche market here, we could be an early contender in the emerging market.

 

[R.Perry]

I think the first thing the drone developers need to do is develop a more reliable video link than we currently have. They need to get their own frequencies and get away from the router and cell tower frequencies. Maybe the military will share their satellite links for our drones, that would be interesting.

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

Thanks for the feedback. I assume the big cities will be highly regulated and have very complex airspace. We are operating in sparsely-populated areas with no commercial buildings at an altitude between 200-400ft.

We are operating with a specific type of customer and use-case that should allow us to use a 107-waiver and get the business rolling. As regulations evolve, we hope to be a front runner in the US since we will have been in operation for a while. I know companies like ZipLine are doing major business in Africa and other countries will a lot less regulations already, so if we have a niche market here, we could be an early contender in the emerging market.

Flying over people and flying beyond line of sight are your biggest obstacles, technology aside. Those waivers are going to involve a lot of $$$ in R&D before the feds approve you.

 

[skiptv]

1. Your location (Palm Springs /// I film, fly and teach drone flight in the Temecula area).
2. The type of equipment you have /// (What type do you need... Inspire 1, 2, Phantom V2 4 pro pls, Mavic Pro 2, Mavic Air, BeBop, Disco, Tello) ...
3. Proof of CA license (yes I have proof)
4. Proof of experience flying with payloads ( have flown golf balls, fish lures, parachutes)
5. Hourly ra (we can discuss that in private).

We will need to get a waiver if we go beyond line of site. Its no big deal.

 

[Phaedrus]

We will need to get a waiver if we go beyond line of site. Its no big deal.

I wonder why there are only 42 107.31 waivers showing on the FAA website

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

I wonder why there are only 42 107.31 waivers showing on the FAA website

Because they are very difficult to get? Just spitballing here.

 

[skiptv]

Not cause they are difficult to get. But because people think they are difficult to get. Because most people who have a 107 don’t need them so they don’t apply for them. I remember back when the 333 first came out. I was told how difficult it was to get. Well I just got an FAA lawyer paid the $1000 and got one. You want a waiver, worried you can’t do it yourself then hire someone who can. If 42 waivers were issued why not 43

 

[LUIS MARTINEZ]

Not cause they are difficult to get. But because people think they are difficult to get. Because most people who have a 107 don’t need them so they don’t apply for them. I remember back when the 333 first came out. I was told how difficult it was to get. Well I just got an FAA lawyer paid the $1000 and got one. You want a waiver, worried you can’t do it yourself then hire someone who can. If 42 waivers were issued why not 43

$1000! I wrote my own 333; should have gone into the 333 writing business.

 

[skiptv]

$1000! I wrote my own 333; should have gone into the 333 writing business.

Back when this started, with the 333, that's what lawyers were charging. I didn't know how to do it, and yes you should have charged others.