Ask Drone U

DJI Mavic 3 Sneak Peek – Why this New DJI Drone Fails to Impress, and the Fallout of the Failed Drone Attack on US Power Grid This week’s drone news is about the DJI Mavic 3. Will DJI continue its stellar run with this new drone? We take a good, hard look at this new DJI offering, share some latest updates, and discuss how some missing, critical features might stave off many potential buyers. Specifically, we discuss how the lack of an SDK module on the DJI Mavic 3 makes it less suitable for commercial use. Our next story is about a failed drone attack on the US power grid. This incident has reignited the debate on airspace safety and drone regulations. How can institutions and critical establishments adequately secure themselves from such drone attacks? For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now. Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Enjoy! Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your

Drone Battery Maintenance | Expert Tips for Improving Drone Battery Life Today’s show is about drone battery maintenance. What are some best practices for using your drone batteries and prolonging life? Our caller for today, Todd works in a fire department and manages a large fleet of drones. Todd’s question is about drone battery maintenance. Owing to the nature of his job, Todd needs to make sure that he can fly at a moment’s notice. How can he ensure that all his drone batteries are sufficiently charged and ready to use? Moreover, what are some best practices to prolong the drone battery life? Some of the topics discussed today include deep cycling charging, the importance of periodic charging, and a Friday Flyday. Tune in now! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help

Autonomous Drones and the Pressing Need to Revamp Drone Laws, Skydio Updates, Working Upcoming Drone Conference in Houston, DJI News In this week's drone news show, we focus on autonomous drones, and the pressing need to introduce new drone laws that are in alignment with the rapid technological strides. In our first story, we discuss the recommendations made by a UK-based research agency to monitor unmanned flights. This research agency has recommended the use of electronic systems which enable the tracking of all unmanned flights over radar at ATC’s. How will such extensive monitoring impact the drone industry as a whole? Next, you will learn about the upcoming drone conference, the Energy Drones and Robotics summit in Houston. We also have some interesting updates on Skydio, the US-based manufacturer of autonomous drones. With Skydio and other drone manufacturers focusing on developing drones that fly with higher autonomy, there is a pressing need for governments across the world to revamp their drone

How to Create More Accurate Drone Maps and Models Today’s show is about drone mapping. Our caller for today, Eduardo wishes to specifically know if using a GNSS rover and marking GCP points can improve the accuracy of his drone mapping deliverables. To help Eduardo out, we first clear up some fundamentals of drone mapping. Topics discussed here include the difference between relative accuracy and absolute accuracy and the importance of ground sampling distance. You will also learn how to select the best and most affordable mapping drone in today’s show. And lastly, we share how we, at Drone U can help you master the nuances of drone mapping. Whether you are an aspiring or an experienced drone mapper, listening to today’s show will particularly help you out. Tune in now! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjo

How Can Drone U Help You Learn Accident Reconstruction? Our caller for today, Marcus has come up with an interesting question that has not been asked on Ask Drone U before. Marcus’s question is about drone accident reconstruction. Specifically, Marcus wishes to know how Drone U can help him master this specific skill set? On today’s show, we share some interesting details about our PROPS program. PROPS LEO is an extensive Drone U course that covers Part 107, public safety, and accident reconstruction. This course has been developed through extensive collaborations with law enforcement experts and industry majors like Pix4D. Today’s show will be particularly useful to those keen on learning these niche, in-demand skills. Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is

Happy Halloween, folks! But today's show is not about trick or treating or putting on your scariest costumes. We have an important update to share today. A massive solar storm is expected to hit the United States anytime now. Now, if you are like most people, you are probably wondering, "How can that possibly affect me as a drone pilot?" Valid question. This solar storm may impact GPS signals which can majorly disrupt many of your drone operations. So in case you are planning on taking to the skies today, listening to today's show will be particularly helpful to you. You will learn how to check for GPS signal disruptions and minimize the risk of a drone flyaway. This show is a short one. Do not miss! Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if yo

Drone U Members! Don’t miss this special, Members-Only show with long-time DU member and advanced drone pilot, Tom Powers. The main topics for today’s show are pricing and strategies for maximizing business revenues. It is difficult to get real-world, accurate insights about these topics. And so, we are grateful to Tom for helping the community. Specifically, this is what you will learn today: What should I charge? (Pricing strategies for advanced drone pilots. Tom reveals EXACTLY how much he charges his clients.) How to maximize revenues by ensuring “client stickiness” How to come up with irresistible discounts and offers (Learn the exact strategies that Tom uses to get his clients to buy over, and over, and over again!) Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us

New MacBook Pro – A Boon for Content Makers, FCC Places Greater Restrictions on DJI, Heavy-Lift Drones Our first story is about the latest Macbook Pro launch by Apple and if the new laptop will suit content makers with its latest features and updates. Our second news story is about the ongoing tussle between DJI and the US government. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the agency should take steps toward adding the world’s largest drone manufacturer to the “Covered List”. Typically, communication equipment and services that pose a security risk are included in the “Covered List”. Needless to say, if these plans fructify, this would be another blow to the world’s largest drone manufacturer that controls 50% of the US Market. Next up, we have some interesting drone delivery updates to share. Specifically, you will learn how heavy-lift volocopters are changing dramatically changing the face of the industry. Last but not the least, we talk about unmanned taxis. In a first of sorts, plans are afoot to use unmanne

New Additions to Blue sUAS List Gives a Fillip to American Drone Manufacturers, Police Drones – Chula Vista PD to use AirData, Drone Delivery Updates Our first story is particularly heartening for American drone manufacturers. Will the addition of 5 new manufacturers to the Blue sUAS list ease up availability and boost the American drone market? Our next story is about police drones. To ensure transparency, the Chula Vista Police Department has started using AirData to store and access information while flying drone search and rescue missions. You will also get the latest updates from the drone delivery world in today’s show. Especially, you will learn about Google Wing’s plans to use shopping mall rooftops as drone hubs. Can this out-of-the-box thinking give Wing a leg up over Amazon and Walmart? You do not want to miss this one. Tune in now! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Enjoy! Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U land

Drone Rules and Regulations - How to Interpret Them and Effectively Communicate with Law Enforcement Officers Today's show is about drone rules and regulations, and how to correctly interpret them. Our caller for today, Donald if in a fix. He wants to be a responsible, law-abiding drone pilot. But like many, he is confused by the airspace regulation language that is open to multiple interpretations.  You will learn how to perform an intelligent risk/reward assessment so that you can determine when (and when not) to push the envelope. You will learn how to have meaningful and more effective conversations with law enforcement officers in today's show. If you are also finding yourself flummoxed by the airspace laws, going through our Drone Advocacy Kit will surely help you out. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedro

How to Land Your Dream Contracts and Cash in MASSIVE profits from your Drone Business On today's show, we have Drone U student, Kevin Lederer who shares with us his exact success formula using which he landed his dream drone job with Amazon. Some years back, Kevin was sitting where you are right now - flying drones on the weekend, and doing a full-time job that he did not exactly love. He did not have the skills or any prior business background , or anything related to this current success. However, he did have the creativity, and the drive, and the will to make something happen. Kevin started taking small gigs while working his full-time job. He started off by flying drones for real estate, and over time, he moved to complex, more lucrative jobs. And eventually he landed his dream job with Amazon.  On today's show, you will get some a roadmap to owning a successful drone business. Topics discussed include pricing and scaling strategies, the importance of building a network, and how to pitch your drone servic

How to Prevent Data Loss and Recover Lost Pointcloud Data in Pix4D Today's show is about processing your drone mapping data. Specifically, we talk about recovering pointcloud data in Pix4D. Our caller for today, Martin, is unable to recover pointcloud data in Pix4D, and would like to know the best way forward.  We reveal the exact Pix4D workflow to help Martin out. If you are a drone mapper frustrated with data loss, today's show will particularly help you out.  Tune in now! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Acc

Drone U Instructor, Tom Powers Opens Up His Business Playbook - Tune in to Learn How to Grow and Scale Your Drone Business by Executing Incredibly Lucrative Residential Mapping Projects Today’s show is a special one as we have Drone U Instructor, Tom Powers sharing with us his distilled wisdom on drone mapping, and growing and scaling a drone business. You will learn how demand for drone mapping has gone through the roof in recent times. Specifically, we talk about a specific drone use case within this niche – large residential projects in today’s show. Tom reveals the exact workflow that he uses to execute large and extremely lucrative drone mapping projects. From creating progression reports to marketing extremely profitable upsell opportunities to choosing the right drone equipment & applications for building a sustainable drone business with recurring revenues, you will learn a lot in a short time by listening to this show. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions

Drone Mapping Software Recommendations - Pix4D vs. Maps Made Easy Today's show is about different drone mapping software alternatives.  Pix4D is widely considered the gold standard of drone mapping. But, are there any other options that are equally good yet more affordable? Our caller for today, Christian is wondering if there are any affordable alternatives to Pix4D. To help him out, we discuss another drone mapping software, Maps Made Easy.  You will learn about the features and capabilities of Maps Made Easy so that you can easily determine if this mapping software is right for you. If you are a drone mapper looking for affordable yet reliable drone mapping software, this show is for you. Do not miss! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to

Getting Started in Drone Mapping, Recommended Mapping Workflows, Pix4D vs. DroneDeploy vs. CaptureReality Today's show is about starting and scaling a drone mapping business even if you are a limited budget.  Our caller for today, Brandon wishes to move to drone mapping - an industry vertical which can be incredibly lucrative for drone pilots possessing the right skillsets. But, Brandon wishes to make this foray without making a large upfront capital investment.  From data acquisition to processing, we reveal the best drone mapping workflow to help Brandon out. We recommend how you can lower your costs WITHOUT compromising on the quality of your deliverables. Topics discussed today workflow for mapping software like DroneDeploy, Pix4D, and Capture Reality. Additionally, you will learn how to get the most out your computing system so that you can process mapping datasets in the most efficient manner.  Thanks for the great question, Brandon. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions

Drone Business Secrets REVEALED - Interview with Drone U Student, Glenn Labay Today's show is a special one as we interview Glenn Labay of Aerial Camera Services LLC who shares with us his distilled wisdom on growing and scaling a drone business. Glenn, a Drone U student owns a thriving aerial photography and videography business. He reflects back on his entrepreneurial journey and reveals some of the biggest things that have helped him find success.  You will learn how to develop advanced flying skills and carve out your own niche in a competitive market. Additionally, Glenn reveals some of his biggest business struggles and how he has managed to overcome them.   And towards the end,  Glenn shares some interesting details about the different jobs that he currently working on. This is a show you do not want to miss. Enjoy!  Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questi

How to Unlock Your DJI Drone, Get Necessary Flight Waivers (Without Hacking or LAANC) Today's show is about getting flight approvals without going through DJI's application system or LAANC. Our caller for today, Jared, would like to custom hack his DJI drone so that he does not have to deal with DJI red zones. On today's show, we reveal various alternatives to help Jared out. Specifically, you will learn how you can get your authorization through night-time waivers, and DJI certificates.  Tune in now! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. B

How to Buy the Best Enterprise-Level Drone for Mapping and Inspections Without Overshooting Your Budget Today's show is about purchasing the right drone for your business. Can you find a capable enterprise-level drone even if you are a tight budget? Our caller for today, Cody needs help purchasing a good drone for inspections, thermal imaging, and 3D mapping.  He wants to create exceptional deliverables for his client without exceeding his budget.  That's a tough ask, but certainly not an impossible one.  To help Cody out, we discuss the pros and cons of popular enterprise-level drones like the Inspire 2 and Matric 300. You will learn the various things that you need to watch out for when purchasing a new drone. Additionally, you will also learn how excellent skills and experience can successfully fly complex missions even if you don't have the latest, most up-to-date equipment. This is a show you do not want to miss. Thanks for the great question, Cody. Fly Safe! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certif

How to License an Image - Inking Contractual Agreements, and How to Handle Violations Today's show is about licensing rights of videos and images and how owners can ensure rights are not violated. Our caller for today, Kent needs help with photography licensing. Specifically, he is wondering how he can enforce the license, and the steps to take in case of violations. On today's show, you will learn about the different kinds of photo licensing agreements, so that you can ink an agreement that suits your purpose to the T. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com

Important Pre-Flight Checks for Drone Batteries Today's show is about drone batteries and how pilots can check their drone batteries to ensure a safe flight. Our caller for today, Carcherri would like to know what are some of the most important pre-flight checks for batteries. To help him out, we share important battery configurations and reveal how you accurately assess flight time. Do not miss this one! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 107 PDF Make sure to get yourself the all-new Drone U landing pad! Get your questions answered: https://thedroneu.com/. If you enjoy the show, the #1 thing you can do to help us out is to subscribe to it on iTunes. Can we ask you to do that for us real quick? While you’re there, leave us a 5-star review, if you’re inclined to do so. Thanks! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-drone-u/id967352832. Become a Drone U Member. Access to over 30 courses, great resources, and our incredible community.