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Today's question is about free drone mapping software. Our caller, Ken from NJ wants to get into drone mapping. And while he wants to improve his mapping skills, understandably, he does not want to spend hundreds of dollars after mapping software right now. So, are there any free mapping software that Ken can use as a practice tool? On today's show, we discuss different options like Open Drone Map, Capture Reality, and even Pix4D and Drone Deploy. This show will be particularly useful for those who are contemplating getting into the lucrative mapping industry. Enjoy!   Resources: Drone Mapping Guide - https://www.thedroneu.com/what-is-drone-mapping-software/ Free Drone Map - https://www.opendronemap.org/ 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

Today's show is about the DJI Mavic Air 2. Can you build a long-term, profitable business with this entry-level DJI drone? Our caller for today, John is a new drone pilot who has recently invested in the DJI Mavic Mini 2. John is facing buyer's remorse as he feels that he should have gone for a more powerful, sophisticated drone instead. While he was looking for a commercially viable option, he is worried that he has wasted his money after a "toy". Has John made a wrong purchase? Can he carve out a place in the marketplace when there are other pilots flying more powerful drones like the Mavic 2 Pro, Phantom, and Inspire?  Tune in to find out. Thanks for the great question, John. Fly Safe! 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. Ca

Today we compare different drone mapping software and reveal the most accurate option so that you can avoid any legal liabilities. Our caller for Trav is from Australia and has a question about drone mapping. And specifically, drone mapping software. Trav wants to know which processing software can produce the most accurate drone maps so that he avoid any legal liabilities. Great question, Trav. This question is particularly relevant to drone uses like surveying. More and more drone pilots are getting into trouble with Surveying Boards when they don't follow the right systems and workflows. On today's show, while we recommend the best mapping software option for Trav, we also reveal some best practices so that you can avoid human error, inaccuracies, and the ensuing legal liabilities. Thanks for the great question. Fly Safe! 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 quest

Today's show is about flying at night without a waiver. Our caller for today, Bob has called in with an extremely relevant question today. Bob's question is about flying at night without a waiver. With daylight waiver to fly at night all set to become history, is there any benefit to applying for a Wide Area Authorization? Additionally, he is also wondering about the procedure to fly in controlled airspace near an airport that is not LAANC-enabled. With the recent changes to Part 107, drone pilots shall soon be able to fly without a waiver. On today's show, you will receive some latest information and expert tips so that you can legally fly at night without a waiver. Part 107 pilots will also get some great value from the latter half of the show where Paul reveals how you can capture data in a zero grid area even when you don't have the necessary permission to fly. We also discuss if it is possible for pilots to get the necessary flight permissions and operate profitable drone businesses in cities like Las Ve

Today's question is about the upcoming changes to the Part 107 test. Will it be harder for you to clear the new and updated test? Our caller for today, Bob has come up with a particularly relevant question today. The Part 107 test is all set for a revamp in March. And rather than being one of the first people to attempt the new and updated test, you are certainly better off giving the test right now. You will learn about some of the most important changes to the Part 107 test. Particularly, you will learn how you shall soon be able to fly at night without a waiver. 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 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. T

Today's show is about mapping entire towns with drones. Is this a cost-feasible and legally permissible option? Our caller for today, Ryan from Utah wishes to survey an entire town with a drone. Legally speaking, is this even a possibility? Can Ryan get the necessary permissions to fly over people and BVLOS if required? On today's show, we share how Ryan can legally map large swathes of land without filing a waiver at all. We also compare mapping with drones to mapping from planes and reveal if the former can produce more detailed, more accurate maps. Enjoy! Check out our comprehensive drone mapping guide - https://www.thedroneu.com/what-is-drone-mapping-software/ 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 tha

Today's show is about running an LLC alongside flying a drone for your W-2 employer. Our caller for today, Adam flies drones as a part of his W-2 job profile. Additionally, he recently started his LLC. Adam is using his personal drone to fly jobs for his LLC and his employer. For accounting and insurance purposes, it is a must that Adam keep the flight data for his business separate. But, given that he is using the same drone, how can Adam do so? Being a drone entrepreneur himself, Paul also has some sage career advice for Adam. Also, towards the end, we discuss if Adam can/should convince his boss to hire his drone business LLC. Thanks for the great question, Adam. Fly Safe! 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 y

Today's show is about drone mapping software. Which is the best and most capable software to map a roof? Our caller for today, Garrett from Ohio is confused with the myriad of mapping software out there. He plans on taking up a roof mapping job and is considering using Pix4D. But, should Garrett opt for Pix4DMapper or Pix4D Cloud? Apart from Pix4D, we also discuss other options like DroneDeploy, Eagleview, and the latest entrant in the market, Skydio 3D Scan. You will also learn how your final deliverable and acquisition strategy impacts the choice of your mapping software. And we also share some great resources to help you out. Enjoy! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone back up in the air in as little as 7 days! Use Promo Code “DroneU” to get 25% off. Drone U Members get an extra 5% off on total repair costs. Check them out now! Check out our comprehen

On today's show, we have Colorado wedding photographer, Kara Cavalca who shares with us her wisdom on how to successfully manage and scale a photography business. Wedding photography is a tough and competitive business. But Kara has managed to grow and scale her one-woman show to the next level. You will learn how she is using an all-in-one software, Sproutstudio to manage all her business needs ranging from invoicing to digital storage. Additionally, this software, which is specially built for photographers is also capable of sending out automated emails so that you can follow up with your clients in a hassle-free manner. Having spent more than four years in this space, Kara shares how she differentiates herself in a crowded marketplace. She opens up her playbook to reveal what it takes to be successful in this business. This show is full of some great nuggets guaranteed to help you out. Enjoy! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonab

Today's question is about launching/landing a drone autonomously from a flatbed truck. Our caller for today, Renn is from Australia and has called in with an interesting question that has not been asked on Ask Drone U before. Renn's question is about launching/landing a drone autonomously from a flatbed truck. On today's show, we present two solutions to help Renn out. First, you will learn about a tethered drone system that can be flown from a moving vehicle. The next solution is particularly innovative as this technology can be used to autonomously fly DJI drones. We also speculate how autonomous flying can be used to significantly scale up powerline inspections and drone deliveries among other things. For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now. Thanks for the great question, Renn. Fly Safe! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone ba

Today's question is about the new Part 107 rules for drone pilots. Our caller for today, DJ has come up with a great question about the new Part 107 drone rules. DJ is confused by these new rules and wishes to know how they impact him as a Part 107 pilot. The FAA recently announced some significant changes to Part 107 rules which might change the way you fly. On today's show, you will learn how these changes will impact 1) Part 107 Test 2) Part 107 Recurrency 3) Flying at Night, and 4) Flying over Moving Vehicles. We do a deep dive into each of these points so that you don't end up on the wrong side of the law. In light of these new changes, you will also learn why the DJI Mavic Mini 2 is the most valuable drone that you can buy right now. Thanks for the great question, DJ. Fly Safe! New Part 107 Drone Rules Makes Flying Easier - https://www.thedroneu.com/blog/new-part-107-drone-rules-make-flying-easier/ Drone Rule Changes Make Microdrones More Valuable - https://www.thedroneu.com/blog/drone-rule-changes-make

On today's show, we have Andrew Dennison, Director of Enterprise Services at DroneDeploy who shares with us the latest and most exciting trends from the drone mapping world. We start this show with Andrew sharing the workflow used by a majority of DroneDeploy pilots. You will learn how drones are being increasingly used as an image sharing tool in construction. We also discuss the big push towards onsite processings and future trends such as LiDAR. Andrew shares DroneDeploy's big plans for the indoor mapping space. And towards the end, he shares an untapped and lucrative opportunity that will surely interest enterprising pilots. Do not miss this special show. Enjoy! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone back up in the air in as little as 7 days! Use Promo Code “DroneU” to get 25% off. Drone U Members get an extra 5% off on total repair costs. Check them o

Today's show is about using drones in the oil and gas industry. Our caller for today, Jason from Texas wishes to leverage his experience in the oil and gas industry. He is wondering about the best way to market his drone services to industry stakeholders. In today's show, we discuss regulations, safety concerns, and marketing tactics. Thanks for the great question, Jason. Fly Safe! Drone Regulations for the Oil and Gas Industry - epa.gov Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone back up in the air in as little as 7 days! Use Promo Code “DroneU” to get 25% off. Drone U Members get an extra 5% off on total repair costs. Check them out 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.co

Today's show is about extinguishing a drone battery fire. We dispel some common misconceptions and reveal the best solution so that you can avert any disaster. Our caller for today, Bob tuned in to our previous show, Can You Get Into Trouble for Not Retrieving Your Drone After a Crash? And after listening in, he has come up with a great follow-up question. Bob's question is about extinguishing a fire caused by a LiPo drone battery. On today's show, you will learn the ONE thing that you should never do if your drone battery catches fire. And, to help Bob out, we go in touch with our good friends at FDNY so that we can recommend the best possible solution. Tune in to find out! Thanks for the great question, Bob. Fly Safe! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone back up in the air in as little as 7 days! Use Promo Code “DroneU” to get 25% off. Drone U Members

Today's question is about the new executive order issued by President Trump on January 18, 2021. Just before President Trump ended his term, he signed a bunch of executive orders - one of them being Executive Order 13981 on January 18, 2021. Titled "Protecting United States from Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems", this order places restrictions on the use of drones and drone spare parts manufactured in certain countries. And this order also enforces additional flight restrictions. But, with the blue administration now in charge, is the executive order still valid? Will the Biden team follow up on this executive order or simply scrap it? For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now. Enjoy! Fly Safe! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone back up in the air in as little as 7 days! Use Promo Code “DroneU” to get 25% off. Drone U Members ge

Today's show is about the current drone industry trend that has become really popular lately. Our caller for today, Tom has come up with a great question that has not been asked on Ask Drone U before. Tom's question is about the current drone industry trend where manufacturers are charging extra for add-on services and accessories. While this trend is now catching on in the drone industry, subscription-based services are already popular in industries like automobiles and OTT. In today's show, we discuss the pros and cons of this lease/subscription-based model. While this model might save you money if you plan on using a drone/software for a short period of time, are drone manufacturers going overboard with this? Are you okay with paying extra for software, third-party apps, and accessories? Let us know your thoughts! Thanks for the great question, Tom. Fly Safe! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folk

Today's question is about drone laws. Specifically, what should a drone pilot do when flying near manned aircraft? Our caller for today, German is from Florida. Recently, when flying his drone at a 200 feet altitude, he came dangerously close to a helicopter. So, can helicopters legally fly at such low altitudes? And, should drone pilots always yield to manned aircraft even if they are flying with all the necessary permissions? With drone deliveries set to take flight, we also discuss if there is an urgent need to tweak drone laws. For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now. Thanks for the great question, German. Fly Safe! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone back up in the air in as little as 7 days! Use Promo Code “DroneU” to get 25% off. Drone U Members get an extra 5% off on total repair costs. Check them out now! Get Your Bi

Today's show is about the DJI Crystalsky. Experienced pilot and Drone U's newest instructor, Tom has called in with a great question today. Considering the US's toughening stance towards Chinese companies, is it still safe for you to buy DJI equipment? Specifically, the DJI Crystalsky. Is it true that DJI Crystalsky is nearing its end of life? Can you still update your apps and get adequate support if you are using this DJI monitor to fly your drones? For all this and much more, tune in to our latest show now. Thanks for the great question, Tom. Fly Safe! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone back up in the air in as little as 7 days! Use Promo Code “DroneU” to get 25% off. Drone U Members get an extra 5% off on total repair costs. Check them out now! Get Your Biggest and Most Common Drone Certificate Questions Answered by Downloading this FREE Part 10

Today's show is about the all-new Sony Airpeak Drone. Recently, Sony unveiled a new prosumer grade drone at CES 2021. This new drone, The Sony Airpeak comes with an FPV camera, obstacle avoidance, and an impressive payload. Mounting troubles for DJI have thrown up some interesting possibilities for other drone manufacturers who wish to jump into the fray. And considering Sony's past partnership with DJI and their impressive production capabilities, they are well-positioned to fill this market gap. In today's show, you will get a sneak peek, and learn about specs & pricing. If you are a drone enthusiast interested in the latest, most exciting developments, this show will be particularly interesting for you. Enjoy! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone back up in the air in as little as 7 days! Use Promo Code “DroneU” to get 25% off. Drone U Members get an

Today's show is about the commercial viability of the DJI Mavic Air 2. Our caller for today, Matt files a DJI Mavic Air 2. Matt is wondering if he can use this beginner drone for commercial drone photography and videography. Can Matt compete with drone pilots who fly more expensive drones like the Mavic 2 and Inspire 2? The different options discussed today include the Mavic 2 Pro, the Mavic 2 Zoom, and the Inspire 2-X7 combo. Additionally, we also share the pros and cons of the sub-250 gram, DJI Mavic Mini 2. After the latest updates, is it possible to build a sustainable drone business using this tiny DJI drone? For all this and much, much more, tune in to our latest show now! Fly Safe! Recently crashed your drone? Unable to find trained technicians who can repair your drone quickly and at a reasonable rate? Don’t fret. The cool folks at Fortress UAV can help you get your drone back up in the air in as little as 7 days! Use Promo Code “DroneU” to get 25% off. Drone U Members get an extra 5% off on total rep