Step 1, Complete the Part 107 UA General - Small Exam: Complete

[WestSide714]

So I passed the Part 107 exam today, not real difficult but happy to be on the right side of the regulations. I purchased and Air 2s and I'll probably start out with residential real estate since it seems easy to approach realtors and offer minimal or free rates a couple times to build a portfolio but I promise not to undercut established businesses for long. I am retired so in the long run I just need something enjoyable and challenging that will bring in just enough income to support some drone upgrades, some PC upgrades and my golf game. I have a home in central Utah where I think I can market my skills occasionally also.

One thing I'm not sure about is do I need to incorporate or can I create a DBA or can I wait until I get things rolling?
I have Davinci Resolve on my laptop for editing deliverables.
I'm a retired aerospace engineer and I'm totally new to this so any input and direction would be welcome.
It's been fun reading posts here and practicing from my yard but I'm in a populated area of So CA and under Fullerton class D so I haven't done too much yet.

 

[GFields]

I would wait a while to see how your business progresses.

 

[WestSide714]

I would wait a while to see how your business progresses.

Thanks, I'll do that. I just didn't want to cheat the system or take shortcuts.

 

[Anthony Ivory]

So I passed the Part 107 exam today, not real difficult but happy to be on the right side of the regulations. I purchased and Air 2s and I'll probably start out with residential real estate since it seems easy to approach realtors and offer minimal or free rates a couple times to build a portfolio but I promise not to undercut established businesses for long. I am retired so in the long run I just need something enjoyable and challenging that will bring in just enough income to support some drone upgrades, some PC upgrades and my golf game. I have a home in central Utah where I think I can market my skills occasionally also.

One thing I'm not sure about is do I need to incorporate or can I create a DBA or can I wait until I get things rolling?
I have Davinci Resolve on my laptop for editing deliverables.
I'm a retired aerospace engineer and I'm totally new to this so any input and direction would be welcome.
It's been fun reading posts here and practicing from my yard but I'm in a populated area of So CA and under Fullerton class D so I haven't done too much yet.

LLC is your best option.

 

[LeeB]

You may want to take pictures and video of you house and property so you have something to show prospective realtors.
Even free should yield a benefit to you. Always ask for referrals.

 

[SethB]

I recommend *not* starting out with commercial clients for no pay.

* It zeros the value of your own work and the work of others.

* You’ll find low-market and/or unscrupulous realtors - they know they should be paying for aerials if they want them.

* It’s very difficult to later bump up a free client into a paying client.

You *do* need a portfolio! I recommend building it and your skills with aerials of the homes of your friends and acquaintances, and with volunteer work for non-profits.

 

[WestSide714]

Thanks for the suggestions, I appreciate everything. I'll shoot my home and homes for friends and family and create a YouTube page to start a portfolio. I have a friend who is a realtor, I'll give him one maybe two free sessions so I can feel like I'm "on the inside" then give him business cards and ask for referrals from his peers with base pricing. He won't have a problem with that.

Step by step.

I'll use DaVinci Resolve 18 for video editing and colorizing and at this point I'll try some 1080P and 4k video to keep it simple. I use jpg and raw for photos and can crop and colorize in DaVinci also. I don't have any music resources yet.

Feel free to comment on my business projections. I literally have about two weeks experience.

Frank
DJI Air 2s