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Small business grants?

RexAir

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Just started a small aerial imaging business in a rural town in Northern California. I have filed my FBN, I have my part 107 and am operating a M2P. I have completed a couple of jobs but have had request for jobs that the M2P just cant handle. SAR with thermal for an example. Is there a good source for small business grants for drone operations. I want to use and be able to offer thermal imaging and potentially LIDAR to aid in SAR, wild fire management, fire prevention etc. The cost of the platform and payload to complete these types of missions is out of my range right now but if there is a grant that is available it would help me expand my services. I have heard that grants are available for community services such as CERT (community emergency response team) but my question is, if I join my local CERT acquire at sUAS with thermal imaging capabilities can I use that same drone for profit at my personal business?
 
Hello Friend,

The short answer is no, you may not use equipment acquired by a non-profit for personal use. This is a violation of the private inurement reg of the IRS:

"A section 501(c)(3) organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, such as the creator or the creator's family, shareholders of the organization, other designated individuals, or persons controlled directly or indirectly by such private interests. No part of the net earnings of a section 501(c)(3) organization may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. A private shareholder or individual is a person having a personal and private interest in the activities of the organization."

Likewise, such a use of government funds for private benefit is clearly illegal, too. Even Small Business Administration grants require a community/non-profit element as the grantee.

Seems like a private investor or GoFundMe or something like that would be your only route.

I am speaking from having 25 years of non-profit employment experience and 10 years as a local firefighter.

Best of luck, Sir!
 
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As clearly (and very accurately stated above) this is a very bad idea. You're opening a ton of potential issues and none of them turn out in your favor.

Building a business model on Public Safety is a very poor idea and even more so when you're talking UAS Operations. Here's why (and I'm active in this arena):

A) Most Departments are operating on a very tight and "strict" budget already. Most see UAS as a "fun" add-on.
B) UAS operations are a VERY tough pitch in most areas
C) Those who can create the funds will almost always train & promote within. Instead of having "just" a UAS operator on site who doesn't know anything other than UAS operations they can have a trained UAS Operator/Dept member operating the UAS. It's Cheaper, Covered under their insurance policies, and can perform a multitude of functions other than "just UAS"

If you want to assist a Public Safety Agency become a PART of them. Train with them, get to know them and how they operate, find a way you can add value to their operations and support them. Public Safety is a horrible business plan (been there still doing that LOL).

Allen
 
That's the way it is around me. The public services (police, fire, EMT/Ambulance, SAR) have their own internal operations. The fire department has its own drones with thermals and firemen trained and 107, same with police. The officers that operate the robotics just added drones and 107.

They have no interest whatsoever in outside help and are even somewhat hostile at the mere suggestion, responses being "We're covered. Please stay away from our operations."
 
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