Tom Kane, pictured with his two DJI Phantom 3 professional-grade aerial drones in St.… more
When Tom Kane thought about starting his own business, he used his knowledge and experience in aviation to launch an aerial drone photography service.
A licensed private pilot for the past 20 years, Kane moved to St. Augustine from Pittsburgh in January. He formed his own company, SKY 1 Imaging, in May and this week received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate drones for commercial purposes such as real estate photography and business marketing.
Kane has made an initial investment in two DJI Phantom 3 professional-grade aerial drones, which produce high-resolution still and video images.
“Flying drones is much different from taking pictures from an airplane or helicopter. Most importantly, drone photography has become affordable for almost everyone. Additionally, a drone is able to fly in places that an airplane or helicopter could never reach,” Kane said.
While flying drones might be more affordable and have easier access than traditional aircraft, UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) pilots, or drone pilots, still must follow very specific laws. Kane also pointed out that it is not widely known that individuals or businesses who hire drone photographers are the ones who are held liable if something goes wrong with a flight and if the drone service is not FAA-approved.
Kane has already begun to line up jobs in St. Johns County and the Jacksonville area. Uses for drone photography run the gamut, from real estate firms that need aerial shots of properties to construction site managers checking on the progress of projects as well as restaurants, hotels and other businesses that want fly-over images for websites and other marketing purposes.
“It’s really a very blank canvas,” Kane said. “I’m talking to a lot of people who didn’t even know what they could do with it [drone photography] and are saying, ‘You know, let me think it over, I think I might want to do that.
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2015/08/03/st-augustine-resident-s-drone-photography.html